June 21, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hannah Muldavin, Hannah.Muldavin@mail.house.gov

Rep. Trone Passes Four Amendments to Government Funding Bills

Amendments include funding to combat the opioid epidemic and expand access to rural broadband

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. David Trone (MD-06) announced House passage of four amendments he proposed, including critical funding for mental health courts, programs to combat the opioid epidemic in rural communities, and the expansion of rural broadband.

The amendments were added to H.R. 3055, the FY 2020 Commerce, Justice, Science, Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act.

“I came to Washington to represent those that don’t have a PAC or a lobbyist, and I’m proud that we were able to secure resources for critical priorities in our district,” said Congressman David Trone. “This funding will expand opportunities for Marylanders and all Americans by increasing funding to combat the opioid crisis, expanding rural broadband access, strengthening mental health courts, and improving the infrastructure for NIST, one of our nation’s leading research institutions.”

Trone’s four amendments reflect some of the most important priorities for the 6th District of Maryland. More detail on the amendments is included below:

• Opioid Epidemic: Increases funding for Rural Health and Safety Education Program by $1 million to combat the opioid epidemic in rural communities
• Mental Health Courts: Increases funding by $1.5 million for mental health courts and adult and juvenile collaboration program grants that improve mental health services and provide diversion for justice-impacted individuals
• Access to Broadband: Increases funding for Community Connect Grants by $5 million to expand broadband deployment into rural communities that are underserved by private sector investment
• Research Funding: Underlines importance of modernizing the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) infrastructure

Trone spoke on the House floor about these amendments. You can view the remarks here.

Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) also spoke on the House floor about the two amendments he co-sponsored with Trone relating to broadband access and the opioid epidemic. You can view the remarks here.

MAJOR 6TH DISTRICT PRIORITIES

Trone also supported numerous priorities of Maryland’s 6th District and other communities across America in H.R. 2740 and H.R. 3055, two “minibus” packages of FY2020 appropriations bills, which passed the House on Wednesday, June 19 and Thursday, June 21.

H.R. 2740 totals $982.8 billion and consists of four FY 2020 appropriations bills that fund federal agencies including the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Defense, State, and Energy. H.R. 3055 totals $383.3 billion in discretionary budget authority and consists of five FY 2020 appropriations bills: Commerce-Justice-Science, Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development.

Below are a number of priorities of American communities, including in the 6th District and across Maryland, in H.R. 2740 and H.R. 3055:

JOBS

• $1.9 billion for Job Corps, $150 million above the 2019 enacted level, helping at-risk youth develop the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy.
• $3 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grants to states and local communities for workforce development.
• $250 million for the Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeships to help more workers receive a skills-based education and find well-paying jobs.
• $56 million, an increase of $5 million, in public health workforce initiatives.

CHILDREN & FAMILIES

• An increase of $4 billion for early childhood programs including the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start.
• $973 million, an increase of $46 million, for programs to improve maternal and child health, including an additional $5 million to reduce maternal mortality.
• $40 million for Full-Service Community Schools to provide comprehensive services and expand evidence-based models that meet the holistic needs of children, families, and communities.
• Dictionary funding, as well as mandatory funding required by law, for food and nutrition programs with the Department of Agriculture: $71.1 billion for SNAP, $24 billion for child nutrition programs, and $6 billion for WIC.

EDUCATION

• $42.2 billion for the nation’s K-12 education programs.
• $24.9 billion for Federal student aid programs, $492 million above the 2019 enacted level.
• $2.7 billion for higher education programs, an increase of $436 million above the 2019 enacted level.
• $250 million for Registered Apprenticeships, an increase of $90 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and the President’s budget request.

HEALTH

• A $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), expanding lifesaving medical research.
• $56 million, an increase of $5 million, in CDC public health workforce initiatives.
• Increases for numerous public health efforts, including: $10 million for the establishment of a suicide prevention program, $250 million to address tobacco and e-cigarettes, and $160 million for heart disease and stroke.
• $1.05 billion for food safety and inspection programs.
• $5.9 billion for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

INFRASTRUCTURE

• $400 million in additional funding for water resources projects across the U.S.
• $150 million for Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response efforts to secure the nation’s energy infrastructure, reduce the risks of and impacts from cybersecurity events, and assist with restoration activities.
• $20 million for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) interconnection system and system wide infrastructure.
• $1 billion for National Infrastructure Investments like TIGER and build.
• $1.45 billion for rural water and waste program loans, and over $655 million in water and waste grants for clean and reliable drinking water systems and sanitary waste disposal systems.

ENVIRONMENT

• $273 million increase for the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), providing for clean, affordable, and secure energy and supporting our transition to a clean energy economy.
• $425 million for Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy, supporting research aimed at rapidly developing energy technologies that are capable of significantly changing the energy sector to address our critical economic, environmental, and energy security challenges.
• $10.5 million for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• $9.53 billion in for EPA, including $3.43 billion for EPA’s core science and environmental program work.

STRONG & SECURE COMMUNITIES

• For the first time in more than 20 years, the bill funds firearm injury and mortality prevention research at the CDC and NIH.
• Investments in our nation’s public health infrastructure, including $66 million, an increase of $6 million, for food safety.
• $760 million for the Community Services Block Grant, an increase of $35 million, to help revitalize communities.
• $501 million for grant programs to help stem opioid abuse, including for drug courts, treatment, prescription drug monitoring, overdose-reversal drugs, and at-risk youth programs.
• Increased resources for programs that reduce violent and gun crime, including $80 million in grants to States to improve their records used in background checks.

Congressman David Trone was elected to the House of Representatives in November 2018 to serve the 6th District of Maryland, which includes all or part of Montgomery, Frederick, Washington, Allegany, and Garrett Counties. Trone serves on the Education and Labor, Foreign Affairs, and Joint Economic Committees, where he is fighting to make progress on issues that matter to Marylanders, including the opioid epidemic, criminal justice reform, and funding for medical research.

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