WASHINGTON D.C., March 11, 2022 – Last night, on a bi-partisan 68-31 vote, the U.S. Senate passed the $1.5 trillion omnibus spending package for fiscal year 2022. The bipartisan package funds the government through September 2022, invests in Northwest Washington communities, and provides $13.6 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine.
U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the passage of the spending package which is heading to President Joe Biden for signature.
“My job is making sure that Washington state’s priorities are the federal government’s priorities, so whether that’s getting more money for childcare and Pell Grants, or making sure the federal government is living up to its obligations to the Hanford community—that’s what I’m going to keep fighting for every single day in the other Washington,” said Senator Murray.
She was most proud that the package includes:
- A 2.7% raise for Washington state servicemembers.
- Funding to Washington state public schools
- Historic funding for Head Start Programs and a $400 annual increase in the maximum Pell Grant for students.
- A reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act that includes Senator Murray’s Survivors’ Access to Supportive Care Act.
- $2.595 billion for the cleanup of the Hanford site—notably, this is $128 million above the President’s Budget Request.
- Funding for projects greenlit by the Bipartisan Infrastructure law to create jobs in Washington state.
According to the press release, Senator Murray secured more than $113 million in direct funding for local community projects throughout Washington state. A full list of those projects can be found HERE.
House Passage of the Omnibus Spending Package
On Wednesday, the U.S. House passed the omnibus spending package with two separate votes. The first vote included $782 billion in funding for the Pentagon, Department of Homeland Security and other national security priorities which passed with a 361-69 vote. The second vote, 260-171, adopted $730 billion in provisions related to domestic programs.
The House used a process known as “dividing the question” to hold two votes on the 1.5 trillion omnibus spending package, but the separate passed pieces were joined into a single package when the measure was sent to the Senate.
“My priority in shaping spending bills is to invest in local communities to create well-paying jobs and provide vital services in Northwest Washington,” said Larsen. “This spending bill makes those critical investments while also supporting a sovereign and independent Ukraine, reauthorizing protections for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, lowering costs for working families, protecting Washington’s environment and investing in vital infrastructure.”
Congressman Larsen secured $10,662,665 for ten Second District projects local leaders and stakeholders identified as critical to their communities:
- $2,000,000 for Phase II construction of Compass Health’s advanced facility for Intensive Behavioral Health Services in Everett. The five-story, 82,000 square foot building will accommodate a range of integrated emergency and preventive outpatient behavioral health care services.
- $2,000,000 for the City of Mountlake Terrace’s transit connection project. The City will construct a pedestrian plaza adjacent to the new light rail station and lighted, paved pedestrian trails through Veterans Memorial Park.
- $2,000,000 for construction of Unity Care NW’s The Way Station in Bellingham. The Way Station will provide medical respite, a hygiene center, health care, long-term housing supports and case management for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
- $1,740,000 for the Samish Indian Nation’s State Route 20 – Campbell Lake Road Roundabout project. The Samish will construct a three-legged roundabout at the intersection of State Route 20 and Campbell Lake Road.
- $1,000,000 for the City of Lynnwood’s Scriber Creek Trail redevelopment project. The City will redevelop the existing trail corridor into a 16’ wide, ADA-accessible trail with durable, slip-resistant hard surfaces. Where crossing Scriber Creek and associated wetlands, the trail will be constructed on elevated bridge/boardwalk structures.
- $694,480 for the MacKaye Harbor Water District’s Agate Beach Lane infrastructure improvements on Lopez Island. The Water District will relocate water infrastructure away from a road that is currently failing due to coastal erosion.
- $500,000 for the City of Sedro-Woolley’s Olmsted Park development project. The City will develop an existing 14.81-acre city-owned property into a destination park for public use.
- $346,625 for the Goosefoot Community Fund’s community kitchen project in Langley. Goosefoot Community Fund will create a commercial kitchen to help local farmers, producers and small businesses increase food resiliency on Whidbey Island.
- $245,560 for the City of Everett’s Pallets to Housing initiative. In efforts to combat the crisis of homelessness and provide suitable shelter, the City is piloting an initiative utilizing low-barrier shelters to temporarily house hard-to-place individuals and couples. The City plans to expand this pilot project to develop a new and different location to benefit youth and families who are experiencing homelessness.
- $136,000 for the Port of Coupeville’s rehabilitation of the Historic Coupeville Wharf. The Port will replace approximately 400 feet of water and sewer piping that runs along the Historic Coupeville Wharf’s causeway.
What is in the omnibus spending package
According to summaries and fact sheets provided by the House Appropriations Committee, here’s what some of the money will fund:
- $774.4 million for congressional offices to recruit and retain a diverse workforce (21% increase)
- $18.2 million to pay interns
- $602.5 million for the Capitol Police (17% increase)
- $12.6 billion for the Internal Revenue Service (5.6% increase)
- $75 million for election security grants
- $20 million for operating expenses to the Election Assistance Commission
- $17.5 billion for high-poverty K-12 schools (6.3% increase)
- $11 billion for Head Start (increase of 2.7%)
- $45 billion to National Institutes of Health for biomedical and behavioral research (5.3% increase)
- $26.9 billion in funding for child nutrition programs (7% increase)
- $53.7 billion to Department of Housing and Urban Development (8% increase)
- $2.6 billion to Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (29% increase)
- $13.6 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine
What the omnibus did not cover
Not included in the 2022 omnibus spending package is $15.6 billion for pandemic response efforts after Republican representatives requested it be removed. Republicans are asking to see the “full accounting” of what has already been spent on the pandemic before they would support any new funding.
House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat, introduced a stand-alone bill with the pandemic response funds which is expected to be voted on in the House next week. However, it is unclear that the bill will get the 60 required votes to pass the Senate.
For more information on the FY2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act, click here and here.
Author: Mario Lotmore
