Washington, D.C. —  Tonight, Rep. Dean Phillips voted to pass the bipartisan Omnibus Appropriations Funding Package, H.R. 2471, which provides funding for economic development, infrastructure and public safety projects in Minnesota while addressing some of our nation’s biggest challenges.

Rep Phillips:

“Tonight our Congress passed legislation to fund police, child care, Pell Grants, Head Start, border security, climate change resiliency, pandemic preparation and cancer research.

We reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act, increased pay and support for military families, increased investment to address the opioid epidemic and to compete with China around the globe.

We approved significant support for the people of Ukraine and substantial investments right here in Minnesota’s 3rd District through Community Project Funding allocations.

As much as we accomplished, our job is not complete. Additional COVID aid and replenishment of the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and small business support remain among my highest priorities. But today’s bipartisan success remains an example of what’s still possible when people are willing to prioritize principle over politics.”

After listening to his constituents last year, Rep. Phillips successfully secured more than $17 million in Community Project Funding for Minnesota’s Third District, including a small business development center in Brooklyn Park, opioid abuse treatment services in Chanhassen, and a water main improvement project in Tonka Bay.

The bipartisan omnibus authorizes previous federal investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law – unlocking more than $6 billion to transform roads, bridges, transit, water systems, airports, and broadband across Minnesota.  This critical funding will help ensure high-impact projects like the 35W-494 interchange are completed while also freeing up valuable resources for long-overdue infrastructure upgrades throughout the Twin Cities and across the state.

The legislative package reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This will provide $575 million in funding for domestic violence prevention and prosecution programs, a 12% increase over last year’s funding levels and the highest funding level ever. Last year, Minnesota organizations like Cornerstone, a non-profit based in Bloomington, received more than $13 million in VAWA funding.

The government funding legislation makes significant investments to:

• Fund the Police: Provides $3.9 billion in grants to state and local law enforcement, an increase of 13 percent from the previous fiscal year, including funding to help state and local law enforcement agencies hire and rehire career law enforcement officers.
• Help Working Families With The Cost of Living: Reduces costs by expanding child care and early learning programs to more working families, investing in America’s K-12 public schools, increasing the maximum Pell Grant award by $400, expands access to homeownership, and bringing the promise of rural broadband to more communities.
• Create American Jobs: Makes historic investments in our infrastructure and the American workforce, helps small businesses grow and thrive, fosters the green energy jobs of tomorrow, and supports high-quality job training and apprenticeship programs so every American can contribute and succeed.
• Support the Vulnerable: Strengthens nutrition assistance for children and families, funds more affordable housing and strengthens the social safety net.
• Honor Our Promise to Veterans: Bolsters the VA’s health care system while reducing backlogs.

The legislation also addresses some of our nation’s biggest challenges:

• Protecting Our National Security: with robust funding for defense, diplomacy and global development, a strong focus on cybersecurity, and investments in responsible border and maritime security that keeps us safe and respects the rights and dignity of migrants.
• Confronting the Climate Crisis: through a renewed focus on environmental enforcement, historic investments in clean energy and climate science, and funding to continue the fight against climate change, including $348 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI).
• Strengthening Public Health: by rebuilding our health care infrastructure, establishing funding for President Biden’s new cancer research initiative, and confronting urgent health crises – including maternal health, mental health, substance misuse, and gun violence.

Additionally, the omnibus will provide $13.6 billion in assistance for the people of Ukraine, as they face Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasion.

A more detailed summary of the bill can be viewed here.

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