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Jayapal Secures Critical Investments for Washington Communities

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House passed H.R. 3055, the second “minibus” spending bill for the fiscal year 2020, which included significant investments in affordable housing, transportation, infrastructure and the environment. This second bill package includes bold requests led by Representative Pramila Jayapal to directly address critical issues impacting Washington’s seventh district. 

“These investments will allow us to continue to deliver on our promises to improve the lives of hard-working people in our communities. While the Trump administration continues to line the pockets of CEOs and hand out tax breaks to big corporations, we are investing in the people of this country,” said Rep. Jayapal. 

“Climate change is creating refugees, claiming lives and costing taxpayers billions of dollars. Our roads and bridges are crumbling, and ports critical to our district’s economy are being neglected. Families, children and veterans are faced with staggering rates of homelessness. It’s time we start taking care of our communities again, and this bill will do just that,” Rep. Jayapal concluded.   

Rep. Jayapal successfully secured $10 million – a 300% increase from FY 2019 – in funding for the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program. This groundbreaking program, which originated in Seattle, allows law enforcement officers to redirect persons apprehended for low-level offenses to vital treatment and recovery services, freeing up our overcrowded jails and court system.

The spending bill also included a 10% increase to BUILD Transportation Grants, which was a top priority for Rep. Jayapal. These funds will be available through competitive grants for key projects in the Seattle area, including the Edmonds Street Waterfront Connector Project and the Terminal 5 Modernization Project. 

Rep. Jayapal also led the charge to increase funding for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Resilience Grants to $81 million, which will support research at the University of Washington to help communities on Washington’s coast cope with sea level rise. 

Rep. Jayapal was also successful in securing funding for the following programs in this appropriations package: 

  • Section 8 Rental Assistance
  • Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation
  • McKinney-Vento Grants
  • Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS Grants
  • Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR)/Climate Research
  • NOAA Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund
  • USGS: Natural Hazards, Earthquake Hazards Program
  • USGS: Ecosystem Science, Cooperative Research Units
  • USGS: Land Resources, Climate Adaptation Science Centers
  • Fish and Wildlife Service: Coastal Programs
  • USDA/USFS/Legacy Roads and Trails Remediation Program
  • FTA/Capital Investment Grants
  • Census Bureau
  • Legal Orientation Program

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