Van Drew Issues Statement on Federal Budget Passage

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Congress passed a compromise funding package Feb. 14 to fund the remainder of the federal government that had been operating through several stopbacks.  This funding agreement funds the federal government through the remainder of Fiscal Year 2019 and ensures that the federal government does not shut down again. The funding package heads to President Trump for his signature.
In response to the passage of the deal to fund the government, U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew (D-2nd) stated in a release, “I’m grateful that we have come to an agreement and that the American people will not suffer again through another shutdown. While this deal is not perfect, it reflects the needs of the American people, secures our borders and makes significant investments on priorities such as the U.S. Coast Guard and the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. We must work together as Americans in a bipartisan fashion. I look forward to continuing to work to improve the lives of South Jersey families.”
Van Drew has been communicating the importance of the FAA and the William J. Hughes Technical Center to his colleagues since he got to Washington over two months ago.
U.S. Rep. David Price (NC-4), chairman of the House Appropriations Transportation Subcommittee, offered the following:
“I want to thank Rep. Van Drew for his tireless advocacy on behalf of federal funding for New Jersey and the FAA Technical Center, which will ensure vital research and other cutting-edge programs make our skies safer and more efficient.  I look forward to working with Jeff in the months ahead as we begin to draft next year’s appropriations bills.”
Critical South Jersey Investments:
* William J. Hughes Technical Center – $40.57 million, nearly $6.4 million more than the President’s request for Laboratory Facility and Laboratory and Infrastructure Sustainment.
* Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) – $17.5 billion, of which $1 billion is for NextGen programs. Also, federal civilian workers receive a 1.9 percent pay raise.
* Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Research – $24 million, including $10 million to support UAS research activities at the FAA Technical Center and other FAA facilities. This funding is $20.7 million more than the President’s request.
*  U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) – $12 billion to support a robust USCG operations and support budget, including an additional 250 military personnel, funds for the 2019 pay raise, child care benefits and increases to address rising costs for fuel and rent. This funding is $578 million above the President’s request.
* Border Security – $22.54 billion for border security, including unprecedented investments in physical barriers, law enforcement personnel, humanitarian needs, and counter-narcotics and counter-weapons technology. This includes $1.375 billion for construction of 55 miles of new physical barriers along the southwest border in high priority areas, support for 200 border patrol agents above the FY 2018 level and $615 million for new equipment at ports of entry and the hiring of 600 new customs officers.
* State and Local First Responders – $3.3 billion for state and local first responders and emergency management personnel grant and training programs.
* Rural Development – $3.64 billion provided, including $625 million in funding dedicated for infrastructure investments in Rural America. This total is $1.84 billion above the President’s budget request.
* Rural Broadband – $550 million for the rural broadband loan and grant pilot program. This funding rejects the President’s proposed elimination of the program.
* Rural Water and Electric Infrastructure – $1.45 billion for rural water and waste program loans and $475 million for water and waste grants. The bill also provides nearly $7 billion for rural electric and telephone infrastructure loans, which is $750 above the President’s budget request.
* Rural Housing Loans and Rental Assistance – $24 billion in loan authority for the single-family housing guaranteed loan program. It includes $1 billion for the single-family direct loan program, which provides low-income rural families with home loan assistance. In addition, $1.33 billion is provided for rental assistance, which enables the renewal of all rental assistance contracts.
*  Community Development Block (CDBG) Grants – $3.4 billion provided. CDBG is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs.
* National Infrastructure Investments (TIGER/BUILD Grants) – $900 million which is $900 million above the President’s request. The funding will be allocated 50 percent to urban areas and 50 percent to rural areas.
* Small Business Administration (SBA) – $715.3 billion for the SBA to provide assistance to small businesses, expand the economy, and increase job growth for unemployed and underemployed Americans.
* U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service & LWCF – $1.58 billion, including increases for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants, North American Wetlands Conservation Act, invasive species management and combatting wildlife trafficking and $435 million for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
* Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge – $500,000 for land acquisition