Federal spending bill includes vital investments for Washington state
Congress passed a $1.7 trillion omnibus bill before the midnight Friday deadline to fund the federal government through the fall. The bill funded a number of important local programs and federal programs that will benefit Washingtonians.
Nestled within the federal spending bill is an important line item for Washington state: long-overdue investment in the Hanford Site cleanup. The Biden Administration this year accelerated the cleanup by enhancing its funding in the president’s budget proposal. This week, Congress further enhanced funding, investing $191 million more had been budgeted originally.
Among many other items, the bill also funds:
- Light rail expansion in King and Snohomish counties
- Grants for police training
- Relief for fisheries and the seafood industry
- Grants for Puget Sound restoration and cleanup projects
- Efforts to combat fentanyl and opioid addiction.
- Election certification protections
- Nutrition assistance
- Utility assistance for low-income households
Congress sets aside $3M of the 2023 federal budget for Thurston County Projects
From The Jolt News:
The 2023 omnibus spending bill included funding for three community projects requested by Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland.
The project with the most significant funding is Intercity Transit’s zero-fare transit program, which allows passengers to use the bus and the Dial-a-Lift services for free. The program is set to receive $1,825,950, which will be used to renovate 145 bus stops, according to Strickland’s press release.
Thurston County Sheriff’s Office was also given a budget worth $448,000 to acquire a rapid DNA testing system….
The last project is for the proposed History and Nature Center at Brewery Park in Tumwater. Olympia Tumwater Foundation is set to receive $750,000 through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s community development fund to develop the project.
Post a comment
No comments yet. You should be kind and add one!
By submitting a comment you grant Yelm Community Blog a perpetual license to reproduce your words and name/web site in attribution. Inappropriate and irrelevant comments will be removed at an admin’s discretion. Your email is used for verification purposes only, it will never be shared.