Local and national priorities signed into law in Second Bipartisan Funding Bill

On Saturday, March 23, 2024, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) applauded President Joe Biden’s signing of a second bipartisan government funding bill that includes key local and national priorities. The package signed into law today fully funds the federal government, including the final six of 12 appropriations bills. Budzinski helped to pass the package in the House of Representatives on Friday.

Increased funding for border security: The bipartisan government funding bill includes desperately needed resources to secure the southern border. The bill provides robust funding for technology and personnel to combat the deadly fentanyl epidemic and a record funding increase for the U.S. Border Patrol. By advocating for border needs during the appropriations process, Budzinski helped to secure the following resources:

$495 million to fund a record number of 22,000 additional Border Patrol agents;

$125 million for increases to Border Patrol overtime pay authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA);

$20 million for an additional 150 Customs and Border Patrol Officers to support counter fentanyl efforts;

$283.5 million for new border security technology to secure the border;

$103.5 million to sustain current border security technology, including autonomous security towers, cross-border tunnel detection and non-intrusive inspection equipment to detect fentanyl;

$650 million for the Shelter and Services Grant Program to provide funding to nonprofits and NGOs as they assist migrants awaiting the outcome of their immigration proceedings;

$81 million for Operation Stonegarden to provide federal resources to local law enforcement agencies in border communities;

A $1 billion increase for all Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel to sustain pay equity investments started last year.

Increased funding to support workers: The bipartisan government funding bill includes critical resources to help train and place workers in new careers.

An additional $35 million for Dislocated Workers National Reserve, which supports training, technical assistance and staff development for dislocated workers under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act;

Full funding for apprenticeship grants administered by the U.S. Department of Labor. These grants aim to promote Registered Apprenticeships in emerging industries, expand Registered Apprenticeship programs and pre-apprenticeships and attract women to careers in underrepresented industries like construction, manufacturing and cybersecurity.

Increased funding for health care and medical research: The bipartisan government funding bill includes strong investments to advance research into diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s, while also supporting critical care for people in substance use treatment and recovery.

An additional $120 million for cancer research at the National Institutes of Health;

An additional $100 million for Alzheimer’s and Alzheimer’s disease-related dementia research;

An additional $5 million for the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) at USAID;

Full funding for Brain Cancer and Pediatric Brain Tumors in the Department of Defense Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program;

Full funding for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Block Grant;

An additional $5 million for the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) at USAID;

Full funding for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment for Pregnant and Postpartum Women;

Full funding for the Health and Human Services’ Lyme and Tickborne Disease Neil Spector, M.D. Center of Excellence Pilot Program.

Increased funding for child care, students, teachers and schools:

An additional $1 billion for child care and Head Start to expand access to quality childcare for hard working families and invest in the early childhood education workforce;

Full funding for the Special Olympics’ Unified Champion Schools Program, which is aimed at promoting social inclusion through intentionally planned and implemented activities affecting systems-wide change in K–12 schools and across college campuses;

Full funding for School Safety National Activities, which supports activities to improve students’ safety and well-being at school;

Full funding for the Federal Pell Grant Program, which awards support to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not yet earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree;

Preserves and strengthens education and job training by increasing Title I funding by $20 million, saving 224,000 teachers’ jobs that House Republicans tried to eliminate, protecting Job Corps, and saving more than 20 K-12 and higher education programs.