Rhode Island Congressman David Cicilline says the just passed 1 point 5 trillion dollar spending bill not only will provide aid to Ukraine, but it also provides funding for projects and causes close to him and the people of the district.
“This spending package is a clear statement of principles - lowering costs for hardworking Americans, creating jobs, and supporting and protecting our most vulnerable neighbors as we continue to build a better America after the COVID pandemic,” said Congressman Cicilline. “Importantly, it also addresses the heartbreaking humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, designating $13.6 billion in emergency funding to support the Ukrainian people against Putin’s illegal, unjustified attack - with more than $4 billion dedicated to humanitarian assistance alone.”
Included in the spending package that the Congressman supported:
$140.4 billion in mandatory spending, including $3 billion for the reserve fund for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which will serve more than 42 million people
$6 billion, including $834 million to increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables in the WIC Food Package, to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
$13 million for grants to agencies to conduct educational outreach and training on hate crimes and to investigate and prosecute hate crimes thorough the Hate Crimes Statistics Act and the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act
$79 million for Coastal Zone Management Grants through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Resilience Grants Program
$360 million to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
$24.58 billion in discretionary funds for Pell Grants, enough for a $400 increase to each student receiving the maximum award
$12.5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and $12.5 million to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for gun violence research
$376.5 million for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Bureau of Competition for the enforcement of antitrust laws
$6 million for the Southern New England Estuaries Geographic Program
$255.9 million for the Veterans Crisis Line
Part of the package that did not make it - dealt with the pandemic. Before the measure went to the Senate a little more than 15 billion dollars had to be removed for preparation for new variants of the coronavirus. That funding needs at least 10 votes from Republicans in the Senate and the votes did not appear to be there.
It is unclear when The House will move a separate bill forward on that issue.
The President signed the bill into law Friday night.
(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)