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Suozzi Helps Secure Critical Funding in House-Passed Appropriations Bills That Will Now Advance to the Senate

July 31, 2020
Press Release
Suozzi’s advocacy leads to significant increases in investments to preserve the Long Island Sound, cleanup of the Navy-Grumman Plume, energy efficiency and renewable energy, veteran reintegration programs, elder care, and other critical programs important to his constituents and his district

This week, Congressman Tom Suozzi (D – Long Island, Queens) announced that he has helped secure critical funding for New York, Long Island and other communities across America in the two House-passed appropriations bills for fiscal year 2021. These bills will now advance to the Senate.

 

“My biggest priority in Congress has been to fight for New York and ensure that my constituents on Long Island and in Queens receive their fair share,” said Suozzi. “I am proud that the House-passed appropriations bills consist of several items I have fought for including investments for the long-overdue cleanup of the Navy-Grumman Plume, preservation of the Long Island Sound, developing energy efficiency and renewable energy, bettering the lives of our veterans, securing funding for our aging populations and elder care, and much more. I will work as hard as I can to push the Senate to pass these bills as soon as possible.”

 

Below is a list of 10 of the programs which received funding, in whole or in part, due to Suozzi’s advocacy:

 

  • $30.4 million in funding to protect and preserve the Long Island Sound. This represents an 800% increase since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017.
  • $404.25 million for the Navy’s Environmental Restoration fund, a portion of which will go to the cleanup of the Navy-Grumman Plume in Bethpage. This is the first-time funding for this fund has gone above $400 million since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017. Suozzi testified in support of this funding in March. His testimony can be viewed here. This is an increase of more than $115 million since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017.
  • $2.85 billion in investments in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), an increase of $750 million since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017.
  • $57.5 million for veteran reintegration programs, $2.5 million more than FY20. This is an increase of more than $12.5 million since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017.
  • $50 million for Firearm Injury and Mortality Prevention Research under the CDC and NIH, a $25 million increase above FY20.
  • $314 million for the Maritime Security Program, which supports the United States Merchant Marine Academy’s Sea Year Program. This is a $14 million increase since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017.
  • $56.7 million for the sewer overflow and stormwater reuse municipal grant program, which provides grants to states and municipal entities for treatment works to intercept, transport, control, treat, or reuse municipal combined sewer overflows; sanitary sewer overflows; and/or stormwater.
  • $2.853 billion for Alzheimer’s NIH Research, a $1.353 billion increase since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017. 
  • $2 billion for Career, Technical, and Adult Education, under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act. This is a $280 million increase since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017.
  • $17 million for the Helen Keller National Center for Deaf/Blind Youth and Adults, a $1 million increase above FY20. This represents a 65% increase since Suozzi came to Congress in 2017.

 

The first appropriations bill, H.R. 7608, passed by the House two weeks ago, includes four FY 2021 appropriations bills: State-Foreign Operations, Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA, Interior-Environment, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. The second appropriations bill, H.R. 7617, includes six FY2021 appropriations bills: Defense; Commerce-Justice-Science; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government; Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD.

 

Programs that will see an increase in funding will be critical in helping to better the lives of our veterans, combat climate change, allow for research on life-threatening diseases, improve worker safety, strengthen and secure our middle class, secure funding for the care of our aging population, invest in energy efficiency and renewable energy, and much more.

 

Suozzi also secured language that directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit a report to Congress on how to create “Geriatric Centers of Excellence,” which will provide wholistic supportive care for elderly Americans. Suozzi is advocating for one of these Geriatric Centers of Excellence to be established at Glen Cove Hospital. Providing adequate long-term care for America’s aging population has long been a priority of Suozzi’s, and the COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted the urgent need to address this issue.

 

 

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