07/29/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/29/2024 15:52
Washington, D.C. - Oregon's U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced he secured critical investments in Oregon transportation, affordable housing, economic development, and community public safety in the second set of fiscal year 2025 (FY25) government spending bills to pass the committee-a key first step on the road to becoming law.
Merkley helped to make sure the investments-including nearly $43 million for 27 critical community-initiated projects across Oregon-were incorporated into the FY25 Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) bill and the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) bill. Both bills, which passed the committee last week with bipartisan support, will particularly invest in rural, coastal, and underserved communities.
"As I hold a town hall in each of Oregon's 36 counties every year, I hear firsthand from folks about what matters most to them, including the need to take on the affordable housing crisis, invest in transportation, infrastructure, and community safety improvements, and move the state faster toward a renewable energy future," Merkley said. "The funding included in these bills for programs and critical community-initiated projects will benefit Oregonians in every corner of the state for years to come."
Merkley is the only Oregon member of Congress from either chamber since Senator Mark Hatfield to serve on the Appropriations Committee, which is one of the most powerful on Capitol Hill. He joined the committee in 2013 so that Oregon would have a strong voice in decisions about the investments our nation should be making.
Merkley, along with Senator Ron Wyden, secured the following 22 Oregon community-initiated projects in the Senate's draft FY25 THUD funding bill:
Click HERE for quotes from community-initiated project recipients included in the draft Senate THUD bill.
Additionally, Merkley and Wyden secured the following 5 projects for Oregon in the Senate's draft CJS bill:
Click HEREfor quotes from community-initiated project recipients included in the draft Senate CJS bill.
Other key funding for top programs that passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee to benefit housing, transportation, community safety and more in Oregon include:
Affordable Housing: As rural and urban communities across Oregon continue to experience housing crises, the THUD bill includes an increase for affordable housing programs for some of Oregon's most vulnerable people-low-income families, seniors, and people living with disabilities, including $16.7 billion for housing unit specific rental assistance. The THUD bill also protects funding for housing programs that benefit the elderly and people living with disabilities.
Rural Housing: The Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP) and Rural Capacity Building Program received $13million and $5million, respectively. SHOP provides funds for non-profit, sweat-equity homebuilders-such as Habitat for Humanity-to cover land purchases and infrastructure costs. The Rural Capacity funds are intended to build the capacity of rural low-income housing non-profits by providing training, information, technical assistance, and financing.
HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing: The program under THUD received a $15 million increase to expand rental assistance vouchers for homeless veterans, along with case management and clinical services. To prevent veteran homelessness, this agreement includes $59 million for Supportive Services for Veterans Families (SSVF). This funding will sustain rental vouchers for veterans experiencing homelessness, and when combined with prior year appropriations and available unleased vouchers, has the potential to reduce veteran homelessness.
Homeless Assistance and Prevention: The THUD funding bill includes $4.32 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, a $268 million increase that will benefit organizations across Oregon. Within that funding, rapid rehousing programs for victims of domestic violence will receive an additional $52 million; homeless youth programs will receive $107 million; and Emergency Solutions Grants-particularly important to the Portland metro area-will receive $ 290 million to support street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing assistance.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program: The THUD funding bill includes $1.425 billion, a $175 million increase above fiscal year 2024, for the program to provide states and localities with flexible resources to respond to their affordable housing challenges, including rental housing and paths to homeownership for low-income families.
Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation: The program, also known as NeighborWorks America, received $168 million in the THUD funding bill. The national nonprofit offers support for affordable housing and community development through public-private partnerships.
Community Development: The bipartisan THUD funding bill includes $4.6 billion for the Community Development Block Grant Program. This program funds vital housing rehabilitation, supportive services, public improvements, and economic development projects in communities across Oregon and the nation, while encouraging local investment.
Economic Development Administration (EDA): $483 million is secured for the program through the CJS funding bill. The EDA leverages existing regional assets to support economic development in rural communities.
Support for Salmon: The CJS bill includes critical funding to support our salmon populations. The bill includes $80 million for Pacific Salmon, which is $5 million above the fiscal year 2024 level. Of these funds, $7 million will be used to address the backlog and expedite approval of Hatchery and Genetic Management Plans.
The Pacific Salmon Treaty also received $43 million, the Treaty regulates the fisheries that occur in the ocean and inland waters of Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, the Yukon, and southeast Alaska, and includes the rivers that flow into these waters.
Further, the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund received $70 million in the CJS funding bill. This competitive grant program is designed to address declining Pacific salmon and steelhead populations by supporting conservation efforts in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska.
Sea Grant Program: $82 million for the National Sea Grant College Program, an increase of $2 million over fiscal year 2024 enacted levels, is secured in the CJS funding bill. The program is a priority for Oregon State University and uses targeted local investments to create economic growth, sustainable fisheries, and resilient coastal communities.
Coastal Zone Management: The Coastal Zone Management grants were funded at $83 million in the CJS funding bill. This is a $1.5 million increase from last year. The program works with Oregon and other coastal states to address some of today's most pressing coastal issues - climate change, ocean planning, and planning for energy facilities and development. These grants help protect natural resources, improve public access, facilitate coordination between state and federal authorities, and manage hazardous areas.
Tribal Grants and Victim Assistance: Historically, the Native and Tribal community in Oregon has been disenfranchised in law enforcement, health outcomes, and victims' rights. To address these critical issues, the committee approved a total of $139 million in grant funding for various programs, including $60 million for Tribal assistance, $37 million for Tribal resources, and $15 million for the Office of Violence Against Women for a special domestic violence criminal jurisdiction program.
Addressing Violence Against Women: The CJS funding bill contains $739.5 million, the highest funding level ever, for grants provided by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women. This funding supports multiple grant programs that support training for police officers and prosecutors, state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, rape prevention programs, domestic violence hotlines, and women's shelters and transitional housing support services.
Now that the bills have cleared the Senate Appropriations Committee, they next head to the Senate floor for a vote before the bills can be conferenced with counterpart bills in the U.S. House of Representatives. The final, merged legislation must then be passed by both chambers before it is signed into law.
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