Bill to Fund Key Workforce, Health, and Education Programs in Maine Clears Appropriations Committee

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.

The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 25-3, provides $205.7 billion in discretionary funding.

"To address Maine's shortage of health care professionals, we must invest in workforce development programs, provide support for students in lower-income communities seeking higher education, and increase access to affordable childcare," said Senator Collins. "This bill provides support in each of these areas, as well as increased funding for life-saving research on Alzheimer's, cancer, diabetes, and tick-borne diseases. As the Vice Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward."

Bill Highlights:

Local Projects: $117.5 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine.

National Institutes of Health (NIH): $50.2 billion for NIH, an increase of $2 billion for biomedical investments in research above the FY 2024 enacted level, including:

• Alzheimer's: $4.1 billion, an increase of $275 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, for Alzheimer's disease and related dementias research.

• Cancer: $7.5 billion, an increase of $270 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, for the National Cancer Institute, including fully funding Cancer Moonshot activities and $50 million for the Childhood Cancer STAR Act.

• Mental Health: $2.6 billion, an increase of $455 million, for the National Institute of Mental Health and BRAIN Initiative activities.

• Opioids: $661 million, an increase of $10 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, for the Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative.

• Diabetes: $2.36 billion, an increase of $50 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

• Women's Health Research: $152 million, an increase of $76 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, for the Office of Research on Women's Health.

Alzheimer's: In addition to NIH funding, the bill provides $41.5 million for CDC Alzheimer's disease activities. The bill also includes language urging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to reconsider Medicare's National Coverage Determination policy for FDA-approved Alzheimer's disease therapies. $31.5 million is included for the Administration for Community Living's (ACL) Alzheimer's Disease Program. This program also directs $2 million to the National Alzheimer's Call Center, which provides 24/7/365 telephone support, crisis counseling, care consultation, and referral services for persons with Alzheimer's disease, their family members, and informal caregivers.

Opioid Epidemic: $4.6 billion, an increase of $145 million above the enacted FY 2024 level, for improving prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Funding will support strengthening the workforce, especially in rural communities, and expanding research for critical needs, such as funding alternative pain medications. The bill continues to provide states flexibility to use opioid response funds on stimulants across multiple programs. In 2023, there were an estimated 107,543 drug overdose deaths, emphasizing the need to continue these critical resources.

Lyme and Tick-Borne Disease: $29 million for CDC Lyme activities and $65.6 million for vector-borne diseases, including an increase of $4 million above the FY 2024 enacted level to support continued implementation of Senator Collins' Kay Hagan Tick Act. The bill also includes $125 million for NIH Lyme and tick-borne disease research, an increase of $25 million above the FY 2024 enacted level.

Health Workforce Programs: $310.5 million for Title VIII Nursing Workforce programs and $49.2 million for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Geriatric workforce education programs, which include the Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program and Geriatric Academic Career Awards.

Building Communities of Recovery: $18 million for Building Communities of Recovery grants through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

SIREN Rural EMS: $13.5 million for SAMHSA's Rural Emergency Medical Services Training and Equipment program.

Lifespan Respite Care: $11 million for ACL's Lifespan Respite Care Program.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP): $4.1 billion, an increase of $100 million above the FY 2024 enacted level, for LIHEAP.

Early Education: $10.3 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and nearly $13 billion for Head Start.

Apprenticeships: $290 million for the Apprenticeship Grant Program.

H-2B Visas: Continued inclusion of bill language to ensure the efficacy of the H-2B program. The bill also includes $61.5 million for Foreign Labor Certification program administration, in part to help with H-2B processing, as well as report language directing the Department of Labor (DOL) to take steps to ensure prompt processing of H-2B visa applications.

DOL Workforce Opportunity for Rural Communities Initiative: $6.5 million for workers in areas served by the Northern Border Regional Commission.

IDEA Grants to States: $15.5 billion for IDEA Grants to States. Maine is expected to receive approximately $70.9 million in FY 2024 funds through this program.

Perkins Career and Technical Education (CTE) State Grants: $1.5 billion for CTE State Grants. Maine is expected to receive approximately $7 million in FY 2024 funds through this program.

Pell Maximum Award: Increase of $100 to the maximum Pell award for a total of $7,495 for the 2025-2026 school year. Maine students are expected to receive approximately $113.3 million in Pell Grants through FY 2024 funds.

Rural Education Achievement Program (REAP): $230 million and bill language to ensure that Maine LEAs are held harmless at last year's funding levels.

TRIO: $1.2 billion to support low-income individuals and first-generation college students.

GEAR UP: $393 million to increase college readiness and success for low-income students.

Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools: $37 million for Special Olympics programs.

CDC Dog Importation Rule: Includes report language on CDC's flawed dog importation rule and calls for CDC to adopt additional modifications to the rule to reduce the burden on border communities. Following an effort led by Senator Collins, the CDC announced in July that it will be making critical revisions to its flawed dog importation rule and delay implementation of a problematic provision until at least April 2025 to allow more time for review.

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