WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) supported House passage of an omnibus spending package that funds the government through September 2023, invests in Northwest Washington communities and working families, and provides critical emergency aid to Ukraine. The package now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law.

“My priority in shaping spending bills is to invest in Northwest Washington communities to create jobs, keep the economy moving and provide vital services working families and small businesses rely on,” said Larsen. “This spending bill makes those critical investments while also lowering costs for families, protecting Washington’s beautiful environment, supporting a sovereign and independent Ukraine, and investing in vital infrastructure.”

The omnibus spending package addresses several of Larsen’s local priorities, including:

Protecting Washington’s Environment

·       $72 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund to support state and Tribal habitat restoration projects to reverse the decline of Pacific salmon and steelhead and support conservation efforts in Washington and the Pacific Northwest

·       $50 million for the Puget Sound Geographic Program to protect and restore water quality and ecological integrity in Puget Sound

·       $40 million for the National Estuary Program to fund local efforts to restore and protect Puget Sound and its wildlife

·       $2.25 million to promote Southern Resident killer whale recovery through research and monitoring

·       Enables the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to award grants to U.S. airports to build infrastructure to speed the adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Larsen and Rep. Nikema Williams (GA-05) recently introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at reducing and mitigating air pollution from aviation and aerospace.

Creating Jobs

·       $140 million for Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) like the Washington SBDC that has helped small businesses and entrepreneurs weather the pandemic and thrive, creating jobs and driving long-term economic growth

·       $25 million to enable state and local governments to prepare for the deployment of advanced air mobility vertiports and related infrastructure. This language is based on Larsen’s bipartisan Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization (AAIM) Act. 

·       $20 million for the State Trade Expansion Program to enable local businesses to expand into overseas markets

·       $15 million to fund two aviation workforce grant initiatives Larsen helped establish to grow the next generation of aircraft pilots and aviation maintenance technicians

·       Includes language Larsen led to support Washington farmers, like berry farmers in Whatcom and Skagit counties

·       Includes bipartisan language Larsen supported to identify and assess risks to the U.S. aerospace supply chain and identify best practices and make recommendations to mitigate such risks

Supporting Students and Military Families

·       More than $1.68 billion in Impact Aid for school districts that serve large numbers of military families and Indian tribes, like Oak Harbor, Coupeville, La Conner and Marysville

·       $1.4 billion for state grants for Career and Technical Education

·       $337 million to enable veterans who live in rural communities to travel to and from medical appointments. Last year, Larsen introduced a bipartisan bill to help veterans who live in rural communities access medical appointments.

·       $135 million for the STOP School Violence Act to fund critical resources to keep students, teachers and staff safe, including counselors, mental and behavioral health assistance, suicide prevention and conflict resolution

·       Increases the maximum Pell Grant award by $500 to ease the burden on students who display exceptional financial need

·       $4 million for military jet noise reduction research

·       Includes language to extend the Department of Veterans Affairs’ authority to cover adoption assistance, fertility counseling and fertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization (IVF). Last year, Larsen joined Washington Senator Patty Murray to introduce legislation to ensure servicemembers’ and veterans’ fertility treatments, such as IVF, and counseling are included as part of the health benefits they have earned.

Improving Public Health and Safety

·       Includes language based on Larsen’s legislation to require the Department of Transportation to establish a national aviation preparedness plan to prepare for future pandemics

·       Increases funding for science-based federal initiatives to prepare for and combat seasonal and pandemic flu. Larsen recently introduced legislation to boost the federal response to seasonal and pandemic flu.

Delivering Emergency Aid for Ukraine and NATO Allies

·       $44.9 billion in emergency aid to Ukraine and to our NATO allies

·       With this investment, the United States will have delivered more than $100 billion in emergency aid to support Ukraine’s economic, humanitarian and security needs since the start of Putin’s invasion in February 2022.

Funding for WA-02 Projects

·       Secured a total of $31,529,221 for fifteen projects Second District leaders and stakeholders identified as critical to their communities. Click here for a full list of projects funded.

Additional Information

For a comprehensive summary of the FY23 omnibus spending package, click here.

For a brief summary of the FY23 omnibus spending package, click here.

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