Pappas Advances Key New Hampshire Priorities in Appropriations Bills Passed by House

Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) helped pass H.R. 8294, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, which would fund key components of the government through fiscal year 2023.

"It's critical that we fund the government and ensure that our families, small businesses, and veterans have access to the services and programs that support them. In addition to creating good-paying jobs and lowering costs for hard-working families, this legislation will fund key investments across the First District that will support our communities," said Congressman Pappas. "I urge the Senate to support this legislation and fund these critical obligations."

Granite State priorities that Pappas fought for in the legislation include:

• An amendment to transfer the $5 million appropriated for the VA AIR Commission to the Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Program, effectively eliminating all funding for the AIR Commission, further guaranteeing the Commission's proposal to close local VA clinics in New Hampshire cannot move forward.
• Provisions to ensure adequate care for veterans suffering from severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) who require long-term residential care. Pappas led 113 of his colleagues in a bipartisan call to ensure these provisions were included in the package.
• Provisions to allocate funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to create and improve active transportation infrastructure. Pappas led a call for this funding, which would enact his Connecting America's Active Transportation System Act, to be included in the package.
• Provisions to continue implementation of the US-Israel Energy Cooperative Agreement and to develop the US-Israel Energy Center. Pappas helped lead 83 of his colleagues in a call to ensure these provisions were included in the package.

The package also includes funding for the following New Hampshire projects:

• $1,000,000 for the Community College System of New Hampshire to extend classrooms at the Susan Huard Advanced Technologies center at Manchester Community College to include an outdoor laboratory to better prepare graduates to meet the needs of a diversified workforce.
• $3,200,000 for the Town of Derry to extend a municipal sewer line on Route 28 South through Derry to service existing businesses and residences.
• $3,452,972 for the City of Dover to improve water system resiliency by providing connections between existing regional water systems throughout twelve communities on the Seacoast.
• $96,250 for the Laconia Police Department to construct a Critical Evidence and Equipment Storage Facility, which will house equipment and criminal evidence in a temperature and climate-controlled facility.
• $4,000,000 for the Town of Londonderry to construct a municipal sewer line and pump station that will connect existing infrastructure to future planned developments.
• $175,000 for Starting Point Advocacy Center to renovate their building for use as an advocacy center that will serve more than 600 domestic violence victims and families in Carroll County annually.

The appropriations package will:

• Lower costs for working families, create good-paying jobs, invest in clean energy, and rebuild our water infrastructure.
• Create jobs by rebuilding critical infrastructure and promoting safe transportation and public housing.
• Tackle hunger, support rural communities, and rebuild our public health and safety infrastructure.
• Help small business owners and middle-class families get ahead.
• Confront climate change and ensure access to safe drinking water.
• Protect our national security, uphold our commitments to servicemembers, veterans, and their families, and rebuild our infrastructure to better meet the needs of our veterans.