Pappas Leads Colleagues in Call to Pass Full Appropriations Bill for FY 2022

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) led his colleagues in a letter to Congressional leadership, urging the passage of a full appropriations bill for fiscal year 2022 to prevent a de facto cut in resources for essential services and programs including funding for public safety, veterans, and COVID first responders.

"The American people are counting on us to include the important investments planned for fiscal year 2022 and failing to pass a full-year funding bill would result in a de facto cut for many essential services and programs. Passing another CR would only delay the urgent work of funding the U.S. government for the entirety of FY2022.," the lawmakers wrote. "The House and Senate have proposed appropriations bills which include many increased investments, including for fire fighters, police officers, veterans, and COVID first responders. If we do a full-year CR, we will not see the important investments in public safety and law enforcement."

The lawmakers highlighted essential funding that would be lost were Congress to proceed with a continuing resolution rather than a full funding bill for FY 2022, including:

• $65 million in increased funding lost for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).
• $200 million set aside for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which supports essential public safety programs on the state and local level.
• $10 million for both Assistance to Firefighters Grants and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants if Congress only passes a full-year CR.
• A $16.99 billion increase for the Veterans Benefits Administration, and the additional $7.69 billion planned for the Veterans Health Administration.

In closing, the lawmakers said "The American people are counting on us to fulfill one of our most basic duties and pass a full-year funding bill, and we urge you to keep that commitment."

The full text of the letter can be found here and below:

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell:

We write to thank you for your commitment to preventing a government shutdown and to urge you to pass a full-year funding bill for FY2022.

The American people are counting on us to include the important investments planned for the fiscal year 2022 and failing to pass a full-year funding bill would result in a de facto cut for many essential services and programs. Passing another CR would only delay the urgent work of funding the U.S. government for the entirety of FY2022.

The House and Senate have proposed appropriations bills that include many increased investments, including for firefighters, police officers, veterans, and COVID first responders.

If we do a full-year CR, we will not see the important investments in public safety and law enforcement.

We'd see $65 million in increased funding lost for Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). In the 27 years since its founding, COPS has made it possible for state and local police forces to hire more than 135,000 officers, while simultaneously providing indispensable resources, training, and tech support. Without the anticipated budget increase, this critical program won't be able to as effectively support police officers on the ground in their work building community connections and fighting crime.

Failure to pass a full-year funding bill would take away $200 million set aside for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which supports essential public safety programs on the state and local level. Just a few of the services that would take a hit include law enforcement support, victim mental health programming, crime prevention, and drug enforcement and treatment, among many others.

We'd lose the opportunity to allocate an additional $10 million for both Assistance to Firefighters Grants and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants if Congress only passes a full-year CR. These programs help pay for necessary training and equipment for first responders and make sure communities can hire and train enough firefighters to protect their residents, respectively. Without a full-year funding bill, states and municipalities wouldn't have access to federal money they're counting on to support firefighters and other emergency responders.

Our nation's veterans would be unable to access a $16.99 billion increase for the Veterans Benefits Administration, or the additional $7.69 billion planned for the Veterans Health Administration. As Gulf War and post-9/11 veterans exposed to toxic substances are now finally able to receive disability benefits, this additional funding is crucial to providing these overdue benefits to our service members.

These are just a few of the programs that will lose critical planned funding if Congress cuts corners and fails to pass a full-year funding bill. The American people are counting on us to fulfill one of our most basic duties and pass a full-year funding bill, and we urge you to keep that commitment.

Sincerely,

###