Senator McConnell Secures Critical Resources for Kentucky

Statement

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) secured a number of critical resources for Kentucky in three government funding bills approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today. The Committee, of which Senator McConnell is a senior member, approved the Agriculture, Transportation and Housing, and Financial Services funding measures. The full Senate must now approve the three bills.

"As Senate Majority Leader and a senior member of the Appropriations Committee, I'm constantly looking for ways to secure federal resources for Kentucky's priorities," said Senator McConnell. "Bringing these funds to the Bluegrass State, we're showing once again that Kentucky has an out-sized impact in Washington and punches above its weight in the Senate. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in Congress to send these Kentucky accomplishments to the president's desk."

The provisions Senator McConnell secured in the bills include:

HEMP

"Hemp farmers, processors and manufacturers are exploring the crop's great potential, and I'm proud to work with them every step of the way," Senator McConnell said. "As federal and state governments continue to develop how to best support this industry, I'll keep working to benefit Kentucky producers and ensure hemp is treated just like any other legal commodity."

-$16.5 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement Senator McConnell's hemp provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill.
-$2.5 million for the research of hemp through Agriculture Research Service (ARS) sites -- like those in Lexington and Bowling Green, Kentucky.
-A measure encouraging the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue formal enforcement discretion guidance for CBD products. This guidance would remain in place until FDA finalizes a permanent legal pathway for the products.
-A provision directing the Farm Credit Administration to offer services to hemp producers and businesses.
-A prohibition on the federal government from banning the transfer, production or sale of hemp in accordance with the 2014 Farm Bill.
-Support for competitive USDA grants for hemp projects.

UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY

"The University of Kentucky is putting Central Kentucky researchers at the forefront of agricultural innovation, and this investment will continue their groundbreaking work," said Senator McConnell. "With local public and private sector partners, UK is quickly helping our Commonwealth become a national hub for high tech agricultural research."

-$65.9 million for the construction of the Forage Animal Production Lab at the University of Kentucky. The research done at this ARS site focuses on meeting the needs of this growing agri-business in the region and serves both the cattle and horse industries. Senator McConnell secured funding in prior appropriations bills to establish ARS labs at the University of Kentucky and Western Kentucky University.

TRANSPORTATION

"As the only congressional leader not from New York or California, I see it as my responsibility to look out for rural America, most especially for rural communities in Kentucky," said Senator McConnell. "Directing critical resources to rural infrastructure projects in Eastern and Western Kentucky, we are investing in the regions' workforce and its future."

-$100 million in dedicated funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which will go towards funding the 12 remaining miles of Kentucky ADHS infrastructure -- located in Letcher and Pike Counties.
-$162 million for the Essential Air Service Program and $3.8 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, which will benefit rural airports like Barkley Regional Airport in Paducah and the Owensboro-Daviess County Regional Airport.
-$2 billion for the U.S. Department of Transportation's BUILD and INFRA grant programs, which fund critical infrastructure projects around the country. Senator McConnell frequently supports his constituents' applications for these grants, working with the Trump administration to bring more than $130 million to construction projects across the Bluegrass State.

COMBATING SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND OPIOID EPIDEMIC

"Kentucky is helping to lead the national response to the devastating opioid, meth, and substance abuse epidemic," Senator McConnell said. "By fully-funding vital programs, including my CAREER Act, we are supporting those on the path to long-term recovery and protecting families. Kentucky recently saw a long-awaited decrease in the number of overdose fatalities last year, and I am thankful these resources will continue to build upon that success to prevent addiction, provide treatment, support interdiction, and--most importantly--to save lives."

-$25 million for the transitional housing pilot program under the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery through Effective Employment and Reentry (CAREER) Act. The CAREER Act, which was established as a result of a measure Senator McConnell secured in the landmark opioid package signed into law last year, helps address the devastating impact of substance abuse on America's workforce by connecting recovering individuals with career services and stable housing opportunities. The transitional housing pilot program will support long-term recovery by providing funding for temporary housing opportunities for individuals until they can arrange a more permanent living situation.
-$280 million for High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) to combat meth and opioid abuse. Earlier this month, Senator McConnell announced that Boyd County, Kentucky was chosen for inclusion in the Appalachia HIDTA program. McConnell advocated for Boyd County's inclusion into the HIDTA program, which provides law enforcement agencies in designated counties with coordination, equipment, technology and additional resources to combat drug production and trafficking. Senator McConnell has also fought for the expansion of the Appalachia HIDTA to include hard-hit counties across the state, including Jefferson County in 2009, Hardin County in 2012, Nelson and Madison Counties in 2014 and Montgomery and Powell Counties in 2018. He also helped secure the inclusion of Boone, Campbell and Kenton Counties into the Ohio HIDTA in 2016. Because of Senator McConnell's consistent advocacy, nearly half of all Kentuckians currently live in a HIDTA county.
-$100 million for the Drug Free Communities program. Senator McConnell is proud to support this special program which provides funding to local communities to create educational programs and raise awareness about the dangers of substance abuse.
-$3.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, which provides communities with resources to address their unique challenges, including the devastating effects from the opioid and substance abuse epidemic, especially for those communities in rural Kentucky.

ELECTION SECURITY

"I am proud the Financial Services bill includes a bipartisan amendment providing another $250 million for the administration and security of our elections, to help states improve their defenses and shore up their voting systems. I am proud to have helped develop this amendment and to co-sponsor it in committee," Senator McConnell added. "That will bring our total allocation for election security to more than $600 million since fiscal year 2018. It is a crucial issue. The Trump administration has made enormous strides to help states secure their elections without giving Washington new power to push the states around. That's how we continue the progress we saw in 2018 and that's exactly what we're doing."

-$250 million for states, including Kentucky, to enhance their voting systems. Leader McConnell has a long and strong record of fighting for fair and effective voting procedures, from co-authoring the Help America Vote Act to supporting $380 million for states for election security for the 2018 midterm election (Kentucky received nearly $6 million). This year, the Senate -- under Senator McConnell's leadership -- has already passed almost a dozen other bipartisan measures to help secure elections.

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