Senate Approves McConnell's Requests to Address Kentucky Priorities

Statement

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) championed a number of critical resources for Kentucky in a government funding bill approved by the Senate today. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell secured funding to help fight the Asian Carp infestation in Western Kentucky, to support the hemp industry, to combat the opioid and substance abuse epidemic, and to strengthen Kentucky's critical infrastructure priorities. The measure must now be reconciled with the House-passed funding bill.

"As my colleagues and I considered the most responsible use of our limited federal resources, I fought hard to secure critical funding to address Kentucky priorities," said Senator McConnell. "We're investing in programs to encourage economic growth, protect Kentucky's treasured waterways, and help families suffering from the scourge of substance abuse. I'm proud to use my position as Senate Majority Leader to deliver for Kentucky, and I'll keep working with my colleagues to get this bill to the president's desk so communities throughout our Commonwealth can put these federal resources to good use."

The provisions Senator McConnell secured in the measure include:

COMBATING THE SPREAD OF ASIAN CARP IN WESTERN KENTUCKY

-$25 million to fight the War on Asian Carp. Senator McConnell helped secure $11 million for this initiative last year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) will use the funding to help remove Asian Carp, an invasive species, from reservoirs like Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. The bill also includes more than $9 million for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), which will support its work to combat the spread of Asian Carp in Western Kentucky lakes and in the Ohio River and Tennessee River basins. Earlier this year, USFWS agreed to Senator McConnell's request to deploy the advanced "Unified Method of Fishing," which will involve corralling Asian Carp into one location using electronic technology and extracting the fish from the water with specialized nets. This technique has been successful in controlling Asian Carp populations abroad, and the USGS has successfully deployed it in Missouri and Illinois. In May, Senator McConnell visited Western Kentucky with members of the Trump Administration, where they discussed options, such as the Unified Method, to address the Asian Carp invasion with local officials, community leaders and the local media.

"With local leaders like Judge Wade White, we're making real progress in the War on Carp in Kentucky. At my request, the Trump administration is using its most sophisticated strategies to protect Kentucky's waters, and I'm proud to direct these federal resources to support this critical work," Senator McConnell added.

SUPPORTING KENTUCKY'S HEMP INDUSTRY

-$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.
-A measure to support the Drug Enforcement Agency's efforts to deploy technology to enable law enforcement to distinguish between hemp and marijuana in the field.

"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. 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," Senator McConnell said. "Ensuring law enforcement can differentiate between industrial hemp and its illicit cousin is critical, and I'll continue working with the DEA and other federal agencies so hemp can be treated the same as any other legal commodity."

ADDRESSING THE OPIOID AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE EPIDEMIC

-$25 million for the transitional housing pilot program under the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery through Effective Employment and Reentry (CAREER) Act. The CAREER Act, which is 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. CAREER's 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.
-$48 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Anti-Heroin and Anti-Methamphetamine Task Force programs, including cosponsoring an amendment to increase funding for anti-meth programs. This funding supports state and local law enforcement agencies, including those in Kentucky, in their efforts to investigate the unlawful distribution of heroin, prescription opioids, and methamphetamines.
-$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.
-$378 million to fund the Department of Justice (DOJ) programs created by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA), which passed in 2016 under the leadership of Senator McConnell. The funding includes $136 million for Drug Courts and Veteran's Treatment Courts to further combat the opioid and addiction epidemic in highly impacted states, like Kentucky.
-$545 million for the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne JAG) program to support local law enforcement. Last year, Senator McConnell worked with state officials to secure millions to help Kentucky communities meet law enforcement needs, including supporting drug task forces throughout the Commonwealth.

"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 hopeful these resources will continue to build upon that success to prevent addiction, provide treatment, support interdiction, and--most importantly--to save lives."

SUPPORTING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE PRIORITIES

-$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. This important project will help UK and its local partners continue making Central Kentucky a national leader in high-tech agricultural research.
-$115 million for the Abandoned Mine Land (AML) pilot program, $25M of which will go to Kentucky for the development of projects on land previously used to mine coal to support economic development in Appalachia. As Senate Majority Leader, Senator McConnell worked with U.S. Congressman Hal Rogers (R-KY) to create the AML Pilot in 2015. So far, Senator McConnell and Congressman Rogers have helped secure $105 million from this federal program to be awarded for Kentucky projects.
-$319.5 million for the Economic Development Agency (EDA), which provides federal competitive grants to communities to assist with economic development. Since 2016, Senator McConnell helped secure nearly $12 million in federal competitive grants for Kentucky through EDA grant programs. This year, he secured $4 million for the Estill County Board of Education in Irvine, Kentucky. The grant will help build an Area Technical Center (ATC) educational building, expected to help create more than 500 jobs and retain 450 workers. In 2017, Senator McConnell also secured $3 million in EDA funding to renovate the Rochester Dam in Western Kentucky.
-$100 million in dedicated funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which will go towards funding remaining ADHS priorities, including 12 miles in Letcher and Pike counties in Kentucky.
$162 million for the Essential Air Service Program and $3.8 billion for the Airport Improvement Program, which will benefit 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 is proud to support his constituents' applications for these grants, working with the Trump administration to bring more than $130 million to construction projects across the Bluegrass State.
-A provision directing the USFWS to continue to expedite the establishment of the Green River National Wildlife Refuge (GRNWR) in Henderson County. In 2018, Senator McConnell secured language directing the Department of Interior to establish the GRNWR to support conservation, hunting and fishing opportunities in Western Kentucky.
-A provision encouraging the USFWS to remove certain inoperable locks and dams along the Green and Barren Rivers. The bill provides almost $19 million for USFWS to work with states like Kentucky to remove unnecessary legacy structures or barriers that harm fish habitats.

"Kentucky's infrastructure is a critical factor of our economic potential, and I'm proud to help secure these much-needed federal resources to connect our Commonwealth to the globe," Senator McConnell said. "From supporting economic revitalization in coal country to investment in our nation's critical inland waterways, these resources will help Kentucky workers get their goods to market to support jobs and our communities."

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