Kentucky Benefits from Legislation Senator McConnell Led to Passage and President Trump Signed into Law

Statement

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) led the Senate to pass the Fiscal Year 2020 government-funding bills that deliver necessary resources to provide for our national defense, continue important federal programs, and benefit Kentucky families and communities. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell advocated for the Kentucky priorities in the legislation, which President Donald Trump signed into law today.

"Kentuckians living everywhere from Paducah to Pikeville contact me asking for help, and I'm proud to use my position as Senate Majority Leader to put Kentucky's priorities at the center of the national agenda," said Senator McConnell. "From providing for our servicemembers and veterans, to addressing the substance abuse and youth vaping crises, to boosting Kentucky's economy, I fought to ensure these bills deliver for Kentucky families and communities."

The FY 2020 Government Funding Agreement contains the following important Kentucky priorities secured by Senator McConnell:

Protecting Coal Families' Pension and Health Benefits

-Senator McConnell successfully secured the bipartisan legislation he introduced with Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Joe Manchin (D-WV), to protect pension and health benefits for Kentucky miners and their families. The Bipartisan American Miners Act of 2019 secures funding for the 1974 miner Pension Plan to prevent its insolvency. It also expands the existing health care benefits provided under Senator McConnell's HELP for Coal Miners Health Care Act of 2017 to the orphaned coal miners whose benefits have been put in jeopardy due to recent coal company bankruptcies. These actions will secure the pensions of 92,000 coal miners and protect health care benefits for 13,000 miners.

Raising the Minimum Tobacco Purchase Age to 21

-Senator McConnell introduced with Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) a bipartisan bill to raise the tobacco purchasing age to 21. Utilizing his role as Senate Majority Leader, Senator McConnell successfully secured the provision in the end of the year funding bill. The Tobacco-Free Youth Act raises the nationwide minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and vaping devices, from 18 to 21 to better protect young people from the dangers of nicotine.

Keeping Promises to Kentucky Veterans with Louisville VA Medical Center

-Senator McConnell successfully secured the remaining $410 million needed for construction of the new Robley Rex Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Louisville, Kentucky.

The project received a boost earlier this year, when President Trump -- at Senator McConnell's request -- included full funding for the new VAMC facility in his Fiscal Year 2020 budget request. President Trump personally contacted Senator McConnell to inform him of this critical step forward for the project.

With this funding legislation. Senator McConnell is fulfilling our country's promise to Kentucky veterans for a new, modern health-care facility. Since 2008, he has used his leadership position as well as his seniority on the Senate Appropriations Committee to prioritize funding for the project. Senator McConnell previously secured a total of $450 million for the new facility, including the project's first appropriation of $75 million in a 2008 government-funding bill.

Fulfilling Obligation to Paducah Nuclear Workers

-Senator McConnell secured $314 million--a $40 million increase over last year's funding level to support workers performing necessary environmental cleanup operations at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant (PDGP). Among other initiatives, funding will also support operations and critical facility upgrades at Paducah's DUF-6 conversion facility, which Senator McConnell established and currently employs over 200 workers.

Opening New Doors for Hemp's Revival in Kentucky

-Kentucky has been at the forefront of hemp production ever since the authorization of industrial hemp pilot programs established by Senator McConnell's provision in the 2014 Farm Bill. Last December, President Trump signed into law the 2018 Farm Bill, which included Senator McConnell's initiative to legalize hemp as an agricultural commodity by removing it from the federal list of controlled substances. The end of the year funding bills included:

-$16.5 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to implement Senator McConnell's hemp provisions in the 2018 Farm Bill.

-$2 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.

-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.

Combatting invasive Asian Carp in West 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 waterways like Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. This funding includes $2.5 million for contract fishing. Earlier this year, USFWS agreed to Senator McConnell's request to deploy the advanced "Unified Method of Fishing," which involves 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.

-Last month at Lake Barkley, Senator McConnell was joined by Congressman James Comer (KY-01) to push the button deploying the bio-acoustic fish fence (BAFF) at Barkley Lock to keep Asian Carp from moving up the Cumberland River. The experiment marked the first time the BAFF has been tested at a lock and dam on a large river.

Supporting those in recovery and stopping the flow of illegal drugs in Kentucky communities

-Includes $1.375 billion for the border wall system and maintains the president's critical transfer authorities for border security and immigration enforcement.

-$25 million for the transitional housing pilot program established under Senator McConnell's Comprehensive Addiction Recovery through Effective Employment and Reentry (CAREER) Act. The CAREER Act, which is a measure Senator McConnell and Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) established 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.

-$4 million for the competitive grant program established under the CAREER Act, which provides funding to treatment centers to help individuals in recovery transition back into the workforce.

-$48 million for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Anti-Heroin and Anti-Methamphetamine Task Force programs. Senator McConnell supported the increased funding for the Anti-Methamphetamine program to target this major problem endangering Kentucky families. The COPS 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.

-$3.4 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.

-$518 million to help state and local law enforcement officials respond to the opioid and substance abuse epidemic. This includes $103 million for Drug Courts and Veteran's Treatment Courts.

-$547 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.

-$220.6 million to support the National Guard Counter-Drug Program. The Kentucky National Guard, working with Appalachia HIDTA, Kentucky State Police, and other law enforcement agencies, will use funding from this program to support marijuana eradication efforts in Eastern Kentucky.

-$285 million for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Program to combat meth and opioid abuse. Earlier this year, 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.

-Over $101 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.

-$10 million--a $5 million increase--for Senator McConnell's Centers for Disease Control (CDC) initiative to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis A, B, and C, instances of which have increased due to the opioid epidemic. This year's language ensures funding may be utilized to combat the spread of hepatitis A.

-$2 million for Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers (CORCs), which Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02) secured in last year's landmark opioid legislation. Facilities will offer all FDA-approved treatments, counseling and wrap-around services for individuals working toward long-term recovery from substance abuse.

Supporting Kentucky's Critical Role in our National Defense

-Provides well-deserved pay raise for servicemembers -- the largest increase in a decade.

-$61.3 million for new military construction projects at Fort Campbell, including $7.1 million for an Automated Infantry Platoon Battle Course, $51 million for a General Purpose Maintenance Shop, and $3.2 million for Easements.

-$869 million for the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program, which supports chemical demilitarization efforts at the Blue Grass Army Depot.

Providing Tax Relief

-Secures and extends a number of tax priorities that benefit Kentucky, including the following:
-Renewal of key tax relief for Kentucky's distilleries and breweries.
-Tax credits to support investments in Kentucky short line railroads.
-Protections for Kentucky's signature horse racing industry.
-Tax relief for mortgage debt forgiveness for Kentucky homeowners.
-Empowerment zone tax incentives to help economically distressed regions in Eastern Kentucky.
-"Above-the-line" deduction for qualified tuition and higher education expenses for Kentucky students
-Access to federal government grants and disaster assistance for tax-exempt rural electric cooperatives.
-Repeals even more of Obamacare by cutting out more harmful taxes:
-Fully repeals the health insurance tax to lower Kentuckian's premiums.
-Fully repeals the Cadillac tax to ensure employers can continue offering robust health insurance benefits to employees and their families.
-Fully repeals the medical device tax to promote job growth.

Economic Development, Infrastructure and Preparing Students and Workers to Meet Their Bright Future

-McConnell/Comer legislation to aid economic development in Muhlenberg and Ohio Counties. As Senate Majority Leader, Senator McConnell successfully secured legislation to designate a section of the Wendell H. Ford Western Kentucky Parkway in Muhlenberg and Ohio Counties as a spur of Interstate 69 (I-569). Majority Leader McConnell and Congressman James Comer (KY-01) introduced the legislation that will highlight the region's connections with the federal interstate highway system and aid in attracting new industry and economic development in the region. Additionally, the McConnell/Comer legislation provides an exemption to the federal weight limit on the Edward T. Breathitt Pennyrile Parkway.

-$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 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, $25 million 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 $130 million from this federal program for Kentucky projects.

-$333 million for the Economic Development Administration (EDA), which provides federal competitive grants to communities to assist with economic development. Since 2016, Senator McConnell helped secure nearly $15 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.

-$32 million for the American Printing House for the Blind in Louisville to continue its important work to create innovative products for visually impaired students and people across the country.

-$10 million in U.S. Department of Education funding to support work colleges like Berea College and Alice Lloyd College in Kentucky.

-$30 million through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to provide career and training services to dislocated workers in rural areas, including dislocated coal workers in Kentucky.

-$2.6 billion in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' major construction account that will complete Olmsted Locks and Dam and support continued construction of the Kentucky Lock project for Kentucky's more than 20,000 maritime workers.

-$175 million for the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). This is record level funding for ARC and its important work in Eastern Kentucky. In particular, Senator McConnell helped secure resources for the following priorities:

-$50 million for the Partnerships for Opportunity and Workforce and Economic Revitalization (POWER) grant program. Funding provided through POWER grants gives local organizations the tools they need to make a positive impact in their communities. For example, just this year a Kentucky organization received a $1.7 million POWER grant to establish new centers to help Kentuckians in recovery combat their substance abuse addictions. In the past two fiscal years, Senator McConnell has secured $100 million for the POWER grant program;

-$16 million for infrastructure and water infrastructure priorities for distressed counties in Central Appalachia. This program was established by Senator McConnell;

-$10 million to continue a program for high-speed broadband deployment in distressed counties in Central Appalachia that have been most negatively impacted by the downturn in the coal industry; and

-$10 million for a new pilot project established by Senator McConnell to address the substance abuse crisis in Appalachia.

-$30 million for the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) -- a $5 million increase over last year's funding level. DRA supports economic and infrastructure development in the Mississippi Delta region, including a number of counties in Western Kentucky.

-$100 million in dedicated funding for the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS), which will go towards funding remaining ADHS priorities, including the completion of 12 miles of road projects in Letcher and Pike Counties in Kentucky.

-$162 million for the Essential Air Service Program, which benefits the 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, and has worked with the Trump administration to bring nearly $165 million to construction projects across the Bluegrass State.

-A provision directing the USFWS to support the Green River National Wildlife Refuge (GRNWR) in Henderson County and its goals of conservation as well as increased hunting and fishing opportunities. In 2018, Senator McConnell secured language directing the Department of Interior to establish the GRNWR. Senator McConnell joined Trump Administration officials at a ceremony officially designating the new wildlife refuge last month.

-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.

-$750 million for the Fossil Energy Research and Development Program, which includes support for research on clean coal technology as well as for research on rare earth elements. In years past, money from this program has gone to Kentucky to support clean coal technology. Last year, the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research received funding through the program.

-Kentucky Wildlands National Heritage Area Study Act. Senator McConnell worked with Congressman Hal Rogers (KY-05) to direct the Secretary of the Interior to complete a study to determine whether Kentucky's Appalachian region meets the requirements to become the state's first National Heritage Area. As a National Heritage Area, the region would receive technical assistance and federal funding through a partnership with the National Park Service.

Modernizing State Election Systems to Combat Interference
-$425 million for states to enhance their voting systems. Kentucky is expected to receive more than $6 million. Senator 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. Since 2018, Senator McConnell has secured more than $12 million in funding for Kentucky.

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