Haiti Development, Accountability, and Institutional Transparency Initiative Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill. As Chairman of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies subcommittee I am pleased to highlight the national priorities funded in our division which impacts the lives of all Americans from heartland to coast, farms to cities, and everything in between.

First, our bill makes important, USDA-wide investments to ensure equitable participation in USDA programs, address the impacts of climate change, and support staff and leadership offices at USDA.

The bill includes over $550 million for the expansion of broadband service, including $450 million for the Reconnect program.

Our bill fully funds all the domestic nutrition programs and includes a significant investment to increase the amounts of fruits and vegetables offered in the WIC program. Additionally, there is $2 billion for international food aid.

The bill provides $1.87 billion for farm programs, including $61 million in loan authority to address heirs property issues.

The bill includes $3.5 billion for agriculture research programs, including the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to keep American agriculture the best and most bountiful in the world.

The bill includes a total of $3.3 billion for FDA and provides targeted increases to ensure Americans have access to the safest food and medicine.

This is a good bill and I urge my colleagues to support it.

I want to thank our Ranking Member, Andy Harris, and the majority and minority committee staff.

I also want to thank Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger for their leadership through this process.

Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, as a senior member of the Committees on the Judiciary, Homeland Security, and the Budget, I rise in support of the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2471, the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022'' which provides funding for federal government operations for the remainder of this fiscal year-- through September 30, 2022--and prevents a wasteful and irresponsible shutdown of the federal government.

The Consolidated Appropriations Act includes all 12 appropriations bills that fund the federal government through the end of Fiscal Year 2022, as well as urgently needed supplemental appropriations.

The legislation includes $13.6 billion in emergency funding for the courageous people of Ukraine, to support their security and humanitarian efforts as they struggle to survive and battle against the invading Russian army.

I am particularly pleased that the Consolidated Appropriations Act specifically includes $24,435,000 for Community Funding Projects in Houston that will directly help my constituents and enable all Houston- area residents to benefit from quality-of-life improvements.

The provisions of the omnibus spending act that resulted from my requests for Community Funding Projects include:

$1,500,000 for the Port of Houston Authority to begin a sedimentation study concurrent with the deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

$975,000 for the City of Houston Police Department to enable employment of nine (9) crime victim advocates via the BYRNE Justice Assistance Grants Program who will help the department provide a trauma-informed response for victims of violent crimes.

$1,060,000 for the Houston Independent School District to construct ``The Vison'' Community Statue and Community Project on the historic Booker T. Washington High School campus.

$3,000,000 to the City of Houston for two revitalization projects of cultural assets: construction of the Bethune Empowerment Center and the East End Facility for Latino Arts (Talento Bilingue de Houston).

$9,950,000 to help Harris County prevent flooding by providing funds for the Stormwater Detention Basin and Culvert Improvement project, and its operations.

$1,950,000 for Jacinto City for Northeast Water Mains & Fire Hydrant Improvements, to replace aging water and delivery infrastructure to a large portion of Jacinto City's residential and business districts.

$1,000,000 for the Houston Independent School District for Project Engagement, an initiative to provide social and emotional learning services to high-needs students, including social and emotional learning supports.

$2,000,000 for Houston Community College to fund a Regional Resiliency Operations Center (RROC) for program development, training and certification of disaster and mitigation professionals.

$1,000,000 for community mental health treatment and support services to the Fifth Ward Community Redevelopment Corporation in Houston to establish a juvenile justice diversion program that identifies gaps in services and provides resources for families and their children who were involved in the criminal justice system.

$2,000,000 for Texas Southern University in Houston to fund facilities and equipment for its Urban Public Health Initiative--Health Professions Education and Workforce Development and Health Facilities Construction and Equipment Program.

I strongly support this legislation and urge all Members to join me in voting for the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2471, the ``Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022''.

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