Bonamici Helps Fund Government; Sends Bill With $35.5M for Community Projects in NW Oregon to Biden’s Desk
Federal funding will go to affordable housing, Hall Boulevard improvements, Beaverton Loop, and more
WASHINGTON, D.C. [12/23/22] –Today Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici announced that all 15 of the Community Projects she recommended were included in the government funding bill passed by the House and Senate, sending more than $35 million for NW Oregon to President Joe Biden’s desk.
The Community Project Funding was passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 to fund the government for the next year. The package also included provisions led by Bonamici to protect retirement savings, help students access meals in the summer, and fund child care.
“This funding package is great news for Oregonians,” said Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici. “It will deliver more than $35 million for 15 projects I advocated for in NW Oregon to support affordable housing, make our roads safer, improve equity in our health care system, and more. These projects will be complemented by robust funding for child care, increased access to summer meals for students, protections for pregnant workers and retirement savings, and other efforts I championed. I look forward to seeing how the funding from this legislation helps our communities thrive, and I am committed to continuing to work on these important issues.”
The 15 community projects funded in the bill are:
Beaverton Downtown Loop | City of Beaverton | $4,000,000 |
Behavioral Health Paraprofessional Registered Apprenticeship and Pre-Apprenticeship | United We Heal Training Trust | $892,000 |
Capacity Building Affordable Housing | West Tuality Habitat for Humanity | $750,000 |
Columbia County Advanced and Additive Manufacturing Small Business Incubator | Columbia County Economic Team | $814,000 |
Dartmouth Crossing South-Tigard Triangle Affordable Housing | REACH Community Development Corp | $1,500,000 |
Fairfield Apartments | City of Portland | $2,000,000 |
Hall Boulevard Pedestrian Safety Improvements at Hemlock & Spruce | Oregon Department of Transportation | $3,200,000 |
Health Center Facilities and Equipment Upgrades | Oregon Association of Relief Nurseries | $5,055,844 |
Health IT Workforce Development | OCHIN Inc. | $2,001,642 |
Main Avenue/OR 104 Pedestrian Route | City of Warrenton | $1,360,000 |
Merlo Bus Garage Zero Emission Retrofit | TriMet | $5,000,000 |
Newberg Dundee Bypass Corridor Safety and Intersection Improvements | Oregon Department of Transportation | $4,000,000 |
Semiconductor and Advanced Manufacturing Workforce | Portland Community College | $910,000 |
Treatment Foster Care Oregon Model with LGBTQIA+ Affinity Group | Oregon Community Programs | $1,000,000 |
Willamette Water Supply System | Tualatin Valley Water District | $3,000,000 |
Under the rules of the House Appropriations Committee, Members of Congress could each submit up to 15 Community Project Funding requests for consideration during the fiscal year 2023 appropriations legislative process. The reformed and transparent Community Project Funding process allows Members of Congress to advocate for specific community financial support in a local, highly competitive process. You can find more information on Bonamici’s website about the Community Projects she supported: Bonamici.House.Gov/CommunityProjects
“The City of Portland thanks Rep. Bonamici first and foremost for championing the $2 million special appropriation to support redevelopment of the Fairfield Apartments,” said Portland City Commissioner Dan Ryan, who Oversees the Portland Housing Bureau. “The Fairfield provides dedicated affordable housing for very low-income residents who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These funds help us preserve a critical housing type in our streets-to-housing continuum. The project will also preserve a historic building and generate opportunities for small-scale, neighborhood-serving retail in the downtown core where many other low-income tenants reside in regulated affordable housing. We are grateful to the Congresswoman and our congressional delegation for their support of this much-needed project.”
"I'm thankful to Congresswoman Bonamici for her tremendous support of our Downtown Loop Project," said Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty. “These active transportation investments will improve mobility and access for the Central Beaverton neighborhood, an area that has been historically disenfranchised and directly impacted by redlining. Guided by extensive community input, our Downtown Equity Strategy, and our Climate Action Plan, these improvements will emphasize safety for all while proactively addressing harmful historical practices. Beaverton is deeply grateful to Congresswoman Bonamici for making this investment in our community.”
"Oregon has some of the highest rates in the country for drug addiction and negative mental health outcomes,” said Stacy Chamberlain, Chair of United We Heal Training Trust. “These funds will help rebuild the workforce with a focus on innovative apprenticeship programs built upon collaboration between employers and workers. A stable workforce is the only way to improve client care and make Oregon a healthier place for all. Thank you to Rep. Bonamici for her work bringing creative solutions to our addiction crisis."
The Consolidated Appropriation Act of 2023 also included Bonamici’s Retirement Savings Lost and Found Act, which will establish an Office of the Retirement Savings Lost and Found to help workers who move between jobs track, consolidate, and grow their retirement savings accounts. It also includes a portion of Bonamici’s Healthy Meals, Healthy Kids Act to establish a permanent, nationwide Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program that expands access to school meals during summer breaks.
The package increased funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) by 30 percent, following a request led by Bonamici to use appropriations to address the nation’s child care crisis. It also includes the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, legislation Bonamici has long championed to provide pregnant workers with reasonable accommodations on the job without facing discrimination or retaliation in the workplace.
Bonamici’s full statement for the record on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 can be found here.
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