WASHINGTON – Today, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva hailed passage of H.R. 8294, a package of six government funding bills, which focuses on helping families and communities across America

“I was proud to vote for a government funding package that makes the critical investments for my constituents in Arizona,” said Rep. Grijalva. “The investments in this package continue to reverse decades of disinvestment by helping the middle class, working families, Tribal nations and small businesses. I’ll continue to support underserved areas and foster economic development, making a real difference in the lives of so many in our community. I am proud to have fought for funding that will make our community healthier, safer, stronger, and even more resilient.”

The appropriations package also included $10.2 million in community funding projects for 3^rd District of Arizona. Rep. Grijalva secured funding for the following projects:

• The Tohono O’odham Nation will receive $1,016,459 for infrastructure projects for the construction of two turn lanes at the Baboquivari High School South Driveway, to address safety concerns created by increased traffic volumes and speeding in the area.
• Pima County will receive $1,200,000 to construct a storm drain to address stormwater flooding and drainage impacts in the underserved communities of Elvira and Barrio Nopal.
• The City of Tucson will receive $2,747,000 to reinvigorate the El Pueblo Center site with a focus on children and youth, STEM and small business.
• The City of Tucson’s Mission Manor Aquatic Complex will receive $2,947,000 to provide recreational opportunities in the form of a year-round therapeutic multi-use pool, splash playground, bathhouse, and plaza space in a low-income neighborhood.
• The City of Somerton will receive $380,000 for it Public Works Drinking Water Storage Facilities steel water storage tank repairs to ensure reliable delivery of safe drinking water to their service population.
• The YMCA of Southern Arizona will receive $810,000 to purchase six 14 passenger buses to transport children to ensure these youth have the educational enrichment support needed to thrive.
• The Sunnyside Foundation will receive $423,670 to begin the historical registry and restoration process for existing murals at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, to create two new community murals at El Pueblo Neighborhood Center, to establish a community bike lending library for southside neighborhoods and to establish mobility services that include bike repair and safety clinics.
• Pimería Historical Society and Museum will receive $325,000 to further preserve the history of the southern border region by digitizing and archiving photographs, documents, newspapers, maps and other items that tell the story of the American-Mexican border region and the American West.
• The International Sonoran Desert Alliance will receive $400,000 to revitalize the isolated region of Ajo, Arizona with a the establishment working space to build on a nexus of micro-businesses and emerging opportunities for entrepreneurs to have access to capital, technical assistance, digital communications support, staffing assistance and shared workspace.

Next week, the House is expected to consider other government funding legislation that includes six additional community funding projects and priorities.

Background:

The appropriations package creates jobs by rebuilding critical infrastructure, grows opportunity through homeownership and rental assistance, and promotes safe transportation and public housing by providing $90.9 billion for the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development and related agencies.

The bill tackles hunger, lifts up farmers and rural communities, rebuilds our public health and safety infrastructure, and confronts the climate crisis with $27.2 billion for the Department of Agriculture – including rural development programs – the Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies.

The appropriations package lowers costs for working families, creates good-paying jobs, invests in clean energy, and rebuilds water infrastructure, providing$56.275 billion for the Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers and Bureau of Reclamation, and related agencies. 

The bill grows opportunity and helps small business owners and middle-class families get ahead by providing $29.8 billion for the Department of the Treasury, The Judiciary, the Election Assistance Commission, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and other government agencies.

The funding bill creates jobs, confronts climate change, supports infrastructure on tribal lands, and ensures access to safe drinking water with $44.8 billion for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Indian Health Services.

The bill protects our national security, upholds our commitments to servicemembers, veterans, and their families, and rebuilds our infrastructure, providing $314.1 billion for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies. For the first time ever, the spending bill separates VA Medical Care into its own funding category to better meet the needs of our veterans.

A detailed summary of the funding package is available here.