Sandy Springs, GA — Today, Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) highlighted significant victories for Georgia’s Sixth District and communities across America in H.R. 7617, the second “minibus” of fiscal year 2021 appropriations bills, which passed the House on July 31. Ten amendments introduced by McBath were included in the final legislation.

“Families in the Sixth District understand the need to increase investments that expand opportunities for every person in every corner of the nation. At a time when American families and communities need our help, the federal funding we were able to secure offers that support,” said McBath. “This is a time to support our communities with investments in the resources our neighbors truly need, and I’m glad to see my amendments to protect health care, reduce gun violence, and invest in our families as part of this package.

McBath’s amendments secured in the package include:

• Defending the Affordable Care Act and protecting those with preexisting conditions to ensure all Americans have access to quality affordable care.
• Increasing funding to help reduce gun violence and keep guns out of the hands of those who shouldn’t have them as part of the strongest gun safety appropriations package in history.
• Increasing funding for the Centers for Disease Control Injury Prevention and Control Fund. The CDC National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is located in Georgia’s Sixth District.
• Investing in programs to protect women and families, prevent rape and sexual assault, support and provide housing and programs for survivors, close the rape kit backlog, and help prosecute rape and sexual assault offenders.
• Increasing funding for programs that fight against elder violence and abuse.
• Providing money to Children and Family Services to help reduce violence and keep American families safe.

H.R. 7617 totals $1.3 trillion in discretionary funding and consists of six FY 2021 appropriations bills: Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Service and General Government, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development. 

Additional notable wins for American communities in H.R. 7617 include:

Infrastructure

• $107.2 billion in total budgetary resources for the Department of Transportation
• $7.6 billion for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, including studies, construction, and operation & maintenance
• $1.64 billion for U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water resources projects, including WIIN Act-authorized projects
• $75 billion in emergency funding to rebuild our nation’s transportation and housing infrastructure
• $61 billion in emergency funding to expand the availability of broadband to unserved and underserved areas
• $43.5 billion in emergency spending modernize water and energy infrastructure
• $24.425 billion in emergency spending to support state and local public health agencies and global health activities

Medical Research

• $47 billion for the National Institutes of Health, an increase of $5.5 billion above FY20
• $50 million, an increase of $25 million above FY20, for firearm injury and mortality prevention research at CDC and NIH

Education and Job Training

• $73.5 billion for the Department of Education,
• $10.2 billion for the Employment and Training Administration

Housing

• $50.6 billion for Housing and Urban Development
• Blocks Trump administration rules targeting undocumented immigrants and LGBT people

Community Support

• $3.5 billion for Community Development Block Grants
• $356 million for the Economic Development Administration
• $273.5 million for Community Development Financial Institutions

Police Reform

• Implements key components of the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, with strong funding for police reform
• Conditions federal grant funding for state and local law enforcement on significant improvements to police practices

Service Members and Military Families

• Provides full funding necessary to support the 3 percent military pay raise
• More than $33.3 billion for Defense Health Programs, including $512.5 million for cancer research

Climate Change

• $12 billion across Department of Energy programs to support clean, affordable, and secure energy
• $5.45 billion for NOAA, helping address important priorities such as climate research