Senator Murray: “Whether it’s making sure people have better access to affordable housing, addressing the mental health crisis, or restoring our iconic salmon runs, this funding is going to make a major difference in our communities.”
ICYMI: Senator Murray Secures Historic Investments for Working Families and Washington State in End of Year Funding Package – MORE HERE
***A FULL LIST OF CONGRESSIONALLY-DIRECTED SPENDING SECURED BY MURRAY CAN BE FOUND HERE***
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that she has secured more than $284 million in Congressionally-Directed Spending (CDS) for local projects in Washington state in the government funding package passed today. The investments secured by Senator Murray will touch every part of the state and address the issues Washington state families care about most. That includes funding to expand local affordable housing options, major investments in salmon recovery, local infrastructure needs, mental health investments, child care programs, support programs for Washington state veterans, and much more.
“When I talk to constituents back home about what would make life better for them and their families, I take what they say with me to the other Washington. One of the ways I’m able to make sure our working families are heard is through Congressionally-Directed Spending,” said Senator Murray. “I’m thrilled I was able to secure more than $284 million for local projects in every corner of our state. Whether it’s making sure people have better access to affordable housing, addressing the mental health crisis, or restoring our iconic salmon runs, this funding is going to make a major difference in our communities. It’s important to me the federal government prioritizes the things people in our state care about most, and that’s what this funding does.”
As the second-ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray has been instrumental in securing major federal investments for Washington state priorities. This past July, Senator Murray announced the initial $230 million in CDS funding across 103 local projects secured in the fiscal year 2023 draft Senate Appropriations bills. The just-passed end-of-year funding package includes the consolidation of the Senate and House Appropriations bills, including an additional 26 Congressionally-Directed Spending requests backed by Murray and members of the House of Representatives, totaling $284 million in direct funding for local projects all across Washington state. In advocating for Congressionally-Directed Spending requests, Senator Murray focused on securing funding for projects that benefit communities across Washington state, especially those that would benefit historically underserved populations and communities.
***A full searchable list of local projects in Washington state that Murray secured funding for can be found HERE.***
In Greater Seattle, Tacoma, and the South Sound, Senator Murray secured millions for projects such as $2 million for the construction of affordable housing to support a homeownership cooperative pilot through African Community Housing and Development, $3.4 million to improve drinking water systems for the Muckleshoot Tribe, $1.6 million to expand child care access through the Foundation for Tacoma Students, and more.
“It’s my job in the Senate to make sure that Washington state’s priorities are the federal government’s priorities. I talk with constituents from every community from every part of our state, and I know the needs of families in Seattle or Issaquah better than any well-meaning bureaucrat in DC,” said Senator Murray of Congressionally-Directed Spending secured for Greater Seattle, Tacoma, and the South Sound. “We’re upgrading the Muckleshoot Tribe’s water systems to ensure that every family has access to safe, reliable drinking water. We’re investing in important affordable housing efforts in Seattle. We’re expanding child care access throughout Tacoma. This is all funding that will make a material difference for people in Seattle and the South Sound. ”
In Northwest Washington, Senator Murray secured millions for local projects such as $2 million for the construction of a new emergency housing facility for families experiencing homelessness in Bellingham, $500K for the Everett Recovery Café to expand community-based, peer-supported recovery programs, $3 million to protect and restore marine waters in the Northwest Straits region, and more.
“When I enter any room to negotiate legislation with my colleagues—I’m thinking about what I can do to make life better for the people in Washington state,” said Senator Murray of Congressionally-Directed Spending secured for Northwest Washington. “Whether that means securing investments to develop emergency housing in Bellingham or expand community-based recovery services in Everett, delivering for Northwest Washington remains a top priority, and is something I’ll keep fighting for every day.”
In Southwest Washington, Senator Murray secured millions for local projects such as $1.5 million for water lines and a booster pump station in Kelso, $2 million for road realignment and congestion reduction in Battle Ground, $1.67 million to prevent groundwater contamination in Long Beach, $400K for mobile behavioral health services in Vancouver, and more.
“Delivering for Washington state families is a top priority of mine, and Congressionally-Directed Spending is one of the ways I’m able to make that happen,” said Senator Murray of Congressionally-Directed Spending secured for Southwest Washington. “In Southwest Washington, that means we are investing in clean drinking water, expanding access to mental and behavioral health, and building safer roads for everyone to use. I am proud to bring these federal dollars back home to places like Vancouver and Longview to address local needs in our communities.”
In Central Washington, Senator Murray secured millions for local projects such as $3.6 million for construction of industrial railroad spur at the Port of Pasco, $3 million for development of a new housing complex in Kennewick, $2.5 million for a groundwater well and disinfection system replacement in West Richland, $1.5 million for Ben Franklin Transit to improve bus stop accessibility in Richland, and more.
“I fought hard to secure investments on housing, transit, child care, and more to make life better for local families from Pasco, to rural Chelan County, and everywhere in between. It’s important to me that people living in Central Washington have the same opportunities as people in Seattle—and Congressionally-Directed Spending helps me make sure rural communities are getting the resources they need to make that possible,” said Senator Murray.
In Eastern Washington, Senator Murray secured millions for local projects such as $15.3 million to construct a replacement base operations facility and a new facility to house an additional KC-135 simulator in order to support continued growth at Fairchild Air Force Base, $5 million for a study evaluating juvenile sockeye behavior and survival through waters of the Upper Columbia River, $3.8 million for bridge reconstruction in Adams County, $3 million to provide child care service to individuals seeking workforce training in Spokane and Yakima Counties, and more.
“I am incredibly proud that these federal dollars are going make a huge difference for people in Eastern Washington by investing in local priorities like child care for our workforce, safer roads and bridges, and recovering our salmon populations,” said Senator Murray of Congressionally-Directed Spending secured for Eastern Washington. “This funding is great news for Spokane and all of Eastern Washington.”
On the Olympic Peninsula, Senator Murray secured millions for local projects such as $4.9 million to relocate a Health Center for the Makah Tribe, $1.4 million to expand child care in Jefferson County, $900K to develop housing for veterans experiencing homelessness in Sequim, and more.
“Whether it’s relocating health care access in case of an emergency or building affordable housing for veterans, I’m focused on supporting working families on the peninsula however I can,” said Senator Murray of Congressionally-directed spending secured for the Olympic Peninsula. “This funding shows exactly how Congressionally-Directed Spending can deliver on the priorities our communities care about.”
This fiscal year, Congressionally-Directed Spending was capped at 1% of total discretionary spending, potentially totaling about $15 billion. The Senate Appropriations Committee reviews all requests from Senators. Only those requests that comply with Committee and Senate rules and are deemed appropriate for federal support were considered for funding. A link to the list of reforms can be found here.
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