Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Releases Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill
WASHINGTON (Wednesday, March 9, 2022) – Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Wednesday released the $1.5 trillion fiscal year 2022 Omnibus Appropriations bill. The omnibus includes a 6.7 percent increase for non-defense discretionary programs, the largest increase in four years. The bill makes significant investments in communities around the country, funds critical programs supporting America’s middle class families, protects our nation’s veterans, and invests in our national security.
Leahy said: “This bill makes bold investments in critical areas that went underfunded or even neglected in the previous administration, including education, childcare, healthcare, the environment, science and research, and many more. It provides critical assistance to Ukraine and our NATO allies at a time when they need it the most, and it provides much-needed resources to ensure America can continue its battle against the coronavirus, both at home and abroad. It is unquestionably in the interest of the American people that the House and the Senate act quickly to pass this bill and send it to the President. This agreement is the product of months of hard work and compromise, and I want to thank my friends Vice Chairman Shelby, Chair DeLauro, and Ranking Member Granger.”
Democrats fought for the largest increase in non-defense discretionary spending in four years to allow Congress to make new investments in science and research, health care, climate change adaptation and mitigation, supporting mental health and combatting the opioid epidemic, and the implementation of the bipartisan infrastructure bill among other priorities. A full summary of investments Democrats fought to include in the omnibus is available HERE.
Included among these priorities is $1 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). Proposed in President Biden’s fiscal year 2022 budget request, ARPA-H will pursue new research and treatments for devastating diseases like Alzheimer’s, infectious diseases, and cancer. It supports our public schools and access to a college education, providing $17.5 billion for Title I-A grants to schools and a $400 increase in the maximum Pell grant award, the largest increase in both programs in more than a decade. The bill supports early education and child care by including more than $11 billion for Head Start and $6 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant. It provides the largest increase in 12 years for the National Science Foundation to support research, development and scientific advancements here in the United States. It supports our veterans by providing an 8.7 percent increase for VA Medical Care. And it invests billions into making housing more affordable and safe.
The bill includes $13.6 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and our NATO allies. It includes $15.6 billion in emergency assistance to continue to combat the COVID pandemic, ensuring we have the vaccines and therapeutics needed combat this virus, including critical aid to fight the virus abroad. Summaries of funding for Ukraine and COVID can be found HERE and HERE.
This bill invests in future prosperity, in our health, and reduces everyday costs for millions of Americans, such as child care, a college education, and heating and cooling costs.
Top highlights are available HERE.
Bill text is available HERE.
A summary of the omnibus by subcommittee is available below:
Financial Services and General Government
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Programs
State, Foreign Operations and Related Agencies
Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development
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