WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Scott Peters (CA-52) helped the House pass a second federal spending package to fund integral programs and projects for Fiscal Year 2021. The package of six bills covers our nation’s defense; commerce, justice and science; energy and water development; financial services and general government; labor, education and health and human services; and transportation, housing and urban development. Each contains significant wins for the San Diego region.

“Today, we funded important priorities for San Diegans and Americans, particularly in our health, science and defense sectors,” said Rep. Peters. “California’s 52^nd congressional district is a global hub for innovation. This package provides crucial grants and contracts that will boost federal investment in our biotech and defense production companies, as well as our revered academic and research institutions, supporting millions of jobs across the region and strengthening San Diego’s economy.”

Rep. Peters continued “The bills also provide $400 million in grants to improve police training and increase transparency in police departments, and puts $15 million towards a pilot program for Transit Oriented Development Planning Grants to help localities create smarter land use plans that encourage more housing near transit. These are just a few of the priorities for our community and country in this package.”

Other highlights from the FY 2021 spending bill include:

Defense

• $9.3 billion for 91 F-35 aircraft, and $1.7 billion for 24 Navy F-18 aircraft
• $22.3 billion for Navy ships
• $20 million for engineering efforts to implement cost reductions when constructing the TAO Oiler, built in San Diego
• Continues the US Air Force MQ-9 aircraft program by funding 16 additional aircraft, also built in San Diego

Commerce, Justice and Science

• $5 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to improve measurement assurance and standards coordination for regenerative therapies
• $48 million for Coastal Zone Management and Services to prepare coastal areas for rising sea levels
• $5.5. billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), with $46 million to Sustained Ocean Observations and Monitoring with expanded coverage of biogeochemical and Deep Argo floats
• $525 million for Violence Against Women Act programs
• $140 million for STOP School Violence Act programs
• $22.6 billion for NASA and $8.5 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF)
• Prevents the Department of Justice from spending any federal funds for the Trump Administration’s lawsuit to strike down the Affordable Care Act

Energy and Water Development

• $40.9 billion for the Department of Energy (DOE)
  • $2.85 billion for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
  • $435 million for the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-e)
  • $27.5 million for nuclear waste storage and oversight
  • $355 million for electric grid research and development
  • $40 million to the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) for the Advanced Algal Systems program
  • $40 million for Direct Air Capture (DAC)
  • $30 million to the Office of Fossil Energy for carbon use and reuse, with $8 million to test technologies for CO2 absorption integrated with algae systems for capturing and reusing CO2 to produce useful fuels and chemicals
• Additional $43.5 billion in emergency funding to modernize energy infrastructure, and build and repair water infrastructure

Financial Services and General Government

• Includes language to allow DACA recipients to become eligible for federal employment
• $500 million to the Election Assistance Commission for Election Security Grants

Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) and Education

• $4 billion for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
• $47 billion for the National Institute of Health (NIH)
• $8 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• $24 billion in emergency funding to rebuild public health infrastructure in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Report language encouraging the NIH to expand funding on research on pediatric brain cancer, including drug delivery methods, new therapies with reduced levels of toxicity, and long-term complications money towards pediatric brain cancer research
• $5 billion for the Public Health Emergency Fund to ensure HHS can respond quickly to a broad range of public health threats
• Report language guiding the NIH to continue supporting a full range of cannabis research on the health effects of marijuana and its components, including research to understand how marijuana policies affect public health
• $500 million for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to support and promote innovation in antibacterial research and development
• $73.5 billion for the Department of Education to fund federal student aid programs and other initiatives
• $12.7 billion for the Labor Department, with $594 million for Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development

• $107 billion for the Department of Transportation (DOT), with $3 billion for the Federal Railroad Administration and $2 billion for Amtrak
• Encourages the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to complete studies on airplane noise and directs the FAA to implement the Environmental Mitigation Pilot Program
• $50.6 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with $60 million for homeless veterans
• Report language directing HUD and DOT to issue joint guidance on best practices to improve transit-oriented development in local communities 

Last week, Rep. Peters helped the House pass another appropriations package that provided funding for state and foreign operations, agriculture, interior and environmental efforts, rural development, military construction and veterans affairs. The remaining two spending bills for FY 2021 are for Homeland Security and Legislative Branch-related funding.