Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) voted in support of H.R. 2028, a short-term measure to fund the federal government through April 28, 2017. Congressman Bishop also voted in support of S. 612, legislation to address the water crisis in Flint, Michigan and to provide financial support for water infrastructure projects across the country.
"I am pleased to see that the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan is going to be addressed through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act and the Continuing Resolution," said Congressman Bishop. "The passage of these pieces of legislation will work to make sure these kinds of crises do not happen in future, as well as fund critical water infrastructure projects to benefit both rural and urban areas of the United States."
The government funding legislation, officially referred to as a Continuing Resolution (CR) (H.R. 2028), passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 326 to 96. The water infrastructure legislation, officially entitled the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (WIIN Act) (S. 612), passed by a vote of 360 to 61.
The CR will fund the government at largely current levels through April 28, 2017. However, the legislation provides an additional $5.8 billion for defense-related Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), of which $5.1 billion is dedicated to supporting counterterrorism operations, including efforts to defeat ISIL. Another $4.3 billion in OCO funding is provided for non-defense priorities, including Embassy Security, Economic and Stabilization Assistance, Humanitarian Assistance, Security Assistance, and general State Department and USAID operations.
Additionally, the CR, in conjunction with an authorization included in the WIIN Act, provides a $100 million appropriation for capitalization grants to Flint, Michigan in order to address lead contaminants and repair service lines and water infrastructure.
The legislation also appropriates $4 billion in emergency funding for hurricane damage in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as flood damage in Texas, Louisiana, and West Virginia. Further, the CR appropriates funding for the recently enacted 21st Century Cures Act.
The WIIN Act, in addition to authorizing funding for Flint, Michigan, provides an authorization of over $10 billion for water resources development projects that will be carried out by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to address critical water infrastructure projects throughout the United States.
Additional information on the CR can be found here, and additional information on the WIIN Act can be found here.