U.S. Senate Passes Heller Measures to Help Veterans Get Jobs, Promote STEM Programs, Support Pregnant Women and Infants

Press Release

The U.S. Senate passed the conference agreement for the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill (H.R.6157), which included several provisions authored by U.S. Senator Dean Heller (R-NV) designed to help Nevada's veterans find jobs, promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs in Nevada's schools, and support pregnant women and infants. The agreement also provides the largest pay raise for our troops in nearly a decade, increases funding for opioid treatment, prevention, and recovery programs, and provides additional resources to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that will help lead to breakthrough treatments and cures.

Heller, along with his colleague U.S. Senator Jon Tester (D-MT), secured a provision to ensure up to $3.5 million is available to carry out a pilot program on apprenticeships for service members transitioning to civilian life. Heller also worked with U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) to require the Department of Education to provide a report on how the agency is coordinating with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to promote STEM programs that benefit pre-kindergarden-12 students.

"Nevada is home to approximately 300,000 veterans, so taking care of our military heroes when they return from the front lines and facilitating their transition back to civilian life remain top priorities of mine. As a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Veteran's Affairs, I worked with the top Democrat on the Committee to increase funding for apprenticeship programs that will help equip those who bravely served our country with the skills they need to succeed. I also worked across the aisle to ensure that this bipartisan legislation contains my provisions to promote STEM programs in Nevada's schools so that students have the ability to compete in today's global economy," said Heller.

Additionally, Heller worked with U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) to author a provision that will strengthen the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) efforts to leverage birth defects surveillance systems to improve its ability to monitor the occurrence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Last night, seven of Heller's bills aimed at combating Nevada's opioid epidemic passed the U.S. Senate, including legislation that would expand access to treatment for pregnant women who have a substance abuse disorder and newborns who are suffering from withdrawal.

"In addition to advancing job-training and STEM-based proposals, I'm also working to address the opioid epidemic. I'm encouraged that this legislation includes increased funding for opioid treatment, prevention, and recovery programs, as well as my provision to support efforts to monitor the occurrence of neonatal abstinence syndrome to better protect mothers and babies," added Heller. "It's also important to note that this agreement also gives our troops the largest pay raise in nearly a decade, and it is the result of a strong bipartisan effort. As the fifth most bipartisan member of the U.S. Senate, I'll continue working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to advance legislation that will spur growth in Nevada's communities and help Nevada families get ahead. "

Finally, the U.S. Senate today also passed a short-term reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) to provide resources that will support victims of domestic violence.

Source