Skip to content
  1. News
  2. Press Releases

Van Hollen Announces Senate Passage of Appropriations Package with Over $40 Million for Maryland Infrastructure, Rural Development, Military Construction Projects

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced the Senate’s passage of $41,921,000 in direct federal investments for community-led projects throughout Maryland as part of a package of three fiscal year 2024 government funding bills. These funds, included at the Senator’s request, support a wide array of projects to improve public transit, trail networks, roads, affordable housing, and more; boost development in rural communities; and invest in Maryland military installations and veterans, among other critical priorities for the state.
 
The package, which the Senator voted to pass earlier this month, is comprised of the FY24 funding bills for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD); Agriculture, Rural Development, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. While passing the Senate is an important step forward, these funds are not finalized until the appropriations bills are reconciled with the House of Representatives and signed by the President.

“Targeted federal investments in key community initiatives go a long way toward expanding opportunity and improving crucial services in our state. With these funds, we can help modernize local infrastructure, spur economic growth, strengthen our military facilities and veterans’ services, and more. I’ll keep working to get these federal investments across the finish line and deliver them to our partners across Maryland,” said Senator Van Hollen, a member of the Appropriations Committee.


Projects funded through the THUD funding legislation:

Project Name: Baltimore Franklin-Mulberry Corridor - Reconnecting Communities
Applicant: Baltimore City
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $500,000
Description: Funds will be used to support public engagement and outreach to develop community-led plans to enhance transportation connectivity and access for the neighborhoods in West Baltimore impacted by the Highway to Nowhere.
 
Project Name: Benedictine Residential Facility
Applicant: Benedictine School for Exceptional Children
Project Location: Caroline County
Amount Included: $1,800,000
Description: The Benedictine School is a multi-functional, year-round education and residential center serving more than 150 children and adults with severe intellectual disabilities. Funds will renovate the outdated living areas and health facilities to better suit the needs of students and their families.

Project Name: BRIDGES Community Family Life Center and Food Pantry
Applicant: BRIDGES Community Development Corporation
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $990,000
Description: Funds will support construction of a facility in the Pimlico/Arlington/Hilltop neighborhood with a commercial kitchen and food pantry, afterschool tutoring, and job training to serve local families.
 
Project Name: Cambridge Neighborhood - Camper Street
Applicant: Habitat for Humanity Choptank
Project Location: Dorchester County
Amount Included: $450,000
Description: Funds will be used to prepare sites in Ward 3 of Cambridge for the construction of safe, affordable, and energy efficient homes to help low-income families achieve sustainable homeownership.
 
Project Name: Greater Baltimore Urban League / Orchard Street Church
Applicant: Greater Baltimore Urban League, Inc.
Amount Included: $3,500,000
Description: Funds will be used to restore the Historic Orchard Street Church, the city's oldest standing structure, as a headquarters and outreach center for the Greater Baltimore Urban League. It will also house a new community clinic in collaboration with Morgan State University's new medical school.
 
Project Name: Harmer's Town Art Center
Applicant: Harmer's Town Art Center, Inc.
Project Location: Harford County
Amount Included: $3,351,000
Description: Funds will support the rehabilitation of a vacant commercial building to serve as a regional art facility, creativity incubator, and economic driver in Havre de Grace. The building will include low-cost artist studio space and makerspaces and will draw visitors with galleries, classes, and shops.
 
Project Name: Historic Druid Hill Y Family Center Renovation
Applicant: YMCA of Central Maryland, Inc.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $1,238,000
Description: The Y in Druid Hill, built in 1916, provides critical services to the community. Funds will be used to replace the roof, renovate transitional housing and locker rooms, and upgrade the pool area, while protecting the historic structure and ensuring the sustainability of a key community resource.
 
Project Name: Last Mile Park
Applicant: American Communities Trust, Inc.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $904,000 (will support one underpass)
Description: Funds will support the development of a park looping around a series of Amtrak overpasses that will provide a safe and inviting connection between the new Eager Park development near Johns Hopkins and the underserved community north of the tracks, bringing economic benefit to both communities.
 
Project Name: Mace's Lane Community Center, Inc.
Project Name: Mace's Lane Community Center
Project Location: Dorchester County
Amount Included: $1,000,000
Description: Funds will be used for the final phase of the renovation of the historic Mace's Lane School into a museum and community center that will house a Boys & Girls Club, youth sports, education and cultural programs, community meeting space, and senior services.
 
Project Name: NAACP Baltimore Headquarters Proposal
Applicant: Baltimore NAACP
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $500,000
Description: Funds will be used to upgrade and expand the Baltimore NAACP headquarters so it can increase its services, including fresh produce distribution, free and reduced-cost office space for small women- and minority-owned businesses, and youth programs.
 
Project Name: North Bethesda Metro Station Northern Entrance
Applicant: Montgomery County
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Included: $5,000,000
Description: Funds will support planning and preliminary engineering for a new north entrance to the North Bethesda Metro Station. The new entrance will serve existing and planned transit-oriented development in the Pike District and improve access for residents and commuters.
 
Project Name: Open Works Baltimore – West Side Expansion
Applicant: Open Works, Inc.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $2,000,000
Description: Funds will be used to open an Open Works makerspace in West Baltimore that will provide high-tech tools, industrial co-working space, technical education programs for all ages, workforce development training, entrepreneurship support, and contract manufacturing for startups and community projects.
 
Project Name: Patapsco Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge - Phase 1
Applicant: State of Maryland
Project Location: Baltimore City and Baltimore County
Amount Included: $5,000,000
Description: Funds will be used to construct a bicycle and pedestrian bridge connecting the Patapsco Avenue Light Rail Station and Bus Hub with the north side of Patapsco Avenue, improving connectivity to the Cherry Hill neighborhood for residents and commuters.
 
Project Name: Phase 2 Bunkhouse Renovation
Applicant: The Pearlstone Center
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $1,558,000
Description: The Pearlstone Center is an outdoor education center that includes an organic farm and gardens and hosts students and workforce development training for green jobs. Fund will renovate bunkhouses and build a new bathhouse to support an overnight summer camp for low-income children.
 
Project Name: Popes Creek Waterfront Phase II
Applicant: Charles County Government
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Included: $200,000
Description: Funds will support the Popes Creek Waterfront and Rail Trail, an accessible water access point with a boardwalk and pier that connects to a trail through an abandoned rail corridor. This will be the county's first project to provide direct water access for recreation and fishing to all residents.
 
Project Name: Reconnecting West Frederick Planning Project
Applicant: City of Frederick
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Included: $380,000
Description: Funds will be used to create preliminary plans for the reconfiguration of the West Patrick Street/US 15 Interchange, in order to improve equitable access to downtown for disadvantaged communities. The city aims to connect these communities so residents can safely access amenities and services.
 
Project Name: Road to Freedom Trail
Applicant: Northeast Towson Improvement Association, Inc.
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $500,000
Description: Funds will be used for planning, design, and engineering for the Road to Freedom Trail, a cycling and pedestrian trail connecting 13 sites of historical significance from the Hampton National Historic Site to the Carver Community Center, increasing access for residents and visitors.
 
Project Name: Rural Community Revitalization through Affordable Housing
Applicant: Kent Attainable Housing, Inc.
Project Location: Kent County
Amount Included: $810,000
Description: Funds will support the construction of affordable homes for families in Chestertown and Butlertown. In addition to constructing housing units for first-time homebuyers, the program provides financial literacy and support services to help residents budget and establish good credit.
 
Project Name: Southern Maryland Rapid Transit (SMRT)
Applicant: Charles County Government
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Included: $5,000,000
Description: Funds will support a high-capacity transit service to alleviate one of the most congested commutes in the country, ignite job growth in target development areas in Southern Maryland, and reduce emissions.
 
Additional priorities secured by the Senators in the FY24 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill include:
 
Department of Transportation: The bill provides $28.433 billion in funding for the Department of Transportation—which includes significant new resources to ensure the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is able to maintain the safest, most efficient, and most complex air traffic control system in the world, the safety of our rail network, and capital investments to improve the state of good repair for our transit systems.
 
RAISE Grants: The bill maintains critical funding for the RAISE Grant program to continue investing in transportation infrastructure projects that have a significant local or regional impact. 
 
FAA Staffing and Modernization: The bill provides $20.279 billion for the FAA, an increase of $1.255 billion over fiscal year 2023. This includes:

  • $12.741 billion for FAA operations, which will allow the FAA to continue its air traffic controller hiring surge by adding 1,800 new controllers, improve the condition and reliability of critical IT and telecommunications legacy systems, such as the NOTAM system, continue to improve aircraft certification as required by the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act, and accelerate the deployment of new entrants into the national airspace.
  • A historic $3.429 billion for FAA facilities and equipment which will accelerate NextGen modernization. This includes $65.2 million for the critical Terminal Flight Data Manager and $69.95 million for DataComm programs, which will improve the efficiency of air traffic control and lead to fewer flight delays. The bill also includes $33.2 million for airport ground surveillance, $340.8 million for telecommunications infrastructure, and $29.35 million for long-term improvements to the critical NOTAM system.
  • $3.851 billion for Airport Improvement Program (AIP) grants, including $501 million for supplemental AIP grants that can help reduce emissions at airports, build airport infrastructure necessary to support unleaded fuels and sustainable aviation fuels, build resiliency at airports confronting climate change and worsening natural disasters, and support aircraft noise compatibility planning and programs. 

Highways and Bridges: The bill provides $60.096 billion for Federal-aid Highways, consistent with the IIJA-authorized level of spending from the Highway Trust Fund, with an additional $2.047 billion for Highway Infrastructure Programs. This includes $45 million for the Active Transportation Infrastructure Investment Program, $150 million for PROTECT Grants, $1.145 billion for bridges, $100 million for the Appalachian Development Highway System, $20 million for Scenic Byways, and other critical programs.
 
Rail Safety: A total of $3.4 billion is provided for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). This includes $2.45 billion for Amtrak to sustain operations, maintain a state of good repair, and safely get passengers to their destinations. 
 
To address the rail safety deficiencies identified in the East Palestine, Ohio train derailment, the bill provides a $32 million increase for FRA’s safety and operations budget—meeting the budget request level for rail safety inspectors and research. 
 
The bill also directs specific research requirements for: (1) wayside detection technology, operational alert thresholds, and rail carrier response protocols to inform and verify the technologies capabilities and establish industry-wide standards; and (2) long-train operational safety to evaluate equipment safety standards for brake systems and wheel performance to inform the development of continuous component monitoring. 
 
The bill also increases funding for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) emergency preparedness grants to $46.825 million and requires the agency to conduct research to improve the survivability of placards identifying hazardous materials on trains.
  
WMATA Safety: The bill provides $150 million in capital and safety improvement funding for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), which manages the DMV-area Metro and bus system. It directs WMATA to establish and build a culture of safety throughout the organization, including a culture that fosters rigorous adherence to safety rules and procedures as a matter of routine.

Transit Infrastructure: The bill provides $16.865 billion for the Federal Transit Administration—including $2.45 billion for Capital Investment Grants, a $240 million increase over fiscal year 2023, to continue investing in America’s transit infrastructure. It also includes $365.8 in budget authority—$184 million above fiscal year 2023—for Transit Investment Grants. This includes $161.8 million for Buses and Bus Facilities, $50 million for the Low- and No-emissions program; $45 million for areas of persistent poverty; and $43 million for urban and rural ferry programs.
 
Maritime Administration: The bill provides $1.2 billion for the Maritime Administration, $308 million above fiscal year 2023. This includes:

  • $195.5 million for the United States Merchant Marine Academy, of which $70 million is for capital improvement projects, fully meeting the President’s budget request to train the next generation of mariners;
  • $131 million for State Maritime Academies, of which $91.8 million is for the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel program;
  • $103 million for the Title XI program to fund new loan guarantee applications in the pipeline;
  • $213 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program; and
  • $448 million to fund the Defense vessel programs at their authorized levels, including:
    • $318 million for the Maritime Security Program;
    • $10 million for the Cable Security Fleet program; and
    • $120 million for the Tanker Security Fleet program.

Expands Access to Transportation Infrastructure for Rural Communities and Tribes: The bill includes flexibilities in the federal share for certain transit projects and provides $25 million to supplement the Rural and Tribal Infrastructure Advancement Pilot Program to deliver financial, legal, technical, and project development assistance in an effort to improve Tribal access to transportation infrastructure programs at the Department of Transportation.
 
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): The bill provides $70.06 billion in funding for the Department of Housing and Urban Development–to maintain all existing rental assistance while increasing efforts to reduce homelessness, connect people to both housing and health care, and remove barriers to housing opportunities and development, including unnecessary administrative burdens.
 
Reduces Homelessness and Improves Connections to Health Care: The bill provides $3.9 billion for Homeless Assistance Grants, a $275 million increase above the fiscal year 2023 enacted level. In addition to sustaining investments for existing projects, homeless youth, and survivors of domestic violence, the bill provides:

  • $100 million for permanent supportive housing, a $25 million increase over fiscal year 2023;
  • $31 million for capacity-building grants and direct technical assistance to communities that are leveraging other funds, like Medicaid, to connect individuals experiencing homelessness to housing-related services and behavioral healthcare; and
  • $25 million for an inflationary adjustment for supportive service projects so that providers can hire and retain qualified personnel.

Lastly, the bill allows HUD to complete funds on a biennial basis, which will free up valuable staff time and resources to focus on service delivery rather than paperwork.
 
Increases the Supply of Affordable Housing: As communities across the nation continue to face a shortage of affordable homes, the bill makes critical investments to increase the supply of housing so that Americans can keep a roof over their head. The bill includes:

  • $1.5 billion to sustain robust funding for the HOME Investment Partnership Program, the primary federal tool of state and local governments that produces affordable rental and owner-occupied housing. This level will lead to the construction of nearly 10,000 new rental and homebuyer units. The House bill slashes funding for this program down to $500 million, the lowest funding level since the program’s inception three decades ago.
  • $100 million for the second year of the “Yes In My Back Yard” grant program—a $15 million increase over fiscal year 2023. A significant contributor to the lack of housing supply and production is state and local zoning and land use laws and regulations that limit the number of units that can be built. These restrictions on development are driving up housing costs. While some communities have made progress in removing barriers to affordable housing production to keep up with market demand, the federal government should play a supporting role to strengthen these efforts and help jurisdictions increase their housing stock and lower housing costs.
  • $4.3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant formula program and Economic Development Initiatives that address a variety of local community development and affordable housing needs.

Preserves and Strengthens Investments in Rental Assistance Programs: The bill maintains critical support for HUD rental assistance programs, which assist nearly 5 million vulnerable households—more than half of whom are elderly or people with disabilities. This includes:

  • $31.7 billion for tenant-based Section 8 vouchers, a $1.5 billion increase above fiscal year 2023, which includes funding to make 4,000 new incremental vouchers available to youth aging out of foster care and veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
  • $15.79 billion for the project-based rental assistance program to renew housing contracts, of which $32.9 million is for rent adjustments to certain properties with health, safety, or operational deficiencies to improve property conditions for tenants.
  • $8.9 billion to operate and address the capital needs of public housing, a $361 million increase above fiscal year 2023.

Increases Alignment and Flexibilities for Affordable Housing Programs: The thicket of statutory, regulatory, and procedural requirements for federal housing programs can undermine program results, lead to wasteful duplication, and require excessive time and resources from grantees. 

To reduce the number of duplicative property inspections that occur when a project is funded by multiple federal housing programs, the bill supports efforts to improve inspection standards while also ensuring coordination across federal housing programs. 

To more effectively use available housing choice vouchers in difficult rental markets, the bill authorizes a new pilot to allow up to 8 public housing authorities to use housing assistance payments for leasing-related expenses, like security and utility deposits. 

To improve the speed and effectiveness of vouchers serving youth aging out of foster care, the bill streamlines the award process and authorizes the Secretary to waive certain requirements that are consistent obstacles to successful leasing.


Projects funded through the Agriculture, Rural Development, and FDA funding legislation:

Project Name: Adkins Arboretum Site Improvements
Applicant: Adkins Arboretum
Project Location: Caroline County
Amount Included: $260,000
Description: The Adkins Arboretum's collection of 400 acres of native plants from the Mid-Atlantic Coastal region serves as a model of conservation and a place for visitors, including school groups, to enjoy trails and the outdoors. Funding will update amenities to better serve visitors.  
 
Project Name: BAAM Academic Center
Applicant: Building African American Minds, Inc.
Project Location: Talbot County
Amount Included: $525,000
Description: Building African American Minds provides youth mentoring and services to Black students in Talbot County. Funds will be used to complete an academic center that will house staff offices and programs, including student afterschool and summer programs and career/workforce development.
 
Project Name: Bloomington Fire Company Building Expansion
Applicant: Bloomington Fire Company
Project Location: Garrett County
Amount Included: $150,000
Description: Funds will expand the fire station with extra space to store trucks and service equipment and expand and move lockers in order to serve the Bloomington community and surrounding areas more efficiently. The new structure will also offer a shelter for the community in the event of natural disaster.
 
Project Name: Garrett County Utilities Infrastructure Equipment
Applicant: Garrett County Board of Commissioners
Project Location: Garrett County
Amount Included: $525,000
Description: Funds will be used to purchase a hydro-excavator and associated equipment to allow Garrett County to perform public utility maintenance and repairs, install rural broadband, and respond to emergency situations more efficiently.
 
Project Name: Hampstead Fire Station and Emergency Shelter
Applicant: Hampstead Volunteer Fire Engine & Hose Company #1
Project Location: Carroll County
Amount Included: $2,000,000
Description: Funds will support the construction of a new fire station and event center to improve fire, rescue, and EMS services to Hampstead and surrounding communities in Carroll and Baltimore Counties. The event center will also serve as an emergency shelter with a backup generator.
   
Project Name: HOPE Center
Applicant: Foundation of HOPE, Inc.
Project Location: Talbot County
Amount Included: $630,000
Description: Foundation of HOPE works to mentor and empower middle school girls in Talbot County. Funds will be used to construct a new facility to house its offices and entrepreneurship and empowerment afterschool program, allowing it to serve 50% more students.
 
Project Name: Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services Building Restoration
Applicant: Tri-Towns Emergency Medical Services
Project Location: Allegany County
Amount Included: $150,000
Description: Tri-Towns EMS serves over 100 square miles in Allegany and Garrett Counties in a building that is open to the public, including for walk-in care. Funds will upgrade the building to repair some damaged areas, operate more efficiently, and provide a safe space for walk-in patients.
 
Additional priorities secured by the Senators in the FY24 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies funding bill include:

  • Chesapeake Bay States Partnership Initiative (C-SPI) report language that recognizes the important role of voluntary conservation practices in restoring waterways especially when deployed at scale. The language supports USDA’s continuation of the C-SPI and encourages the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to target additional technical assistance to the most effective basin areas of the watershed to reduce agricultural runoff in the Chesapeake Bay.
  • $800.89 million for Conservation Technical Assistance, in which Natural Resources Conservation Service staff work one-on-one with farmers to conserve resources and prevent run-off. The bill also includes language expressing the Committee’s view that additional technical assistance should be provided to Critical Conservation Areas like the Chesapeake Bay Watershed because a lack of planning capacity can slow down projects in our region.
  • $56.411 million for the continued consolidation of the FDA campus in White Oak, Maryland to increase FDA’s efficiency and productivity.
  • Supporting FDA/Health and Human Services (HHS) coordination on medical supply chains to prevent shortages of crucial drugs – the bill includes language directing the FDA to coordinate with HHS and report on current domestic manufacturing of drugs on HHS’s Critical Drug List and dependence on international supply chains. The review may account for non-viability of certain components domestically.
  • $20 million for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which helps low-income mothers and children purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers.
  • Funding for programs at historically Black 1890 Land-Grant institutions like the University of Maryland Eastern Shore:
    • Research: $89 million
    • Extension Services: $72 million
    • Education Grants: 30 million
    • Facility Improvements: $21.5 million
    • Scholarships: $10 million


Priorities funded through the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs funding legislation:

Naval Support Activity Bethesda Fire House
Applicant: Naval Support Activity Bethesda
Project Location: Bethesda
Amount Included: $3,000,000
Description: The current fire station is in severe disrepair and has been plagued by mold, leaks, structural problems, and other serious issues. It is also undersized and unable to accommodate a ladder truck. Funds will be used for planning and design of a new station that meets the needs of the base.

  • Funding for critical military construction projects across Maryland, including:
    o    $100 million for the cybersecurity operations facility at Fort Meade
    o    $141.7 million for aircraft development and maintenance facilities at Naval Air Station Patuxent River
    o    $101.8 million for construction at the Bethesda Naval Hospital
    o    $480 million for construction at Fort Meade
    o    $38.3 million for a hydrant fueling system at Joint Base Andrews
  • $3.1 billion for Veterans homelessness programs, which is $418 million more than fiscal year 2023. This funding includes:
    • $774.7 million for the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program
    • $620 million for case management and supportive services as administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs under the Housing and Urban Development-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) Program
    • $109.7 million for the Veterans Justice Outreach Program and Legal Services for Veterans grants
  • $984 million for medical and prosthetics research, which is $68 million more than fiscal year 2023.
  • $1.2 billion to support the VA in expanding care to all women veterans.
  • $15 million for the VA Airborne Hazards and Burn Pits Center of Excellence, which advocates for Veterans who have concerns about potential adverse health outcomes related to airborne hazard exposures. This is equal to the fiscal year 2023 enacted level.
  • $164 million for grants for construction of state extended care facilities, which supports the construction of state-run assisted living and skilled nursing facilities, such as the Charlotte Hall Veterans Home and the planned second Veterans home in Sykesville.
  • $1.9 billion for military family housing construction, operations, and maintenance.
  • $300.3 million for child development centers, $7 million more than the 2023 enacted level.
  • Report language on military personnel exposure to harmful “forever chemicals” – language requires the U.S. Department of Defense to consult with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and report to Congress on the Department’s ability to locate PFAS exposure; determine the extent of exposure among service members; conduct ongoing surveillance of health conditions among personnel potentially exposed; continue epidemiological research on PFAS exposure; and enhance the department’s ability to support those exposed.