Van Hollen Statement on Budget Agreement
Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen released the following statement in response to the bipartisan budget agreement:
"Today's budget deal represents bipartisan work that has been a long time in the making. Under this legislation, we provide increased stability and significant investments in programs that grow our economy and serve American families. We provide additional resources to protect our national security and support vital national priorities like education, life-saving medical research, and infrastructure modernization. And as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will actively work to make further investments in our state as this process continues. This is a win for our state and the entire country.
"As we move forward with this bipartisan budget solution, the process continues to find a bipartisan immigration solution. There is no question that the fight to protect our Dreamers must and will be resolved."
Senator Van Hollen fought for several state and national priorities within the budget, including:
- $2 billion in additional National Institutes of Health funding to continue life-saving medical research
- $6 billion in funding to fight the opioid crisis, address mental health issues, and increase rehabilitation efforts
- $20 billion in funding for infrastructure, including rural water and wastewater, clean drinking water, rural broadband, and energy infrastructure projects
- $7 Billion for Community Health Centers, which provide care for more than 75,000 Marylanders and employ more than 400 employees at centers in our state
- $495 Million to the National Health Service Corps, which provides financial and other support for primary care professionals willing to practice in underserved areas at 243 sites in Maryland
- 10 years of funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program, which provides health insurance to nearly 138,000 kids in Maryland
- 5 years of funding for maternal and child home visiting programs, which supports 18 home visiting sites in Maryland
- $4 billion for rebuilding our crumbling Veterans Administration hospitals and clinics
- $5.8 billion to help make affordable child care more accessible to working families
- $4 Billion for College Affordability Programs
- Over $70 billion in disaster relief, including Medicaid assistance for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
- Crucial fixes to Medicare Part D to close the prescription drug 'donut hole'
- Increased funding for the Social Security Administration to improve service for seniors and other beneficiaries
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