Three local projects could receive significant funding if Congress passes government spending bills for 2025 that are now under consideration in the U.S. Senate.
Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine last week announced Virginia’s key priorities in 11 proposed spending bills that were passed out of the Senate Appropriations Committee with bipartisan support, said a joint press release from the senators. A 12th and final bill would fund homeland security priorities.
The draft legislation includes $125 million earmarked for community-based projects across Virginia. One of those projects is a series of water-level monitoring stations intended for deployment in the Chesapeake Bay. If the legislation is approved, the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission would receive $802,000 to assist with the program.
A second earmark would provide $136,000 to assist the Gloucester Mathews Care Clinic in renovating its clinical space, updating its IT infrastructure, and purchasing equipment, including two HVAC units and a generator.
A third earmark would provide $319,000 to help the Bay Consortium Workforce Development Board provide programs to improve digital literacy, advance digital equity, and address issues of access around training, technology, and infrastructure for 16 cities and counties on the Middle Peninsula, Northern Neck, and Eastern Shore.
Regionwide, there would be $42.85 million in funding for 25 additional diverse projects, including quality housing for 500 enlisted personnel at Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach ($16 million), extension of municipal sewer in York County to unserved properties ($1.6 million), a student internship program at WHRO Public Media in Norfolk ($678,000), and low-income housing with a focus on seniors and veterans for Hampton Roads Ecumenical Lodgings & Provisions in Hampton ($500,000).
“We’re thrilled to see the Senate move forward on government funding legislation that includes essential funding to support our servicemembers and military families, implement our seismic investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, promote public safety, invest in affordable housing, curb fentanyl trafficking, improve customer service at the IRS, and much more,” said Warner and Kaine in the release. “We’re also very glad this draft legislation includes $125 million for communities in every corner of the commonwealth to carry out community-based, high-impact projects that grow our economy and benefit Virginians.”
Nationwide, the 11 bills also include funding to help restore the Chesapeake Bay ($92.5 million), support national parks ($2.99 billion), strengthen ports ($1.24 billion), implement the CHIPS and Science ($11.2 billion) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs ($17 billion) acts, fund the Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution programs ($739.5 million), help implement the Ashanti Alert system ($1 million), invest in child care and early learning ($10.35 billion), support economic development ($483 million), and more.