WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives voted to pass the Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY2023, including funding several key progressives priorities, the Congressional Progressive Caucus announced today.
Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, issued the following statement:
“The Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY2023 is another powerful example of progressives’ governing skill. Our advocacy was particularly key in increasing National Labor Relations Board funding for the first time in nearly a decade, extending robust Medicaid support for American citizens in the territories, strengthening nutrition programs for low-income children, expanding affordable housing, and other programs that directly support and invest in working people. CPC members were also essential in leading so many of the progressive priorities attached to the spending bill. We are particularly grateful to CPC member and House Appropriations Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro for her tireless work and to Congressional leadership in the House and Senate for their partnership.
“While we are disappointed that Republicans blocked the reinstatement of an expanded Child Tax Credit to reduce child poverty, we are pleased that a number of massive corporate tax giveaways, provisions to continue Title 42, and fossil fuel permitting proposals were excluded from the bill. Progressives kept our promise that there would be no corporate tax breaks without relief for working families, and will continue to fight for the essential and hugely successful Child Tax Credit to be brought back. We will also need to remain vigilant against the ballooning of military spending in future budgets. Republicans exploited their leverage with the filibuster to break the longstanding tradition of equal military and non-military spending increases, but we cannot allow that to become the new normal.”
“The omnibus package will also pass legislation from CPC members, including Representative Jerry Nadler (NY-10)’s Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which will ensure no worker can be fired or retaliated against on the job for needing reasonable accommodations for their pregnancy; Representative Joe Neguse (CO-02)’s Merger Filing Fee Modernization Act to continue antitrust reform; Representative Frank Pallone (NJ-06)’s Restoring Hope for Mental Health and Well-Being Act, which expands programs and grants to improve mental health and substance abuse; and Representative Jan Schakowsky (IL-09)’s INFORM Consumers Act, to combat online retail crime and identity theft. It also includes the Electoral Count Reform Act, which will protect the certification of American presidential elections from subversion.
“I feel proud that as the 117th Congress ends, the Progressive Caucus has done everything we could deliver for our communities.”
The FY23 omnibus appropriations bill includes the following progressive priorities:
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Increases funding for the National Labor Relations Board for the first time in nearly a decade, adding $25 million to the agency’s budget that is essential to keep pace with expanded worker union organizing and collective bargaining across the country, and to protect workers’ rights from union-busting and retaliation;
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Extends robust Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories to protect these American citizens’ access to care, including ensuring that more than 1 million Puerto Rico residents do not lose their health coverage or experience deep cuts to eligibility and benefits;
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Extend the summer school meals program for low-income students, including rural home delivery, to ensure that children do not go hungry while school is out of session;
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Provides new, permanent food assistance for low-income families in the summer with a $40 grocery benefit per child per month;
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Adds $1 billion to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program so that the support available to families will increase to account for higher energy costs;
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Appropriates $27 billion for disaster relief for communities impacted by extreme weather events, which are critical to helping the agency meet the increased frequency and severity of natural disasters;
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Increases funding for child care, Head Start, and Pre-K for low-income families by nearly $3 billion;
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Expands access to affordable housing and rental assistance for tens of thousands of families at risk of homelessness;
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Continues coverage for 40 million children on Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), ensuring uninterrupted access to health care throughout the year;
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Significantly increases funding support for antitrust enforcement at the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice;
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Permanently extends Medicaid postpartum health care coverage for 12 months to participating states;
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Fully funds the implementation of the Honoring our PACT Act, which will provide medical care to millions of veterans exposed to toxins during their military service;
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Provides robust funding for FEMA’s Case Management Pilot Program to help people navigate immigration proceedings;
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Extends the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program through the end of 2024 and adds 4,000 more visas; and,
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Provides billions of dollars in federal support to thousands of community projects across the United States, advocated for by House Democrats.
