Scranton, PA – Today, U.S. Representative Matt Cartwright (PA-08), chair of the House Appropriations Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee, welcomed President Biden’s fiscal year 2022 skinny budget and its proposed investments in job creation, innovation and making communities safer.
“As chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce-Justice-Science, I’m pleased that President Biden prioritizes creating good jobs by revitalizing former energy communities, and bolstering American manufacturing with $150 million for two new manufacturing innovation institutes. I’m also encouraged to see major investments in advancing America’s global scientific leadership and building safer communities,” Rep. Cartwright said. “As we look forward after a devastating year, now is the time to invest in a future where everyone has a fair chance to live a fulfilling life, and President Biden’s funding request represents a vision for helping working people and families achieve their American Dream. I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues and the President to fund these priorities that will improve people’s lives.”
The President’s skinny budget request is the first phase of the appropriations process. In the coming months, the administration will release a full budget request and Rep. Cartwright will lead budget review hearings and write an appropriations bill for the Commerce-Justice-Science Subcommittee. Later in the year, the legislation will be considered by the Appropriations Committee and the full House, and then negotiated with the Senate.
Some Highlights from President Biden’s FY22 Discretionary Funding Request Related to Commerce-Justice-Science
- Supports a Future Made in America: The President’s discretionary request more than doubles funding for manufacturing programs at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), enabling the establishment of two new Manufacturing Innovation Institutes. The plan proposes $150 million to fully fund the institutes.
- Renews America’s Commitment to Research and Development: The request proposes historic increases in funding for foundational research and development across a range of scientific agencies—including the National Science Foundation and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
- Revitalizes Former Energy Communities: the discretionary request more than doubles funding for the Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Assistance to Coal Communities program. EDA’s efforts are part of the POWER+ Initiative and complement other targeted investments across the Federal Government to assist workers who have been affected by job losses in coal mining, plant operations, and coal-related supply chain industries due to the changing economics of America’s energy sector.
- The request also propels an effort to create 250,000 jobs remediating abandoned wells and mines. It proposes over $550 million to remediate thousands of oil and gas wells and reclaim abandoned mines. This more than triples the current annual discretionary funding, building on the President’s commitment to create 250,000 good-paying union jobs for skilled technicians and operators in some of the hardest hit communities in the Nation, while cleaning up hazardous sites.
- Advances Climate Science and Sustainability Research: The request proposes over $4 billion to fund a broad portfolio of research across multiple agencies including NASA and the National Science Foundation and others to improve understanding of the changing climate and inform adaptation and resilience measures.
- Expands Observations, Research, and Climate Services: The request includes $6.9 billion for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an increase of more than $1.4 billion from the 2021 enacted level. These additional funds would allow NOAA to expand its climate observation and forecasting work and provide better data and information to decisionmakers, support coastal resilience programs that would help protect communities from the economic and environmental impacts of climate change, and invest in modern infrastructure to enable these critical efforts.
- Addresses Domestic Terrorism: The request provides an additional $101 million to address the rising threat of domestic terrorism while respecting civil rights and civil liberties. This increase includes $45 million for the Federal Bureau of Investigation for domestic terrorism investigations, $40 million for the U.S. Attorneys to manage increasing domestic terrorism caseloads, $12 million for additional response capabilities at the United States Marshals Service, and $4 million to the National Institute of Justice to support research on domestic terrorism threats. These investments complement funding provided for the Department of Homeland Security.
- Reforms the Federal Criminal Justice System: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the urgent need to reduce prison populations and reform the Nation’s criminal justice system. The discretionary request supports key investments in First Step Act (FSA) implementation, advancing the provision of high-quality substance use disorder treatment, reentry services, and recidivism reduction programming. Building on the bipartisan FSA, the discretionary request also incorporates savings from prison population reduction measures that prioritize incarceration alternatives for low-risk offenders.
- Invests in Community Policing, Police Reform, and Other Efforts to Address Systemic Inequities: In addition to investing in programs that support community-oriented policing and practices, the discretionary request also proposes to expand grants that support efforts to reform State and local criminal justice systems, including funding to support juvenile justice programs, drug courts and alternative court programs, public defenders, and Second Chance Act programs.
- Invests in Efforts to End Gender-Based Violence: The discretionary request proposes a historic investment of $1 billion to support Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) programs at DOJ, a $487 million or 95-percent increase over the 2021 enacted level.
