House's FY 2023 Minibus Appropriations Bill Includes Targeted Support Requested by Rep. Courtney for Local Projects Throughout Eastern Connecticut

Press Release

Today, Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) voted to pass H.R. 8294, a legislative package containing six of the House's appropriations bills for FY 2023. The federal budget negotiation process begins each year in the House, and includes twelve total appropriations bills. H.R. 8294 includes six separate appropriations bills: Agriculture and Rural Development; Energy and Water Development; Financial Services and General Government (FSGG); Interior and Environment; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD). The House voted to pass H.R. 8294 by a vote of 220-207, and will vote on the remaining appropriations bills in the coming days and weeks.

Passage of H.R. 8294 marks the second year in a row that the House of Representatives' budget has included specific, targeted funding for local projects throughout eastern Connecticut. Rep. Courtney secured funding for fifteen local projects in the full 2023 budget after working closely with CT-02 towns, local leaders, and non-profit organizations. Today's appropriations package included nine of those projects. This funding will be authorized specifically to complete and support local initiatives in towns like Canterbury, Coventry, East Hampton, Groton, Madison, Mansfield, Plainfield, Stonington, and more.

"We worked side-by-side with local leaders in town governments and the nonprofit sector to secure funding for these local projects, and today marks a big step forward in making it final," said Rep. Courtney. "The appropriations package we voted to advance today includes funding specifically for projects that many of our towns and community partners otherwise couldn't afford--from improved childcare services, to expanded affordable housing opportunities, to infrastructure upgrades that will support our fishing industry on the shoreline, and protect our environment while preparing for growth in north central Connecticut. There's more work to go until this budget becomes law, but this is where the process begins. The 2023 budget is off to a strong start as one that targets support straight to some of our most important local priorities, and that's great news for eastern Connecticut."

Targeted Support for Local Projects

The House's FY 2023 budget includes funding Rep. Courtney secured for local projects throughout eastern Connecticut. All fifteen of Courtney's 2023 Community Project Funding Requests were authorized by the House Appropriations Committee, and today nine of those projects were officially passedin the House as part of H.R. 8294. His remaining projects requests will be voted on soon. Courtney's project requests in H.R. 8294 would bring over $8.7 million in targeted federal investments home to CT-02, and will be used to:

Improve Childcare Services for Local Families--Courtney secured funding to replace outdated modular buildings at TVCCA's Childcare Center in Groton, CT ($3,000,000--THUD)
Improve Local Trail Networks--One of Rep. Courtney's project requests will help complete the last remaining gap in 112-mile Air Line Trail with construction of a new wooden boardwalk in East Hampton, CT ($1,400,000--THUD)
Expand Affordable Housing Opportunities--Courtney also secured funding to renovate an existing structure to be included as part of a 42-unit affordable housing rehabilitation project in Mansfield, CT ($300,000--THUD)
Make Upgrades to the Quinebaug River Trail--Courtney secured funding that will enable the design, permitting, and construction of a new, multi-use, 1.6-mile trail in Plainfield, CT ($2,200,000--THUD)
Expand Services for Women Escaping Domestic Violence--Another of Rep. Courtney's project requests will provide funding to renovate, upgrade, and expand a United Services, Inc.'s Domestic Violence Shelter in northeast Connecticut, providing more beds, more private space for occupants, and improved ADA accessibility ($1,000,000--THUD)
Provide New Space for Children's Learning--Rep. Courtney secured funding to construct a children's play and learning center at the Canterbury Public Library in Canterbury, CT ($480,000--THUD)
Support the Local Fishing Industry with Infrastructure Upgrades--Courtney secured funding that will enable the start of major maintenance and upgrades to the Fisherman's Dock in Stonington, CT ($900,000--FSGG)
Protect Our Environment, and Upgrade Local Water Infrastructure--Courtney also secured funding to make upgrades and improve operations at the Wastewater Pollution Control Facility in Somers, CT ($945,000--Interior and Environment)
Protect Our Environment, and Prepare for Development--Rep. Courtney secured funding to extend existing sanitary sewers from the Town of Bolton into the Town of Coventry along CT Route 44, reducing the potential for groundwater contamination and facilitating redevelopment of commercial properties nearby ($1,500,000--Interior and Environment)
Several partners who Rep. Courtney worked with to pursue these FY 2023 Community Project Requests weighed in following today's vote:

"It is incredibly important for children and families in Groton to have a state-of-the-art early childhood center--the social, emotional, and educational development that takes place in these classrooms is so beneficial for our youngest learners, and a huge source of support for many of our region's parents and families," said Deborah Monahan, Chief Executive Officer of TVCCA. "Congressman Courtney's office has been a phenomenal partner in supporting our work at TVCCA for years, and we have been so pleased to combine our efforts in going after this new federal funding opportunity. This project would have a tangible and positive impact for children and families in our Groton community, and we are ready to keep working with Congressman Courtney and his team to make it final."

"The Mansfield Nonprofit Development Corporation has been working on bringing additional affordable housing to the Mansfield community for years," said Kathy Ward, President of the Mansfield Nonprofit Housing Development Corporation. "Funding for this renovation is one piece of a larger affordable housing project that has yet to be funded. This will help complete the funding for the entire 42-unit project."

"The Somers WPCA believes that clean water is a resource which all of us share and must be protected," said Dan Parisi, Town of Somers Superintendent. "We would like to thank Rep. Courtney and his staff for helping us secure funding to repair the Somersville wastewater treatment facility. This grant will help us improve water quality in the Scantic, while at the same time avoid placing a large cost burden on the residents of Somersville. The Somers WPCA also thanks Somers First Selectman Tim Keeney for his support and Matt Jermine of Weston & Sampson for engineering expertise on this project."

"This is such an important project for Plainfield, the Region, and the 15 states, 450 cities, and 3,000 miles that make up the Federally recognized East Coast Greenway," said Mary Ann Chinatti, Town Planner of Plainfield, CT. "The Town is extremely grateful to Joe for all of his efforts to move this project forward at the federal level, and to CT DOT and CT DEEP for playing a critical role in completing the 200 miles of the ECG in CT."

"United Services Domestic Violence Shelter provides a safe place for women, men and children fleeing abuse and seeking to rebuild their lives," said Diane L. Manning, President/CEO of United Services. "We are grateful to Congressman Courtney for his support of a long overdue renovation to one of our shelters."

"Library services are more important than ever, and having the resources to finally construct a space specifically for kids to learn, socialize, and play will be a real benefit to so many families in our community," said Beth Delaney, Director of the Canterbury Public Library. "We have been glad to work with Rep. Courtney and his team to go after this funding opportunity, and we're very excited about today's step forward on making it final."

"The Somers WPCA believes that clean water is a resource which all of us share and must be protected," said Dan Parisi, Town of Somers Superintendent. "We would like to thank Rep. Courtney and his staff for helping us secure funding to repair the Somersville wastewater treatment facility. This grant will help us improve water quality in the Scantic, while at the same time avoid placing a large cost burden on the residents of Somersville. The Somers WPCA also thanks Somers First Selectman Tim Keeney for his support and Matt Jermine of Weston & Sampson for engineering expertise on this project."

"We are excited that this long-standing project to address sewer needs on Route 44 is moving forward due to the efforts of Congressman Courtney," said John Elsesser, Town Manager of Coventry, CT. "The project will resolve outstanding septic issues and allow appropriate development of our busiest street. Our Water Pollution control authority looks forward to working with our regional partners to swiftly move this project from concept to construction."

Last year, Rep. Courtney secured support for ten important local projects throughout eastern Connecticut in the 2022 federal budget--funding to upgrade the future Enfield Train Station, hire additional substance abuse coaches serving New London County, to create the new Career Pathways Program at Groton Public Schools and the new Digital Innovation Hub at Mitchell College in New London, and more. Click here for more.

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