Senator Bob Casey is making sure Pennsylvania gets its money's worth, securing substantial funding across multiple vital sectors. In a recent legislative win, parts of the proposed government funding for Fiscal Year 2024, championing initiatives raging from anti-fentanyl measures to infrastructure development, have successfully passed the Senate. A clear message from Casey's camp: bringing taxpayer dollars straight back to where they originated, strengthening communities, and tackling statewide concerns head-on. "I’m fighting to ensure that when Pennsylvanians send their tax dollars to Washington, Congress invests it right back into their communities," Senator Casey stated.
The package, which sailed through the Senate with a 75-22 vote, earmarks funding for transportation, infrastructure, and economic development, among other areas. It also addresses public safety with allocations for law enforcement and anti-drug initiatives. Advancing to President Biden's desk following a successful pass by the House, the bill earmarks $172.4 million for 142 community projects, bringing significant investment to local economies. This includes everything from sustainable housing for low-income veterans in Westmoreland County to upgrading the Allentown Police Department's vehicles and drug detection technologies.
Pennsylvania's public safety and security are in for a boost, with $256 million set aside in the spending bill to add more than 2,000 police officers to communities across the U.S. and an investment of $420 million for the Anti-Opioid and Substance Abuse Initiative. Violence prevention efforts also see support with $50 million allocated to the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI). The Senator's website details the funding aimed at keeping Pennsylvanians safe, including initiatives to stop the scourge of drugs like fentanyl from ravaging communities.
The bill also highlights Casey's commitment to supporting veterans, with $121 billion provided for VA medical care and $3.1 billion to tackle veteran homelessness. It fully funds the Toxic Exposures Fund, part of the PACT Act that the Senator backed, to take care of health care costs related to toxic exposures. Moreover, the legislation acknowledges and urges better services for veterans with disabilities, with Casey pushing for language that encourages the VA to beef up efforts in this direction.
On the nutritional front, the bill gives a nod to future generations with $7.03 billion for the WIC program - that's a $1.03 billion increase from the previous fiscal year. Senator Casey was among those pressing for full funding to ensure that women, infants, and children aren't left hungry. The education and well-being of Pennsylvania’s youth continued to be a priority, with programs like the National School Lunch Program and SNAP receiving no new restrictions on eligibility.
Pennsylvanian infrastructure, too, hasn't been left behind. The funding increases for the Federal Railroad Administration's safety and operations hint at a dedication to preventing the devastating effects of train derailments like those witnessed in 2023. Casey also backed substantial investments in the state's waterways, tying them to economic growth and job creation, in alignment with acts such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.
