Hey folks, 

I’m reaching out to share some good news from the Senate – last night I voted to pass a full spending bill for the federal government for this year, and it now heads to the White House for Pres. Biden’s signature.

This means we’re averting a shutdown, securing over $85 million for specific Virginia projects (something I specifically requested alongside Sen. Kaine), and delivering critical aid to the people of Ukraine as they confront an unwarranted invasion. There’s a lot in this law, and you can read the full highlights here, but I want to draw your attention to a few key provisions that we secured:

Supporting military families and projects: The bill provides more than $26 billion in funding for critical Navy shipbuilding priorities, many of which have a direct connection to Virginia, plus over $361 million in funding for 11 military construction projects across the Commonwealth. It also supports military families by providing billions to improve housing and support food security programs for servicemembers and their families.

Broadband: This spending package provides more than $550 million for expansion of broadband service, including an additional $450 million for the ReConnect program to expand rural broadband access. 

IRS: After hearing about problems with IRS delays affecting Virginians, I’ve been working to address the issue at the root. This law will provide critical funding for the IRS so it can continue to eliminate the 2020 tax return backlog, more efficiently process 2021 tax returns, and improve customer service.

Curtailing violence against women: This law will reauthorize the critical lifesaving provisions contained in the Violence Against Women Act! The bill also provides $575 million, the highest level ever, in funding that supports training for police officers and prosecutors, state coalitions to respond to domestic violence and sexual assault, rape prevention programs, lethality assessment and homicide reduction initiatives, domestic violence hotlines, and women’s shelters and transitional housing support services.

Intelligence Authorization Act and Cyber Incident Reporting: This law will authorize funding, provide legal authorities, and enhance congressional oversight for the U.S. Intelligence Community – a critical move as we face some of the gravest global security threats of the past century. It will also improve transparency between private entities and the government in the event of broader cyber attacks.

I’ve been advocating for a full spending bill like this for a long time, and I’m glad to see us keep the government open while also getting funding for key Virginia projects. I’ll keep fighting to make sure Virginia gets every dollar available through laws like this and others – I’m also currently working on getting additional grants through the infrastructure law.

If you’re interested, you can share information about this law on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. As always, if you’re interested in contacting my office about spending priorities or another concern, you can do so here. 

Sincerely,