SC New York News

Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Marc Molinaro (NY-19) today voted to pass the remaining Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills, emphasizing the significance of a government that is smaller, smarter, and more secure. The bills garnered strong bipartisan support and reflected many of the priorities Rep. Molinaro had been advocating for.

In his statement, Rep. Molinaro expressed satisfaction with the outcome, saying, “Throughout these negotiations, I said I was fighting for a government that was smaller, smarter, and more secure. We got all three principles included in these bipartisan bills. I stood up and fought for more border patrol agents, stopped deep cuts to vital programs like Head Start and LIHEAP, and found savings by cutting wasteful programs like the one to hire more IRS tax agents. This is a step in the right direction and was the result of honest and earnest conversations. This is what good governance can and should look like.”

Among the provisions Rep. Molinaro championed to include in the bills are increased funding for various critical programs. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will receive funding for 22,000 more border patrol agents. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988) will receive $520 million, an increase of $18 million. Additionally, programming through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act will receive $15.5 billion, an increase of nearly $1 billion.

Furthermore, Rep. Molinaro ensured funding boosts for essential programs such as Head Start, which will receive $12.3 billion, and the Child Care Development Block Grant program, which will receive $8.75 billion. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) will receive $4 billion, an increase of $25 million, while $10.2 billion in funding intended for hiring over 80,000 new IRS tax agents was rescinded.

In addition to these allocations, the Small Business Development Centers program will receive $140 million, and members of the military will benefit from the largest pay increase in over 20 years.

Earlier this month, Rep. Molinaro also secured $27.6 million in federal funding for community projects in Upstate New York as part of the first tranche of Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations bills.