Congressman Panetta Secures Central Coast Priorities in House Appropriations Package

WASHINGTON, DC – On Friday, July 24 Congressman Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) supported passage of H.R. 7608.  The package includes four Fiscal Year 2021 appropriations bills: State-Foreign Operations, Agriculture-Rural Development-FDA, Interior-Environment, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs.  Congressman Panetta successfully incorporated numerous amendments to the bills, including provisions to protect the environment and natural resources on the Central Coast, strengthen agricultural research and food security, support U.S. allies and partners, and bolster funding for veterans’ programs.  The package will now go to the Senate for consideration.

COVID-19

This legislation provides the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) legal authority to require the recall of unsafe prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Congressman Panetta secured language to prohibit the use of funds to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization.


Protection of Central Coast Natural Resources and Environment

Congressman Panetta secured an amendment to prohibit funds from being used to open up new federal lands for oil and gas leasing on the Central Coast and surrounding areas.
This legislation includes $2.4 billion in additional wildfire suppression appropriations, along with $3.13 billion for the U.S. Forest Service non-fire accounts.


Support for Central Coast Agriculture

Congressman Panetta secured $435,000,000 for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, the nation’s leading competitive grants program for agricultural sciences.
This legislation includes $1.45 billion for the Agricultural Research Service (ARS). In addition to helping secure this robust level of funding, Congressman Panetta secured language that supports increased ARS research activities focused on specialty crop production.
Congressman Panetta secured language that will require the U.S. Department of Agriculture to complete a strategic plan for the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority (AGARDA) within 180 days of enactment.  The AGARDA pilot program, authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill, will help the domestic agriculture industry address challenges on several fronts – from climate change to labor shortages – through the targeted acceleration of novel, early-stage agricultural research.
Congressman Panetta secured language that will help the Food and Drug Administration work in partnership with specialty crop growers on the Central Coast to share information and work together on food safety issues.
Congressman Panetta secured an amendment that calls for an emergency program to reimburse agricultural employers who purchase safety equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), for farmworkers.


Funding for Food Security

This legislation includes $68.277 billion in required mandatory spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as CalFresh, along with $25.131 billion in mandatory funding for child nutrition programs.
This legislation also includes $2 billion for international food aid and to promote U.S. agricultural exports overseas.
Support for U.S. Allies and Partners

Congressman Panetta secured language to prohibit the use of funds to withdraw the U.S. from NATO.

Support for U.S. Veterans

This legislation provides $12.5 billion in emergency appropriations for VA to address sharply rising health care costs.
This legislation provides $90.0 billion for Veterans Medical Care, $9.8 billion above fiscal year 2020
Mental Healthcare – $10.3 billion, an increase of $865 million above the 2020 enacted level and $40 million above the President’s budget request, including $313 million for suicide prevention outreach.
Gender-specific Care for Women – $661 million, an increase of $76 million above the 2020 enacted level and $35 million above the President’s budget request.
Homeless Assistance Programs – $1.9 billion, an increase of $81 million above the 2020 enacted level and $40 million above the President’s budget request.
Opioid Abuse Prevention – $504 million, an increase of $102 million above the 2020 enacted level and equal to the President’s budget request.
Rural Health Initiatives – $300 million, equal to the 2020 enacted level and $30 million above the President’s budget request.
Whole Health Initiatives – $84 million, an increase of $20 million above the 2020 enacted level and $20 million above the President’s budget request.
Additionally, the bill includes $94.2 billion in advance fiscal year 2022 funding for Veterans’ medical programs – equal to the President’s budget request. This funding will provide for medical services, medical community care, medical support and compliance, and medical facilities, and ensure that our Veterans have continued, full access to their medical care needs.