U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., voted Wednesday to pass the bipartisan government funding bill after standing up to leadership to ensure Kansans receive their fair share of COVID relief funds.
The package passed the House Wednesday, sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine and unlocking overdue infrastructure funds along with several other priorities championed by Rep. Davids, including reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act and more than $15 million for community projects in the 3rd District of Kansas.
“I’m glad to see Congress come together and finally pass legislation to keep our government open and fulfill the bipartisan infrastructure law’s promise—and that we stood firmly with the Ukrainian people to condemn Russian brutality,” Rep. Davids said. “After a last-minute deal tried to strip already-allocated relief funds from Kansas and other Midwestern states, I made sure that we get our fair share, and I fought to bring home $15.8 million for projects in the Third District.”
In addition to sending urgent aid to Ukraine and addressing outstanding infrastructure needs from the bipartisan infrastructure law, the government funding bill continues several critical federal programs that were set to pause later this week without Congressional action. Kansans rely on many of these programs for their health care, education, and family, and will see additional benefits thanks to this bill, including:
• Expanding affordable early childhood education with record Head Start funding.
• Creating good-paying jobs through job training and apprenticeship programs.
• Making college more affordable by adding $400 to the maximum Pell Grant award.
• Supporting veterans’ health care with record VA medical care funding.
• Promoting safer communities with additional grants to law enforcement and community-based violence intervention initiatives.
Along with her colleagues, Rep. Davids successfully fought to stop a deal that would have taken back already-allocated American Rescue Plan relief funds from Kansas, leaving relief to states like California and New York untouched. Additionally, she secured $15.7 million in projects for the 3rd District, working in tandem with local officials to improve health and safety in the community, tackle climate change, and promote economic opportunity.
Out of hundreds of bipartisan submissions, eight Rep. Davids-requested local projects were advanced, including a cancer imaging machine for The University of Kansas Cancer Center, funding for the Upper Turkey Creek Levee project in downtown Merriam, and others.
The bill also reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), landmark legislation improving critical protections and services for all victims of violence and abuse. Rep. Davids secured strong measures in the bill to addresses the crisis of violence against Native women and girls. In addition to protections for Native women, the bill makes vital improvements to prevention and services for victims, equips law enforcement with the tools combat these issues and protect their communities, and improves the health care system’s response.
“The Violence Against Women Act has pioneered our mission to end domestic violence and sexual assault in this country for decades, and today we gave it much needed updates,” Rep. Davids said. “Finally, we are delivering life-saving resources so that all survivors can receive the support, protection, and justice they deserve. The Senate should act without delay to pass this into law.”
- Story from Rep. Davids’ office
