Oregon lawmakers tout items in House-passed spending bill

Oregon lawmakers were busy Thursday touting the benefits to the state of the $1.3 trillion government funding bill that gained House passage and was on its way to the Senate.

Here are their latest news releases, in full:

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., released the following statement after the House passed a government funding measure that included key priorities for Oregon:

“The measure passed today includes several provisions that address key priorities for our state. To improve forest health and prevent catastrophic wildfires in Oregon, I worked hard to ensure this plan makes important reforms to federal forest policy, improves the way we pay to fight wildfires, and also provides two years of Secure Rural Schools funding to support essential county services in Oregon. We also take action to give immediate drought relief for irrigators in the Klamath Basin to ensure our farmers can survive this challenging water year, which has been a priority of myself and my Oregon colleagues, as well as the Administration.

“To address the opioid crisis in Oregon and across the country, we are putting forward unprecedented resources to combat this nationwide scourge. We are also dedicating more resources to improving mental health care services in our communities.

“I’m also incredibly proud to see inclusion of the RAY BAUM’S Act, legislation named after my dear friend and La Grande native that reauthorizes the FCC for the first time in 28 years and will speed deployment of next generation broadband across the country, which is particularly important for rural communities in Oregon.

“The Brownfields program, which is being used successfully in Oregon to redevelop old industrial sites and put them back into active use, is fully reauthorized under our plan. This will help create jobs, grow our local economies, and make our communities cleaner and more prosperous

“Most importantly, this plan provides our military with the critical resources our men and women in uniform need to keep us safe, and helps ensure our veterans are receiving the care and support they deserve at VA facilities across the country. This agreement marks an important step forward on critical issues for Oregon and America, and I urge the Senate to quickly send this bill to the President’s desk.”

Forest Management Reform

Provides the Forest Service with additional tools to streamline the planning process and conduct projects to improve forest resiliency to wildfire and protect communities. Fixes how the federal government pays for wildfire, ensuring that the Forest Service does not rob from fire prevention and forest management accounts to pay to fight fire.

Klamath Basin Drought Relief

Provides drought relief funding for Klamath Basin irrigators and gives the Bureau of Reclamation additional authorities to implement procedures to minimize the impact of this drought year.

Combating the Opioid Crisis:

To boost our response to the opioid crisis, the bill provides $4 billion, the largest investment to date, to help address prevention, treatment, and enforcement issues. $130 million for the Rural Communities Opioid Response program, striving to reach rural communities that have been hit especially hard by the opioid crisis. $1 billion in new grants to be dispatched to the states and Indian tribes.

Funding Critical Mental Health Programs:

The bill appropriates more than $2.3 billion in new funding billion for mental health programs and other training. Nearly 30 sections of mental health provisions within the landmark 21st Century Cures Act will receive funding, including the Mental Health Block Grant seeing a $160 million increase. Other items include: the National Traumatic Stress Network, the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, Mental and Behavioral Health Training Grants, Assisted Outpatient Treatment, and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

RAY BAUM’S Act:

Reauthorize the FCC and include reforms to ensure the commission continues to improve its efficiency and transparency. Boosts development of next-generation wireless broadband known as 5G by identifying spectrum for private sector use and cutting red tape associated with building wireless networks. Help TV broadcasters and rural translator districts relocate channels following the successful mobile broadband spectrum auction. Help the FCC and law enforcement protect consumers from fraudulent telephone calls, and to educate Americans about their options to stop these illegal calls.

Brownfields Reauthorization:

Brownfields sites are often abandoned, closed or under-utilized industrial or commercial facilities such as an abandoned factory, a closed commercial building or warehouse, or a former dry-cleaning establishment or gas station. EPA estimates that more than 450,000 brownfields exist across the United States, each of which has the capability to be remediated through the Brownfields Program which in turn will encourage economic development in the local community. Over 129,000 jobs have been leveraged because of the Brownfields Program and almost 70,000 acres have been made ready for reuse. Oregon has been particularly successful using the Brownfields Program to put old industrial sites back in to productive service, such as the Old Mill District in Bend — one of Oregon’s most successful Brownfields projects. Walden led the House passage of the Brownfields Enhancement, Economic Redevelopment, and Reauthorization Act by a 409-8 vote in November.

Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced major investments in community infrastructure, ranging from roads and bridges to rural broadband.

“These direct investments in infrastructure are incredibly important to our communities,” Merkley said. “When we make smart choices, we can create good jobs now, and the infrastructure to support growth and prosperity into the future.”

“This legislation would invest much-needed resources in Oregon for roads, rail, mass transit, airports and ports,” Wyden said. “Supporting our public infrastructure with this smart and targeted approach stands in sharp contrast to Trump administration schemes that would gut these core investments to siphon cash from Main Street communities to Wall Street cronies.”

TIGER Grants: The popular program, widely used by Oregon cities and counties, received $1.5 billion–a nearly 300% increase over last fiscal year–to provide grants for investments in roads, railways, transit systems, airports, and ports in order to improve the transportation infrastructure and economy of the United States.

Capital Investment Grant Programs: The program received more than $2.5 billion for grants that fund major transit capital investments, including heavy rail, commuter rail, light rail, streetcars, and bus rapid transit, such as Emerald Express line in Eugene, and the Milwaukie light rail in Portland.

Essential Air Service and Contract Towers: The program received more than $274 million to guarantee that small communities can be served by commercial air services, such as the small airport in Pendleton. Additionally, the bill funds FAA Contract Towers at $162 million. There are six contract towers throughout Oregon, and the funding ensures their continued operation in the coming year.

Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act: The program received an additional $63 million, which it can leverage as loans into another $6 billion to accelerate investment in the nation’s water infrastructure, by providing long-term, low-cost supplemental loans for significant projects.

Transit Improvement Grants: The program received $9.73 billion, including $1.147 billion for Bus and Bus Facilities Grants to help transit agencies purchase new buses and replace aging fleets, in particular transitioning to new low- or no-emission vehicles. Transit agencies in Oregon cities, including Eugene, Salem and Portland, are leading on this transition.

FAST Act: The bill funds key rail programs authorized under the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, including $592 million for Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement grants, and $250 million for Partnership for State of Good Repair, which support capital investment and maintenance projects for Amtrak routes.

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Merkley Secures Massive New Rural Broadband Funding

As top Democrat on Agriculture subcommittee, Merkley delivers for rural Oregon

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley today announced new and increased funding for agricultural and rural development programs that are vital to Oregonians, including agriculture research, conservation and support and a massive new investment in rural broadband — a top issue for Oregonians who have come out to Merkley’s town halls.

“Oregon’s and America’s farmers and ranchers have faced a lot this year, from extreme weather to threats of budget cuts to critical agricultural programs,” Merkley said. “I’m glad Senator Hoeven and I could reach across the aisle and work together to help keep family farms and ranches going and help rural communities build the foundation for a promising future.

“I’m particularly pleased that in addition to important traditional agriculture program, this bill also invests in rural America’s future with a massive, tenfold increase in rural broadband, and a half-billion-dollar additional investment in rural water and wastewater systems.”

Merkley is the only Oregon member of Congress from either chamber since Senator Mark Hatfield to serve on the Appropriations Committee, considered to be one of the most powerful on Capitol Hill. He joined the committee in 2013 so that Oregon would have a strong voice in decisions about the investments our nation should be making. In the 2018 spending bill, he won investments in programs that are top priority for Oregonians.

Rural Broadband: The program received $667 million in budget authority for grants and loans to expand broadband in rural areas without sufficient access or service. This is a $600 million dollar increase, a tenfold increase, over last fiscal year’s levels. It is anticipated that the funding level in the spending bill will leverage more than $1.8 billion in grants and loans.

Rural Energy Savings Program: The program, which Merkley created, provides low interest loans for energy efficiency retrofits, and now those loans will be available to replace old manufactured housing with energy efficient manufactured housing using low interest loans from program.

Rural Development: Funding for the programs increased by over $1.1 billion from last fiscal year, with millions of dollars of new investments in rural broadband, housing programs, and business development programs–including a $10 million increase for rural business development grants.

Rural Water and Waste Disposal Systems: The program received $500 million in additional budget authority to support loans and grants for clean water and sanitary waste disposal systems in rural communities. With this additional funding, this program will support well over $3 billion in loans and grants.

Natural Resources Conservation Service: The agency received $874 million, which provides increased funding for agriculture conservation programs used by Oregon farmers and ranchers.

Sustainable Agriculture Research: The program funding was increased to $35 million for grants that are widely sought after in Oregon, promoting research and education on sustainable agriculture practices and ensure the economic viability of the agricultural industry in the U.S. for future generations.

Organic Farming: Organic farming programs received increased funding to a total $17 million to establish standards for organic certification and award grants that fund projects to improve the competitiveness of organic livestock and crops, and assist those who are adopting organic practices.

Rural Electric Loans: The bill includes language that provides authority for new low-interest USDA loans for renewable energy projects.

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Merkley, Wyden Announce New Investments in Affordable Housing

Housing affordability remains a top issue for cities small and large across Oregon

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden today announced new and expanded investments in addressing housing and homelessness in the 2018 spending bill, including both the infrastructure and supportive services that communities across Oregon have said are vital to address these crises.

“The nation is facing its biggest housing affordability crisis in decades, with rents dramatically outpacing incomes,” Merkley said. “Every family deserves a decent home in a decent community, and while much more needs to be done, this bill is an important stride in the right direction.”

“The need for a remodel of America’s housing policy is clear when families in Oregon and nationwide are struggling to pay rising rents and save enough for a first mortgage,” Wyden said. “This legislation provides the tools to work on that remodel by solidifying the foundation of support for housing in our country.”

The 2018 spending bill preserves funding for rural housing programs and other housing and wraparound services.

Rural Housing Programs: Rental assistance received $1.345 billion to provide rent subsidies for low- and very low-income rural households, providing short-term relief from looming rent increases as USDA-funded multi-family housing projects reach the maturity of their loans. Funding for single-family housing direct loans for rural households were increased to $1.1 billion.

The bill also includes $10 million for the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program for homeowners to pay in “sweat-equity” to cover land purchases and infrastructure costs for low-income housing. And the bill includes $5 million for the Rural Capacity program, which supports rural, low-income housing non-profits by providing training, information, technical assistance, and financing to serve the neediest rural communities.

And the rural housing voucher program, which has been underfunded for several years, received a critical $5.6 million increase, raising overall funding to $25 million.

Community Development Block Grants: The popular program received $3.3 billion to help develop quality affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable people in communities, and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of businesses. Local governments use CDBG as a critical tool to tackle serious housing challenges facing their communities.

HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing: The program received $40 million to provide 5,100 new rental assistance vouchers for homeless veterans, along with case management and clinical services.

Homeless Assistance Grants: The program received over $2.5 billion to support rapid re-housing, permanent supportive housing, and other crisis response programs to the capacities needed to build on demonstrated progress toward ending homelessness.

Ensuring Rental Vouchers Keep Pace in Markets with Rapidly-Rising Rents: In many cities across Oregon, rental voucher recipients have struggled to find housing that they can afford with their vouchers because the way that the federal government calculates the voucher value does not keep pace with the realities of the rental market in locations with rapidly-rising rents. Merkley secured language in the bill that requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to propose a solution to this problem within 90 days.

Continuum of Care: The program received more than $2.1 billion to support wraparound services to provide rent subsidies and support services to re-house and stabilize homeless individuals.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness: The program received $3.6 million to develop and implement the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. The bill also includes language that eliminates the council’s sunset date and makes it permanent.