More support for servicemembers stationed at Kentucky military installations, job training, school safety, higher education, and efforts to combat the opioid and substance abuse epidemic in the state.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) secured critical resources for Kentucky in an Appropriations Conference Report that passed the Senate today.
The legislation contains funding for our brave men and women in uniform serving at Kentucky military installations and in the Kentucky National Guard. It also provides targeted assistance for communities across Kentucky to support their workforce, students, and efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. Once the House passes the Conference Report, it will be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.
“The Senate is getting its appropriations process back on track and is attending to vital priorities that benefit our nation,” said Senator McConnell, a senior member of the Appropriations Committee. “Through my role as Senate Majority Leader, I work to keep the Commonwealth’s interests at the center of the national discussion, and I am proud that I’ve been able to secure important resources to support Kentucky families and communities.”
The following are provisions Senator McConnell secured in the Conference Report:
Defense Appropriations:
The funding bill also includes a $30 million increase over the President’s Budget request for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which supports the recovery of missing military personnel, including from the Korean War. It also contains the largest military pay raise in nearly a decade of 2.6 percent for our sevicemembers, including those serving in the Commonwealth.
“This legislation will continue rebuilding the readiness of our military and investing more in the men and women who wear the uniform,” Senator McConnell said. “That means our servicemembers will receive the largest pay raise in nearly a decade and our combat units will be equipped with cutting-edge capabilities.”
“I am especially proud that this legislation supports the critical work executed by the men and women at Fort Campbell, Fort Knox, the Blue Grass Army Depot, and those serving in the Kentucky National Guard,” Senator McConnell continued. “With missions that are critically important for our national security, these brave men and women have a strong voice in Washington to ensure the U.S. Armed Forces remain the world’s premier fighting force.”
Labor, Health & Human Services, Education Appropriations:
The funding bill also provides $3.8 billion in opioid funding, over $1.5 billion to invest in school safety, and over $39 billion in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, of which $500 million will be dedicated to research on opioid addiction and pain management. The bill also increases the maximum award for Pell grants to help low-income students afford higher education.
Senator McConnell said, “As Kentucky continues to struggle with the opioid epidemic, I was proud to secure these potentially life-saving resources. By directing funds to research, state opioid response grants, and apprenticeship and job-training programs, we can make a real difference for the families battling the scourge of addiction and the spread of disease. In addition, this legislation will also support workers searching for new economic opportunities, including dislocated coal miners. Throughout this process, I am proud to continue working to secure resources for Kentucky’s priorities in the Senate.”
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