11.01.23

Hoeven Statement After Senate Approves FY24 Agriculture, Military Construction & Veterans Affairs, Transportation Appropriations Bills

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today helped secure full Senate approval of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (Milcon-VA), and Transportation Appropriations Bills.

“We’ve been working very hard to get back to regular order in the appropriations process. The Senate Appropriations Committee has passed each bill, and now we’re working to debate and pass them on the Senate floor,” said Hoeven. “Today, we secured passage of the Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Transportation Appropriations bills through the full Senate. These bills advance important priorities for our farmers and ranchers, veterans and military members, as well as communities across our state.”

AGRICULTURE

  • $2 million to advance efforts to establish a new agriculture policy research center at NDSU.
  • More than $50 million in agriculture research funding for North Dakota through the Agriculture Research Service (ARS) and National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) research conducted at North Dakota State University (NDSU) and across North Dakota.
  • $3 million to support additional renovations at the ARS Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center in Fargo.
  • $2.5 million to continue an AgTech Cooperative Agreement between Grand Farm, NDSU and ARS.
  • Fully funding Farm Service Agency guaranteed and direct loans.

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AND VETERANS AFFAIRS

Hoeven, a member of the Milcon-VA Appropriations Committee, worked to secure key priorities for North Dakota’s servicemembers and veterans, including:

  • More than $5.4 million for the future National Guard Readiness Center in Dickinson.
    • This is in addition to the $15.5 million in funding that Hoeven previously worked to secure for the facility.
  • Almost $2 million in planning and design funding for unaccompanied housing at Camp Grafton.
  • For Minot Air Force Base, language directing the Air Force to:
    • Provide Congress with status updates on future weapons generation facilities and accelerate the facilities wherever possible.
    • Prioritize plans to upgrade security gates at Global Strike Command bases like the Minot Air Force Base.
  • Language supporting efforts to construct additional facilities at Rural Initiative (RI) national cemeteries, including the Fargo National Cemetery.
  • A provision to enhance veterans’ access to long-term care (LTC) providers.
  • Language encouraging the VA to continue researching the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a treatment for post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.
    • The bill also encourages the VA to permit case-by-case referrals for HBOT through VA Community Care.

TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING APPROPRITIONS

  • $6 million in research grants for UAS projects conducted at test sites, including the Northern Plains UAS Test Site in North Dakota.
  • $14 million in funding for the FAA’s UAS Center of Excellence, which is co-led by the University of North Dakota (UND).
  • $3.85 billion in funding for Grants-in-Aid for Airports (AIP) - in FY22 North Dakota received a little over $42 million from this grant program.
  • $348.6 million for Essential Air Service (EAS).
  • Language continuing the Veterans’ Pilot Training Program (Vets2Wings).
  • Exemption from the Electronic Logging Device mandate for haulers of livestock and insects.
  • Maintains level funding for the following programs that help ensure access to, and enable the development of, affordable housing in the state, such as the Milton Earl and Lashkowitz Riverfront projects in Fargo and the Souris Heights project in Minot:
    • Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) – North Dakota received an allocation of nearly $3.9 million in FY22 CDBG funds.
    • Home Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) – North Dakota received more than $3.5 million from this formula grant program in FY22.
    • Tribal HUD-VASH – Provides housing vouchers and supportive services for veterans in Standing Rock and Turtle Mountain.

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