U.S. Bipartisan Budget Act Passes, Here’s What It With Means For Texas

Today’s new budget bill passed the Senate at approximately 1:30 AM EST with a vote of 71 to 28 total and passed the U.S. House with a vote of 240 to 186 at 5:35 EST.

The latest budget bill passed the Senate at approximately 1:30 AM EST with a vote of 71 to 28 total and passed the U.S. House with a vote of 240 to 186 at 5:35 EST.

Today’s bipartisan bill will fund the government until March 23, 2018, giving Washington six weeks to put together a longer term budget deal and work on a deal for DACA.

The new bill will lift the the debt limits until March of 2019 and includes an additional $165 billion in military spending and $131 billion in domestic spending.

Here’s what it means for Texas

Makes Almost $90 Billion in Disaster Relief Available for Those Recovering from Hurricanes:

• Ensures Texas will have increased access to Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds
• Ensures that $15 billion of U.S. Army Corps funding will go directly towards construction in high priority areas impacted by flooding
• Provides flexibility to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to allow them to carry out necessary projects in Texas
• Includes funding to help Texas address lingering transportation issues resulting from Hurricane Harvey
• Allows the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to distribute formula money using 2000 Census data for areas that temporarily fell below a population of 50,000 as a result of a major disaster (this will apply to Galveston)
• Authorizes $10 million for the Ready Reserve Fleet port facility in Beaumont, which was damaged by Hurricane Harvey

Extends Children’s Health Insurance Program Long-Term:

• Extends the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) an additional four years beyond the six-year reauthorization passed into law earlier this year

Authorizes Additional Funding for Community Health Centers:

• Reauthorizes the Community Health Center Program for two years and appropriates $60 million for Community Health Centers to support construction, equipment purchase, operational support, and other projects

Protects Texas Agriculture:

• Includes $2.36 billion of direct ad hoc assistance to producers
• Makes seed cotton an eligible commodity for the Farm Bill safety net

Invests in Texas Service members and Veterans:

• Unwinds sequestration cuts hampering our defense efforts
• Reduces backlog at the Veterans Administration

Fights Against Opioid Abuse:

• Appropriates $6 billion over two years to combat opioid addiction and substance abuse through prevention programs, funding grants, and law enforcement efforts

Repeals Obamcare’s Bureaucrat-Led Rationing Panel:

• Includes language from Sen. Cornyn to repeal the Independent Patient Advisory Board (IPAB) and restore health care decision-making back to patients and their doctors

Read the full bill text HERE.