Soto’s Proposed Legislation Passes in Minibus Appropriations Bill

Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed a package of 12 spending bills (H.R. 3354), which included amendments and report language introduced by Congressman Darren Soto. The minibus appropriations bill, Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act of 2018, funds the Department of the Interior, Environment, and related agencies for the next fiscal year 2018.

Rep. Soto's six amendments passed by voice vote, included:

1. Estuary Amendment – Increasing funding for National Estuary Program
2. Invasive Species Amendment– Increases funding for the National Wildlife Refuge System
3. Grassroots Water Amendment – Increases the funding of the Grassroots Source Water Protection Program
4. Citrus Greening Amendment – Increases funding for Specialty Crop Pest Program
5. Tax Counseling for the Elderly Amendment – Increases funding for Tax Counseling by $1 million
6. Housing for the Elderly Amendment – Increases funding for Housing by $2.5 million

The House Reports provide details and congressional guidance to the agencies on how to spend the money appropriately. Rep. Soto secured the inclusion of 15 pieces of report language, which include:

Interior:

1. Antimicrobial Solutions protecting crops and combating Citrus Disease

Agriculture:

1. Vector Control technologies to combat Zika-carrying mosquitos
2. Zika Outreach and Education expansion through Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Financial Services:

1. Technical Assistance Puerto Rico
2. Identity Theft Report from the IRS on detecting, preventing, and combating tax fraud
3. Increase Broadband Access in Territories and Tribal Lands

Labor/Health and Human Services:

1. National Early Child Care Collaboratives Program funding increase to $4 million
2. Creation of Vector Control Guidelines for use by States and local communities
3. Education for Homeless Children and Youth
4. Harmful Algal Bloom surveillance and reporting of health-related concerns by the CDC.
5. Technical Assistance and Dissemination for special education IDEA National Activities
6. Vector-Borne Diseases funding within the CDC
7. Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity funding within the CDC

State and Foreign Operations

1. Public Diplomacy expansion to counter Russian propaganda
2. Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues requested and secured full funding