Connecticut is set to receive millions of dollars in funding for local projects that are part of the first offering of bills to fund the federal government — with likely more on the way if Congress negotiates and passes the second round later this month.
The U.S. Senate took the final step March 8 to approve a package of bills to fund six of 12 government agencies and avoid a partial shutdown.
President Joe Biden is expected to sign the legislation into law. Federal lawmakers need to pass funding for the remaining six by March 22.
As part of the appropriations bills, members in both chambers can submit requests to direct funding for priorities and pet projects in their states and districts, formerly known as earmarks. Billions of dollars were approved for earmarks in the first offering and make up less than 3 percent of the total funding package.
So far, Connecticut's delegation has secured about $138 million in funding, with more expected in the next package of bills. That includes earmarks for a range of about 140 projects across the state, including infrastructure, affordable housing and environmental investments, among others.
Towns and cities saw a months-long delay of earmarked funding because Congress had been unable to pass appropriations bills for fiscal year 2024. Lawmakers instead approved several short-term bills, known as continuing resolutions, to keep the government running until they negotiated a spending deal in recent weeks.
More broadly, the legislation funds six agencies including: agriculture; commerce; energy; interior; military construction and veterans affairs; and transportation and housing.
"This package does not reflect every one of our priorities, but I am proud that in a divided country, we were able to work across the aisle to get this done for the American people," said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, who is the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, which helps craft government funding bills.
Federal Funding to Boost Local Communities
More than 60 towns and cities in Connecticut will see investments flow into their communities, the Connecticut Mirror reported March 9. Additional localities could be included in the second batch of earmarks, which could also include even more funding for places that already secured money for projects.
Overall, the earmarks are spread out and reach the farthest corners of the state including Salisbury, Stonington and Thompson.
More than two-thirds of this batch will go toward infrastructure and transportation projects, while the remainder largely falls under economic development, social services, housing, energy and the environment.
So far, Hartford and New Haven are set to receive the most funding for projects. Among them are upgrades for museums like the Mark Twain House and Memorial and the Connecticut Science Center, both of which are located in Hartford.
Some of the highest-funded projects so far include:
- $4 million for improvements on Temple Street in New Haven;
- $3.6 million to help complete the Hop River State Park Trail around Coventry and Columbia;
- $4.5 million for upgrades to Mill River Park in Stamford;
- $3.2 million to repair a dike leak in Meriden; and
- $3 million for the construction of a new social services center in New Haven.
Housing projects also will see a sizable boost from this bill, particularly for affordable housing and homeless shelters. That includes investments to renovate a 12-unit affordable supportive housing apartment building in New Milford, repairs to 14 affordable housing units in Washington, and funds to create housing in Waterbury, Winchester and Barkhamsted as well as in Windham and New London counties.
The first government spending package includes other priorities for Connecticut's delegation like $2.4 billion for Amtrak — a portion of which will go toward enhancements on the Northeast Corridor — and $680 million to preserve the Long Island Sound, according to the Mirror.
U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, also noted that the legislation secures funding for projects at the Naval Submarine Base New London that he pushed for alongside others in the delegation.
Earmarks, now known in the U.S. House as community project funding and in the Senate as congressionally directed spending, have been back for a few years after a 10-year ban. Many lawmakers see them as direct ways of reaching their communities as well as wielding more influence during the appropriations process.
In the last spending bill that ran out at the end of last September, members secured a total of $236 million for more than 170 projects across Connecticut. It is unclear if lawmakers will exceed those numbers once the government is fully funded later this month.
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