Florida Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R) announced this week that Miami would receive more than $17 million in funding. Attributing the funding to her advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, the news comes after President Joe Biden (D) signed the newly passed appropriations package into law. This funding, Elvira Salazar affirms will contribute to making “Miami an even better place to live and work.”
As part of the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations Package that passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 10th and the Senate on March 11th, Miami would receive financial compensation that would assist in a myriad of ways.
In a statement, Elvira Salazar praised the effort, expressing that the funding will help greatly improve South Florida.
“Miami sent me to Washington to fight for them, and I’m doing just that,” she said, adding that she’s “proud to have secured over $17 million in funding for Florida’s 27th District.”
Elvira Salazar further commented that the funding provided will help “create jobs, strengthen healthcare and water system infrastructure, and address the harmful effects of a changing climate, making Miami an even better place to live and work.”
In a press release sent from her office, the lawmaker outlines the numerous ways through which the funding will provide aid. This includes provided $7.65 million to Mt. Sinai Medical Hospital, directing $2 million to the Greater Biscayne Bay Harmful Algae Bloom Monitoring Program, providing $500,000 to FIU’s Startup Tech and Food Business Hub, providing $3 million to West Miami’s Potable Water Main Improvements Project, directing $1.15 million for Frost Museum’s National Center for Education and Conservation of Florida’s Coral Reefs, appropriating $606,000 for Pinecrest’s Stormwater Management Project, ensuring $500,000 to Key Biscayne’s K-8 Center Elementary School Stormwater improvements and giving $1.6 million to West Grove Biscayne Bay Water Pump.
As well, the package also provides:
- 6% increase in defense spending, including:
- a pay raise for service members
- a substantial increase in funding to help fight emerging threats from China and Russia
- an increase in funding for Israel's Iron Dome
- $14 billion to help Ukraine itself against Russia and provide the country with humanitarian assistance
- Assistance to help secure the border, by:
- Preventing the Biden Administration from canceling previous construction contracts for barriers at the border
- Increasing funding for ICE and Customs and Border Patrol
- Funding for law enforcement at historic levels:
- Increased Department of Justice law enforcement grants by 15%
- Increased the Capitol Police's budget
- Funding to fight the opioid epidemic
- Increased funding for U.S. Customs and Immigration Services to process more visas and address the current backlog
- Increase in funding for VA healthcare
