U.S. Representative Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) on Tuesday, December 17 voted in support of two legislative packages that together comprise all 12 Fiscal Year 2020 funding bills. They include hundreds of millions of dollars for top legislative priorities, such as $25 million for federal research at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), into the nation’s gun violence epidemic.
“With these two robust funding bills, Congress has fully funded the government for Fiscal Year 2020 and House Democrats have delivered on major promises made to the American people.
“In particular, I am immensely proud that we were able to secure $25 million for the CDC and the NIH to finally be able to study the epidemic of gun violence, something I have long advocated for that federal agencies have been effectively prohibited from doing for over 20 years.
“Moreover, through these funding packages, I have successfully led efforts to secure hundreds of millions of dollars for legislative priorities that will improve the lives of those living in my district and across the country, including over $137 million in additional funding to study and raise awareness about heart disease and stroke, $500 million for the NIH’s All of Us Program research program, and $2 million in funding for the implementation of the Civil Rights Cold Case Record Collections Act — legislation I authored, which was signed into law earlier this year.
“These funding packages will also provide $7.6 billion for the 2020 Census, ensuring that all Chicagoans are accurately counted and ultimately represented. Furthermore, by passing these bills, we will extend the National Flood Insurance Program, an important program for my district where many communities are vulnerable to flooding, through September 30, 2020.
“Although the funding levels in these bills may not go as far as I might have liked, particularly as it concerns Community Health Centers, all in all, these robust packages are a win for the people and serve as a testament to what is possible when we fight for our priorities. I will always fight to ensure that government spending continues to represent the priorities of my constituents and provide real benefits to the American people,” said Representative Rush.
Rush was able to secure $124 million dollars in additional funding for the NIH’s All of Us program, which works to enroll one million Americans in a national research cohort in order to speed up health research breakthroughs.
It focuses on historically overlooked populations, including minorities, those from rural communities, and those who receive their health care at Community Health Centers.
Rush was also able to secure an additional $132 million in funding for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and an additional $5 million for the CDC’s WISEWOMAN program, which is designed to help women reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke by providing services to promote a heart-healthy lifestyle.
