Velázquez Leads 10 Letters Advocating for FY2025 Funding
Washington D.C.—Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez (D-NY) led 10 letters to the House Appropriations Committee outlining her programmatic funding priorities for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations process.
“These letters showcase how the federal government can ensure the success of communities across the country – from educating our youth, and supporting public housing, to improving the local environment and meeting the healthcare needs of our residents,” said Congresswoman Velázquez. “These letters highlight federal initiatives that can have a big impact on improving the lives of the American people, and I encourage the House Appropriations Committee to ensure robust funding so these programs can continue to better our communities.”
Below is a list of the letters that Congresswoman Velázquez sent to the House Appropriations Committee:
1. FY25 Support Robust Funding for Teacher Quality Partnership Grants: Advocates for at least $132 million for the Teacher Quality Partnership Grant (TQP) program authorized under Title II of the Higher Education Act. The TQP Grant program is the only federal initiative targeted directly to teacher preparation programs at institutions of higher education, and it is designed to help ensure that high-need schools are staffed with profession-ready teachers.
2. FY25 Protect our Frontlines Communities from Hazardous Superfund Sites: (co-led with Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY)): Supports total funding of $356 million for the Hazardous Substance Superfund Account to keep up with inflation and the increase in Superfund sites. To promote and maintain healthy communities, we must ensure all Superfund sites across this country are cleaned up.
3. FY25 Support Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer Peer Reviewed Research: (co-led with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)): Advocating for maintaining report language to keep liver cancer and hepatitis B on the list of eligible funding areas under the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program and the Peer Reviewed Medical Research program respectively.
4. FY25 Support FY25 Hepatitis B and Liver Cancer Research and Treatment Efforts: (co-led with Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA)): Advocating for National institutes of Health (NIH) language that will urge NIH to fund identified research opportunities from the Roadmap and Strategic Plan that would help eliminate hepatitis B once and for all.
5. FY25 Support ADHD Drug Shortages Report Language: Supports report language that directs DEA to engage in substantive conversations with industry stakeholders and patient advocacy groups about the factors and policy measures necessary for the development of an approach to manufacturing prescription stimulant medications for the treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) that can mitigate the current shortage of ADHD prescription stimulant medications and prevent future shortages of these medications.
6. FY25 Support Department of Education Title I Guidance for Arts Education: Supports the need for non-regulatory guidance to states, from the Department of Education specifying the inclusion of the arts and music in a “well-rounded education” and the eligibility of Title I funds to be used to support arts education programs. Link to the letter.
7. FY 25 End Private Prison Funding: Asks the Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee to bar the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using private prison facilities and any agreements that attempt to use funds for Department of Justice (DOJ) contracted agreements for immigration enforcement.
8. FY 25 Study Request to Advance Puerto Rico’s Inclusion in the American Housing Survey: Advocates for an additional $7,000,000 for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Research and Technology (R&T) account to enable HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) to advance Puerto Rico’s inclusion in the American Housing Survey (AHS).
9. FY 25 Request to Support Robust Funding for EPA’s Compliance Monitoring Program: Supports the President’s FY2025 budget request of $172 million for Compliance Monitoring, under the Environmental Programs and Management account (EPM). The Compliance Monitoring Program allows the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to monitor pollution problems across the United States and the territories.
10. FY 25 Preserving Public Housing and Resident Health Appropriations Request: Provides additional funding for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing Capital Fund, Public Housing Operating Fund, and the Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant Program.