Mansfield Project Part Of Latest Fed Spending Bill: Courtney

WASHINGTON, DC — A Mansfield project is part of a federal spending bill that that U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) voted to pass.

H.R. 8294, is a legislative package containing six of the House of Representatives appropriations bills for fiscal year 2023. The federal budget negotiation process begins each year in the House, and includes 12 total appropriations bills.

H.R. 8294 includes six separate appropriations bills:

• Agriculture and Rural Development
• Energy and Water Development
• Financial Services and General Government
• Interior and Environment
• Military Construction and Veterans Affairs
• Transportation, Housing and Urban Development or THUD

Under the THUD category, the bill contains a potential $300,000 to "expand affordable housing opportunities" through the "renovation of an existing structure" to be included as part of a 42-unit affordable housing rehabilitation project in Mansfield.

Courtney said the House voted to pass H.R. 8294 by a vote of 220-207, and will vote on the remaining appropriations bills in the coming days and weeks.

Passage of H.R. 8294 marks the second year in a row that the House of Representatives budget has included specific, targeted funding for local projects throughout eastern Connecticut, Courtney said.

Rep. Courtney secured funding for 15 area projects in the full 2023 budget after "working closely" with 2nd District towns, local leaders, and non-profit organizations. Wednesday's appropriations package included nine of those projects. This funding will be authorized specifically to complete and support local initiatives in towns like Canterbury, Coventry, East Hampton, Groton, Madison, Mansfield, Plainfield, Stonington.

"We worked side-by-side with local leaders in town governments and the nonprofit sector to secure funding for these local projects, and today marks a big step forward in making it final," Courtney said. "The appropriations package we voted to advance today includes funding specifically for projects that many of our towns and community partners otherwise couldn't afford — from improved childcare services, to expanded affordable housing opportunities, to infrastructure upgrades that will support our fishing industry on the shoreline, and protect our environment while preparing for growth in north central Connecticut. There's more work to go until this budget becomes law, but this is where the process begins. The 2023 budget is off to a strong start as one that targets support straight to some of our most important local priorities, and that’s great news for eastern Connecticut."