Young Supports Boost for National Defense in Annual Government Funding Package

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) voted in favor of H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, a package that rebalances America’s priorities and adheres to the Republican framework for appropriations negotiations – an increase for defense funding, a significant reduction for non-defense funding, preservation of all legacy policy riders including the Hyde Amendment, and no partisan poison pills. The bill includes a 10% increase in defense funding, a military pay raise, a down payment for implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, critical assistance for Ukraine, and funding for the federal government for Fiscal Year 2023. The legislation passed the Senate 68-29.

“This legislation provides our Armed Forces with increased resources and the certainty needed to address threats to our national security while also cutting the Biden Administration’s wasteful non-defense budget request by more than half,” said Senator Young. “I’m also pleased the bill includes a down payment for implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, another priority important to our national security.

“While I’m disappointed in the process and there are many things in this package that I don’t support, there is no feasible alternative method for getting this critical funding for defense. Going forward, I will continue to advocate for a return to regular order for government funding through passing a budget and then passing the twelve annual spending bills individually. However, that requires cooperation from members who often like to unreasonably slow progress on bills that have no chance of being signed into law.”

Senator Young priorities included in the bill:

Emergency Savings Act, introduced by Senators Young and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) to facilitate convenient and affordable access to workplace emergency savings accounts, helping families create stable emergency savings for unforeseen expenses, while keeping retirement accounts intact for the future.
 
Special Needs Trust Improvement Act, authored by Senators Young and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) to give families greater flexibility in choosing the remainder beneficiary of trusts established for a loved one with a disability or chronic illness.
 
Electoral Count Reform Act, bipartisan legislation cosponsored by Senator Young to reform and modernize the 1887 Electoral Count Act, which governs the joint session of Congress in which each state’s electoral votes are counted in accordance with the Twelfth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
 
Manufacturing.gov Act, to revamp the manufacturing.gov website, and establish a single hub for information and questions relating to federal manufacturing programs. This legislation, introduced by Senators Young and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), is the result of a 2017 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office which found that the federal government maintains 58 different manufacturing programs across 11 federal agencies.
 
Extension of telehealth services under Medicare for two years, which builds on Senator Young’s Telehealth Extension and Evaluation Act to ensure seniors continue to benefit from important remote health care services.
 

Funding for the following programs Senator Young supports was also included:

• More than $1 billion for the Department of Commerce and National Science Foundation to begin implementation of the provisions in the CHIPS and Science Act, which will ensure researchers and community partners are able to jump-start these critical investments in American innovation.
• KidneyX, a public-private partnership to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases
• Screening, surveillance, research, and awareness activities on congenital heart disease authorized by the Congenital Heart Futures Reauthorization Act
• Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias research and the National Alzheimer’s Call Center
• Charter Schools Program, to help support the creation, replication, and expansion of high-quality charter schools
• Adult Education State Grant Program funding for literacy, numeracy, and digital education programs for adults without high school degrees
• Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program to ensure positive outcomes for children in child abuse and neglect cases
• Victims of Child Abuse programs for Children’s Advocacy Centers that serve child victims and help law enforcement hold perpetrators accountable
• STOP School Violence Act, to help schools implement proven, evidence-based programs and technologies that stop school violence before it happens
• Peer Mentoring, Mental Health, and Wellness Pilot Programs authorized by the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Act
• The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, a results-driven program that addresses the most serious issues threatening the wellbeing of the Great Lakes basin, including toxic substances, pollution, debris, and invasive species
• The North American Wetlands Conservation Act, a unique, public-private partnership-based program that matches non-federal and federal funds to protect, restore, and manage wetlands and associated habitats for migratory birds and other wildlife.
• Language to encourage the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to prioritize Indiana’s shoreline of the Ohio River facing erosion caused by the McAlpine Locks and Dam.
• Support for Indiana’s continuing role in the national defense, including:
  • Procurement of Hoosier-manufactured High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (AM General, Mishawaka), AMMPS Generators (Cummins, Columbus), and the Army’s next-generation assault helicopter (Rolls-Royce, Indianapolis);
  • Ongoing research and development of critical anti-tamper capabilities for sensitive technologies (Endosec, West Lafayette), U.S. Navy hypersonic weapons (Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division), U.S. Army Long-Range Fires (Adranos, West Lafayette), and cutting-edge drivetrains for the U.S. Army’s future combat vehicles (Cummins, Indianapolis, and Allison Transmission, Indianapolis).