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Slotkin Secures Funding for Michigan Priorities in House-Passed Appropriations Bill

July 31, 2020

Legislation addresses 8th District Priorities such as PFAS, MSU research on Black Michigan and critical water quality issues

WASHINGTON, DC –– U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) highlighted funding for key Michigan priorities in a major appropriations bill that cleared the House today, including support for an important Michigan State University-led research project on Michigan's Black community, help for Michiganders dealing with IRS issues, a thorough study of potential environmental harm from a new pipeline under the Mackinac Straits and money to address PFAS contamination.

"I fought for these priorities because they were issues brought to me by the people of the 8th District," Slotkin said. "Whether it's concerns in the Black community about the need for research on the state of Black Michigan, ongoing worries about PFAS contamination in our lakes and streams, or taxpayers unable to get timely answers from the IRS, each of these provisions responds directly to the concerns of the district."

The provisions Slotkin supported were included in a major appropriations bill approved by the House on Friday that includes Fiscal Year 2021 funding for several federal agencies, including the departments of Defense, Commerce, Justice, Education, Transportation and Health and Human Services. Those provisions include:

  • An amendment Slotkin authored to provide robust funding that MSU could access to produce the "State of Black Michigan," an annual report on systemic inequalities compiled through Michigan State University from the 1960s through 2007. Community leaders raised this issue with Slotkin during discussions following the death of George Floyd this spring.
  • An amendment calling for a complete and thorough Environmental Impact Statement/Environmental Assessment on Enbridge's proposed tunnel to encase the Line 5 pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac.
  • Two amendments Slotkin co-sponsored to better serve citizens dealing with IRS issues. The first, sponsored by Rep. Abigail Spanberger, directs the IRS to prioritize the reduction of the backlog of taxpayer inquiries that has resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. The second, sponsored by Rep. Jackie Speier, provides $10 million to improve IRS response to problems with Economic Impact Payments provided to Americans during the pandemic and to respond to requests from members of Congress seeking to help constituents with agency issues.
  • A series of provisions dealing with PFAS contamination. Provisions in the defense appropriations section of the bill that Slotkin secured include: increased funding to clean up PFAS contamination at active military installations, expand studies of defense communities affected by PFAS, and phase out PFAS-based firefighting foams; increased funding to develop a PFAS-free firefighting agent; increased funding for safe PFAS disposal techniques; reporting requirements on Defense Department efforts to test the blood of military firefighters and the costs of cleanup at active military installations; funding to continue a nationwide PFAS health study; and increased funding to dedicate more manpower at the Pentagon to the investigation and cleanup of PFAS contamination.
  • A bipartisan amendment providing $15 million to fund the National Security Innovation Capital Program, which allows the Pentagon to invest in innovative domestic manufacturing, including in Michigan. Previously, Slotkin authored a bipartisan amendment to the annual defense authorization bill that strengthened NSIC's capacity to work with innovative manufacturers on defense-critical projects.