WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) – a member of the House Committee on Education and Labor and House Armed Services Committee – voted in favor of H.R. 2740, a $982.8 billion “minibus” package that contains four Fiscal Year 2020 bills that fund federal agencies including the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Defense.

"Families in South Jersey know we need to invest in our future through education and workforce development," said Congressman Norcross. "Today, we took action to fund quality education for our children and grandchildren, and we strengthened workers’ rights and safety to help correct the growing gap between CEOs and rank-and-file workers. Plus, by funding substance-abuse and mental health programs, we are helping our friends and neighbors struggling with the disease of addiction. We also ensured that New Jersey universities like Rowan and Rutgers will continue their groundbreaking medical research making life-changing discoveries."

As a labor leader, former electrical apprentice, native South Jerseyan and Vice-Chair of the Bipartisan Addiction Task Force, Norcross specifically fought to:

Protect Workers

• ?$1.8 billion for Workers Protection Agencies, $237 million above the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and $210 million above the President’s budget request. Within this amount, the bill includes: 
  • $298 million for the Wage and Hour Division responsible for enforcing federal labor laws, an increase of $69 million above the 2019 enacted level and $66 million above the President’s budget request.
  • $661 million for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration responsible for ensuring the safety of our workforce, an increase of $103 million above the 2019 enacted level and the President’s budget request.
• $342 million for the National Labor Relations Board responsible for enforcing collective bargaining rights, an increase of $67 million above the 2019 enacted level and $100 million above the President’s budget request.

Expand High-Quality Apprenticeships

• $250 million for registered apprenticeships, an increase of $90 million from the fiscal year 2019 enacted level and the President’s budget request, to help more workers and youth receive a skills-based education and find good-paying jobs

Spur Innovation in New Jersey

• Billions in funding for defense, work-study, workforce development, health and other research grant programs that Rowan University, Rutgers University–Camden and other top New Jersey institutions will be able to apply for.

Curb the Opioid Epidemic

• More than $4 billion for opioid prevention and treatment activities.
• $5.9 billion for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Norcross also supported key domestic investments in the appropriations packages, inlcuding efforts to:

Grow Jobs

• $1.9 billion for Job Corps, $150 million above the 2019 enacted level, helping at-risk youth develop the skills they need to succeed in the 21st century economy.
• $3 billion for Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act Grants to states and local communities for workforce development.
• $56 million, an increase of $5 million, in public health workforce initiatives.

Educate Future Generations

• $42.2 billion for our nation’s K-12 education programs.
• $24.9 billion for federal student aid programs, $492 million above the 2019 enacted level.
• $2.7 billion for higher education programs, an increase of $436 million above the 2019 enacted level.
• $150 million for a new investment in community colleges and other partners to prepare workers for in-demand jobs.

Boost Medical Research & Health Initiatives

• A $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), expanding lifesaving medical research.
• Increases for numerous public health efforts, including: $10 million for the establishment of a suicide prevention program and $160 million for heart disease and stroke.

Serve Children and Families

• An increase of $4 billion for early childhood programs including the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start.
• $973 million, an increase of $46 million, for programs to improve maternal and child health, including an additional $5 million to reduce maternal mortality.
• Funding for food and nutrition programs within the Department of Agriculture:
  • $71.1 billion for SNAP.
  • $24 billion for child nutrition programs.
  • $6 billion for WIC.

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Contact: Ally Kehoe, Communications Director
ally.kehoe@mail.house.gov