Washington, DC – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01), a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, House Foreign Affairs Committee, and House Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement after securing $17 million for local funding projects on behalf of Southern Nevada. Congresswoman Titus’s eleven Community Project Funding requests were included in the final markup of bills that advanced out of the House Appropriations Committee to fund the federal government for Fiscal Year 2023.

“Today’s appropriations agreement makes investments at home in Nevada that will also have nationwide consequences. I’m proud to have led the charge for advancements in several key areas, including the environment and animal protections that I have spent the last decade in Congress working on.

“This spending package includes $17 million I secured for projects in District One. These projects will create jobs, improve pedestrian safety, maximize Las Vegas’s water resources, support the mental health needs of young sex trafficking victims, and provide financial support, resources, and information for our non-English proficient community.

“As a result of my continued work, this bill also emphasizes a consent-based approach when identifying nuclear storage sites for federal interim facilities, prohibits the federal government from implementing laws that override Nevada’s legal marijuana programs, and assists local governments in preventing, responding to, and mitigating acts of terrorism.

“I look forward to seeing the returns of this funding to community partners in Southern Nevada once the final package passes out of Congress.”

Community Project Funding Requests Championed by Congresswoman Titus include:

• $3,575,200 for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada for Pedestrian Collision Avoidance System. This project will fund pedestrian detection and collision avoidance systems on more than 350 transit vehicles. This equipment will improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders through real-time alerts for drivers.

• $1,576,000 for the Clark County District Attorney’s (DA) Office for a Case Management System. This project will fund a new case management system for the County DA’s Juvenile and Civil Divisions. This updated system will provide centralized storage of case-related information, critical cyber support, and transparency tools for the community.

• $1,087,000 for the Eldorado Valley Regional Public Safety Training Facility for site expansion. This project will fund the expansion of the multi-jurisdictional police, firefighter, emergency medical response, and tactical team training facility. Specifically, this project will support the training operations of both the Henderson and Boulder City Police Departments and assist them in expanding their training facilities through the purchase of necessary equipment to assemble a “training village” and purchase an additional training simulator, and computer equipment.

• $1,600,000 for Clark County for the Southern Nevada Children’s Advocacy Center. This project will fund the expansion of the Southern Nevada Children’s Advocacy Center. This expansion will create 20 new medical/mental health treatment rooms to address the mental health needs of young sex trafficking victims.

• $3,000,000 for the City of Las Vegas for Stewart Avenue Complete Streets. This project will support the installation of a two-way cycle track, sidewalk widening and ADA accessibility, upgraded lighting, bus stop improvements, landscaping, and prediction technologies. This investment will transform Stewart Avenue into a multimodal space that better serves the needs of residents and businesses.

• $2,000,000 for the Clark County Water Reclamation District for a Reclaimed Water Infrastructure Project. This project will support the removal of old water lines (including asbestos-containing pipes) and the installation of new water lines, meters, and valves. These upgrades will ensure that Las Vegans continue to have access to reclaimed water and that existing water resources are maximized.

• $1,960,000 for the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada for Standalone Solar Lighting. This project will fund the installation of solar lighting at 500 bus stops in disadvantaged areas throughout the Las Vegas Valley. This will improve security for passengers, allow riders to more easily identify bus stops, and assist drivers in recognizing individuals waiting for the bus.

• $1,000,000 for United Way of Southern Nevada for Unidos Por Nevada. This project will fund the establishment of a Language Access Plan network to ensure that the non-English proficient community in Nevada has access to financial support, resources, and information from many non-profit organizations across the region. Unidos Por Nevada will ensure that culturally specific organizations can continue to educate, reinforce equitable practices, and support the work of the nonprofit sector in Nevada.

• $650,000 for UNLV for a Cyber Clinic for Small Businesses. This project will create a free cyber clinic to mitigate cybersecurity issues that small businesses are typically underprepared for. The clinic will hire cybersecurity students, train them with the appropriate skills, and offer essential cybersecurity services and counseling to small businesses free of charge

• $200,000 for UNLV for Climate Research. This project will fund the acquisition of water analyzing equipment for research and education related to climate and water resources. The equipment will be utilized by students, researchers, and community collaborators at the UNLV College of Sciences to better understand the changing climate, water supply challenges, and the creation of accurate climate forecasts.

• $465,000 for the U.S. Capitol Historical Society for Civics Digital Resource Development. This project will create new digital resources to ensure that students across the country learn about the Capitol and Congress. Civic engagement is vitally important for our nation’s youth.

This government funding legislation also includes significant investments to:

• Safeguarding Wild Horses: Secured $11,000,000 for the administration of and research on reversible immunocontraceptive fertility control. This will ensure that the Wild Horse and Burro Program’s herd management is administered in a safe and humane manner that does not jeopardize the welfare of these animals.

• Consent-Based Approach to Nuclear Storage: Secured language that directs the Department of Energy to undertake a consent-based approach when identifying a site for a federal interim storage facility so state, local, and tribal governments will not be forced against their will to store nuclear waste

• Preserving State Legal Marijuana: Secured language that prohibits the Department of Justice from preventing Nevada and any other states with legal marijuana programs from implementing legal recreational or medical marijuana programs.

• Securing High-Density Urban Areas: Secured $615,00,000 for the Urban Area Security Initiative to assist local governments in preventing, responding to, and mitigating acts of terrorism. Additionally, secured $180,000,000 in Nonprofit Security Grants for cameras, physical barriers, and controlled entry systems for community centers and places of worship in urban areas to protect themselves from threats.

• Improving Processing and Operations at USCIS: Secured $653,000,000 to help USCIS address the visa and asylum processing backlog.

• Preventing Harmful Dog and Cat Testing: Secured language that prohibits the VA from conducting painful, distressing, and unnecessary dog or cat research.

• Upgrading the National Instant Criminal Background Check System: Secured $110,000,000 in grants for states to upgrade criminal and mental health records in background checks for firearms.

• Protecting the Lake Tahoe Basin: Secured funding for a variety of programs to protect Lake Tahoe’s biodiversity. This includes watershed restoration and vegetation management, forest health and hazardous fuel reduction, wildfire response infrastructure, and invasive species management.

• Improving the Military’s 21st Century Capabilities: Secured funding for the development of artificial intelligence, autonomy data analytics, & sensor systems. Additionally, secured funding for the development of high-energy laser missile defense. Lastly, to ensure that we can support the National Guard wherever it is deployed,  secured language that prioritizes the development of containerized ice-making systems.

• Bolstering the Protection of International Disability Rights: Secured additional funding for the Office of the Special Advisor for International Disability Rights to ensure that the United States is a leading global voice for the rights of persons with disabilities regardless of the country they live in.

• Supporting Our Allies Around the World: Secured $225,000,000 to support our allies through the Baltic Security Imitative. This important program helps the critical NATO allies, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, develop key military capabilities. Additionally, secured $6,000,000 for the implementation of the U.S-Israel Energy Cooperative Agreement and the development of the U.S-Israel Energy Center. Moreover, secured language supporting the development of climate forecasting and early warning and response systems in Mongolia and the establishment of a Mongolian language service at Voice of America to serve as an independent source of information for ethnic Mongolians living around the world and especially in the People’s Republic of China.

• Increasing Access to the Community Development Financial Institution Fund: Secured $10,000,000 in financial assistance, technical assistance, training, and outreach to benefit individuals with disabilities.

• Ensuring that DACA Recipients Can Be Employed by the Federal Government: Secured language to ensure that the executive and legislative branches can hire anyone legally in the United States and authorized to work, including recipients of Deferred Action.

• Enhancing Airport Security: Secured language to prioritize the development of a biometric exit system and secured $22,334,00 for credential authentication technology.

• Addressing the Needs of Women Veterans: Secured over $900,000,000 for gender-specific comprehensive care delivery for women veterans. Additionally, secured $274,383,000 for the construction of military child development centers.

###