Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) released the following statement after securing $18 million for local funding projects on behalf of Southern Nevada. Congresswoman Titus championed eleven Community Project Funding requests that were included in the final bill to fund the federal government through Fiscal Year 2023.

“The FY23 appropriations agreement makes key investments in Nevada. I’m proud to have championed advancements in several vital areas including protections for the travel and tourism industry.

“This spending package includes $18 million in direct funding for projects in District One that will create jobs, improve pedestrian safety, enhance 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 package also includes my Visit America Act. This bill creates an assistant secretary position at the U.S. Department of Commerce focused on bolstering our travel and tourism industry and attracting more international visitors to the United States and Las Vegas.

“I look forward to seeing the benefits for our community partners in Southern Nevada once the final package is signed by the President.”

Background:

Community Project Funding Requests Championed by Congresswoman Titus:

• $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 for 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.

• $2,049,000 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 located in Clark County. This expansion will create 20 new medical and 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 Americans with Disabilities Act (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 will maximize existing water resources.

• $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 identify bus stops more easily, 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. Students, researchers, and community collaborators at the UNLV College of Sciences will utilize this equipment 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 have the resources learn about the Capitol and Congress. Civic engagement is vitally important for our nation’s youth.

Congresswoman Titus was pleased to help secure key legislative priorities including:

• Visit America Act (H.R. 6965): This legislation would create an assistant secretary position within the Department of Commerce focused on bolstering the United States travel and tourism industry. This new office will coordinate a strategy across multiple federal agencies and position cities in the United States, including Las Vegas, as hosts for large meetings, conferences,exhibitions, and sporting events. The United States is the only member of the G20 international economic forum with no high-ranking official focused on the tourism sector. Most G20 nations have a minister or secretary at the cabinet level.

• The Advanced Aviation Infrastructure Modernization Act (AAIM) (H.R. 6270): This bill directs the Secretary of Transportation to establish a pilot program that would provide planning and construction grants to support AAM infrastructure development including vertiports, electric charging and fueling stations, and connecting to existing transportation hubs. It will also support a more climate-friendly and congestion-reducing mode of transportation that is projected to create upwards of 300,000 jobs.

• Safeguarding Tomorrow through Ongoing Risk Mitigation (STORM) Technical Corrections Act (H.R. 5673): This bipartisan legislation makes improvements to the STORM Act which created a hazard mitigation revolving loan to help states and Tribal governments finance mitigation projects.

This government funding legislation also includes the following noteworthy provisions:

• National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Budget Increase: Secured a $25,000,000 budget increase for the NLRB. This is the first increase in nearly a decade and will help strengthen workers’ right to collectively bargain. 

• 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.

• 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.

• 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, the bill provides $305,000,000 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.

• Fixing the Visa Backlog: Secured $242,000,000 to help USCIS address the visa and asylum processing backlog. 

• Preventing Harmful Dog and Cat Testing: Secured language that will phase out painful, distressing, and unnecessary dog or cat research at the VA over five years.

• Upgrading the National Instant Criminal Background Check System: Secured $95,000,000 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, the bill 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.

• 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, the legislation secured $6,000,000 for further implementing the U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperative Agreement and the development of the U.S-Israel Energy Center. Moreover, it 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, particularly 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.

• Enhancing Airport Security: Secured language to prioritize the development of a biometric exit system alongside $22,334,000 in funding for credential authentication technology. 

• Addressing the Needs of Women Veterans: Secured over $840,000,000 for gender-specific comprehensive care for women veterans. Additionally, the bill secured $293,000,000 for the construction of military child development centers.

• Boosting STEM Education: Secured $53,500,000 for the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic Serving Institutions program to improve STEM education and workforce pipelines at predominantly Hispanic universities.

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