Community Renewal Task Force Letter on FY2023 Appropriations

As you look toward Fiscal Year 2023’s appropriations process, NGA requests that you prioritize the following funding efforts in support of these issues.

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Dear Chair Leahy, Chair DeLauro, Vice Chairman Shelby, and Ranking Member Granger:

As members of the National Governors Association (NGA), we welcome the opportunity to provide you with our priorities as your respective committees begin crafting the Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23) appropriations bills.

In 2021, NGA adopted task forces as a more streamlined, Governor-driven approach to formulate and execute on federal policy matters that are priorities to Governors. The three task forces— Community Renewal, Pandemic and Disaster Response, and Economic Recovery and Revitalization, work in a bipartisan fashion to coordinate NGA’s work on federal policy issues.

The Pandemic and Disaster Response Task Force has jurisdiction over issues in the areas of Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA), National Guard, cybersecurity, healthcare, human services, immigration, and COVID-19 response efforts. The Economic Recovery and Revitalization Task Force has jurisdiction over issues in the areas of infrastructure, state stabilization, energy, environment, land management, and taxes.

The Community Renewal Task Force, which we co-chair, has jurisdiction over issues in the areas of education, workforce, housing, broadband, criminal justice, agriculture, and nutrition. As the nation’s Governors, we write to express our continued support of predictable federal funding and flexibility in state- federal partnerships across these issue areas.

Congress has been an instrumental partner for states and territories in funding efforts to help reopen schools, support American jobs and expand employment opportunities, invest in both rural and urban communities, expand broadband capabilities and support state and local initiatives to keep communities safe. Therefore, as you look toward Fiscal Year 2023’s appropriations process, NGA requests that you prioritize the following funding efforts in support of:

• Preschool Development Grants (PDG) – Governors understand that early childhood education is a key component of building a literate and skilled workforce. PDG are an indispensable tool for Governors as they look to expand access and improve quality for our youngest learners. We need sustainable funding for this program so that Governors can plan efficiently to apply these opportunities.
• All programs under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – States are leveraging the historic investments made through ESSER I, II, and III to address student and staff needs impacted by the pandemic; but need funding certainty going forward to ensure the investments made in ESSER can be sustained long-term through ESSA and IDEA Title programs, including funding for Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, 21st Century Community Learning Centers and continued growth of the Student Support and Academic Enrichments State Grants in ESSA, as well as Part B and Part C Grants to States in IDEA.
• School Based Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grants and the School Based Mental Health Services Grants – Governors support funding for the Mental Health Services Professional Demonstration Grants and the School Based Mental Health Services Grants, which provide funding to recruit, retain, and train school based mental health professionals. Access to school mental health services was already an issue before COVID-19 and has only been exacerbated by the pandemic; schools are seeing more students struggling with isolation, depression and other mental health challenges.
• State grants under the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act – Governors are using Perkins funding to address academic recovery, fuel innovation in schools and provide students with hands-on learning in real-world environments. The federal funding stream for Perkins funding must remain strong to ensure students are prepared for a 21st century economy.
• All programs under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) – Governors have leveraged federal job-training funds to boost labor market recovery efforts during the pandemic, grow small businesses and attract industries to their states. Flexibility and continued investment in WIOA formula programs, Wagner-Peyser Employment Services and the Governors’ workforce reserve is essential to ensure States have the resources necessary to upskill workers, address critical labor shortages, increase labor force participation, expand equitable access to economic opportunity and scale proven solutions across their states.
• Funding for Apprenticeships – Governors are prioritizing Apprenticeships in their states and territories to address critical labor shortages across industries and professions and open pathways to family-sustaining jobs to a more diverse workforce. Congress should continue to prioritize these investments and ensure governors are the conduit through which any future resources for apprenticeship expansion flow. This will ensure previous investments in states and territories continue to increase the number of apprentices and spur local innovation regionally and statewide.
• State Unemployment Insurance System Investment – Governors support investments to upgrade and improve state unemployment insurance systems to be more resilient to economic downturns. Such investment is critical to ensure States have the resources necessary to combat unemployment fraud of all types, respond quickly to changing economic circumstances, effectively stand up any new federal unemployment compensation program in a timely manner and safeguard taxpayer dollars.
• Farm Bill Programs Funding – As Governors, we see firsthand the value of a robust agricultural economy and the important role Congress plays by investing in American agriculture and supporting our nation’s farmers and ranchers. NGA supports funding for critical U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) initiatives such as expanding commercial agricultural export markets through the Market Access Program, monitoring and preventing invasive pests and diseases, and implementing conservation programs through the Natural Resources Conservation Service.
• Support for Rural America – Governors support the continued work of USDA Rural Development and request consistent funding for programs administered by the Rural Utilities Service, the Rural Housing Service, and the Rural Business-Cooperative Service in the pursuit of partnering with rural communities seeking to obtain federal resources. Governors urge continued investments in these and similar programs that prioritize rural prosperity and economic development.
• Support Broadband Programs – Governors are eager to deploy broadband investments made available through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and request continued support and flexibility to ensure states, territories, and communities receive the full return on investment intended by Congress. Governors also support continued investment in the E-Rate program, the Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program for rural communities, and other programs that bridge the digital divide and improve digital literacy.
• Funding for Affordable Housing Assistance – Governors recognize the importance of investing in affordable housing. With increased housing costs due to supply chain issues, inflation, and other challenges, programs like the HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME) and the Housing Choice Vouchers help ensure affordable housing is available in every state and territory.
• Grants to State and Local Law Enforcement – Governors strongly support investments made to state and local law enforcement agencies. Funding for the Violence Against Women Act prevention and prosecution programs, the Byrne Justice Assistance Grants and the Project Safe Neighborhoods program empower States to proactively reduce crime in their state and make communities safer.

On behalf of all Governors, we thank you for your continued support of these top NGA priorities for Fiscal Year 2023, and for focusing on funding our nation’s critical needs.

Sincerely,

Cc:
Chair and Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food
and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Chair and Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies
Chair and Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services,
Education, and Related Agencies
Chair and Ranking Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban
Development, and Related Agencies
Chairman and Ranking Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development,
Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Chairman and Ranking Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and
Related Agencies
Chair and Ranking Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Service,
Education, and Related Agencies
Chairman and Ranking Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, and Housing and
Urban Development, and Related Agencies