27 Future Forum Member Bills and Provisions Included in the FY22 Omnibus Spending Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Members of the Future Forum Caucus included over 27 bills and provisions in the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus spending package addressing a range of policy issues. Future Forum members care deeply about responding to the concerns of young Americans and the included bills and provisions reflect their recognition of young voices and concerns.
Future Forum Members represented young Americans and their priorities through an array of funding requests. These included funding for Minority Serving Institutions, youth mental health grants, training for student veterans, research and initiatives supporting children with disabilities, future of work initiatives, and more.
Representative Darren Soto (FL-09), chair of the Future Forum Caucus, said of member contributions,
"By including these bills and provisions in the Fiscal Year 2022 Omnibus spending package, Future Forum Members have ensured that young Americans and their priorities are reflected in the budget. I am proud to see Future Forum's values represented in the budget, and am excited to continue our work uplifting young Americans."
Representatives Darren Soto (FL-09), Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Andy Levin (CA-49), Pete Aguilar (CA-31), and Derek Kilmer (WA-06) contributed bills and provisions in the Omnibus.
·Representative Soto, Future Forum Chairman: Promoted research and a report from NIST on how to address the issue of artificial intelligence and bias, promoting workforce development for jobs of the future, boasted research and funding support for children with disabilities, promoting remote voting resources for individuals with disabilities, and channeling resources to address rural veteran homelessness.
· Representative Diaz Barragán, Climate Change Task Force Co-Chair: Included 5 provisions, the Social Determinants of Health Program; Multiple Myeloma Reporting Language; and funding for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program, and the Port Security Grants Program.
· Representative Gallego, Immigration Task Force Co-Chair: Secured first-ever, dedicated funding for the Honorable August F. Hawkins Centers of Excellence to recruit and train a diverse teacher workforce.
· Representative Underwood, Healthcare Task Force Co-Chair:Included 13 provisions, the Bipartisan VA Nurse and Physician Assistant RAISE Act (H.R. 5575), $111 million in funding for school-based mental health grants, funding for maternal health programs, support for farmers on the front lines of climate change, closing loopholes to end the youth vaping epidemic, and supporting VA research to prevent veteran suicide.
· Representative Levin, Climate Change Task Force Co-Chair: Included the Drug-Free Communities Pandemic Relief Act, providing flexibility for community programs focused on the prevention of drug abuse.
· Representative Aguilar:Required a GAO report including a review and analysis of Hispanic Serving Institutions' (HSIs) facilities, funding challenges, and additional needs to better serve Hispanic communities.
· Representative Kilmer: Increased funding for the VA to provide more student veterans the chance to gain high-tech skills.
Please click here to access Member quotes about their inclusions in the FY 2022 budget.
These historic investments made by members of the Future Forum Caucus will deliver meaningful aid and services to our students, veterans, parents, and young Americans across the country. The Future Forum Caucus continues to make tremendous progress on issues important to young Americans, and our members look forward to underscoring that commitment further in the coming weeks and months.
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Established in 2015, Future Forum is a generational caucus of 36 young Members of Congress who focus on issues important to younger Americans. Since its inception, Future Forum has visited more than 50 cities in an effort to engage with millennial and Gen Z Americans where they live, work and go to school on issues such as college affordability, climate change and employment opportunities.
Twitter:@FFCongress / Website:https://futureforumcaucus-soto.house.gov