Draft appropriation bills passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee last week include more than $513 million for infrastructure and environmental projects in Washington, according to an announcement from Sen. Patty Murray.
The legislation includes $1 million for Centralia College for “equipment for a hydrogen and battery science program” at the school, which provides for “related facility modifications.”
On Tuesday, Murray, who chairs the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced that the committee had voted to advance the commerce, justice, science and related agencies; interior, environment and related agencies; transportation, housing and urban development, and related agencies; and state, foreign operations and related programs appropriations bills for fiscal year 2025. As committee chair, Murray was tasked with negotiating and writing the legislation package.
“I am proud to have passed another four bills out of committee and to have written each of them with the values and priorities of Washington state in mind,” Murray said in a statement. “I worked hard to boost funding for salmon restoration efforts, to provide more resources to live up to our commitment to Tribes, to focus on protecting our public lands, and to make certain our federal wildland firefighters get a pay raise — not a pay cut. I was especially focused on delivering strong investments in advanced manufacturing and all kinds of cutting-edge research, so much of which happens in our great state — and I was proud to deliver the most funding ever to stop violence against women, especially on Tribal lands.”
According to Murray, the legislation includes $124.45 million for Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) projects and $388.8 million for programmatic funding. The funding for Centralia College is one of the 14 CDS projects Murray requested.
Under the legislation, Public Utility District No. 1 in Skamania County will receive $1.5 million for improved drinking water infrastructure.
The appropriations bills include $1.455 billion for the Native American housing programs, an $111 million increase over fiscal year 2024 and a record funding level for the programs. The legislation also includes $4.32 billion for the homeless assistance grants program and $145.5 million for the family self-sufficiency program.
“Importantly, I made sure we strengthened federal investments to build more affordable housing, sustain rental assistance, and reduce homelessness,” Murray said in a statement. “This will benefit every community in Washington state as we work to build more homes and lower housing costs. I secured funding increases for public transit that will continue to support the expansion of light rail, bus rapid transit, and of course our state’s ferry system.”
