Congresswoman Adams Secures Historic Wins in Omnibus

WASHINGTON, D.C. (December 21, 2022) – Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) has secured hundreds of millions of dollars for North Carolina priorities in the fiscal year 2023 omnibus. Victories include new programs to address HBCU & MSI research infrastructure and the maternal health crisis, as well as community project funding for the City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, and Cabarrus County.

A detailed summary of the bill is available here.

“Congresswoman Adams really knocked it out of the park this time,” said District 5 Charlotte City Councilmember Marjorie Molina.

Last week, Rep. Adams published an editorial in The Hill calling for the omnibus bill to address priorities for Black America, including making far-reaching investments in ending health disparities by race and tackling racial inequity in our education system.

Victories for Historically Black Colleges & Universities

“I am proud to have secured significant wins for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the federal omnibus for Fiscal Year 2023,” said Congresswoman Alma Adams, founder and co-chair of the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus. “Among those victories are $50 million for HBCU, TCU, and MSI Research and Development Infrastructure Grants, a program originally included in the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act. These planning and implementation grants are designed to promote transformational investments in research infrastructure at four-year HBCUs, TCUs, and other MSIs. However, the program is called IGNITE for a reason – this is only the starting point in making sure our schools have the resources and infrastructure to compete.

“The omnibus agreement also includes year-over-year increases in funding for vital HBCU and MSI programs, as well as $10 million to establish a research network that is comprised of and supports MSIs to study health disparities in maternal health outcomes. I am thankful for the hard work of our institutions and our stakeholders in helping us deliver for HBCUs and MSIs.”

Ending America’s Maternal Health Crisis

“Almost three years ago, Congresswoman Lauren Underwood, then-Senator Kamala Harris, and I introduced the Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, legislation to address our country’s maternal health crisis,” said Adams, co-founder and co-chair of the Black Maternal Health Caucus. “While I am disappointed that many specific Momnibuspriorities were left out of the omnibus, especially those addressing social determinants of health, this bill includes many historic investments in maternal health that will save lives, including $7 million in awards to community-based organizations to achieve maternal health equity – an idea first proposed in the Kira Johnson Act.”

Other Legislative Victories for Adams

1. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is funded at $154 billion, an increase of $13.4 billion over fiscal year 2022. This follow’s Rep. Adams’ work to revise the Thrifty Food Plan to reflect the current reality of the hunger crisis in America.
2. The omnibus updates the summer food service program to permanently allow states to provide meals and summer EBT benefits nationwide to eligible children as other options in addition to meals provided at congregate feeding sites. Adams has been a consistent champion for extending summer food benefits to U.S. students and children.
3. Two of Rep. Adams’ Financial Services Committee bills (RILA and her Whistleblower bill) were included in the omnibus:
   1. H.R.4865 - Registration for Index Linked Annuities (RILA) Act
   2. H.R.7195 - To provide for certain whistleblower incentives and protections.
4. Rep. Adams & the late Rep. McEachin’sH.R. 6805 African-American Burial Grounds Preservation Act legislation was included in the omnibus.

Community Project Funding

Congresswoman Adams announced $20,946,200 in Community Project Funding that she previously secured for North Carolina’s 12th District in the House spending bills has been included in the final 2023 appropriations government funding package. This funding responds directly to some of the most pressing needs in the Charlotte region, and specifically includes $7.9 million for affordable housing across Mecklenburg and Cabarrus Counties.

“I am proud to have secured $20,946,200 in Community Project Funding in this bill that I know meets long overdue community needs in North Carolina’s 12th District,” said Rep. Alma Adams (NC-12). “These investments create jobs with better pay, improve food security, build affordable housing, strengthen our communities, and start to tackle climate change.”

Rep. Adams championed funding for 15 projects that will directly benefit North Carolina’s 12th District residents. These include:

1. $1,000,000 for the Alternatives To Violence: Cure Violence Implementation
2. $750,000 for the Carolina Theatre Restoration and Construction
3. $575,000 for the Central Piedmont Community College, Charlotte, NC for facilities and equipment
4. $1,300,000 for the Charlotte Center for Newcomers
5. $600,000 for the Charlotte Community Health Clinic, Inc., Charlotte, NC for facilities and equipment
6. $1,000,000 for the Data and Dashboards: Research and Enhancements to Ensure Mecklenburg County's Criminal Justice System is a Leader in Data-Informed Decision Making
7. $1,500,000 for the Historic West End Critical Home Repair Program
8. $2,000,000 for the Huntersville Lot Acquisition for Affordable Housing
9. $4,000,000 for the Local Foods Production Distribution Center
10. $1,000,000 for the North Mecklenburg County Housing Preservation Initiative
11. $216,200 for the Presbyterian Hospital DBA Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center, Charlotte, NC for facilities and equipment
12. $1,400,000 for the Preservation of Affordable Housing in Druid Hills
13. $3,375,000 for the STEM Learning Laboratory Construction
14. $230,000 for the University of North Carolina System, Chapel Hill, NC for mental health training and services
15. $2,000,000 for the WeBuild Concord Collective Impact for Affordable Housing

The twelve-bill government funding package will create good-paying American jobs, grow opportunity for the middle class and small businesses, and provide a lifeline for working families. Taken together, the funding for North Carolina’s 12th District and the funding increases for critical government programs will continue to reverse decades of disinvestment in our communities.

After the Senate passes this legislation, we will have the opportunity to vote for the package here in the House. It will then go to President Biden’s desk for his signature.

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