Washington, D.C.—Today, President Biden signed the bipartisan government funding bill into law, which includes more than $10 million for community projects across Wake County spearheaded by Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02). This omnibus package also provides funding to create jobs in North Carolina, invest in innovation and medical research in the Triangle, and lower the high cost of childcare, college tuition, and housing.

“The projects funded by this legislation represent transformational investments in our people and our community,” said Congresswoman Ross. “Whether it’s programs at NC State and Wake Tech or improvements to our infrastructure and transportation systems, these projects will make a real difference in the lives of Wake County residents. Democrats and Republicans came together this week to put the interests of the American people first and to address the challenges we face as a country. I’m excited to continue working with local leaders to ensure that these investments deliver tangible results for our students, businesses owners, commuters, and families.”

Congresswoman Ross secured funding for 10 community projects in Wake County, including: 

• $500,000 for Raleigh/Wake City-County Bureau of Identification (CCBI) DNA Testing Equipment: CCBI will purchase the scientific instrumentation necessary to conduct DNA analysis on evidence collected from crime scenes, enabling them to fulfill DNA requests in a timely fashion, more accurately connect individuals with crime scene evidence, support police investigations, and avert wrongful criminal convictions. Congresswoman Ross and Wake County leaders have championed the construction of this DNA Lab.
• $300,000 for Morrisville Small Business Development Program: The funding will be used for financial support and assistance for small businesses, including events, networking activities, marketing and communication support, as well as the establishment of a database of information to enhance regular and ongoing engagement with this segment of the Morrisville community.
• $3,000,000 for South Raleigh Heritage Walk: The South Raleigh Heritage Walk, also known as the “Dix-Chavis Strollway / South Park Heritage Walk,” will celebrate Raleigh’s rich cultural history while connecting multiple communities on the southeast and southwest sides of the city. This project will provide a safe, accessible, multi-modal route to both parks.
• $1,000,000 for Cary Regional Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility: The Wake County Transit Plan includes a new GoCary Bus Operations and Maintenance Facility that will serve as a foundation for the growth of regional mobility options and support the largest planned expansion and improvement in bus service county-wide. It will help connect Cary to all Wake County communities, enhance access to transit, and create frequent, reliable urban transportation options.
• $1,030,405 for Town of Garner Streetscape and Parking Improvements on Rand Mill Road: The project is a comprehensive rehabilitation of the intersection of Main Street and Rand Mill Road in Downtown Garner.
• $2,000,000 for King's Ridge permanent, supportive housing: King’s Ridge is a new construction apartment community designed to end homelessness for over 100 Wake County families and individuals. The community is being modeled after other successful public-private partnerships that create permanent, supportive housing options.   
• $1,000,000 for Wake County Emergency Operations Center: This funding will be used to renovate a new emergency operations center (EOC). Wake County has currently operated out of the same facility since 1988, which no longer meets its needs.
• $900,000 for Town of Cary for Swift Creek Stormwater Management and Modeling Program: The funding will be used for data and advanced watershed analytics to proactively monitor and assess stormwater and floodplain management within the Swift Creek Basin for the benefit of public safety and water quality.
• $350,000 for North Carolina State University for computer science education: NC State’s Making CS STICK project will create and develop sustainable communities of teachers to support on-going integration of computer science (CS) in elementary education
• $600,000 for Wake Technical Community College for college preparation and success initiative: Through a collaboration between the NC State University Juntos Program and Wake Tech, Reach will provide targeted academic support, mentoring, and college pipeline experiences to 660 middle, high school, and college students and their families living in Eastern Wake County to put students on the path to graduation and professional success. 

The legislation also includes significant investments to: 

• Support the Ukrainian people as they continue to face attacks from Russia. The bill includes $13.6 billion in emergency funding for humanitarian, military, and economic support, as well as measures to help the millions of Ukrainian refugees fleeing the country.
• Reduce costs for working families in America by expanding child care and early learning programs to more working families, investing in America’s K-12 public schools, and making college more affordable. The bill increases the maximum for Pell Grants to $6,895, the largest expansion in more than a decade. It also includes $363 million for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
• Establish the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) to accelerate the pace of scientific breakthroughs for diseases such as ALS, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, and cancer.
• Create good-paying American jobs, putting North Carolinians to work rebuilding our infrastructure, helping small businesses grow and thrive, fostering the green energy jobs of tomorrow, and supporting high-quality job training. The bill designates $235 million for Registered Apprenticeships and $50 million to continue and expand Strengthening Community College Training Grants. It also includes $8.84 billion for the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support cutting-edge research in the Triangle and beyond.
• Support the vulnerable by meeting Americans basic needs, by strengthening nutrition assistance, and funding more affordable housing. The legislation includes $11 billion for new affordable housing, critical health, safety, and maintenance improvements to ensure the safety and quality of public and low-income housing and community development activities.

In addition, the bill reauthorizes the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), which has been one of Congresswoman Ross’ top priorities since taking office. VAWA makes vital improvements to programs and laws to combat gender-based violence based on extensive consultations with victim service providers, law enforcement, and other experts. This reauthorization includes a Ross-led bill, the Supporting Access to Nurse Exams Act, which addresses the national shortage of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), who are instrumental in providing medical care to survivors of sexual assault. VAWA also includes a Ross amendment that will open funding opportunities for the creation of databases detailing where these nurses are located, a pressing issue in North Carolina.

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