Elaine Luria secures funding for health, labor, education priorities

Congresswoman Elaine Luria (VA-02) announced House passage of nearly $13 billion in funding she requested for important health, labor, and education priorities, including increased funding for the Head Start program and career and technical education.

“Now more than ever, it’s so important to promote and emphasize a variety of paths to employment so our children, our veterans, and others are in a stronger position to succeed,” Congresswoman Luria said.“Speaking of success, Head Start is a critical federal program that offers education, health, and nutrition services to children in need. In so many cases, those early investments become advantages that last a lifetime. I’m proud to support Head Start.”

Congresswoman Luria played a key role in securing the funding by formally requesting the House Appropriations Committee include the following items in the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies funding bill that passed the full House of Representatives today as part of H.R. 2740, the first “minibus” package of fiscal year 2020 appropriations bills. (FY2020 spans from October 1, 2019 to September 30, 2020.)

• Career and Technical Education: $1.3 billion, an increase of $47 million over the fiscal year 2019 enacted level
• Head Start: $11.6 billion, an increase of $1.5 billion over the fiscal year 2019 enacted level

“Investments in education from early childhood to adulthood lift up families and help people achieve their full potential. Our fiscal year 2020 bills include significant increases for education programs, including Head Start and Career and Technical Education, which Congresswoman Luria and her colleagues advocated for tirelessly,” House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey said. “Elaine and I will continue to work together to ensure that our communities have access to the education and resources they need to thrive.”

At a recent House Armed Services Committee hearing, Congresswoman Luria highlighted the importance of post-service skills development for veterans. And according to Head Start, which turned 54 this year, the program annually puts 3,800 Coastal Virginia children in school.