The U.S. Capitol building in Spring. Orhan Cam
The U.S. Capitol building in Spring. Orhan CamORHAN CAM ocam@mfa.gov.tr

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, a Democrat who represents the first congressional district, announced that the House of Representatives passed a budget bill on Wednesday to avert a shutdown during a press conference held from the steps of the Capitol building.

The bill is a $450 billion package that would provide funding for certain federal departments. If it passes the U.S. Senate and is signed by President Joe Biden, it will prevent a shutdown in funding for those departments by Friday.

Another budget bill must be voted on by March 22.

The bipartisan bill passed the House with a 339-85 vote. A majority of Democrats – 207 – voted for it and 132 Republicans joined them in passing the bill.

Stansbury said that if the bill passes the U.S. Senate and is signed by Biden, it would “get us through the rest of the year.” Stansbury said “hopefully, the president signs it on Friday.”

She said the budget package contains the 15 community-based projects she had been pushing for in her district. The projects include crime, homelessness, early childhood education, water infrastructure, roads and economic development.

“There are lots of important wins with this bill,” she said.

Stansbury said the bill did not include what she called “extreme riders” on fundamental policy issues around diversity, the rights of women, and veterans.

Stansbury said there is still unfinished work. The House of Representatives next will consider a supplemental bill regarding national and international security.

When asked if she would support a supplemental bill that included funding for Israel in light of the war that nation is waging on Palestinians in Gaza, Stansbury said “it is a complete nonstarter to pass any kind of funding that does not address the issues happening in Gaza right now.”

“We have to address the humanitarian crisis and protect the lives of all those suffering right now on the ground,” she said.

The 15 community projects include:

$1,000,000 in Valencia County for the Peralta Fire Station.
$963,000 in Sandoval County for the Sandoval County Sheriff Vehicles.
$500,000 for Statewide Forensic Laboratory DNA Analysis by State Police.
$1,000,000 in Mescalero for the Mescalero Apache Head Start Center.
$850,000 in Sandia Pueblo for the Pueblo of Sandia Child Development Center.
$850,000 in Albuquerque for the Corn Maiden Early Learning Center at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.
$500,000 in Ruidoso for the Early Childhood Education Center.
$3,000,000 in Albuquerque for the homeless Youth Center.
$994,950 in Albuquerque for Transitional Housing for Families Experiencing Homelessness.
$500,000 in Albuquerque for Empowering Homeless Youth with Independence, Life Skills & Workforce Development.
$959,752 in Albuquerque for the Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority for the Aquifer Storage and Recovery Project.
$959,752 in Las Lunas for the village of Los Lunas for a Water Extension Project. This funding will help to construct water utility lines to connect rural households in Valencia County to the village’s utility system.
$850,000 in Santa Rosa for the Santa Rosa Blue Hole Access Project.
$1,466,279 in Rio Rancho for Sara Road.
$850,000 in Bernalillo for the El Zocalo-Sena Building Renovation Project.

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