WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) announced the inclusion of $6.52 million for Connecticut Congressionally Directed Spending projects in the Fiscal Year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations bill.

Committee passage is the first step in the process, and funding will only be made available when the bill is passed by Congress and signed into law. Murphy and Blumenthal are committed to pushing for passage and ensuring Connecticut priorities are reflected in the final spending package.

“As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I want to make sure we invest in Connecticut’s small towns and rural areas. I’m proud to have secured funding for these projects that will help fight tick-borne diseases, protect eastern forests, and strengthen community institutions in Cromwell, Winchester, and Madison. I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this budget to the President’s desk,” said Murphy.

“This $6.52 million in federal funding will greatly enhance the health and safety of Connecticut residents and protect our state’s wildlife. These investments will have far reaching impacts – guarding against the threat of tick-borne illnesses, protecting against invasive tree species, bolstering behavioral health services, and supporting facility upgrades in our local communities. I am proud that Senator Murphy and I were able to secure these funds for Connecticut," said Blumenthal.

Connecticut projects in the Committee-passed Fiscal Year 2023 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations bill include:

  • $300,000 for the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station to surveillance of beech leaf disease
  • $239,000 for the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station to monitor ticks and tick-borne pathogens
  • $380,000 for facility improvements at Adelbrook Behavioral and Development Services in Cromwell, CT
  • $1.98 million for renovations to a firehouse in Winchester
  • $3.625 million for renovations to a community center in Madison

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