Source: United States Senator for California – Dianne Feinstein
Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today applauded Senate passage of the fiscal year 2023 omnibus appropriations bill that includes national priorities that the senator authored.
“The omnibus funding bill reflects our nation’s values. It includes several provisions that I’ve championed – from fighting climate change to removing dangerous chemicals from the personal care products we use every day to protecting women from violence – and I’m proud to support it.
“I want to thank Chairman Leahy and Ranking Member Shelby for working with committee members to craft this bipartisan bill. It’s a fitting capstone for both of their distinguished careers.”
Personal Care Products Safety Act
The omnibus bill includes major provisions of the Personal Care Products Safety Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Feinstein and Susan Collins (R-Maine) to protect consumer health and strengthen the Food and Drug Administration’s authority to ensure the safety of personal care products.
After years of negotiations among Congress, the private sector and consumer-advocacy groups, I’m delighted that provisions from our Personal Care Products Safety Act will finally become law,” Feinstein said. “Americans use personal care products – like shampoo, deodorant, cosmetics and much more – every single day. These products are an inextricable part of our daily lives. Yet the law that governs their safety standards hasn’t been updated in more than 80 years. Passing our bill is a major advance in protecting consumers from dangerous products as FDA’s oversight tools will finally be brought into the 21st century.”
Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act
The omnibus bill includes the Driftnet Modernization and Bycatch Reduction Act, Senator Feinstein’s bipartisan bill to phase out the use of harmful large mesh drift gillnets in federal waters.
“I’m excited that our bill to phase out harmful drift gillnets was included in the omnibus government funding bill and is poised to become law,” said Senator Feinstein. “Large mesh drift gillnets kill indiscriminately, leaving a trail of dead or injured marine life behind. We must be better stewards of our oceans and fisheries. Federal waters off the coast of California are one of the last places these deadly nets are still being used. Our bill would finally remove them while helping the swordfish industry transition to more sustainable and profitable alternatives.”
Violence Against Women Act
Senator Feinstein’s legislation to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act was signed into law earlier this year. The omnibus bill includes $700 million to fund the programs authorized by that law, a 22 percent increase over the previous year.
“Simply put, this additional VAWA funding will save lives,” Feinstein said. “We’ve seen a rise in domestic violence and sexual assault in recent years. This new funding will prevent violence, hopefully stopping it before it turns deadly and help survivors recover.”
Additional Feinstein priorities
- $9.5 million for the Smithsonian Women’s History Museum, which was created by bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Feinstein and Collins and signed into law in 2020.
- $300 million to support biomanufacturing facilities throughout the United States.
- $803 million for the Federal Highway Administration Emergency Relief Program to reimburse states for costs to repair damaged roads and bridges from eligible disasters.
- $3 billion for the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program communities recover from major declared disasters.
- Requires the Food and Drug Administration to report to Congress what steps it’s taking to protect the public from phthalates in food, including details on how these dangerous chemicals are getting into the food supply.
- Directs the National Institutes of Health to support research on whether sex, race and other variables influence COVID-19 study outcomes.
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