WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Roger Wicker, R-Miss., today voted for H.R. 6147, a package of four appropriations bills: Interior & Environment; Financial Services & General Government; Transportation, Housing & Urban Development; and Agriculture. The Senate has now passed seven of the twelve annual appropriations bills ahead of the September 30 deadline.

“These four appropriations bills would promote a range of priorities that include improving safe drinking water, combating terrorist financing, renewing housing assistance for seniors, and supporting farmers and rural communities,” Wicker said. “We will continue working to fund these and other programs to benefit Mississippians and to prevent a government shutdown.”

Provisions of the bills important to Mississippi include:

• Increased funding to $12.3 million for Senator Wicker’s Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance Act;
• The Jones-Wicker-Scott Amendment to increase funding to $8 million for Historic Preservation Grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities;
• The Durbin-Wicker Amendment to audit Amtrak’s on-time performance;
• $175 million for Essential Air Service to promote passenger-air service at rural airports;
• $3.3 billion for the highway trust fund, and $800 million for a bridge replacement and rehabilitation program;
• $1.6 billion for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), including a prohibition on closing FSA county offices; and

Funding for a $425 million pilot grant and loan program to expand rural broadband access.