COLUMBIA, SC - Today, Congressman James E. Clyburn hailed the final passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023. This legislation includes more than $111 million to fund community projects in the Sixth Congressional District of South Carolina, as well as additional funding for key priorities and other legislative items. The CPF allocations were requested by local entities to address community needs.
“I strive to provide essential support to the communities I represent, especially those that have been systemically and historically neglected,” said Congressman Clyburn. “This funding package includes some basic and essential investments in local communities that helps make the promise of America more accessible and affordable for all.”
South Carolina 6th District projects funded in the FY 2023 omnibus appropriation legislation are:
| Project | Sponsor | Description | Funding Received |
| Orangeburg Railroad Corner Project | City of Orangeburg | Rehabilitation of the historic State Theater on Boulevard Street near downtown Orangeburg. The rehabilitated facility will house a Civil Rights museum that will serve as a centerpiece of Orangeburg's Railroad Corner Redevelopment.
|
$703,256
|
| South Carolina State University ROTC Training Center | South Carolina State University |
Construction of a modern 35,000 sqft. ROTC Multipurpose Complex on campus to provide training and academic space for ROTC cadets. The facility will house classrooms, training rooms, living quarters, multi-purpose spaces and administrative spaces.
|
$4,000,000 |
| Claflin University Bioscience Research and Technology Center | Claflin University | Construction of a new science and technology building that will serve as the central core for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics research at Claflin University. | $17,417,000 |
| City of Sumter COPS Technology Project | City of Sumter | Upgrades to ballistic evidence system. | $510,000 |
| Lakes Marion and Moultrie, SC | US Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District | Water infrastructure project for the Orangeburg-Berkeley Reach, which will provide water to the U.S. Highway 176 corridor in Orangeburg and Berkeley counties in the Camp Hall area.
|
$10,511,000 |
| Charleston Peninsula Coastal Storm Risk Management Project | US Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District | Preconstruction, Engineering, and Design of the project to protect the peninsula of Charleston from coastal storms. | $13,325,000 |
| Charleston Flood Risk Management Project | US Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District | Begin new feasibility study to mitigate inland, tidal, and non-coastal storm related flooding throughout Charleston. | $200,000 |
| Charleston Harbor Project | US Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District
|
Reimbursement for local funds advanced for the Charleston Harbor Post-45 Deepening Project. | $10,000,000 |
| USC Civil Rights Center |
University of South Carolina |
Planning, design, and execution of sitework and utility infrastructure phase of a construction project to house the University’s Center for Civil Rights History and Research. This Center will chronicle, preserve, and share the contributions of South Carolina to the American Civil Rights Movement. | $1,500,000 |
| Benedict College Academic Center | Benedict College | Construction of the Benedict College Music Academic Complex to expand Benedict College offerings and host local, regional and national music events. | $3,000,000 |
| Skilled Trades Training Equipment | Midlands Technical College | Expansion and upgrades of training equipment for the Advanced Manufacturing and Skilled Trades programs. | $1,000,000 |
| Hampton County Recreation Complex | Hampton County | Construction of a comprehensive recreational complex to improve the health and social well-being of Hampton County citizens. | $3,000,000 |
| Black River Park Project | Town of Kingstree | Development of Black River Park and Trail. | $4,600,000 |
| Pee Dee Healthy Start Workforce Development Initiative | Pee Dee Healthy Start, Inc. | Provide career-credentials, training, and other workforce services to high-risk and at-risk youth, ex-offenders, persons with disabilities, and the long-term unemployed and underemployed in Williamsburg, Florence, and Sumter counties. | $1,000,000 |
| USC Biomedical Research Project | University of South Carolina | Biomedical research and facilities upgrade. | $4,500,000 |
| USC Stroke Research Project | University of South Carolina | Facilities and equipment for stroke research and care. | $2,505,000 |
| CIU Nursing Education Program | Columbia International University | Includes the purchase of equipment. | $915,000 |
| MUSC Research Development and Facilities Upgrade | Medical University of South Carolina | Medical University of South Carolina for facilities and equipment. | $6,250,000 |
| Roper St. Francis Facilities Upgrade | Roper St. Francis Hospital | Facilities and equipment upgrade. | $3,775,000 |
| Roper St. Francis Oncology Care | Roper St. Francis Hospital | Facilities and equipment for oncology care. | $6,475,000 |
| USC Alzheimer’s Project | University of South Carolina | Facilities and equipment for Alzheimer’s diagnosis and care. | $7,750,000 |
| USC School of Law Center Project | University of South Carolina | Law center, including curriculum development, Student scholarships, and teacher stipends. | $950,000 |
| Jasper YMCA Facility |
Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry | Expansion of the YMCA recreational facility in Jasper County to provide recreational activities and other critical services to low-income families that reside in Jasper County.
|
$1,500,000 |
| Haven at Palmer Pointe |
Columbia Housing Authority | Close the funding gap on an affordable housing development project in Columbia, S.C. | $3,000,000 |
| Alex Chatman Judicial Complex-Auditorium | Williamsburg County | Renovation of the Alex Chatman Judicial Complex-Auditorium to bring it up to compliance with building and fire codes to allow the facility to remain open to serve the public for community events and judicial matters. | $750,000 |
| The Second Chance Project | Community Foundation of the Lowcountry | Employment for at-risk youth in local theater productions. The program will train participants in the fundamentals of theater production, acting and support, and Gullah culture. Participants will learn their cultural roots, develop positive social networks, and increase their personal resiliency to reduce the risk of violence and criminal justice involvement in the community. | $500,000 |
| Calhoun County Emergency Operations Center | Calhoun County | Construction of a new Emergency Operations Center to serve as the central point for county emergency response agencies to manage response and recovery efforts for any major disaster in Calhoun County. | $1,668,263 |
| Carolina Youth Development Center Security Enhancement | Carolina Youth Development Center | Security equipment and technology. | $361,000 |
| Total | $111,665,519 |
In addition to securing funding for these community projects, there are additional priorities of Congressman Clyburn included in the spending package impacting South Carolina:
- The Southeast Crescent Regional Commission will receive $20 million in support of its mission to build sustainable communities and strengthen economic growth across seven Southern states.
- An increase to $19 million in the total authorized funding for the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor, first created in 1996 by legislation authored by Congressman Clyburn to preserve and promote the natural, historic, and cultural assets of a 17-county area of South Carolina and encourage more heritage tourism in the region.
- The omnibus legislation includes over $1 billion for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority serving institutions (MSIs), an increase of over $100 million from FY 22 levels. This will provide additional formula funding for South Carolina’s HBCUs. Additional funding opportunities for HBCUs and other MSIs include:
- $11 million for HBCU Historic Preservation, a $1 million increase over FY22, for a program created after Congressman Clyburn secured a 1998 General Accounting Office report that identified historic structures on HBCU campuses in need of restoration (this allocation is part of $204,515,000 for the National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund, which also includes $29,000,000 for competitive grants to preserve the sites and stories of the Civil Rights movement);
- $50 million in new funding that Congressman Clyburn worked to secure for a program to promote investments in research infrastructure at HBCUs and other MSIs;
- $10 million for workforce development and training partnerships at HBCUs in South Carolina and Hispanic Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges in New Mexico will receive to support plutonium pit production; and
- $60 million for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science in support of their engagement with HBCUs and MSIs to build research capacity and workforce development. This funding is directly connected to Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm’s visit to South Carolina State University where she met with the leaders from all of South Carolina’s HBCUs at the request of Congressman Clyburn.
- Two Beaufort post offices will be named in honor of two historic Black leaders. The post office located at located at 11 Robert Smalls Parkway Suite 4 C in Beaufort will be named for Robert Smalls and the post office located at 501 Charles Street in Beaufort will be named for Harriet Tubman.
- The Savannah River Site will receive over $1.6 billion in funding, a $55 million increase from last year. This includes full funding for Payment in Lieu of Taxes to provide critical funding for schools, emergency services, and county operations in Aiken, Allendale, and Barnwell counties.
- Nearly $100 million for research projects throughout the state that will foster the development of cutting-edge technology while providing tangible training for students at several South Carolina institutions of higher education.
- $11.5 million for the Rural Energy Savings Program, an initiative originally introduced by Congressman Clyburn in 2010 for energy efficiency improvements in rural areas.
- The Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program will receive an additional $364 million to bring high-speed broadband service to unserved areas. These funds are in addition to the $65 billion for affordable, high-speed internet service included in the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” in 2021.
- Language throughout the bill and committee reports directing departments and agencies to target spending in certain programs to persistent poverty communities through the “10-20-30” formula and other mechanisms, including language directing the Office of Management and Budget to take steps to target funding to these areas in programs across the federal government.
- $100 million to develop a domestic nuclear fuel capacity, in alignment with the bipartisan and bicameral International Nuclear Energy Act, introduced by Representatives Clyburn and Donalds and Senators Manchin and Risch. This legislation establishes an Executive Office for Nuclear Energy Policy to promote engagement with ally and partner nations to develop a civil nuclear export strategy and offset China and Russia’s growing influence on international nuclear energy development.
- $600 million to combat the water crisis in Jackson, Mississippi.
- $1.5 billion for the National Park Service to use for construction projects necessary to mitigate the consequences of wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters.
- The Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act, which ensures the peaceful transfer of power and prevents any future subversive actions like those of MAGA Republicans who sought to change the outcome of the 2020 election. These reforms clarify the role of the Vice President, Congress, state election officials and federal judges in the counting and certification of votes. These measures will ensure that Congress efficiently receives an accurate certificate of state voting results, combating undue interference in the electoral count process.
The legislation now goes to President Biden for his signature.
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