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A few weeks ago, I witnessed the grand opening of the new Berryville Public Library. You could feel the buzz of excitement throughout the crowd, with seniors, young children, families, and local community leaders all eager to enter the brand-new building. It was heartwarming to attend this event, but an even greater honor to be a part of bringing this project to fruition.
As part of the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations process, I secured $1 million in Community Project Funding to help fund the construction of the library and help meet the needs of this project despite inflated costs following the pandemic. Now, Carroll County has a new library where the community can gather to learn and fellowship.
The Berryville Public Library isn’t the only project for which I’ve secured federal funding. Since 2022, I’ve been proud to secure more than $180 million for projects across the Third District of Arkansas including…
- $59 million for the construction of the Springdale Northern Bypass;
- $21 million for the construction of future I-49;
- $17 million for XNA development, including a new air traffic control tower and access road;
- $3 million for water system improvements in Huntsville;
- $1.37 million for an MRI unit in Berryville;
- $500,000 for upgrades to Mulberry’s community food pantry; and many more.
As you can see, these are consequential projects.
For today’s policy brief as the August district work period comes to a close, I want to provide some details on the Community Project Funding process and how I’ve been able to bring federal dollars back to Arkansas’s Third District.
Let’s start with a general overview of federal discretionary spending and Congress’ role. Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the Constitution of the United States says, “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” This provision establishes Congress’ authority to determine and exercise oversight over federal funding. In practice, this responsibility falls primarily on the Appropriations Committees—the committee on which I serve in the House.
Each year, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees write twelve appropriations bills that determine how much funding federal departments, agencies, and programs receive. While I have a significant role in shaping all twelve, as the Chairman of the House Appropriations Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Subcommittee, I directly oversee one of these bills.
Within certain appropriations bills, including my THUD bill, a portion of the funding is allocated for Community Project Funding, or CPF.
The CPF process gives members of Congress an opportunity to advocate for specific projects in their districts that meet strict eligibility requirements. Instead of leaving every spending decision to federal bureaucrats in Washington who may have never visited communities like Berryville, the CPF process allows Members who know their districts best to request funding for projects in their communities.
Now let’s discuss what CPF is NOT. It is not a blank check for members of Congress to fund whatever they want.
To ensure the utmost integrity in the CPF process, there are very strict eligibility parameters that projects must meet to qualify for federal taxpayer funding. Entities that receive funding cannot be for-profit and the projects requested must have a federal nexus, meaning that only projects covered by a federal authorization law can be funded. Members of Congress are also limited in the number of projects they can request, and every project request must be publicly disclosed on a member’s website, along with a disclosure that the member has no financial interest in the project. You can see this on my website HERE.
Importantly, CPF does not create additional federal spending. These are dollars that would otherwise be allocated through the normal appropriations process and be spent by federal agencies through grants or similar programs. CPF simply gives Members of Congress an opportunity to advocate for a portion of those funds to be used to address needs in their districts.
Throughout the year, I meet with local leaders across the district from mayors to city administrators and more. We discuss their community’s needs whether it is a new road, critical repairs to an aging wastewater system, or better access to healthcare. I take these insights back to Washington and work to ensure that some of these needs are met through the CPF process.
There is never a guarantee that a project will receive funding, or that it will receive the full amount requested. But when a project meets the requirements and makes it through the appropriations process, that funding can sometimes be the final piece needed to get a project off the ground—or, in the case of the Berryville Public Library, help get it across the finish line.
CPF is an extension of Congress’ constitutional authority over federal spending. But more importantly, the process gives me an opportunity to help bring federal resources back home for projects that can make a meaningful difference. |