Congressman C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger joined his fellow appropriators in passing legislation that will support economic development, including $390 million for NASA’s Dragonfly program to explore the habitability of Saturn’s largest moon, which is led by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, in North Laurel; and law enforcement across Maryland.
The $85.5 billion Commerce, Justice and Science appropriations bill for fiscal 2023 now heads to the full U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
The bill, which totals $7.6 billion above current spending levels, funds agencies and programs in the Departments of Commerce and Justice, as well as NASA and the National Science Foundation.
Top priorities also include:
● $1.3 million for the Baltimore City Police to purchase license plate scanners;
● $2 million for an artificial intelligence research center at Morgan State University;
● $390 million for NASA’s Dragonfly program to explore the habitability of Saturn’s largest moon, which is led by the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory in Howard County;
● $4 million for the Digital Coast program, which helps coastal communities including those along the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean manage environmental issues;
● $150 million for a new Community Based Violence Intervention grant program to help local communities such as Baltimore address gang and gun violence;
● $40 million to help states implement red flag laws;
● $175 million to implement the STOP School Violence Act.