WASHINGTON, DC -- The U.S. Senate approved a spending bill last night to provide $463.5 billion for several national priorities including education, medical research, veterans and military health care, transportation, and energy and environmental programs. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Appropriations Committee, supported the fiscal year 2007 funding resolution to boost funding that will benefit many Rhode Islanders. Under the new spending plan, Pell Grants will be increased $260 per year, up to $4,310 per student. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) will get a $620 million boost to fund over 500 research grants to help find a cure for deadly diseases. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will get a $3.6 billion increase to improve its vital medical care -- including in-patient, out-patient, mental health and long term care - for our nation's veterans. And in order to take better care of our current military members, the bill includes an additional $1.4 billion to help treat service members wounded in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. The bill will also boost funding for programs to help improve energy efficiency, helping Rhode Islanders save money on their energy bills. In addition, it will restore vital funding that was cut by the Bush Administration, to help communities provide safe, clean water to residents, and provide funding for Rhode Island transportation projects as authorized in the 2005 highway and transit reauthorization legislation. Expanding College Financial Aid: The legislation will provide $13.6 billion for Pell Grants -- an increase of $615.4 million over last year -- raising the maximum Pell Grant by $260 to $4,310. "This legislation provides significant funding to help educate our kids and allow more deserving students to attend college. After several years of work, I am pleased we were finally able to raise Pell grants," said Reed. "But with college tuitions continuing to rise, Pell Grants need to keep pace. We need to do better and increase the maximum Pell Grant to $5,100." Boosting Health Research and Medical Care: The National Institutes of Health is funded at $28.9 billion, an increase of $620 million over last year, for research to cure debilitating and possibly deadly diseases. Meanwhile, Community Health Centers would receive $1.9 billion, an increase of $207 million, to finance more than 300 new or expanded health centers. "We were also able to provide a modest increase to NIH to allow them to expand groundbreaking research efforts to better treat and cure conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease," said Reed. "Community Health Centers provide invaluable health services to communities and people who otherwise may not have access to quality care. This legislation will help these centers to continue their important work in Rhode Island and across the nation." Each year, Community Health Centers in Rhode Island receive about 350,000 visits and perform over 600,000 procedures, reducing the burden on the state's hospitals and emergency rooms. Improving Medical Care for Veterans and Active Duty Personnel: The bill provides $32.3 billion for the VA, an increase of $3.6 billion over the Fiscal 2006 level to help our brave men and women who have served, with $271 million to improve veteran medical care facilities. "We need a VA system that is able to serve all our veterans as honorably as they served our country. It is imperative that we meet our veterans' health care needs now and in the future," said Reed, the acting Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs. "The biggest cost of any war is the human cost. President Bush's past budgets have short changed our veterans and our current military personnel. This increase will bring us closer to where we need to be to provide adequate care for all the soldiers and veterans who need it." Improving Energy Efficiency and Clean Water Infrastructure: The bill also increases funding for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy programs to $1.5 billion and provides $5 million for the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, which Reed worked to include in the legislation. The bill also restores $1 billion in vital funding, cut by the Administration, to help states and communities with the construction of drinking water, wastewater, and storm water infrastructure and for water quality protection. "The funding included in this bill will help protect our environment and natural resources while at the same time helping our citizens save money on their energy bills," stated Reed. Fully Funding Rhode Island Transportation Projects: The legislation will also fully fund the federal highway program as authorized in the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act of 2005. Reed stated, "The federal funding guaranteed to Rhode Island through the highway reauthorization bill is essential to maintaining ongoing and future transportation projects throughout the state. I am pleased that we have taken this step to make sure that this full funding is available." The bipartisan measure, which was approved by a vote of 81 to 15, also eliminated billions of dollars worth of special-interest provisions that were inserted into previous appropriations bills with little or no oversight. "I commend Chairman Byrd and Chairman Obey for their leadership in quickly passing this vital legislation. These spending bills should have been completed by the last Congress," concluded Reed. "By passing this bill we are taking an important step toward cleaning up the financial mess left over by the Republican-led Congress and making wise investments in America's future."