President Trump signed into law H.R. 1865 and H.R. 1158, two legislative packages to provide government funding for fiscal year (FY) 2020. The funding bills included two key provisions offered by Rep. Pete Aguilar.

The first was added by Rep. Aguilar to the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development appropriations bill and encourages the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reevaluate the formula that determines Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan limits in regions like San Bernardino County with Metropolitan Statistical Areas of 1,300 square miles or more. The changes would result in higher FHA loan limits and would increase access to affordable loans and increase home ownership rates in communities like the Inland Empire.

The second provision added by Aguilar secures an additional $3 million for the Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Scholarship Program, bringing annual funding for next year to $10 million. The program grants full tuition to eligible students pursuing degrees in the cyber security field, including students at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB).

“From helping more Inland Empire families become homeowners, to giving students in our community the training they need to secure good-paying jobs, my job in Congress is to support Inland Empire residents and make sure our community has the resources it needs. I fought for these provisions because they’ll have tangible impacts on the lives of San Bernardino County residents, and I’m proud they were signed into law by the president,” said Rep. Aguilar.

In addition to the legislation added by Rep. Aguilar, these bipartisan funding bills include other key priorities for the Inland Empire, such as increased funding for gun violence prevention research and full funding for the 2020 Census. Rep. Aguilar added his provisions to the funding bills through his role on the House Appropriations Committee, where he serves as Vice Chair.