WASHINGTON, D.C. (WRIC) — On Tuesday, Sept. 12, Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine announced that they successfully secured nearly $135 million in federal funding for Virginia in the coming year.

This funding is part of pending government funding bills for 2023, and if passed is meant to go towards both statewide and regional programs in Virginia.

Funding planned for programs across Central Virginia include:

  • $10.6 million to complete additional necessary operations and maintenance along the James River Channel in Richmond
  • $3.2 million for the City of Petersburg to upgrade its 20-year-old Mission Critical Communication system, which coordinates emergency services for all first responders in the City and surrounding areas.
  • $1.5 million to support the Virginia Biotechnology Research Partnership in Richmond, which will directly create and save a combined 69 jobs, as well as go to purchasing new lab equipment and developing new training programs.
  • $1 million for Chesterfield County to support the Better Housing Coalition’s efforts to provide affordable housing and support services for homeless and low-income individuals at the Colbrook Family Apartments.
  • $700,000 for facility upgrades at the City of Richmond’s Main Street Station.
  • $694,000 for the Richard Bland College Guided Pathways for Success program, which assists with service, training and job placement for students from rural areas, underrepresented STEM groups, and students highly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • $500,000 for the City of Richmond to stabilize the Byrd Park Pump House to make it more available for public use and to preserve it for future generations

Full funding plans for Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia and Southside, the Shenandoah Valley, and Hampton Roads are also available, as well as funding for programs that will benefit communities across the state.

Should they be passed as-is, the 2023 federal budget bills will also include funding for many initiatives all across the country, including community violence prevention, funding for national vaccination campaigns and increasing rural broadband access. A full list of these federal programs can be found here.

“I’m proud to have worked to secure these investments for communities all throughout Virginia,” Warner said. “I look forward to seeing these diverse projects generate jobs, support Virginia`s tourism economy, make neighborhoods safer, and bring communities together.”

“The annual budget is always an important opportunity to fight for Virginia priorities and America’s leadership around the world,” Kaine said. “I’m pleased with how that effort is shaping up for the upcoming Fiscal Year. I will keep fighting to keep the many critical components of these bills intact as we get this budget across the finish line.”

The funding legislation is likely to go to the Senate floor for consideration later this year.