Repeal of Health Taxes, Renewal of Ex-Im Bank, Increased Funding for Impact Aid Among Priorities Sinema Secures in Appropriations Bills

WASHINGTON, Dec. 19 -- Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, issued the following news release:

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- Sinema also secured Arizona defense, border, water, education, and economic priorities

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Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema secured a number of Arizona priorities in the end-of-year appropriations bills that passed the Senate.

Following six years of advocacy, Sinema secured the repeal of the costly and unnecessary Health Insurance Tax, Medical Device Tax, and Cadillac Tax. The repeal of these harmful taxes will help address rising health care costs for Arizona families and businesses and encourage investment in Arizona jobs.

Sinema also successfully ensured the long-term renewal of the Export-Import Bank, which helped 37 Arizona businesses finance more than $57 million in exports, creating good jobs in Arizona and growing the state's economy.

Thanks to Sinema's leadership, the Impact Aid Program, which ensures schools on federal, military, and tribal lands are equipped to provide Arizona students with a quality education, received an increase of $40 million.

"Today's Senate action shows that by reaching across the aisle and staying focused on delivering for Arizonans we can successfully make health care more affordable, open new markets to Arizona businesses, secure our border, and provide Arizona families with the tools they need to succeed," said Sinema.

Sinema also secured the following priorities:

- Funding for the University of Arizona's Near-Earth Object Survey Mission

- Extension of the White Mountain Apache Tribe's Water Rights Settlement

- Funding for Drought Contingency Plan implementation

- Funding for Customs and Border Patrol to hire an additional 600 port officers and agricultural specialists

- Funding for non-intrusive inspection equipment at U.S.-Mexico ports of entry in Arizona

- Unmanned Aerial Systems Technology upgrades for CBP

- An analysis of needed improvements to Tribal Detention Facilities including those in Arizona

- Increased funding for EPA wastewater project grants, which were previously awarded to projects in Nogales and Bisbee

- Greater accountability for U.S. Forest Service fire prevention and forest restoration efforts

- Funding for the National Diabetes Prevention Program

- Funding for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

- Funding for Alzheimer's prevention

- Funding for Community Health Centers, Graduate Medical Education, and the National Health Service Corps

- Passage of Sinema-backed bill increasing access to lower-cost insulin

- Lower threshold for the medical expense deduction

- Protection of miners' pensions and health care benefits

- Tax relief for beer, wine, and distilled spirits