HYDE-SMITH GAINS COMMITTEE APPROVAL FOR FY2026 TRANSPORTATION, HUD APPROPRIATIONS BILL
As Subcommittee Chair, Hyde-Smith Worked to Achieve Bipartisan Support for Bill that Benefits Nation & Mississippi
VIDEO: Subcommittee Chair Hyde-Smith Presents FY2026 Transportation, HUD Appropriations Bill.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today gained Senate Appropriations Committee approval of an appropriations bill she led that will make significant investments in air traffic safety transportation and infrastructure, and federal programs to address housing affordability and homelessness.
Hyde-Smith chairs the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee that wrote the FY2026 THUD Appropriations Bill that was approved on a bipartisan 27-1 vote, which moves the bill toward consideration by the full Senate.
“We’ve worked to achieve a strong bipartisan product that maximizes finite resources to carry out a broad range of programs and activities, ranging from highway safety to homelessness prevention to community development,” Hyde-Smith said.
“In the end, this bill is fiscally responsible and responsive to our nation’s needs, adhering to budgetary constraints, while making key investments to improve our nation’s transportation infrastructure and, among other things, fully funding existing rental assistance for seniors, the disabled, and working families,” the Senator added.
In presenting the THUD bill during the markup, Hyde-Smith noted that the January mid-air collision over the Potomac River and other air traffic control communications outages drove the need for the bill to fund aviation safety measures, including the Trump administration’s request for $4 billion to modernize the nation’s air traffic system and to hire 2,500 new air traffic controllers, as well as 91 additional safety inspectors and engineers.
The bill also reflects bipartisan support for programs like the Community Development Block Grant program, which helps state and local governments promote economic development and job creation. It provides robust funding for HUD Self-Sufficiency Programs to improve financial literacy, increase access to job training and educational opportunities, and help families and individuals transition from relying on HUD or other welfare assistance.
For Mississippi, Hyde-Smith worked to support programs, projects, and policies of benefit to communities across the state.
“I worked to ensure this bill would support surface, air, port, and rail transportation projects across Mississippi. We also tried to provide resources for housing, workforce development, and community improvement work,” Hyde-Smith said. “This is good start, but there’s more work to do before this becomes law. Overall, I’m pleased with how well Mississippi is treated in this bipartisan legislation.”
Mississippi communities should also benefit from continued funding for priority programs, including BUILD, the competitive Rural Bridge repair and rehabilitation program under which Mississippi is eligible to receive up to $55 million, the Port Infrastructure Development Program, Small Shipyards grants, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement Grants, and the National Scenic Byways Program.
Hyde-Smith worked to secure these examples of funding for Mississippi in the Senate’s FY2026 THUD Appropriations Bill:
Transportation
• Brookhaven Lincoln County Airport Fixed Base Operator Facility - $2,500,000
• I-55/I-69 Widening, DeSoto County – $2,000,000
• Lake Okhissa Access Improvements – $2,000,000
• Neshoba County MS 19 Widening – $2,000,000
• Natchez Canal Street Bridge Replacement – $2,000,000
• Hinds Community College Aviation Instruction Expansion (JVW) – $1,993,000
• City of Gulfport Dedeaux Road Widening – $1,500,000
• Meridian Regional Airport Construction - $1,000,000
• Greene County Regional Airport Development – $500,000
Housing and Urban Development
• Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence, Inc., Family Justice Center Expansion, Biloxi – $5,000,000
• Forrest County Agricultural High School Career and Technical Education Expansion - $5,000,000
• Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center – $3,000,000
• Vicksburg Floodwall Improvements – $3,000,000
• Mississippi Food Network Storage Capacity Enhancements – $3,000,000
• Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation – $2,000,000
• East Central Community College Veteran Center Building – $800,000
• Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Facility Improvements, Copiah County – $775,000
• Town of Cary Fire Station Improvements – $600,000
The Senate Appropriations Committee has now approved six of the 12 annual appropriations bills, which Senate Majority Leader Thune has committed to bringing to the full Senate for consideration. The Senate voted on Tuesday to proceed to consideration of the FY2026 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill.
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