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Miss. Senator Highlights Items of Interest to Mississippi in Funding Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, on Thursday supported committee approval of an appropriations bill that would make resources available for Mississippi water systems, wastewater infrastructure, and unique cultural projects.
The FY2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill was approved on a 26-2 vote, which makes it available for debate by the full Senate. The bill funds the U.S. Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. Forest Service, and other agencies.
“Mississippi, unlike western states, doesn’t have a lot of federal land holdings, but the Interior appropriations bill is important for the help it can give our communities to address water and wastewater infrastructure and historical site management. I am pleased to support this measure and look forward to its consideration by the full Senate,” Hyde-Smith said.
Among the items of interest to Mississippi in the FY2026 Interior Appropriations Bill:
- $7.8 million for the Cities of Clinton, Bolton, and Raymond for Regional Wastewater Improvements
- $2.5 million for the DeSoto County Regional Utility Authority (DCRUA) Effluent Pump Station Project
- $1.17 million for the City of Natchez for Stormwater Infrastructure Improvements
- $500,000 for the City of Louisville for Historic Strand Theater Preservation and Restoration
There are significant policy provisions that would benefit Mississippi, including:
- $20 million for the American Battlefield Protection Program
- Report Language for Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to continue mineral assessments on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (Ole Miss)
- Report Language to direct EPA to continue to update and refine its draft of the Rodenticide Strategy
- $49 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund
- Report language adopted via amendment directing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore, enhance, and better manage habitat for waterfowl and wildlife at the Mathews Brake and Yazoo National Wildlife Refuges, in partnership with local landowners and nonprofit conservation organizations.
Within EPA funding, the committee approved $2.8 billion for the Clean Water and Drinking Water Revolving Funds that have been used successfully by communities throughout Mississippi to tackle water and wastewater infrastructure issues.
The National Parks in Mississippi would also benefit from the $3.3 billion to support our nation’s parks, preserve historic sites, and sustain staffing capacity to address visitor services and park management needs.
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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