Zinke Secures Over $27 Million for Western Montana Roads, Bridges, and Infrastructure Projects in the Final FY26 Appropriations Package

Washington, D.C. - Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke announced that he secured over $27 million in infrastructure funding for Montana in H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. The package includes the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education appropriations bills. As a member of House Appropriations Committee and of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development subcommittee, Congressman Zinke played a large part in crafting this package.

With House passage of this legislation package as well as of H.R. 7147 Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2026 today, all 12 FY26 appropriations bills have now passed the House of Representatives. Five bills have passed the Senate, while three have already been signed into law, marking significant progress toward completing the federal funding process through regular order. This would be only the fourth time Congress has passed all 12 appropriations bills through regular order since the current budget rules took effect in 1977, and the first time since 1997.

"I've worked with county commissioners and local leaders for years on these projects, and now we're finally securing the support they deserve," said Zinke. "This bill funds vital projects that Washington often overlooks but are essential to the people who live there. Seely Lake's wastewater treatment plant, replacement of the Noxon Bridge, road improvements in Ravalli County, and guardrail installations along the North Fork are prime examples of what Congress should be spending money on. These are good, community driven, shovel ready projects, that come from the ground up, not from bureaucrats who've never been to the west. I urge the Senate to act quickly and pass this bill, fully funding the government for fiscal year 2026."

Zinke's Community Project Funding Requests:

• $10,000,000 for the Seeley Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant
• $10,000,000 for the Sanders County Noxon Bridge Replacement, Phase I
• $2,500,000 for the Ravalli County Wastewater Treatment Plant
• $454,000 for the Rural Airport Reconstruction and Emergency Services Expansion
• $1,150,000 for the Repaving Marten Creek Road
• $1,000,000 for the Flathead County North Fork Road Guardrails
• $1,000,000 for the Groff Lane Bridge Replacement
• $1,000,000 for the Old Corvallis Road Repair

Additional Montana Wins:

• Recommends the Department of Transportation to prioritize low-population rural airports and report on counties eligible for the Essential Air Service program.
• Focuses bridge replacement and rehabilitation resources on counties with fewer than 20,000 residents.
• Requires FAA reporting on addressing staffing shortages at federal contract air traffic control towers.
• Recommends expanding eligibility for rural highway infrastructure grants in counties with fewer than 50,000 people.
• Advances modernization planning for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy campus.
• Ensures transparency and stakeholder engagement for UAS Beyond Visual Line of Sight rulemaking.
• Blocks a federal commercial motor vehicle speed limiter mandate.
• Prohibits the use of funding to require driver-facing cameras in federal apprenticeship programs.
• Funding for Project-Based Rental Assistance
• Creates Housing Choice Voucher Pilot Program focused on a localized approach in the Rocky Mountain West, targeting markets with low rental availability.
• Report language to allow positive rent payment data to be used for building and improving credit history in affordable housing.

Homeland Security:

Topline funding

• $64.4 billion total discretionary allocation

Highlights

• FEMA (including Disaster Relief Fund): $32 billion
• Customs and Border Protection & ICE: $28.0 billion
• U.S. Coast Guard: $13.9 billion
• Ends funding for programs that incentivized illegal immigration and refocuses DHS on enforcement.
• Strengthens border security, interior enforcement, and counter-drug operations to combat fentanyl and transnational crime.
• Expands Coast Guard maritime security and Indo-Pacific presence to protect U.S. waters and trade routes.
• Fully funds FEMA disaster relief and firefighter grant programs to support state and local response efforts.

Defense:

Topline funding

• $839.2 billion total discretionary allocation

Highlights

• Invests in next-generation aircraft, missile defense, nuclear deterrence, space capabilities, and munitions production to deter China and emerging threats.
• Delivers a 3.8 percent pay raise for all servicemembers and improves quality of life for military families.
• Cuts more than $1.7 billion through efficiencies and management reforms while driving innovation and competition.
• Strengthens counter-drug operations, border security support, and National Guard programs.

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education:

Topline funding

• $221 billion total discretionary allocation

Highlights

• Reduces bureaucracy and safeguards taxpayer dollars through targeted savings.
• Strengthens rural health care, primary care access, and efforts to combat fentanyl and illicit drugs.
• Protects the right to life by prohibiting taxpayer funding for abortion on demand.
• Enhances Social Security customer service and program integrity.
• Cuts funding for regulatory agencies that burden American job creators, including the NLRB and OSHA.

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development:

Topline funding

• $102.9 billion total discretionary allocation

Highlights

• Modernizes air traffic control, hires 2,500 air traffic controllers, and improves aviation safety.
• Redirects funding to core transportation priorities that support jobs and economic growth.
• Cuts $5.7 billion in waste while preserving safety and essential services.
• Fully funds rental assistance for vulnerable Americans, including seniors and individuals with disabilities.

The bipartisan package now heads to the Senate for a vote.

Read the full text of the bill here.

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