PASSED: Murray Secures Hundreds of Millions for Transportation & Housing Projects Across WA in Final Appropriations Bills; Boosts Funding for Medical Research, Housing, Child[...]

In a major victory for Seattle's biomedical research hubs and Washington families, Senator Murray prevents Trump's devastating cuts to NIH and research into lifesaving cures and treatments

Murray led efforts to safeguard critical federal funding that underpins Washington state housing and homelessness safety nets

Murray protects Washington transit agencies from the downstream effects of catastrophic House Republican cuts to federal funding for public transit

As Congress's top advocate for child care, Murray holds firm, secures funding boosts for federal child care and Head Start funding

Overall across 11 funding bills, Murray secures nearly $500 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for WA projects and helps set aside over $5 billion in programmatic funding for Washington state

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, led Senate passage of five additional fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills and celebrated major wins for Washington state in the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; and Defense Appropriations Bills. The bills passed the Senate by a 71-29 vote today.

Throughout negotiations as the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray fought to protect the programs and investments that matter most to working families in Washington state, and reject Trump's draconian proposed cuts and defeated every Republican poison pill rider-protecting investments in public health, education, affordable housing, transportation, biomedical research, and more-while reasserting Congress' power of the purse.

Senator Murray secured over $121 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) in this legislation for local, community-based projects across Washington state. This figure is on top of the more than $5 billion Murray secured in direct funding for Washington state in the three-bill funding package that passed the Senate earlier in January. When combining all of the Fiscal Year 2026 funding bills Murray authored and passed, she secured nearly $500 million in Congressionally Directed Spending for WA projects and has helped set aside over $5 billion in programmatic funding for Washington state. This does not include funding for national programs that will later be allocated on a competitive or formula-specific basis.

A full, searchable list of funded CDS projects Senator Murray secured in this package is available HERE.

"I keep my promises-President Trump's budget is in the trash, and an entirely new one is headed to his desk, waiting to be signed into law," Senator Murray said.

"President Trump tried to demolish the NIH and the work it supports-an attack on Seattle's world-class biomedical research institutions, and families searching for new treatments and cures for devastating diseases. I fought back and protected that funding so that the lifesaving cancer and vaccine research happening at Fred Hutch and so many other places can continue full steam ahead.

"I led efforts to safeguard critical federal funding for Washington state's housing and homelessness programs from Trump's attacks because families in our state deserve a roof over their heads.

"When House Republicans' catastrophic cuts threatened to nearly defund federal funding for public transit entirely, I made sure that didn't happen so that transit agencies like Sound Transit can keep pushing forward with the most ambitious public transit expansion in the country.

"Trump wanted to outright abolish the Department of Education-I pressed Congress to find its voice and say NO. And as a proud former preschool teacher, I stood up for parents and kids to secure funding increases for federal child care programs and Head Start-because Congress needs to focus on making life more affordable for working families.

"As long as I am at the table, Washington state's priorities are going to be federal priorities. Even after tough negotiations, these funding bills better reflect our values-not Trump's. I made certain that Congress-not Trump-had the final say on how our taxpayer dollars get spent."

Highlights, key provisions, and funding Senator Murray secured in these 5 additionalfunding bills are below:

Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill

"At the start of Trump's term, I met with top clinical researchers in Seattle and across our state, worried that the President might permanently undo decades of scientific progress by obliterating NIH-by passing this bill, we've outright rejected those efforts, securing a major victory for scientific progress and the groundbreaking biomedical research that powers so much of Western Washington's economy," Senator Murray said.

"Just a year ago, I had been hearing from educators across our state, worried about the complete decimation of the Department of Education. And while the damage Trump has done to federal investments in education can't be overstated, I managed to rally bipartisan support in Congress to continue to fund and support so much of the critical work that the Department of Education does to support students, families and our local schools and universities here in Washington state.

"I was also able to secure tens of millions in Congressionally Directed Spending for community health centers and hospitals, Tribal health care facilities, early education programs, and so many other important community projects across Washington state that will help set kids and families up for success.

"As costs rise across the board in Donald Trump's America, I fought hard to protect funding for Pell Grants and secure increased resources for Head Start, LIHEAP, and other programs essential to helping working families get by. Importantly, this bill keeps America at the forefront of lifesaving biomedical research-rejecting Trump's catastrophic proposed 40 percent cut to NIH and blocking this administration from capping indirect cost rates, slashing NIH research grants, and other cruel efforts to destroy lifesaving research and families' hope for new treatments and cures."

Senator Murray secured:

• $8.8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant program (CCDBG)-an $85 million or increase over fiscal year 2025-and $12.36 billion for Head Start, an $85 million increase over last year's funding level. Sustained annual increases of federal investments in child care and Head Start are critical in tackling the child care crisis and helping to ensure more families can find and afford the quality, affordable child care and early childhood education options they need.
  • Senator Murray also protected funding for Preschool Development Grants, which were proposed to be eliminated in both the President's budget request and the House Republicans' bill.

• $48.7 billion, a $415 million increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to strengthen biomedical research, including $226 million for Senator Murray's landmark 21st Century Cures Act. The bill delivers funding boosts for NIH's Office of Research on Women's Health (+$30 million), Alzheimer's disease (+$100 million), cancer (+$128 million), allergies and infectious disease (+23 million), ALS (+$15 million), maternal mortality (+$10 million), diabetes (+$10 million), and rare diseases (+$10 million). Senator Murray continues to be the leading Democratic voice speaking out for more investments in biomedical research and protecting NIH, and this bill is an important step in preventing the Trump administration from decimating the biomedical research enterprise Congress has built in a bipartisan manner over decades, which has long been the envy of the world and drives medical innovation that has saved millions of lives.
  • The bill rejects the Trump administration's proposal-and illegal efforts-to cap indirect cost rates at 15%, which would devastate biomedical research, and it continues a longstanding provision that prohibits NIH from implementing such a cap. The bill also rejects the Trump administration's misguided elimination of programs across NIH by maintaining level funding for HIV vaccine research, training programs that support the next generation of researchers, and the Safe to Sleep campaign, among others.
  • The bill includes a new provision that prevents implementation of the Office of Management and Budget's misguided policy for NIH to fund significantly more multiyear research grants in one lump sum. This poorly thought-out policy would significantly cut the number of research grants NIH awards - just as it did in fiscal year 2025 when it resulted in 2,000 fewer research grants being funded.
  • The bill also includes a new authority for NIH to address loopholes in sexual harassment reporting and strengthen accountability.
• Protects $9.1 billion in funding for CDC-rejecting Trump's plan to cut $4 billion from the agency.

• Protects funding for reproductive health programs, including$287 million for Title X and $101 million for the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, rejecting Trump and House Republicans' push to defund-and therefore eliminate-both programs.
  • The bill also includes $5 million in funding for a new initiative through the HHS Office of Women's Health to support state/Tribal data collection efforts to improve access to forensic exams following sexual assault, furthering Senator Murray's hard-fought efforts on the Survivors' Access to Supportive Care Act.
  • The bill also includes $5 million for a new Menopause Research to Action initiative which will focus on scaling up promising research and care delivery models into routine clinical practice for mid-life women's health care.
• Rejects Trump's proposal to eliminate SAMHSA and protects its funding, including a $5 million increase to the Mental Health Block Grant, an additional $5 million for the Substance Use Prevention and Recovery Services Block Grant, a $20 million increase for State Opioid Response grants, and a $15 million increase for the 988 Lifeline.
• Protects and builds on investments in elementary and secondary education, and in public schools, teachers, and students, providing $79 billion in funding for the Department of Education-rejecting drastic cuts proposed by Trump and House Republicans. A senior member and former chair of the HELP Committee, Senator Murray has championed students and families at every stage of her career-fighting to help ensure every child in America can get a high-quality public education. Senator Murray has been leading the fight in Congress to push back against President Trump's reckless efforts to dismantle the Department of Education and hurt students and families nationwide.
  • Title I-A grants receive $18.427 billion, an increase of $20 million.
  • IDEA Special Education State grant programs receive a combined $15.194 billion-a $20 million increase-rejecting Trump's proposal to consolidate the Preschool grant program.
• Protects investments in key federal workforce training programs that Murray reauthorized when she passed the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act in 2014 and has funded every year since. The legislation also rejects President Trump's harmful proposal to block grant most workforce training programs.
  • Rejects Trump and House Republicans' proposal to eliminate the Women's Bureau, and protects $23 million in funding for the agency and includes new language requiring that amount to be spent by the Bureau.
  • $191 million for the Employee Benefits Security Administration for retirement security legislation and strengthen requirements to ensure private health plans comply with mental health and substance use disorder parity requirements.
  • $260 million for the Wage and Hour Division to work to combat exploitative child labor and prevent wage theft and worker misclassification.
• $1.45 billion for Career and Technical Education (CTE) grants, and $729 million for adult education grants, to continue investing in further education programs that prepare Americans for the workforce.
• Protects $140 million for the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), rejecting Trump and House Republicans' proposed $49 million cut to the agency-OCR is critical in enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination for schools, ensuring every student has a safe and stable learning environment.
• $5 million for Senator Murray's youth homelessness prevention demonstration program, a $1 million increase-based on her proposed preventing youth homelessness demonstration program-which will provide grants to state, local, and Tribal governments and non-profit community-based organizations to provide primary prevention services for youth at risk of homelessness.
• Requires in law that DOL, HHS, ED, and AmeriCorps maintain adequate staffing levels to fulfill statutory responsibilities, including carrying out programs funded in the bill in a timely manner.

Senator Murray also secured $34.986 million for 26 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

A full summary of the bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.

Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill

"Washington state's affordable housing and homelessness crisis was top of mind for me throughout negotiations-I worked hard to secure a nine percent funding boost for housing programs, and I made sure this bill rejected Trump's devastating cuts and put new guardrails in place to stop his administration's sabotage of homelessness assistance grants. We must do a lot more at every level of government to address the housing affordability crisis, but this bill takes important steps in the right direction," said Senator Murray.

"House Republicans' efforts to essentially zero out public transit funding was simply a nonstarter as long as I was going to be at the negotiating table. When House Republicans' catastrophic cuts threatened to nearly defund federal funding for public transit, I made sure that didn't happen so that transit agencies like Sound Transit can keep pushing forward with the most ambitious public transit expansion in the country."

On $82 million for bus rapid transit in Spokane:

"I'm proud to be bringing home $82 million for bus rapid transit in Spokane-this funding will help people get to where they need to go, whether that's for work, school, or the doctor's office. When we build connections through public transit, we're growing economic opportunity for small business owners and workers alike," Senator Murray said.

On $100 million to build light rail for the I-5 Bridge Replacement:

"My commitment to the I-5 Bridge replacement project is unshakeable, and I am proud to secure $100 million to support light rail for this critical project-building light rail here will greatly improve connectivity between Vancouver and Portland, delivering a major win-win for Southwest Washington and Oregon," Senator Murray said.

On investing in transportation across Washington state:

"Through this legislation, I was able to secure key infrastructure investments across our state, including $25 million for a new bridge program aimed at addressing critical needs in Adams and Grant Counties, alongside funding for so many other important local projects. I worked hard to secure new federal funding streams for Washington State Ferries, new resources for emerging pollutants and stormwater management to protect our salmon, and funding for aviation research, where Washington state is leading the way. And I made certain we boosted investments to retain and hire more air traffic controllers-I'll always have their backs in Congress to ensure we keep people safe while flying-and critical aviation safety personnel to maintain oversight of Boeing," said Senator Murray.

"These are investments that really matter to our communities-I will never stop fighting to make sure Washington state gets its fair share of federal funding."

For housing, Senator Murray secured:

• A $4.1 billion-or 6 percent-increase in rental assistance and homeless assistance programs, rejecting President Trump's proposals to block-grant and impose harmful work requirements and time limits on these critical programs that support over 10 million Americans. This includes:
  • $38.4 billion for tenant-based rental assistance-a $2.4 billion boost-to continue to serve more than 2.3 million very low- and extremely low-income households nationwide.
  • $18.5 billion for project-based rental assistance, an increase of $1.6 billion above last year's funding level, to continue to house more than 1.3 million very low- and low-income households nationwide.
  • $4.4 billion for the Homeless Assistance Grants Program, a $366 million increase over fiscal year 2025. The bill includes $107 million in new funding to address youth homelessness and $52 million in new funding to support survivors of domestic violence.
• New guardrails to protect Continuum of Care (CoC) grants from Trump administration sabotage. The legislation requires HUD to automatically renew Continuum of Care grants that are expiring in 2026 if HUD does not make awards for fiscal year 2025 funds by the beginning of each quarter in 2026. Washington state, alongside other states and nonprofits, has sued HUD over their delay in getting fiscal year 2025 grants out the door and the radical and illegal policy changes the Trump administration has tried to make to how these funds are distributed-moves that have jeopardized housing for hundreds of thousands of Americans and jobs at organizations who assist people experiencing homelessness. Senator Murray held a roundtable in Everett last year to discuss Trump's threats to CoC grants and her efforts to fight back.
• Funding and new flexibilities to continue supporting over 50,000 Emergency Housing Vouchers for people experiencing homelessness and fleeing domestic violence and human trafficking. This program faced a funding cliff that, if left unaddressed, would have cut 110,000 individuals off from housing assistance.
• Maintains $1.25 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the largest federal block grant to states and local governments to expand the supply of affordable housing. President Trump and House Republicans tried to eliminate this program entirely.
• Protects funding for the Community Development Block Grant Program and Native American Programs-important funding sources for state, local, and Tribal governments to carry out housing and economic development activities.
• $156 million-a $16 million boost-for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, to renew service coordinators that help Section 8 and public housing residents achieve self-sufficiency and economic independence. This program has been used by a number of housing authorities in Washington state to help families access services including job training, employment counseling, financial literacy, and homeownership counseling.
• $25.712 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for local affordable housing projects in communities across Washington state.
• $15.9 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for local projects providing critical resources like childcare, affordable food, diapers and hygiene supplies, and housing services.

For transportation, Senator Murray secured:

• An $824 million increase to help modernize the air traffic control system, and full funding to support the FAA's hiring surge of air traffic controllers.
• $25 million for a new bridge grant program aimed at helping Adams and Grant counties with replacing or rehabilitating rural bridges impacted by the Bureau of Reclamation's ongoing Odessa Ground Water Replacement project.
• $25 million for urban ferry grants, $5 million above last year's funding level. Washington State Ferries has successfully competed for funding through this program.
• $20 million for rural ferry grants, equal to last year's funding level. The legislation also includes new language to ensure Washington State Ferries can compete for this funding, and applies this new language to prior fiscal year funding that remains available for rural ferry grants.
• $1.7 billion for the Federal Transit Administration's Capital Investment Grants (CIG) program-rejecting House Republicans' proposal to slash CIG funding by 98 percent.The legislation includes new provisions to force the Administration to execute the CIG program, including a table detailing which projects to fund at what amount, and requires DOT to make allocations according to the table no later than 120 days after enactment. In Washington state, the bill funds:
  • $100 million for the light rail component of the I-5 Bridge Replacement Program;
  • $82 million for Spokane Transit's Division Street bus rapid transit project; and
  • $100 million for the Expedited Project Delivery program to support future Sound Transit projects.

• $35.5 million for the ASCENT Center of Excellence led by Washington State University.
• $15 million for the Joint Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials (JAMS), which includes the University of Washington.
• $9 million and additional aviation safety personnel, including to support FAA's oversight of Boeing, and report language to proactively address National Transportation Safety Board recommendations from the Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 incident in 2024.
• $6.2 million in new funding for stormwater management technologies to reduce the impact of 6PPD on salmon-bearing streams.
• $200 million for the Tribal Transportation Program, a $50 million increase over last year.
• $100 million to help host cities throughout the country-including Seattle-provide transit service to support the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
• $39.617 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for local transportation projects in communities across Washington state.

Overall in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Bill, Senator Murray secured $81.229 million for 29 CDS projects, listed HERE.

A full summary of the bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.

Financial Services and General Government Bill

"This bill invests in our small businesses, increases funding for public defenders who make sure people's Sixth Amendment rights are protected, and supports critical economic development programs that rural communities and Tribes in Washington state rely on," said Senator Murray. "I'm excited to be bringing home in this bill $30 million for a new National Archives facility in the Seattle area, so it can better preserve Washington state's rich Tribal and local history for generations to come. I was also able to secure $2 million for the Northwest Native Chamber for technical assistance for small businesses and to support Tribal entrepreneurship, and over $1 million to increase the number of child care providers in Southwest Washington-which is critical to addressing the region's child care crisis."

Among many other things, Senator Murray secured:

• $1.766 billion for federal public defenders, a nearly 22 percent increase above fiscal year 2025. Fully funding defender services will help ensure defendants across the country will be represented by paid, effective counsel-protecting their Sixth Amendment rights.
• $30 million for planning and design of a new long-term records storage facility for the National Archives and Records Administration's facility in the Seattle area to continue providing our region's federally recognized Tribes, local and state governments, and general population with access to invaluable historical resources. In 2019, the federal government attempted to sell the current property at Sand Point and relocate the contents. Each year since then, Senator Murray has worked to develop a long-term solution that keeps the records in the Seattle region and ensures the records and archives are safely maintained and accessible.
• $28 million for the Native American Community Development Financial Institutions Program to support Native communities' access to capital and financial services, and $20 million for the State Trade Expansion Promotion (STEP) Program, which helps small businesses improve their access to overseas markets and the value of their exports. The Washington State Department of Commerce has received funding under STEP for 10 years.
• $46 million-a $5 million increase over fiscal year 2024-for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program to support free tax preparation services for underserved taxpayers through community partner organizations.

Senator Murray also secured $5.034 million for 3 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

A full summary of the bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.

Defense Bill

"This compromise legislation provides a much-needed pay boost for our servicemembers and invests in critical infrastructure and repairs at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Washington state-I will always do everything in my power to support our servicemembers and military families," said Senator Murray.

Among other things, Senator Murray secured in the legislation$186 million for accelerated dry dock infrastructure upgrades at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility. This funding will ensure that our submarines and aircraft carriers will remain combat-ready and that future maintenance schedules remain on schedule.

The legislation provides a 3.8 percent pay raise for servicemembers, increased funding for allowances permanent change of station costs and funding for bonuses and new resources to help military families make ends meet. The bill provides funding to help survivors of sexual assault and prevent sexual assault in the military-a longtime priority for Senator Murray-and funding to reduce suicide in the military.

The bill Senator Murray negotiated also provides key oversight of Child Development Centers (CDCs) and directs the Department to review its procedures related to child abuse investigations to ensure full transparency with military families. Senator Murray also secured $15 million for additional medical research to help better support our military families. This includes research for infertility associated with military aviators and aviation support personnel.

A full summary of the bill Senator Murray negotiated is available HERE.

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