Once Again, Díaz Balart Continues to Deliver with $446 Million for Everglades Restoration Funding Secured

WASHINGTON, D.C.-- Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Dean of the Florida Delegation, and Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congressional Everglades Caucus, issued the following statement after the House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year 2027 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, where he secured $446 million for Everglades restoration and preservation:

"As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the State of Florida work together on the expedited plan to complete the Everglades Agriculture Area (EAA) Reservoir, which is often called the "crown jewel" of Everglades Restoration, we should also remember the many other projects that are vital to restoring the Everglades. As Co-founder and co-chair of the Congressional Everglades Caucus, I'm proud to continue to lead this effort alongside Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz on the House Appropriations Committee. Together, we're committed to ensuring that the millions in funding we've secured are directed to all the essential operations needed to successfully restore America's Everglades.

Thanks to the vital support from Subcommittee Chairman Chuck Fleischmann and Chairman Tom Cole, Floridians will continue to see funding come through for Everglades Restoration, while pressure is maintained through various report and bill language urging the U.S. Army Corps to stay on schedule for critical projects needed to continue restoration across Southern Florida. My collaborative work to secure $446 million in funding this year for the Everglades reflects my unwavering commitment to restoring and safeguarding drinking water for over nine million Floridians who depend on it.

I look forward to seeing this bill pass the House Floor so that House Republicans can continue safeguarding taxpayer dollars, prioritizing national security interests, unleashing American energy dominance, and advancing America's economic prosperity for generations to come."

Founder and Co-Chair of the Everglades Caucus, Diaz-Balart Secures:

• $446M secured for Everglades Restoration through the U.S. Army Corps Construction Account.

• $13.2M for South Florida Ecosystem Restoration under the Corps' Operation & Maintenance Account.

• Report Language urging the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to treat the Broward County Water Preserve Area as a top priority, emphasizing its critical role in South Florida's water supply and ecosystem restoration and directing the Corps to accelerate progress, prevent further delays, and fully fund remaining design and construction work.

• Report Language calling on the Corp to bring stability and transparency to Everglades restoration so Miami-Dade and Broward communities can count on clear timelines, clear funding, and real progress on the projects that protect their water and environment.

• Report language on expediting construction, transparency, and timely execution of projects to ensure CERP can deliver benefits as quickly as possible.

• Report language urging the Corp to close out on CEPP North Phase/EAA Reservoir.

• Report Language urging the Corp and the Task Force to work hand in hand with local public universities that are available to modernize the capacity of remote sensing and measurements that will advance the Task Force restoration goals.

Additional FY27 Energy & Water Wins:

Champions America's nuclear deterrent and strengthens national security by:

• Modernizing the nuclear weapons stockpile, strengthening production capabilities, and ensuring a safe, secure, and reliable deterrent to counter growing threats from our adversaries.

• Sustaining and modernizing the U.S. Navy's nuclear propulsion program, ensuring a safe, reliable fleet and maintaining America's strategic advantage.

• Targeting resources to deny, detect, and defeat nuclear threats by securing nuclear materials, countering proliferation, and strengthening rapid-response capabilities to protect the American people and our allies.

• Prohibiting the sale of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the Chinese Communist Party.

• Prohibiting access to U.S. nuclear weapons production facilities by citizens of China and Russia.

• Prohibiting the Department of Energy from providing financial assistance to any foreign entity of concern.

Restores American energy dominance and bolsters the national economy by:

• Increasing investments focused on mining production technologies for critical minerals extraction, which will build the domestic supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign sources.

• Prioritizing research and development efforts on baseload energy sources and maintaining funding for programs that deliver affordable energy prices for Americans.

• Accelerating research, testing, and demonstration of advanced nuclear technologies to strengthen U.S. energy security, industrial competitiveness, and global leadership.

• Facilitating the efficient transport of goods and commodities through improvements and maintenance of America's ports and waterways.

• Maintaining funding for cybersecurity efforts that enable a resilient, reliable, and secure electric grid.

Safeguards American taxpayer dollars and preserves core functions by:

• Eliminating funds for the Department of Energy Biden-era Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations or Office of Energy Justice and Equity.

• Refocusing applied energy technology program funding to ensure taxpayer resources are directed to the highest priority research and development efforts. I am running a few minutes late; my previous meeting is running over.

• Reducing global dependency on the U.S. for foreign nuclear reactor conversions.

A summary of the bill is available here.

Bill text is available here.

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