PASSED: Murray Secures Over $5 Billion for WA Priorities in Three-Bill Funding Package; Historic Funding for Hanford, $190 Million for Howard Hanson Dam, Rejecting Trump Cuts

In major triumph over Trump, Murray undoes Russ Vought's cancellation of funding for Howard Hanson Dam, singlehandedly steers major federal funding back to HHD

Murray protects critical funding Washington state counts on, successfully defeats Republicans' extreme policy riders in negotiations

Murray: "I said I would tear up Trump's budget and write a new one-and I did… President Trump is going to sign a bill that continues construction at the Howard Hanson Dam that he tried to eliminate."

Murray brings home over $5 billion for WA - securing $331.438 million in Congressionally Directed Spending and a record $3.22 billion for Hanford

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, led Senate passage of three bicameral, bipartisan fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills: the Energy and Water Development; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; and Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies bills. The three-bill package passed the Senate by an overwhelming 82-15 vote today after passing the House last week. It now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law.

Throughout negotiations as Senate Appropriations Committee Vice Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Murray fought to protect the programs and investments that matter most to working families across the country and successfully defeated over 140 extreme Republican policy riders. Senator Murray secured billions in funding for Washington state in this package of funding bills.

Senator Murray secured more than $5 billion directly in total funding for Washington state, which does not include funding for national programs that will later be allocated on a competitive or formula-specific basis. The $5 billion figure includes $3.22 billion for the Hanford site and $331.438 million in Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) for local projects across Washington state in the three funding bills that comprise the package.

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

"I said I would tear up Trump's budget and write a new one-and I did. As the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I made sure Washington state had a strong voice and a seat at the table at every step in negotiations over these spending bills-and I am proud to be bringing home billions of dollars for critical projects and programs across Washington state in this package," Senator Murray said.

"This legislation delivers significant wins for Washington state-from record funding for Hanford, to new investments in salmon recovery, to $190 million for Howard Hanson Dam and provisions that make sure Trump cannot corruptly rip away funding for Army Corps projects in blue states like he did last year. I fought to make sure these bills represented the voices of everyone from Hanford workers to Tribes, to firefighters and scientists.

"While President Trump proposed severe cuts to programs that power our economy, deliver scientific breakthroughs, and help working families get by, my Democratic colleagues and I protected the investments that matter most to families and our economy and defeated scores of extreme far-right policies.

"These are not the bills I would have written on my own; they are the result of tough bipartisan negotiations with Republicans who control every branch of government. But these bills ensure that Congress-not Donald Trump-is deciding how taxpayer dollars get spent. This package funds everything from salmon restoration to critical flood control projects-this is funding Washington state needs. As far as I'm concerned, for as long as I am the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, Washington state priorities are going to be federal priorities. President Trump is going to sign a bill that takes care of our Tribes, invests in salmon recovery, powers the Hanford cleanup, and continues construction at the Howard Hanson Dam that he tried to eliminate."

Highlights, key provisions, and funding Senator Murray secured in each of the three funding bills are below:

Energy and Water Development Bill

"As Ranking Member of the Energy and Water Subcommittee, I made sure Washington state came out on top when it came to this bill that funds so much critical work in our state," Senator Murray said.

"Last year, the Trump administration corruptly zeroed out funding for the Howard Hanson Dam and stripped away Army Corps construction dollars from states like Washington-an outrageous abuse of power made possible by a Republican funding bill that handed even more authority to Trump. This bill rebukes that effort-and delivers $190 million for the Howard Hanson Dam to finally begin construction on a critical project to reduce flood risk and ensure long-term water reliability for over one million people in the region. This legislation invests in important research at our universities and National Laboratories, including Pacific Northwest National Lab, and supports new efforts like the Northwest Regional Commission that will deliver a real boost to rural communities across our region.

"After the Trump administration once again tried to shortchange Hanford in its budget request, I negotiated a funding bill that delivers record funding to accelerate the cleanup effort sitewide. This bill is a major step in the right direction and a rejection of the Trump administration's efforts to undermine the Hanford cleanup mission. I will always stand up for Hanford workers and the Tri-Cities-we cannot do nuclear waste cleanup on the cheap."

Senator Murray secured:

• A record $3.22 billion for Hanford-$277 million or a 9.39% increase over last year's funding level. This amount includes $1.051 billion for Richland operations, and $2.173 billion for the Office of River Protection-a $235.7 million increase over fiscal year 2025.
  • Within Richland, the bill includes necessary funding for the Environmental Restoration Disposal Facility Supercell 11 project, minor construction projects to support 24/7 operations, and efforts to prepare the site to begin shipping Transuranic Waste (TRU) in 2028. Notably, the legislation Senator Murray negotiated rejects major cuts to Richland that were proposed in the Trump administration's FY26 budget request, which would have been devastating for the Hanford workforce.
  • Within the Office of River Protection, the bill includes $611.5 million for the High Level Waste (HLW) facility ($11.58 million above FY25 spend plan levels), and $480 million for Direct-Feed Low Activity Waste (DFLAW) facility operations ($89.5 million above the FY26 budget request level). This funding will enable the site to accelerate waste retrievals and throughput at DFLAW.
    
• $412.5 million for Army Corps of Engineers projects and $80.955 million for Bureau of Reclamation projects across Washington state, including CDS projects:
  • $190 million for construction at Howard Hanson Dam. This project supports fish passage, ensures reliable water supply for cities like Tacoma and Covington, and provides critical flood risk reduction along the Green River. During last month's historic flooding, the Army Corps of Engineers stored record amounts of water behind the dam, preventing an estimated five feet of additional flooding in Auburn. This funding is combined with language in the bill that applies broadly but will allow the Army Corps of Engineers to incrementally fund the project by modifying the existing design and construction contract within 60 days of this bill's enactment. While the project originally needed $500 million to move forward with construction, this language allows the Corps to get the Howard Hanson Dam project back on track with this award. Once complete, the project will continue to protect communities, improve water reliability, and enhance ecosystem resilience for generations to come.
  • $56.78 million total for Columbia River Fish Mitigation-through CDS and programmatic funds-to maintain fish passage facilities so fish can migrate past dams on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.
  • $2.33 million for pre-construction engineering and design for the Seattle Harbor project to deepen navigation channels at the Port of Seattle.
    
• A historic $3.47 billion for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund-a longtime priority for Senator Murray-to invest in our nation's port and waterway infrastructure, including in Washington state.
  • Bill language explicitly directing the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) to fully implement language Senator Murray championed in the 2020 Water Resources Development Act that requires the Corps to provide additional funding to Donor and Energy Transfer ports, which contribute more to the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund than they can access. The Ports of Seattle and Tacoma are both Donor ports, and this language will help them get their fair share from the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund.
    
• $8.4 billion for the Office of Science at the Department of Energy-a $160 million boost over last year's funding level-which supports cutting-edge research at our national laboratories and more than 300 universities, including at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and universities across Washington state. This funding protects PNNL and other labs from further layoffs.
  • $854 million for the Office of Biological and Environmental Sciences, which supports the Office of Sciences' climate science and energy programs, funding major projects across PNNL.
  • $180 million in direct support for PNNL facilities in the Tri-Cities, including $65 million for the Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory, $96 million for the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement User Facility, and $19 million for construction of the Microbial Molecular Phenotyping Capability project.
  • $60 million in funding to support ongoing infrastructure improvement projects at PNNL's Marine and Coastal Research Laboratory in Sequim and $24 million to continue the Powering the Blue Economy Initiative.
  • $4.8 million to support the Grid Storage Launchpad at PNNL, which is helping commercialize new grid-scale energy storage technologies.
  • New bill language to block the Department of Energy from changing existing facilities and administrative indirect cost agreements. This reverses the harm inflicted on universities, non-profits, state and local governments, and private businesses, and ensures all entities receiving grant funding can appropriately fund their overhead.

• Bill language to adjust funding for the Northwest Power and Conservation Council for inflation. This supports the Council's critical work supporting the Bonneville Power Administration's regional power and conservation planning efforts.

• $4.885 billion for the Office of Nuclear Energy at the Department of Energy, including $3.1 billion in repurposed supplemental funding to support the deployment of advanced reactor technologies. This includes the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program's two demonstration projects-one is from TerraPower in Washington state and the other is from X-Energy, which will include a project in the Tri-Cities.

• $805 million for the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, including $70 million for the milestone program. This funding supports burgeoning fusion startups like Helion Energy, Zap Energy, and Avalanche Energy in Washington State.

• Establishes a new Northwest Regional Commission (NWRC), with $1 million in startup funding. The NWRC will include Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, and will focus on underserved and economically-challenged areas-providing grants for everything from health care facilities, to transportation infrastructure, to rural broadband, and workforce development.

Senator Murray secured $235.455 million for 11 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

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

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill

"This bill rejects President Trump's reckless proposed cuts to scientific research and programs that keep Americans safe and protects funding that our state counts on. It delivers new resources for priorities that really matter in Washington state-from salmon recovery, to research funding for our universities, to economic development programs that our Tribes rely on," Senator Murray said.

"The legislation I negotiated rebuffs Trump's attempts to slash NASA programs and delivers new investments in our aerospace economy, where Washington state is proudly leading the way. I'm excited to bring home funding for new research efforts across Washington state, including $50 million for a scientific research center at WSU, $10 million for a new computing data center at UW, and $3 million for groundbreaking wind tunnel research-among so much else.

"I fought hard to secure increased resources for the Office on Violence Against Women, which funds programs addressing the scourge of domestic violence and sexual assault. And I'm proud we were able to boost funding for programs that help survivors of sexual assault, like the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program I established years ago with help from a constituent from Washington state. While this bill doesn't include everything I fought for, it is a strong compromise that will help keep America competitive and protect the research and public safety programs families rely on every day."

Senator Murray secured:

• Key funding for salmon recovery and habitat restoration:
  • $75.75 million for the Pacific Salmon account at the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), a $750,000 increase over FY25 funding levels.This funding is critical to support the agency's work with Endangered Species Act-listed Pacific salmon species.
  • $27.5 million for Mitchell Act salmon hatcheries, a $4 million increase, to help raise salmon and steelhead for release in the Columbia River Basin for harvest and conservation purposes.
  • $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, which provides funds to states and Tribes to protect and restore Pacific salmon and steelhead populations. The Trump administration proposed eliminating this program altogether in their budget request.
  • $28 million in NOAA construction funds for critical improvements and upgrades at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle.
  • $1 million for the Northwest Straits Initiative, a community-led effort to restore marine habitats in the Northwest Straits region. This funding continues a longstanding effort by Senator Murray to restore and protect the Puget Sound for generations to come.
  • $1.5 million for management, intervention, and mitigation of invasive European Green Crab.
    
• $720 million-the highest funding level ever-for grants to prevent violence against women and better support survivors, especially Native women on Tribal lands. This funding is provided under the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and includes:
  • $12 million, a $2 million increase, for a grant program-established by Senator Murray-to increase access to sexual assault nurse exams. This funding will support grants for regional Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training, salaries for SANEs and Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs), and technical assistance and resources to increase access to SANEs and SAFEs.
  • $51 million, an increase of $1 million, for transitional housing assistance for survivors.
  • $55 million for grants for legal assistance for survivors.
  • $14.5 million, an increase of $3.5 million, for special Tribal criminal jurisdiction grants.
  • Through Congressionally Directed Spending, Senator Murray also secured $1.75 million for services for sexual assault survivors at the King County Sexual Assault Resource Center.

• $10 million for University of Washington to create secure computing and data infrastructure for A.I. research to expand Washington state's AI workforce and talent pipeline and strengthen our competitive edge in A.I. and advanced computing.

• $8.75 billion for the National Science Foundation to continue promoting American competitiveness through scientific discovery, to continue the momentum of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, and further facilitate AI research.
  • $49 million for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)-one of which is located in the Tri-Cities-rejecting Trump's proposal to close one facility.

• $50 million for Washington State University to establish a new Scientific Research Center, to study aquatic resources and ecosystems, aiding in the restoration of pacific salmon, and filling a critical gap in existing research capacity in the Pacific Northwest. The funding positions the region as a hub for future research and investment. The project's key components include construction of a new Pacific Salmon Resiliency Research and Training Center, renovations of WSU's Aquatic Phenomics Research Center and Aquatic Pathobiology Laboratory, and the acquisition of AI computing and IT infrastructure.

• $24.44 billion for NASA to continue the country's-and Washington state's-leadership in space exploration and technologies. This funding includes:
  • $7.783 billion for Deep Space Exploration and the continued development of the Human Landing System for the Artemis missions.
  • $4 million, a $1.5 million increase, for an academic consortium within the Biological and Physical Sciences. Senator Murray has been pushing for NASA to expand its footprint into the Pacific Northwest to capitalize on the growth in aerospace innovation happening in Washington state.
  • $10 million for a new center of excellence for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion that could be located in Washington state.

• Additional resources for Tribal businesses and economic development, including $5 million for the Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration's Assistance to Indigenous Communities program-a program that Senator Murray started. The legislation also includes $5 million for the Office of Native American Business Development, and $6.5 million for assistance to Tribal and Native-owned businesses through the Minority Business Development Agency.

• Provides $540 million for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC), rejecting President Trump's proposal to eliminate the largest funder of civil legal aid for low-income Americans. It also includes a provision to permit LSC recipients to operate with boards of directors that include more fiscal experts and community representatives-something Senator Murray has advocated for.

Senator Murray secured $70 million for 8 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

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

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Bill

"This bill rejects the Trump administration's attempts to decimate America's cherished public lands, and delivers critical investments in our National Parks and forests, in Washington state and across the country. Importantly, we were able to secure full funding for essential wildfire preparedness and suppression efforts. In Washington state, we know all too well how much this work matters," Senator Murray said.

"This bill delivers record funding for EPA's Puget Sound Geographic Program-a program I go to bat for every single year-to invest in crucial work happening on the ground to protect and restore our Puget Sound ecosystem.

"I take seriously my responsibility to be a voice for Washington state's Tribes, and this bill rejects nearly $1 billion in cuts for our Tribes that President Trump wanted to make and instead protects funding for Tribal programs including critical health care services and essential government services, from roads to housing. Ultimately, this legislation is a bipartisan compromise, but it's important that we were able to fight back against efforts to hollow out agencies that protect our public lands and support our Tribes-and to deliver critical resources communities across Washington state are counting on."

Senator Murray secured:

• $56 million for the EPA's Puget Sound Geographic Program-a $2 million increase from last year. Murray successfully fought to protect this program and increase funding, including for the Puget Sound Recovery National Program Office. This office, and a corresponding Puget Sound Federal Leadership Task Force, will work to implement salmon recovery plans, protect Tribal treaty rights, and reduce pollution in the region.

• $3.5 million for the EPA's Columbia River Basin Geographic Program, a $500,000 increase.

• $3.27 billion for the National Park Service, including $2.87 billion for the operation of the National Park System-$1.15 billion higher than the level requested by President Trump. The bill provides the resources to sustain FY24 staffing levels and provides the funding necessary to support a full complement of seasonal staff during FY26.

• $6.13 billion for the U.S. Forest Service, excluding additional funding for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve. The bill rejects the steep $1.4 billion cut to the Forest Service's non-fire budget proposed by President Trump and provides funding for the Forest Service to improve forest restoration and fire risk reduction efforts on federal lands.

• Fully funds essential wildfire preparedness and suppression efforts by providing $4.25 billion for wildfire suppression, of which $2.85 billion is for the Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund and continues to support the increased pay for federal firefighters enacted into law last year.

• $64.1 million for Climate Adaptation Science Centers, a $1 million increase, one of which is hosted by the University of Washington. The Northwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (NW CASC) was established to help safeguard the natural and cultural resources of Idaho, Oregon, Washington and surrounding river basins. The CASC is a federal-university partnership that produces relevant science on climate change impacts and adaptation actions for natural resource managers and policy-makers.

• $56.7 million for Partners for Fish and Wildlife, including $1.28 million for Washington State Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups, which carry out important ecosystem restoration projects to support salmon recovery efforts.

• $5.4 million for the Lower Snake River and Columbia River Basin through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to assist states and tribes with critical capital and maintenance projects to improve salmon and steelhead facilities along the basin.
• $34.85 million for ShakeAlert, an earthquake early warning system that monitors for earthquakes and issues alerts.

• $2.8 million in funding for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and U.S. Geological Survey, to coordinate and ensure a comprehensive federal approach to address the threat posed by European Green Crabs, mitigate species harm, and protect salmon along with native crab and other shellfish populations.

• $2.49 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs-a $15.4 million increase from last year, including fully funding the Tribal Priority Allocations and increases across key areas such as social services and housing improvements. Across the board throughout this bill, Murray fought successfully to protect or increase funding for Tribal programs-rejecting Trump's proposed cuts.
  
• $1.37 billion in funding for the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) to support school operational requirements, staffing, operating costs, Native language programs, scholarships, and support for remote learning. Murray successfully protected this funding, which supports 169 elementary and secondary schools, 14 dormitories, grants for 29 Tribally-controlled colleges, two postsecondary institutions, and two Tribal technical colleges across 23 states, including eight BIE-funded schools in Washington.

Senator Murray secured $25.983 million for 12 CDS projects in the bill, which are listed HERE.

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

###