Alford Advances $15.2 Million for Fourth District as Appropriations Committee Passes Transportation and Housing Funding Bill

Today, Congressman Mark Alford issued the following statement after the House Appropriations Committee advanced the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies funding bill for fiscal year 2027.

"The House Appropriations Committee has now advanced three quarters of our funding bills through the full committee-ahead of time and under budget," said Congressman Alford. "I'm incredibly proud this latest bill includes more than $15 million for critical Fourth District infrastructure projects as we work to turn the 'Show Me State' into the 'Grow Me State.' As communities across the Fourth District expand and we continue our efforts to attract additional growth to the region, it's vital that our roads and bridges keep up. This bill also expands access to the American Dream of homeownership and will make housing more affordable, which are two of my top goals as Co-Chair of the Real Estate Caucus."

Through his role on the Appropriations Committee, Congressman Alford secured $15,200,000 in federal investments for critical infrastructure projects in the Fourth District to help turn the "Show Me State" into the "Grow Me State," including:

• $5,200,000 for the I-70/Lefholz Road Interchange Project in Jackson County to bolster the development of a new interchange at I-70 by adding a new connection between McQuerry and Lefholz Roads to address continued growth in the eastern portion of the county, including in Grain Valley and Oak Grove.
• $4,000,000 for the I-70 Expansion Companion Infrastructure Project in Columbia, MO, which will complement the existing state-led expansion by adding one lane in each way through the city and enhancing pedestrian safety features.
• $3,000,000 for the Dallas-Laclede County Bridge Replacement Project, which will enhance multimodal connectivity by providing a shared-use path connection by replacing a functionally deficient bridge, as well as providing safety and operational improvements, along the 64 Highway corridor at the Dallas-Laclede County Line hear Bennett Springs State Park.
• $3,000,000 for the Cedar-Polk 32 Highway Infrastructure Improvements Project, which will enhance safety and improve traffic operations along the 32 Highway corridor along the border of Cedar and Polk Counties by constructing turn lanes and curve realignments, while also replacing a functionally deficient bridge.

Other Alford priorities included in the Transportation & HUD funding bill include:

• Language to provide Missourians with timely notifications of severe weather by ensuring the National Weather Service's Weather Service Units at the Federal Aviation Administration's air traffic control centers are fully staffed.
• Investments in transportation safety to modernize air traffic control bu providing resources to hire 2,300 new controllers and replace dated telecommunication infrastructure-building on the investments from the Working Families Tax Cuts.
• Requirements for HUD to study the impact of mortgage portability, which would allow federally backed mortgages to be carried between properties by a single borrower.
• Directs agencies to support small and rural small and rural communities in navigating competitive grant processes, while increasing transparency in the evaluation and award selection process for discretionary grants.
• Provisions to exempt first-time homebuyers who are first responders or teachers from mortgage insurance premiums, while encouraging HUD to consult with the Veterans Administration to examine whether VA Home Loans could be incorporated into a similar program.
• Language to support manufactured housing, giving rural families more options for affordable housing and an additional path to the American dream of homeownership.

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