Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Act. The bill, which was officially approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee today, now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
The measure, which was advanced by a vote of 27-1, provides $400 million in defense funding and $99.8 billion in nondefense funding.
“Strengthening local economies throughout Maine starts with prioritizing and improving our infrastructure and transportation network. This legislation would build on previous investments, providing funding to enhance safety, move people and products more safely and efficiently, and create jobs across the state. It would also maintain existing rental assistance for more than 4.6 million households throughout the United States and invest in programs aimed at tackling homelessness,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
Since joining the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins has helped to secure more than $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for the State of Maine.
Bill Highlights:
Local Projects: Nearly $135 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine. This includes more than $46 million for six MaineDOT projects.
Department of Transportation:
- Bridge Repair and Rehabilitation Funding: $350 million for a competitive rural bridge rehabilitation and replacement program, of which Maine is guaranteed to receive at least $32.5 million and is eligible for up to $55 million.
- BUILD Grants: $250 million for BUILD grants, a program championed by Senator Collins to provide federal assistance for vital transportation projects across the country. Maine has received more than $393 million since the program, previously known as TIGER and RAISE, was established in 2009.
- Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvement (CRISI) Grants: $100 million for discretionary CRISI grants to support projects that improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of intercity passenger and freight rail.
- State Maritime Academies (SMAs): $143 million for SMA Operations, which includes $115 for the National Security Multi-Mission Vessels program and associated SMA shore-side infrastructure improvements, benefitting Maine Maritime Academy.
- Ports and Shipyards: $75 million for the Port Infrastructure Development Program to support improvements to ports and $30 million for the Small Shipyard Grant program to support capital improvements and workforce training in shipbuilding, ship repair, and associated industries. Maine shipyards that have benefitted from the Small Shipyards Grant program include Rockland Marine Corporation, Washburn & Doughty, and Front Street Shipyard.
- Aviation Improvement Program (AIP): $4 billion, which includes $25 million in discretionary supplemental AIP funding, which has benefited airports in Bangor, Presque Isle, Old Town, and Wiscasset in prior years. This also includes $25 million for a new discretionary rural airport grant program that targets those airports who have typically received a smaller amount of entitlement money based on their annual AIP formula amounts. Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport would be eligible to receive funds from this new rural airport program.
- Essential Air Service (EAS): $513.6 million to support all existing EAS communities, including Augusta, Hancock County-Bar Harbor, Presque Isle, and Rockland.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):
- Community Development Block Grants (CDBG): $3.1 billion for the CDBG program, which helps state and local governments promote economic development and job creation.
- HOME Investment Partnerships Program: $1.25 billion for the HOME program, which provides critical funding for the development of new affordable housing.
- Youth Homelessness: $107 million for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration program and $25 million for Family Unification Program (FUP) vouchers for youth exiting foster care and at risk of homelessness.
- Aging-in-Place Home Modifications for Seniors: $30 million for home modification grants to enable low-income seniors to “age in place” and remain in their own homes. The bill addresses several barriers to greater participation, including streamlining environmental reviews, adjusting the cost per property cap to account for increased labor and materials costs, and encouraging rather than requiring the use of occupational therapists.
- Housing for the Elderly: $972 million for the Housing for the Elderly (Section 202) program, of which $122 million is for the development of new HUD-assisted senior housing properties.
- Housing During Substance Abuse Recovery: $30 million for states to provide individuals in recovery with stable, temporary housing. This includes more than $1 million for transitional housing support for addiction recovery programs in Maine.
- Lead Hazard Reduction Grants: $295.6 million to remediate lead-based paint hazards, helping communities protect children from the harmful effects of lead-based paint poisoning in homes.
This funding and language advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 THUD Appropriations bill—an important step that now allows the bill to be considered by the full Senate.
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