Baldwin Votes to Pass Bipartisan Funding Package to Support Clean Drinking Water, Public Safety, and Economic Development

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) voted to send a bipartisan funding package to the President’s desk that included nearly $40 million in direct support for Wisconsin communities and projects that impact the state. The package to fund the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior, and Environment invests in public safety, supports Wisconsin businesses and workers, and delivers clean drinking water to more communities. The bill also rejects deep cuts proposed by the Trump Administration and puts up critical guardrails to ensure Donald Trump follows the law and delivers Congressionally-directed funding to programs and services Wisconsinites rely on.

“Last year, we saw President Trump illegally cancel or withhold billions in funding for programs that Wisconsin families, businesses, and students rely on. I’m proud to work with Republicans and Democrats to stop the Trump Administration from taking resources from Wisconsin communities and ensure the President follows the law. This bill makes key investments to ensure people are safe in our communities and cops are supported, families have clean water and a safe environment to live in, and our local businesses can keep creating good-paying jobs,” said Senator Baldwin. “I’m also proud to once again work with countless Wisconsin communities in every corner of the state to deliver direct federal support for projects that address their specific needs, from replacing aging water infrastructure, to investing in emergency services, to supporting victims of crime and abuse.”

The funding package included direct support Senator Baldwin helped secure for 16 Wisconsin projects to help more communities get clean water, support victims of crime, and invest in emergency services and law enforcement. The following projects were funded:

Statewide

• USACE Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program (NESP): $18,000,000 for implementation of NESP.
• USACE Great Lakes Coastal Resiliency Study: $3,000,000 to improve Great Lakes coastline resilience as well as provide tools for federal agencies, states and local governments to support informed decision-making along the Great Lakes shorelines.
• Children’s Hospital and Health System, Inc.: $730,000 to support the Children’s Child Advocacy Center network.
• Disability Rights Wisconsin: $564,000 to provide legal services to low-income survivors of crime with disabilities.

Northeastern Wisconsin

• Village of Brandon: $406,000 for replacing a water main, two sewer lines, and several fire hydrants and manholes.
• Town of Calumet: $420,000 for design and construction of an agricultural runoff treatment system.
• Fond du Lac County: $1,300,000 to acquire sheriff's office mobile command post.
• Forest County Potawatomi Community: $2,000,000 for septic system improvements for the Tribe.
• City of Oshkosh: $3,200,000 for installing a phosphorous treatment system to reduce the load in the Fox River and Lake Winnebago.

Northern Wisconsin

• Ashland County: $3,155,000 to upgrade legacy radio infrastructure to provide reliable communication between agencies and allow for interoperability with outside agencies.
• Bell Sanitary District: $1,100,000 for the construction of a wastewater treatment facility to address phosphorous.

Western Wisconsin

• Crawford County Sheriff: $744,000 to acquire and update emergency services radio infrastructure.
• Town of Richmond: $144,000 for improving their wastewater system, including relining ponds and installing flow meters.

Central Wisconsin

• City of Nekoosa: $1,630,000 for replacing the broken watermain and replacing lead service lines.
• Village of Vesper: $1,100,000 for upgrading the raw water service, as well as fixing the well and watermain.

Southeastern Wisconsin

• Sojourner Family Peace Center: $469,000 to support partnership with local law enforcement to provide support to survivors of domestic violence.

Senator Baldwin also successfully worked to include funding for programs that directly impact Wisconsin communities, from weather forecasting, conservation efforts, and infrastructure improvements, to programs that connect more Wisconsinites to good paying jobs, support Wisconsin’s small businesses, and invest in up-and-coming industries like biotech.

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies

Economic Development Administration, Regional Tech Hubs: The bill includes $41 million for the Regional Tech Hub program, enough for 2 additional implementation grants. As a member of the Commerce Committee, Senator Baldwin helped write and create the Tech Hub program in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and successfully advocated to bring a Tech Hub to Wisconsin.

National Weather Service: The bill requires the National Weather Service to hire, rehire, or retain staff in order to meet its mission in response to cuts in 2025 that jeopardized critical forecasting that Wisconsin farmers, businesses, and communities rely on.

Minority Business Development Agency: After the Trump Administration shuttered Wisconsin’s newly established Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center, this legislation provides $50 million in funds for the MBDA program. Senator Baldwin worked with Republicans to include the Minority Business Development Act of 2021 as an amendment to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), making the MBDA permanent and increasing its funding authorization and reach.

National Institute of Standards and Technology, Manufacturing Extension Partnership: After the Trump Administration withheld and delayed congressionally-approved funds to Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program’s Centers, this bipartisan bill funds the MEP program at $175 million, level with FY25 funding.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Great Lakes Observing Systems: The bill provides $47.5 million for Integrated Ocean Observing System Regional Observations, including the Great Lakes Observing Systems which works with the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences to operate monitoring buoys.

Crime Victims Fund: The bill makes $1.95 billion available for the Crime Victims Fund to support direct assistance and programs to assist survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and other violent crimes.

Energy, Water Development, and Related Agencies

Upper Mississippi River Restoration (UMRR): The bill includes $52 million for the implementation of the UMRR program.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Wisconsin Projects: The bill includes $26.7 million in funding for over 20 Army Corps of Engineers projects in Wisconsin, including the Algoma Harbor, Ashland Harbor, Bayfield Harbor, Cornucopia Harbor, Duluth-Superior Harbor, Eau Galle River Lake, Fox River, Green Bay Harbor, Kenosha Harbor, Kewaunee Harbor, La Pointe Harbor, Manitowoc Harbor, Menominee Harbor, Milwaukee Harbor, Oconto Harbor, Port Washington Harbor, Port Wing Harbor, Saxon Harbor, Sheboygan Harbor, Sturgeon Bay Harbor and Lake Michigan Ship Canal, Surveillance of Northern Boundary Waters, and Two Rivers Harbor.

Interior, Environment and Related Agencies

Ice Age Scenic Trail: The bill includes Senator Baldwin’s language noting the newly designated national scenic trails as units of the National Park System, including the Ice Age and North Country Scenic Trails, directing the service to ensure the trails receive commensurate access to National Parks System resources. The final bill includes a $248,000 increase from previous years’ funding to $11.248 million.

Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI): The bill increases funding by $1 million over Fiscal Year 2025 for $367 million. Senator Baldwin leads the legislation to re-authorize GLRI. The GLRI is the most significant investment to restore and protect our Great Lakes.

United States Geological Survey: the bill maintains funding for vital Midwest programming, including Cooperative Research Units in Madison and Stevens Point for wildlife and fisheries, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the Upper Midwest Environmental Science Center in La Crosse, rejecting the Trump Administration’s efforts to zero out ecosystems research funding.

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