Columbia News

Congressman Mark Alford has announced the passage of all twelve appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2026 by the House Appropriations Committee. Alford highlighted nearly $23 million in federal investments secured for Missouri’s Fourth District during this process.

“In a historic achievement, House Republicans have advanced all twelve individual appropriations bills out of committee on a condensed timeline,” said Congressman Mark Alford (MO-04). “Under the leadership of Chairman Tom Cole, we are responsibly funding our government, while returning to regular order, restoring fiscal sanity, and advancing President Trump’s America First agenda. I’m also proud to have secured almost $23 million in federal investments into the Fourth District in these committee-passed bills to help turn the Show Me State into the Grow Me State. We will continue working around the clock to avoid a disastrous government shut down, and I urge Democrats to join us.”

The funds allocated through Community Project Funding include over $1.6 million for a regional maternal health center at Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton and $750,200 for a rural health innovation center at Bothwell Regional Health Center in Sedalia. The University of Missouri will receive $4.2 million for reactor operations and $3 million for an agriculture animal genetics facility.

Infrastructure projects include $6 million for Skyhaven Airport Expansion at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg and $397,000 for White Road Non-NBI Bridge Replacement in Oak Grove. Law enforcement agencies will benefit from allocations such as $750,000 for a sally port at the Missouri Law Enforcement Center in St. Claire County and $120,000 for new radios for Peculiar Police Department.

A workforce training center at State Fair Community College in Sedalia is set to receive $6 million.

Alford also secured two amendments benefiting his district. One directs NOAA to maintain its weather forecasting capabilities without closures or consolidations—a move aimed at ensuring residents get adequate warning of dangerous weather patterns through NOAA-NWS office in Pleasant Hill. Another amendment ensures continued support from USDA’s Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production Program with a new cost-share requirement.

Other district priorities delivered include maintained funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics; increased support for Small Business Development Centers across multiple universities; language urging NOAA to improve weather data collection; additional resources against agricultural diseases; funding support totaling $56 million for Urban Search & Rescue Task Forces like Missouri Task Force One; continued backing of Whiteman Air Force Base’s B-21 Raider program; increased funding for small caliber ammunition production at Lake City Ammunition Plant; and recommendations that the Department of Veterans Affairs enhance detection and treatment services related to cancer, sleep disorders, and dialysis.

Mark Alford has served as U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 4th District since 2023 after replacing Vicky Hartzler (https://alford.house.gov/about). He was born in Baytown, Texas in 1963 and currently lives in Lake Winnebago.