Ag bill includes more than $2.7 million for rural Arizona fire, police, and flood protection projects and major investments in food assistance, rural housing, Tribal colleges, and water infrastructure
WASHINGTON – Today, Arizona Senators Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly announced that they advanced major investments for Arizona communities in the Senate’s annual Agriculture and Rural Development funding bill, including six Arizona projects to upgrade fire and police facilities and improve flood control infrastructure. The bill also supports drought resilience, food assistance, rural housing, and Tribal and Hispanic-serving institutions. It next heads to the House of Representatives where it must pass before going to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
“I’m proud to have fought for nearly $3 million for Arizona included in this agriculture appropriations package. These investments will upgrade outdated emergency response equipment, improve water infrastructure, and strengthen public safety in places like Pinal County, Superior, Bisbee, and more,” said Senator Gallego. “I’m especially grateful to the local governments who worked with us to get these proposals in the package, and I’ll keep fighting to make sure they make it across the finish line.”
“Families in rural Arizona need affordable housing, clean drinking water, and access to healthy food. That’s what we’re working to deliver while giving Arizona firefighters and cops what they need to keep their communities safe,” said Senator Kelly.
See below for a breakdown of Gallego and Kelly-led priorities included in the bill
Arizona Priorities Requested and Secured by Gallego and Kelly:
Gallego and Kelly secured over $2.7 million for six Arizona projects in the Agriculture Appropriations bill:
- Bisbee Fire Truck, City of Bisbee ($620,000): Replaces a 30-year-old aerial ladder truck and improve fire response capabilities in Bisbee’s historic downtown district.
- Alpine Emergency Vehicle, City of Alpine ($140,000): Adds a new vehicle for fire, EMS, and rescue missions in rural Apache County, increasing capacity to respond to emergencies.
- Clarkdale Police Station, City of Clarkdale ($150,000): Makes critical structural upgrades to the town’s nearly 100-year-old police station.
- Tonto Basin Fire Station, Tonto Basin ($158,000): Modernizes the Tonto Basin firehouse originally constructed in 1970.
- Superior Fire Engine, Superior ($718,000): Replaces a 25-year-old engine with a new vehicle for the Superior Fire Department.
- Smith Wash Watershed Plan, Pinal County ($1,000,000): Supports planning for a flood control system to protect homes and infrastructure in the Smith Wash watershed.
Rural Housing and Infrastructure
- $130.6 million to support rural homeownership through loans for families in rural and Tribal areas, helping address Arizona’s rural housing shortage.
- $1.715 billion to preserve affordable rental housing for low-income families and seniors living in rural communities, including those across Arizona.
- $27.3 million to repair and maintain farmworker and rural rental housing in agricultural regions like Yuma and Pinal Counties.
- $443.8 million to upgrade drinking water and wastewater systems in underserved rural areas, supporting small towns in Arizona with aging infrastructure.
- $35 million to help low-income rural homeowners make critical home repairs such as fixing plumbing, roofing, or heating in older homes across the state.
- $25 million to expand self-help housing programs that allow Arizona families to partner with nonprofits and build their own homes at reduced cost.
- $5 million for the Native CDFI Relending Demonstration Program to expand homeownership opportunities in Tribal communities through trusted Native-led lenders.
Nutrition Assistance for Arizona Families and Seniors
- $8.2 billion to ensure every eligible woman, infant, and child receives nutrition assistance. In Arizona, nearly 150,000 individuals rely on WIC monthly.
- Fully funds SNAP and school meal programs for fiscal year 2026.
- $425 million to provide monthly USDA food boxes to over 700,000 low-income seniors through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), including thousands in Arizona.
- $90 million to expand WIC’s breastfeeding peer counselor program to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in underserved communities.
- $80 million to support food transportation and storage so food banks across Arizona can safely provide more meals to families in need.
- $1.5 billion for Food for Peace and $240 million for the McGovern-Dole Food for Education Program to fund international meal programs using U.S.-grown food, sustaining Arizona’s agricultural exports while supporting global food security.
Support for Tribal and Hispanic-Serving Institutions
- $11 million for extension services at 1994 Tribal Land-Grant Institutions—including Diné College, Navajo Technical University, and Tohono O’odham Community College—to support locally-focused youth STEM education, and agricultural training.
- $5 million for Tribal college research programs to expand institutional research capacity for culturally relevant projects in public health, food systems, and land stewardship.
- $16 million to expand agriculture education at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) like Arizona Western College and Pima Community College, preparing Latino students for careers in food, environmental, and ag-tech sectors.
Drought Resilience and Watershed Protection
- Directs USDA to support Arizona’s Colorado River Drought Contingency Plan by prioritizing conservation projects and funding for irrigation infrastructure upgrades.
- $52.4 million for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program to help rural and Tribal communities recover from wildfires, floods, and erosion.
Public Health, FDA Reform, and Medical Research
- Recommends FDA continue to take input on the state of progress toward a Valley fever vaccine and issue guidance for industry seeking approval of such a vaccine.
- Requires FDA to analyze delays in prescription drug approvals and identify ways to improve first-cycle approval rates, helping patients access life-saving treatments faster in the face of staff reductions at FDA.
- Maintains funding for the HHS Public-Private Partnership for Rare Neurodegenerative Diseases established by the ACT for ALS Act, through which the Tucson-based Critical Path Institute supports the development and design of clinical trials for ALS and related conditions.
Click HERE for the complete agriculture funding bill summary.
8/4/25