Congresswoman Escobar Celebrates FY26 Community Projects

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) announced that 12 of her Community Project Funding (CPF) requests have been signed into law. Through this year's appropriations cycle, the Congresswoman was able to bring back $15 million to El Paso to support critical local priorities including water infrastructure, cancer research, public safety communications, and economic development projects across the region.

Watch press conference here!

This year's Community Projects are:

• $1,000,000 for the City of El Paso to improve safety and mobility in Segundo Barrio by addressing traffic impacts from the Stanton International Port of Entry. Funding will support ADA-accessible sidewalks, bicycle infrastructure, improved traffic signals, lighting, road markings, landscaping, and safer street design for pedestrians and drivers alike.
• $3,100,000 for the City of El Paso to expand the Ysleta Port of Entry, building on Congresswoman Escobar's priority of modernizing El Paso's land ports of entry. The project lays the groundwork for future construction that will improve border efficiency, safety, and trade operations.
• $500,000 for the City of Socorro to design and build a new three-mile trail connection between Ysleta and Socorro along Alameda Avenue, expanding safe walking and biking options and improving regional connectivity for residents.
• $250,000 for El Paso County to provide essential equipment so a new animal shelter can begin operations, allowing it to take in animals, deliver medical treatment, and improve animal care and welfare across the county.
• $250,000 for the City of El Paso to create modular maker spaces at the Innovation Factory for early-stage manufacturing and aerospace companies. The project supports workforce training, product design, environmental management, and access to advanced manufacturing and testing equipment, helping local startups grow and create jobs.
• $3,150,000 for the City of El Paso to support critical structural upgrades to I-10 for the Deck Plaza in downtown El Paso. The investment will strengthen retaining walls and support beams, improve fire safety systems, and modernize utilities over a six-block stretch of Interstate Highway 10, ensuring the long-term safety and stability of this vital transportation corridor.
• $1,000,000 for El Paso County to construct a 2,500-square-foot prefabricated classroom and workshop for the Challenge Academy, operated by the El Paso County Juvenile Probation Department. The facility supports evidence-based education, vocational training, and rehabilitation programs designed to reduce youth recidivism and set young people on a path to success.
• $1,092,000 for the El Paso County East Montana Water Tower Project to design and construct the East Montana Water Tower, a 750,000-gallon elevated storage facility to supplement an existing and aging 75,000-gallon water tower. With a planned lifespan of roughly 50 years, this water tower will serve more than 1,000 homes and businesses in this unincorporated part of the County.
• $1,031,000 to Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso to acquire medical linear accelerators (LINAC) for the research enterprise of TTUHSC El Paso. LINAC systems are devices used to treat large tumors as an external beam radiation therapy treatment. These systems will be used to research the biological and therapeutic effects of varying doses of radiation on the body.
• $1,031,000 to the Rio Grande Council of Governments to replace or upgrade mobile and portable radios for public safety entities within El Paso County. This will drastically improve interoperable communications by providing reliable, timely communications among public safety responders and between public safety agencies and citizens, to effectively carry out public safety missions, as well as save lives.
• $1,031,000 to the Town of Anthony to acquire a mobile command center for the Anthony Police Department with the technology necessary to support the Town of Anthony Police Department's mission to set up a central, mobile emergency management hub.
• $1,031,000 to El Paso Makes to initiate a manufacturing research project with El Paso small and medium manufacturers to develop manufacturing models enabled by digital engineering and automation capabilities to support United States goals to produce All Domain Attritable Autonomous Systems (ADA2) to counter China's military.