Congresswoman Escobar Votes for Minibus Funding Bill, Secures Millions in Federal Funding for El Paso

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar voted to pass an appropriations package that includes important wins for El Paso, rejects the Trump Administration's plan to eviscerate public services through $163 billion in cuts, and puts meaningful guardrails in place to ensure the Administration can't, again, withhold federal funding from several programs critical to our community.

• $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.

• Increases funding for Child Care and Head Start by $170 million, helping provide hard-working families access to early childhood education and childcare
• Provides $66.6 billion in funding for rental assistance programs, rejecting President Trump's efforts to slash funding for these programs by 50 percent
• Helps lower the cost of living and prevent evictions for over 4 million households, improving housing security and preserving affordable housing for people with disabilities, veterans, and families with children nationwide
• Reinforces efforts to combat homelessness by increasing Homeless Assistance Grant funding by $366 million and rejecting President Trump's efforts to eliminate Continuum of Care funding entirely
• Works to make drug prices more affordable by tackling problems caused by prescription drug middlemen.

• Increases funding for the National Institutes of Health by $400 million, investing in cutting-edge research to develop cures or treatments for cancer, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and Diabetes
• Includes a 40% increase in funding, for a total of $30 million for the Office of Research on Women's Health
• Rejects proposed cuts to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), increases funding for the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by $15 million and State Opioid Response Grants by $20 million
• Secures $1.9 billion for the community health centers

• Includes $44.7 billion for K-12 Education and Disabilities Education Act programs which includes:
  • Title I Grants: $18.4 billion
  • English Language Acquisition: $890 million
  • Special Education: $15.5 billion
  • Impact Aid: $1.6 billion
• Provides $22.5 billion for Pell Grant programs, work study, and grants to support low-income students.
• Reenforces the commitment to employment and job training funding, including $1.8 billion for Job Corps
• Prioritizes intuitions like UTEP with over $1 billion for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and $1.2 billion for TRIO funding.

• Provides $18.6 billion for the FAA, an increase of $1.6 billion, including funding to expand the air traffic controller workforce by 2,500 personnel, improve facilities and equipment, and modernize the nation's air traffic control towers
• Includes Congresswoman Escobar's language to perform an assessment of existing grants and how they could be used for DUI countermeasures
• Makes critical investments in El Paso's highways, roads, and bridges to improve transportation safety and keep construction workers on the job, while supporting American manufacturer and supplier businesses
• Directs the Department of Transportation to prioritize the assessment of infrastructure in colonias