The U.S. Senate sent three major federal spending bills to President Trump on Thursday, which include almost $1 billion for New Mexico water infrastructure, public safety and national laboratories projects.
U.S. Sens. Martin Heinrich and Ben Ray Luján, both Democrats, touted the Senate passage of the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills for Commerce, Justice and Science; Interior and Environment; and Energy and Water Development. The legislation now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.
Both senators highlighted a major investment in the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project. The funding includes $59 million for construction and a provision to increase the project’s cost ceiling to $1.815 billion, while capping the City of Gallup’s required contribution.
The senators also worked closely with New Mexico’s congressional representatives to secure funding for local infrastructure and safety. Partnering with U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, the senators secured over $1 million for the New Mexico State Police to upgrade wireless capabilities in patrol vehicles and another $1 million for wastewater upgrades in the Town of Bernalillo. Collaborative efforts with U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez yielded nearly $1.1 million for wastewater treatment in Belen and more than $1 million for the Albuquerque Real Time Crime Center. Additionally, Heinrich and Luján joined U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández in advocating for the Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project and securing $1 million for a fire ladder truck in San Juan County.
“These investments reflect our values,” Heinrich said. “I’ve spent months negotiating and fighting to secure funding for critical investments in New Mexico that support our local law enforcement with the tools they need to keep our communities safe.”
Luján said the bills will strengthen water infrastructure and equip law enforcement. “I’m proud to have secured nearly $982 million in federal funding for vital New Mexico projects that will provide clean drinking water, strengthen infrastructure, and protect our communities,” Luján said.
Beyond shared priorities, the senators secured funding for several individual initiatives. Heinrich secured $10 million for road repairs leading to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) in southeastern New Mexico and $5.5 million to start operations for the Southwest Border Regional Commission. He also successfully advocated for $13.4 million for the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) after previous threats to withhold the school’s funding.
Luján’s secured funding included $420 million to boost defense-related cleanup at WIPP and $278 million for similar cleanup efforts at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He also noted $253 million for the COPS Hiring Program to assist law enforcement agencies with staffing in New Mexico and across the country.
This article was developed with the assistance of Carl, a nm.news AI news research tool, which helped synthesize initial information and research. The final report was created, fact-checked, and edited by human editor Pat Davis to ensure accuracy and adherence to our editorial standards.