WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Maria Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor discussing a recently passed appropriations bill that will impact Washington State.
The bill, known as the Second Fiscal Year 2026 Minibus Appropriations Bill, supports various science agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA and the National Science Foundation.
Cantwell announced that the bill includes new funding for key priorities related to science, weather research, salmon and wildfires. This funding comprises $22 million to expand public land in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest and more than $22 million for water and wastewater infrastructure in communities across Washington.
In her speech, Cantwell outlined the bill’s assistance for the Northwest’s fish.
“These bills also maintain NOAA’s fishery funding and increase investment in salmon hatcheries and the Columbia River, and it protects the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund from being zeroed out,” Senator Maria Cantwell said.
This bill aims to bolster various scientific and environmental initiatives in the Evergreen State, ensuring continued support for crucial projects and infrastructure.
