U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) has secured Senate Appropriations Committee approval for the fiscal year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Bill. The legislation, which Hyde-Smith led as chair of the THUD Appropriations Subcommittee, passed with bipartisan support on a 27-1 vote and will now advance to the full Senate.
“We’ve worked to achieve a strong bipartisan product that maximizes finite resources to carry out a broad range of programs and activities, ranging from highway safety to homelessness prevention to community development,” Hyde-Smith said.
“In the end, this bill is fiscally responsible and responsive to our nation’s needs, adhering to budgetary constraints, while making key investments to improve our nation’s transportation infrastructure and, among other things, fully funding existing rental assistance for seniors, the disabled, and working families,” she added.
Hyde-Smith highlighted recent incidents such as the January mid-air collision over the Potomac River and air traffic control outages as reasons for increased funding in aviation safety. The bill includes $4 billion requested by the Trump administration for modernizing air traffic systems and funds for hiring 2,500 new air traffic controllers along with 91 additional safety inspectors and engineers.
The legislation also supports programs like the Community Development Block Grant program aimed at economic development and job creation. It provides substantial funding for HUD Self-Sufficiency Programs designed to enhance financial literacy, expand access to job training and education, and help individuals move away from welfare dependency.
For Mississippi specifically, Hyde-Smith advocated for resources supporting transportation projects such as airport improvements in Brookhaven Lincoln County ($2.5 million), widening of I-55/I-69 in DeSoto County ($2 million), Lake Okhissa access improvements ($2 million), Neshoba County MS 19 widening ($2 million), Natchez Canal Street Bridge replacement ($2 million), Hinds Community College aviation instruction expansion ($1.993 million), City of Gulfport Dedeaux Road widening ($1.5 million), Meridian Regional Airport construction ($1 million), and Greene County Regional Airport development ($500,000).
In housing and urban development allocations for Mississippi: $5 million each was directed toward expanding both the Gulf Coast Center for Nonviolence Family Justice Center in Biloxi and Forrest County Agricultural High School’s career education facilities; $3 million each was allocated for Vicksburg National Military Park Visitor Center enhancements, Vicksburg Floodwall improvements, and Mississippi Food Network storage upgrades; $2 million went to Greenwood-Leflore-Carroll Economic Development Foundation; East Central Community College Veteran Center received $800,000; Mississippi’s Toughest Kids Facility Improvements in Copiah County received $775,000; Town of Cary Fire Station improvements were allocated $600,000.
“I worked to ensure this bill would support surface, air, port, and rail transportation projects across Mississippi. We also tried to provide resources for housing, workforce development, and community improvement work,” Hyde-Smith said. “This is good start, but there’s more work to do before this becomes law. Overall, I’m pleased with how well Mississippi is treated in this bipartisan legislation.”
Mississippi communities are also eligible for continued funding through federal initiatives such as BUILD grants—including up to $55 million under the Rural Bridge repair program—the Port Infrastructure Development Program, Small Shipyards grants, Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety Improvement Grants (CRISI), and National Scenic Byways Program.
With six out of twelve annual appropriations bills now approved by committee—including THUD—Senate Majority Leader Thune has pledged these will be brought before the full Senate. The chamber recently voted to proceed with consideration of next year’s Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill.
