U.S. Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, has announced that she secured significant funding and provisions for Maine in the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations Act. The bill was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and now awaits consideration by the full Senate and House.
The measure was advanced with a vote of 27-1 and includes $400 million in defense funding along with $99.8 billion in nondefense funding.
“Strengthening local economies throughout Maine starts with prioritizing and improving our infrastructure and transportation network. This legislation would build on previous investments, providing funding to enhance safety, move people and products more safely and efficiently, and create jobs across the state. It would also maintain existing rental assistance for more than 4.6 million households throughout the United States and invest in programs aimed at tackling homelessness,” said Senator Collins. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I will continue to advocate for this funding as the appropriations process moves forward.”
Since joining the Appropriations Committee in 2009, Senator Collins has helped secure over $1 billion in competitive transportation grants for Maine.
The bill highlights include nearly $135 million for Congressionally Directed Spending projects in Maine, which includes over $46 million for six MaineDOT projects.
This funding was advanced through the Committee’s markup of the FY 2026 THUD Appropriations bill—an important step allowing it to be considered by the full Senate.
