Baumgartner Hails House Passage of the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, Secures Key Wins for Eastern Washington

Baumgartner Hails House Passage of the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, Secures Key Wins for Eastern Washington June 04, 2026 | Press Releases WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Michael Baumgartner (WA-05) applauded House passage of the Fiscal Year 2027 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which includes $2.5 million for public-safety infrastructure projects in Eastern Washington and advances key priorities for the region’s farmers, researchers, and rural communities. The House-passed bill provides $26.27 billion in discretionary funding for agriculture, rural development, food safety, and related programs. “Eastern Washington farmers feed communities across the country and help drive our regional economy,” said Congressman Baumgartner . “This bill provides critical support for agricultural research at institutions like WSU, extension services, rural infrastructure, and market access that keep our producers competitive. It builds on the Farm Bill we passed earlier this year and advances a broader commitment to strengthen American agriculture and support the families who depend on it.” The House-passed bill includes: $1.5 million for the City of College Place to support construction of a new College Place Police Department facility – improving emergency response readiness, secure records storage, and providing service areas for residents seeking assistance. $1 million for the City of Medical Lake to modernize public-safety infrastructure at Medical Lake City Hall. Nearly $1.8 billion for the Agricultural Research Service , supporting the long-standing partnership between USDA and Washington State University, which houses one of the largest concentrations of USDA agricultural scientists on any university campus in the nation. Support for land-grant university research and extension programs , including funding for the Hatch Act, which is the foundational fund for agricultural experiment facilities at land-grant institutions like WSU. Report language supporting research into the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on winegrapes and continued support for the Alfalfa Seed and Alfalfa Forage Systems Research Program . Funding for the Foreign Agricultural Service to help American producers access overseas markets and continued support for the Food for Peace program. The broader legislation also supports food-safety inspections, animal and plant health programs, rural-development lending, rural broadband, and stronger oversight of foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land. “Eastern Washington agriculture is essential to our economy and our national security,” Baumgartner said . “I was proud to advocate for these priorities and will continue working to ensure our farmers, families, and rural communities receive the support they deserve.” Bill text, before adoption of amendments, is available here . Bill report, before adoption of amendments, is available here . A table of included Community Project Funding requests is available here .