WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02), a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after 14 of his earmarks have now been signed into law as part of the FY2026 government funding process:
“These projects provide a major investment in our region, helping our economy and making a real difference in communities across Wisconsin and the country,” said Congressman Pocan. “I’m pleased that 14 Community Project Funding awards for Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District have now been signed into law. These projects will reach all over the district, and I look forward to seeing their impact for years to come.”
The FY26 Appropriations bills include a number of provisions benefiting Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District, including:
- $1,200,000 for the Great Sauk State Trail Bicycle Rail Trail Connection Project: to support completing 20+ years of work to create the rail to trail corridor across Sauk County, linking vital major trails together and providing development that creates vibrant and diverse community economies.
- $1,031,000 for the UW-Madison Entrepreneurship Science Lab’s Statistical Analysis for Rapid Commercialization of University Ideas and Research (STARCUIR) Initiative: to generate new research at UW-Madison that can be applied to increase the number of economically impactful companies formed in Madison and across the state of Wisconsin by students and recent graduates of UW-Madison.
- $1,031,000 for the UW-Madison Criminal Justice Forensic Assistance Project: to support a Criminal Justice Forensic Assistance Project within the Law School, which improves and aids the criminal justice system through forensic analysis, DNA testing, and expert research.
- $1,000,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County: for an initiative focused on guiding youth away from incarceration, improving their overall well-being, and fostering their career and educational goals.
- $1,000,000 for Madison Area Rehabilitation Centers (MARC), Inc.’s Mount Horeb Rural Community Health & Employment Services Facility Construction Project: to support the construction of a new facility to provide essential health and employment services for adults with developmental disabilities in a rural community.
- $1,000,000 for the City of Mineral Point Lead Service Line Replacement: to replace lead and galvanized service lines connected to the City’s water system to achieve zero lead in test results by the beginning of 2027.
- $1,000,000 for the Sauk Prairie Healthcare Rural Clinic Construction Project: to support the expansion of an existing rural health clinic in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, that has limited capacity and is unable to offer new, in-person services.
- $850,000 for the City of Madison Metro Transit Bus Safety Initiative: to support equipping Madison Metro’s new fleet of 60-foot buses with technology upgrades to warn bus drivers of impending collisions and improve public safety.
- $572,000 for the Dodgeville Fire & Rescue Training Tower Construction Project: to support the construction of a three-story fire training tower designed to significantly enhance the training capabilities of the Dodgeville Fire Department and provide a shared resource for other regional fire departments and emergency response teams.
- $525,000 for the City of Middleton Graber Greenway Project: to establish a continuous greenway between Graber Pond and the Pheasant Branch Conservancy, surrounding the existing drainageway with conservancy lands and enhanced stormwater management facilities.
- $500,000 for the Innovation Center Stoughton Youth and Young Adult STEM Education Project: to establish a regional innovation center to provide youth and young adult STEM education and programming, including in robotics, automation, advanced materials design, and additive manufacturing, in south-central Wisconsin.
- $400,000 for the Reedsburg Oral Healthcare Facility Renovation Project: to support the renovation of an existing, former primary care clinic into a new dental clinic to serve the rural city of Reedsburg in Sauk County, Wisconsin.
- $400,000 for the City of Edgerton Veterans Park Site Improvements Project: to support a planned site improvement project at the Edgerton Veterans’ Park to enable the city to construct a multi-purpose park shelter that would provide a for a covered location for family gatherings and community events, including farmers’ markets and other small business activities, as well as local holiday celebrations.
- $250,000 for the Village of Loganville Street and Utility Improvements: to support replacement and upgrades of local road and utility infrastructure, including base and asphalt, curb and gutter, new water mains to replace currently undersized water mains, replacement hydrants, sidewalks, storm sewer upgrades, and sanitary sewer adjustments as needed.
As a member of the Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for drafting all federal funding legislation, Rep. Pocan looks forward to Wisconsin – and Wisconsin’s 2nd Congressional District – receiving the funding it needs and deserves.
