WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) praised the passage of three Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, Energy, Interior and agencies including the Army Corps of Engineers. The bills contain Boozman-authored provisions that fund multiple public safety, academic research and water infrastructure projects in Arkansas. The legislation now heads to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

“I am pleased Congress has approved more full-year funding bills and was proud to secure critical investments directly in Arkansas to enhance law enforcement capabilities, facilitate important research and improve rural and regional water infrastructure. Ensuring our communities get the support they deserve and helping provide needed budgetary certainty to these federal departments is a win-win,” Boozman said.

Boozman, who serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, secured funding for the following projects:

Public Safety and Legal Aid

- $5.5 million to establish the Arkansas Criminal Intelligence Network (ACIN), allowing real-time regional crime-sharing information and evidence analysis across Arkansas law enforcement agencies.

- $3.5 million to provide technology and equipment for the City of Jonesboro’s Real-Time Crime Center.

- $575,000 to provide public safety equipment and technology to the Batesville Police Department and its Real-Time Crime Center.

- $500,000 to assist the Arkansas State Police with law enforcement investigation hardware, software and tools related to solving internet crimes including online child sex abuse.

- $325,000 for public safety equipment upgrades for the Bald Knob Police Department.

- $750,000 to support a full-service legal clinic for veterans at the W.H. Bowen School of Law at the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.

Water Infrastructure

- $10 million to support wastewater infrastructure expansion at the Port of Little Rock.

- $5 million for improvements to the City of Blytheville’s wastewater collection system.

- $4.75 million to modernize the City of Conway’s wastewater infrastructure.

- $4.5 million to improve drinking water quality in Helena-West Helena.

- $4.5 million for water treatment plant improvements in Wynne.

- $3.8 million for improvements to the City of Lewisville’s sewer system.

- $2 million to help facilitate the City of Wabbaseka’s inclusion in the Grand Prairie Drinking Water Regionalization Distribution District.

- $1.07 million to help rehabilitate the City of Hardy’s municipal wastewater treatment facility.

- $869,000 for enhancements to the wastewater infrastructure and treatment facility in Des Arc.

Public Research

- $3.5 million for the creation of a Power Packaging Center of Excellence at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville that will modernize equipment at the university’s High-Density Electronics Center.

- $3 million for the University of Arkansas-Little Rock to enhance nanotechnology research capacity through the purchase of state-of-the-art equipment.