Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after voting yes on a package of three Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) spending bills. The package passed the House with bipartisan support on a 397-28 vote and now heads to the Senate for consideration. 

“I am glad that this legislative package includes the funding I requested to improve marine research and community safety in Whatcom County,” said Rep. Larsen. “Today my colleagues and I voted to continue funding that protects the environment, grows local economies and supports law enforcement, despite the President’s best efforts to defund these priorities. I will keep working closely with Northwest Washington leaders to bring home federal dollars that improve the communities I represent.” 

Larsen’s Requested Funding for Local Projects Included 

Last year, Rep. Larsen requested $1.6 million for two Whatcom County community projects. Funding for those projects is included in the FY26 spending package. 

• $1,031,000 for Western Washington University’s (WWU) Shannon Point Marine Center Research Vessel: This funding will support acquisition of a new research vessel for WWU marine and coastal science educational and research activities.  
  

• $600,000 for Whatcom County Sheriff Office’s Portable Radio Replacement Project: This funding will support the purchase of new portable radios to replace outdated radios that are failing, allowing deputies to communicate clearly with dispatch and each other.  

“Congressional support from Representative Rick Larsen for a new research vessel at Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center is a vital investment in the Salish Sea,” said WWU President Sabah Randhawa. “This vessel will expand hands-on learning for students, create new research opportunities for faculty, and strengthen partnerships with Tribal nations and state agencies advancing critical research and restoration in the North Puget Sound. We are deeply grateful to Representative Larsen for his leadership and support.” 

Larsen Priorities for Environment, Economic Development, Law Enforcement Included 

The final package also provides funding for several Northwest Washington priorities, including: 

• $65 million for the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, which supports state and Tribal habitat restoration projects to reverse the decline of Pacific salmon and steelhead and support conservation efforts in Washington and the Pacific Northwest. 

• $1.285 million for Washington’s Regional Fisheries, restoring funding the Administration refused to allocate in Fiscal Year 2025. In August, Rep. Larsen and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) led Washington state’s Democratic Congressional delegation in sending a letter to Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum urging him to reverse the Trump administration’s disastrous decision to eliminate funding for Regional Fisheries Enhancement Groups (RFEGs). 

• $40 million for the National Estuary Program (NEP), which is a non-regulatory program that supports locally driven efforts to restore and protect the environmental and economic health of 28 estuaries of national significance, including Puget Sound. In June, Rep. Larsen introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the NEP through 2031. 

• $56 million for EPA’s Puget Sound Geographic Program, which supports restoration and research projects. 

• $3.473 billion for Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund projects, which will help support ports in the Puget Sound region. 

• $1 million to establish a new Northwest Regional Commission that will coordinate economic development opportunities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. 

• $329 million for the Weatherization Assistance Program that helps families reduce home energy bills. 

• $964 million for the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, which provides funding for regional drug task forces that help Washington state communities fight the opioid epidemic. 

• $800 million for Community Oriented Policing Services Grants, which awards funds to hire community policing professionals, develop and test innovative policing strategies, and provide training and technical assistance to community members, local government leaders, and all levels of law enforcement. 

• $720 million for the Violence Against Women Act, which provides survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking with lifesaving legal services and transitional housing to help rebuild their lives. 

In November, Rep. Larsen secured $2.1 million in the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture spending bill for three local projects in Island and San Juan counties. Since 2022, Larsen has secured nearly $64 million for 43 projects in Northwest Washington state through annual spending bills.