Representative Jeff Crank (CO-05) has voted in favor of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2026. The legislation, which now moves to the President’s desk, contains funding for defense, health, education, transportation, and housing.
The Defense Appropriations Act included in the package provides a 3.8% pay raise for service members and a 1% increase for civilian employees. It also allocates $13.4 billion toward missile defense and space programs supporting U.S. security initiatives, including additional funding for new GPS satellites produced in Colorado and six new C-130J aircraft for the Air National Guard.
On domestic policy, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act supports increased primary care funding for rural areas and greater investment in nutrition research at the National Institutes of Health. It also seeks to reduce program spending as part of an effort to limit federal bureaucracy.
The Transportation, Housing and Urban Development portion of the bill prioritizes transportation safety measures and maintains essential housing assistance programs. Notably, Representative Crank secured $1 million in funding dedicated to safety improvements at Constitution Avenue and Peterson Road in El Paso County. The planned upgrades include improved crosswalks, pedestrian signals, refuge areas, intersection realignment, and signal timing modifications—measures designed to improve both pedestrian and vehicular safety as part of El Paso County’s Local Road Safety Plan.
“By passing the Consolidated Appropriations Act, Congress is working to fund critical programs and a pay increase for our military,” said Rep. Crank. “Also included in this package is $1 million to support safety improvements at Constitution Avenue and Peterson Road. These improvements will ensure the safety of the constituents in my district and its visitors. I look forward to seeing this funding come through once the President signs the bill into law.”
Other elements of the appropriations include increased funds for Impact Aid programs benefiting local school districts affected by federal property tax exemptions due to military installations; additional resources for modernizing space launch infrastructure; more support for FAA operations; reinforced English language proficiency requirements for truck drivers; and stricter citizenship requirements related to housing assistance.
