Zinke’s Requests for Over $27 Million in Western Montana Roads, Bridges, and Water Infrastructure Projects Signed into Law

Bringing home the bacon!

This week, Congressman Zinke announced that President Trump signed the Fiscal Year 2026 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriation Bill into law. The legislation includes more than $27 million in funding for bridges, roads, and water infrastructure projects that will go directly to six Western Montana counties. As a member of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee, Zinke played a central role in shaping the final bill to ensure rural Montana infrastructure needs were prioritized.

With the enactment of H.R. 7148, 11 of the 12 Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills have now been signed into law and the partial government shutdown has ended.

"For years, rural Montana has sent its tax dollars to Washington and watched our critical infrastructure projects get pushed aside while places like Baltimore, Seattle, and Chicago got funding," said Zinke. "This funding corrects that. It puts money back into communities that depend on one bridge, one road, or one water treatment plant to function. These projects came directly from local leaders and county commissioners who live with the consequences of federal neglect. That local input matters more than guidance written by bureaucrats who have never set foot in Western Montana.”

Zinke's Community Project Funding Requests:

• $10,000,000 for the Seeley Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant
• $10,000,000 for the Sanders County Noxon Bridge Replacement, Phase I
• $2,500,000 for the Ravalli County Wastewater Treatment Plant
• $454,000 for Rural Airport Reconstruction and Emergency Services Expansion
• $1,150,000 for Repaving Marten Creek Road
• $1,000,000 for the Flathead County North Fork Road Guardrails
• $1,000,000 for the Groff Lane Bridge Replacement
• $1,000,000 for Old Corvallis Road Repair

Read the full press release here.

By Regina Kane, Belgrade

February 3, 2026

I want to sincerely thank Congressman Ryan Zinke and his team for their swift and attentive response to the TriCare payment issues that have affected providers like myself.

Even during challenging times, including the government shutdown, they consistently followed up, showing great dedication. Their support made a significant difference, and I couldn’t have asked for better advocacy.

As a licensed mental health counselor serving military members and their families for over 20 years, I have experienced delays in claim payments since TriWest Healthcare Alliance and PGBA took over administration of TriCare West earlier last year. These challenges impacted providers nationwide and, most importantly, the timely access to care for our military beneficiaries.

Thanks to Congressman Zinke’s leadership and involvement, TriWest has recently paid all outstanding charges beyond 30 days, which is a welcome resolution. I am grateful for his commitment to Montana’s military community and his efforts to address this critical issue.

His support provides reassurance that our military families will continue to receive the care and attention they deserve.

Read the letter here.

Zinke Honors Montana World War II Home Front Pioneer Donna Roberts in Congressional Record

Each month of 2026, the 250th year after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Congressman Zinke will join the rest of the Montana delegation and the Montana 250th Commission in honoring individuals who have made their mark as extraordinary Montanans.

This January, Zinke recognized Donna Stageman Roberts of Swan Lake, Montana, in the Congressional Record for her role on the World War II home front and her lifelong contributions to Montana’s communities.

Read Rep. Zinke’s submission below:

Today I honor Donna Stageman Roberts, born January 1, 1926, in Randolph, Nebraska, and now a resident of Swan Lake, Montana. On New Year’s Day, Donna celebrated her 100th birthday, a milestone befitting a life that spans a century of change and achievement.

Donna’s life is interwoven with one of the most extraordinary chapters in American sports history and our home front effort during World War II. In 1946, at the age of 20 and living in Billings, she read about tryouts for the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, a professional league created in 1943 to sustain America’s pastime while many major league players served overseas during the war.

After submitting her application and being selected from hundreds of hopefuls, Donna earned a contract with the Peoria Redwings, joining their inaugural 1946 season as a shortstop and outfielder. During that era, these teams kept baseball alive in communities across the Midwest, giving Americans a source of normalcy and pride as so many families worried about loved ones on distant battlefields.

Donna’s story connects Montana to a pivotal moment in American history, when the home front adapted to global conflict and extraordinary opportunities emerged from national necessity. Her journey from the sandlots of Billings to the professional diamonds of the Midwest and back again exemplifies Montana’s contribution to the broader American story.

Read the full congressional record here.

Read the full press release here.

• Zinke’s Requests for Over $27 Million in Western Montana Roads, Bridges, and Water Infrastructure Projects Signed into Law
• Zinke Honors Montana World War II Home Front Pioneer Donna Roberts in Congressional Record
• Zinke’s Requests for Over $8 Million in Western Montana Water Infrastructure and Law Enforcement Projects Signed into Law
• Zinke Secures Over $27 Million for Western Montana Roads, Bridges, and Infrastructure Projects in the Final FY26 Appropriations Package

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