Last week, Congressman David Valadao (CA-22) voted in favor of H.R. 5371, the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026. The bill was signed into law by President Trump on November 12th. It included a Continuing Resolution to reopen the government and three full-year appropriations bills covering agriculture, military construction and veterans affairs, and legislative branch operations.
Congressman Valadao said: “As a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, I was proud to vote to return to regular order and advance three full-year funding bills. These bills deliver real wins for CA-22—supporting our families and farmers, investing in our rural communities, and improving care for our veterans. I’m especially proud that the Agriculture Appropriations bill includes my Community Project Funding requests for the Kaweah Siphon Resiliency Project and the Tulare County Fire Department. These investments will help boost groundwater levels, protect drinking water quality, and improve emergency response times in underserved communities. Passing this package is an important step forward, and I’ll keep working with my colleagues in the House and Senate to deliver the rest of the full-year funding bills.”
The legislation secures $3.5 million for the Kaweah Siphon Resiliency Project. This project will fund a new siphon under the Kaweah River’s Main Intake Canal to provide surface water supplies across approximately 65,000 acres in Tulare Irrigation District for irrigation and groundwater recharge.
Additionally, $1.64 million is allocated for acquiring a new aerial ladder truck for unincorporated communities in Tulare County such as Tipton, Pixley, Earlimart, Terra Bella, and Alpaugh.
Other highlights from the agriculture-related appropriations include increased funds for agricultural research services to combat avian influenza; support for animal health programs; expanded credit access for local farmers; funding boosts for rural housing assistance; increased child nutrition program allocations; support through WIC and SNAP programs; food aid purchases benefiting local producers; among others.
For military construction and veterans affairs programs funded by this act: there are increases toward direct VA care ($59.2 billion), community care providers ($34 billion), mental health care ($18.9 million), prosthetic research ($945 million), rural health initiatives ($342.5 million), as well as hospital construction efforts ($1.4 billion).
The legislative branch portion provides resources to fund U.S Capitol Police salaries fully while prohibiting certain technology purchases from China or other foreign adversaries.
David Valadao has represented California’s 22nd Congressional District since 2021 after replacing TJ Cox (https://valadao.house.gov/). Before his congressional tenure began in 2021 representing California’s 22nd district (https://ballotpedia.org/David_Valadao), he served in the California State Assembly from 2010 to 2012.
Valadao was born in Hanford in 1977 where he currently resides.
