MEMBER DESIGNATED COMMUNITY PROJECT REQUESTS - FY2027
U.S. Representative Randy Weber submitted the following FY2027 Community Project Funding Member requests to the House Committee on Appropriations in March 2026.
Click each project name to download the Member certification form for each project. Projects are listed in alphabetical order.
Project Name: City of Beaumont, Texas, Public Safety Technology and Infrastructure Improvements
Request Amount: $1,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Beaumont, Texas
Address of the Intended Recipient: 801 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701
Explanation of the Request: This project will provide cameras and advanced technology infrastructure to enhance public safety for City facilities and major investment areas. Funding will cover the purchase, installation, and setup of high-resolution security cameras, the deployment of fiber optic cabling to connect systems and ensure reliable high-speed data transfer, and the installation of enhanced networking equipment to create a secure city-wide safety monitoring network. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because it directly enhances public safety, strengthens critical infrastructure, and increases the City of Beaumont's capacity to prevent, respond to, and investigate crime.
Project Name: City of Hitchcock Wastewater and Sewer Infrastructure Improvements
Request Amount: $3,000,000
Intended Recipient: City of Hitchcock, Texas
Address of the Intended Recipient: 8102 Highway 6, Hitchcock, Texas 77563
Explanation of the Request: The funding would be used to rehabilitate and replace deteriorating sewer lines, upgrade lift stations, improve system reliability, and expand wastewater capacity necessary to support new residential construction and commercial activity. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because this project represents a responsible federal investment in essential public infrastructure that protects public health, supports economic growth, and advances Clean Water Act objectives.
Project Name: Coastal Texas Protection and Restoration Project (Coastal Texas Project)
Request Amount: $25,000,000
Intended Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District
Address of the Intended Recipient: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, Texas 77550
Explanation of the Request: The funding would be used to reduce damage to communities, critical petrochemical and refinery complexes, federal navigation channels, and other existing infrastructure around Galveston Bay from storm surge. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the Coastal Texas Project is a national security and economic protection priority project that has significant implications for the entire state of Texas and the nation.
Project Name: Galveston County Strategic Floodplain Acquisition and Regional Flood Mitigation
Request Amount: $7,500,000
Intended Recipient: Galveston County Consolidated Drainage District (GCCDD)
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1605 Whitaker Drive, Friendswood, Texas 77546
Explanation of the Request: The funding would allow for the acquisition of two flood-prone properties in the Clear Creek and Dickinson Bayou watersheds in Galveston County. Preserving these undeveloped floodplain sites will enable future construction of regional detention and drainage improvements to reduce flood risk, increase watershed conveyance capacity, and enhance long-term regional flood resilience. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because this project will proactively reduce flood risk by preserving two strategically located floodplain properties for regional stormwater detention and drainage improvements.
Project Name: Galveston Harbor & Channel, Texas Operations and Maintenance – Federal Navigation Project
Request Amount: $60,000,000
Intended Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District
Address of the Intended Recipient: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, Texas 77550
Explanation of the Request: The funding would be used to perform annual Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the project, which includes activities such as hydrographic surveying, channel maintenance dredging, and placement area improvements. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because Galveston Harbor (Inner Harbor portion of the project) is ranked #40 in the Nation with respect to commercial tonnage. The Port of Galveston reports an economic impact of $2.3 billion annually while supporting approximately 14,000 jobs. Galveston Harbor is also ranked #9 in the world for cruise lines and the #1 cruise port in the Gulf of America.
Project Name: Gulf Coast Water Authority Environmental Infrastructure Resiliency Improvements – May Pumping Plant (Pumping Plant No. 2 Modernization)
Request Amount: $2,500,000
Intended Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District
Address of the Intended Recipient: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, Texas 77550
Explanation of the Request: The funding would be used to modernize Pumping Plant 2 by replacing outdated 1970s-era equipment with a high-efficiency turbine pump and upgraded controls to improve reliability, operability, and water accountability. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the upgraded pump station will secure water for an area projected to gain 380,000 residents in the next several years and will play a crucial role in a water system that already supports 600,000 Texans, 16,000 acres of agricultural land, and several of the nation’s largest industrial facilities.
Project Name: Jefferson County, Texas, Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Request Amount: $4,000,000
Intended Recipient: Jefferson County, Office of Emergency Management
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1149 Pearl Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701
Explanation of the Request: The funding would enhance interagency coordination, real-time situational awareness, and resource management while ensuring continuity of government during catastrophic events in Jefferson County and the larger Southeast Texas region. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because as the County's central coordination point during disasters, the EOC allows leadership and response agencies to operate from one secure location, make timely decisions, and deploy resources where they are needed most.
Project Name: Lamar State College Port Arthur Advanced Terminal Workforce Development – Phase 2 (AT-Work)
Request Amount: $7,100,000
Intended Recipient: Lamar State College Port Arthur in coalition with Lamar University, Lamar State Institute of Technology and Lamar State College Orange
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1500 Procter Street, Port Arthur, Texas, 77640
Explanation of the Request: The funding would enable a fully functioning Advanced Terminal Workforce Development (AT-Work) Center by developing, constructing, and installing key pieces of infrastructure necessary to create a dynamic training center with all of the multimodal capacity of a functional port. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because Port Arthur is home to the single largest petrochemical refinery in North America and is considered one of the largest and most concentrated centers of petrochemical production, oil refining, and natural gas liquification in the world.
Project Name: Port Freeport Inner Harbor Berth 3 Modernization
Request Amount: $11,062,500
Intended Recipient: Port Freeport
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1100 Cherry Street, Freeport, Texas 77541
Explanation of the Request: The funding would relocate the south wall of Transit/Storage Shed 3, increasing the wharf area for other larger vessel operations including Roll-on/Roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessels, provide for the installation of a pallet racking system in Transit/Storage Shed 3, include the demolition of a fixed position bulk rice loader and construction of a replacement bulk rice loader, and modify the flood wall to increase Berth 3’s utilization. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because, as a vital Gulf Coast hub for imports and exports, Port Freeport continues to attract significant commercial investments.
Project Name: Port of Beaumont Low Line Rail
Request Amount: $10,505,183
Intended Recipient: Port of Beaumont Navigation District of Jefferson County, Texas
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1225 Main Street, Beaumont, Texas 77701
Explanation of the Request: The funding will reconstruct a critical piece of infrastructure that has been out of service since 2017 due to damage sustained by Hurricane Harvey and will stabilize the shoreline via bulkhead construction, install flood mitigation infrastructure, and reconstruct rail infrastructure serving the Main Street Terminals 1 and 2. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the project restores critical rail infrastructure supporting $5 billion in annual cargo throughput and national defense logistics at the Port of Beaumont, the nation’s largest strategic military port.
Project Name: Port of Galveston Overhead Walkway and Pedestrian Safety Features
Request Amount: $5,000,000
Intended Recipient: Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves
Address of the Intended Recipient: 123 25th Street, 8th Floor, Galveston, Texas 77551
Explanation of the Request: The funding would renovate the historic, closed 25th Street pedestrian skywalk over Harborside Drive to safely connect downtown with Cruise Terminals 25 and 28. This project is part of a larger, ongoing effort to improve traffic flow and pedestrian safety in the busy cruise terminal area. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the Port of Galveston, which handles nearly 4 million passenger embarkations and debarkations annually, is taking significant steps to improve pedestrian safety on Harborside Drive (State Highway 275) due to high traffic volumes and increased safety risks.
Project Name: Port of Galveston Pelican Island Berth Engineering
Request Amount: $3,200,000
Intended Recipient: Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves
Address of the Intended Recipient: 123 25th Street, 8th Floor, Galveston, Texas 77551
Explanation of the Request: The funding would engineer two berths on Pelican Island to help support the adjacent Davie Ship Building facility with laydown area for components. The Port of Galveston is actively developing over 300 acres on Pelican Island for expanded cargo, supply-chain services, and future liquefied natural gas (LNG) fueling, with a major $35 million berth development project. Located on the Galveston Ship Channel, this area hosts ship/rig repairs, oil and gas terminals, and is planned to support increased ship building and LNG-powered cruise ship needs. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the project transforms the former Gulf Copper shipyard in Galveston into a state-of-the-art facility focused on building complex, ice-capable ships.
Project Name: Port of Orange Dravo Industrial Terminal Bulkhead – West Side
Request Amount: $9,810,000
Intended Recipient: Orange County Navigation and Port District (Port of Orange)
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1201 South Childers Road, Orange, Texas 77630
Explanation of the Request: The funding would allow for approximately 1,000 feet of bulkhead construction on the west side of the Dravo Industrial Terminal to improve waterway access to the stabilized backlands area and allow for safe, efficient cargo transfer. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because enhancing and hardening infrastructure will increase the Port’s capabilities and resiliency, benefiting local industries that rely on the Port for import, export, and transportation activities while maintaining and creating jobs in Orange County.
Project Name: Port of Orange Improve Rail Reverse Curves from South Childers to Alabama Street Terminal Docks/Warehouses
Request Amount: $8,730,000
Intended Recipient: Orange County Navigation and Port District (Port of Orange)
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1201 South Childers Road, Orange, Texas 77630
Explanation of the Request: The funding would improve the rail reverse curves (approximately 5,400’) from a tight 19-degree curve to an 11-degree curve to activate the rail line to be able to provide intermodal port capabilities for rail, truck, and waterway access for the movement of goods. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because constructing and improving the rail curves will provide more direct and efficient access for trains to reach our Port facilities, improving overall logistics operations and reducing transit constraints.
Project Name: Port of Port Arthur Portside Intermodal Cargo
Request Amount: $12,000,000
Intended Recipient: Port of Port Arthur
Address of the Intended Recipient: P.O. Box 1428, 320 Houston Avenue, Port Arthur, Texas 77640
Explanation of the Request: The funding would elevate and stabilize a 6.5-acre area adjacent to the Port's Berth 6 to support deep and shallow draft maritime, rail, and road-oriented cargos. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the project enhances transportation connectivity and supports U.S. exports, energy movement, and military cargos as a MARAD-designated Strategic Seaport.
Project Name: Port of Texas City Port Freight Safety and Efficiency Improvements
Request Amount: $4,356,750
Intended Recipient: City of Texas City, Texas
Address of the Intended Recipient: 1801 9th Avenue North, Texas City, Texas 77590
Explanation of the Request: The funding will reconfigure the security gate entrance to improve the flow of freight into and out of the Port to resolve railway interference along major roadways, as well as allow for rail improvements in the port area to increase the safety and efficiency of Port operations. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because in 2023, marine cargo activity within the public and private marine terminals at the Port of Texas City Complex generated a total of $15.4 billion of economic activity in the state of Texas and is a leading exporter of petrochemical products.
Request Amount: $319,000,000
Intended Recipient: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District
Address of the Intended Recipient: 2000 Fort Point Road, Galveston, Texas 77550
Explanation of the Request: The funding would be used to continue construction deepening (via 1043(b) execution selected beginning FY25) and deliver full 48-foot depth on the Sabine-Neches Waterway (SNWW). The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because the SNWW is one of the most relevant and vital federal projects of our time given the geopolitical, national security, environmental and defense challenges it uniquely addresses for America and its allies, most especially now given that the SNWW leads America's liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and heavy military deployment tonnage.
Project Name: Texas A&M University at Galveston Institute for Disaster Resilient Texas - Online Disaster Risk Assessment and Communication Tool
Request Amount: $7,550,000
Intended Recipient: Texas A&M University at Galveston
Address of the Intended Recipient: 200 Seawolf Parkway, Galveston, Texas 77554
Explanation of the Request: The funding would be used for the Institute for Disaster Relief Texas (IDRT) to develop and make available an online, customizable, interactive disaster risk communication system for local communities to assess their disaster risk and impacts at multiple scales. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because local communities, especially those with limited financial and technical resources, lack the capacity to assess and communicate their hazard risks at multiple scales, apply for funding, and develop management strategies to reduce disruptive impacts over the long term.
Project Name: University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Galveston New Approach Methodologies Repository & Shared-Service Center for Advancing Biomedical Research
Request Amount: $2,000,000
Intended Recipient: The University of Texas Medical Branch
Address of the Intended Recipient: 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77555
Explanation of the Request: The funding would be used to increase The University of Texas Medical Branch’s (UTMB’s) leadership in the use of cutting-edge technologies, aligning with NIH priorities, and FDA guidance, on the evolving scientific standards for incorporating certain non-animal models into research practices. The repository and service center will allow UTMB and regional researchers access to emerging biometric systems for specialized health-related projects, such as organoids, organ-on-a-chip, and cell cultures (patient-in-a-dish), to better advance cures, drug development, and quality of life for Texas patients. The project is an appropriate use of taxpayer funds because New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) is a leading research priority by President Donald Trump's Administration, with federal health-related agencies issuing guidance and roadmaps on how U.S. institutions should promote stronger use in biomedical research.
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