ICYMI: What did Memphis get in the appropriations bills?
February 9, 2026
Three of the city’s four representatives in Washington, D.C., touted items in the appropriations bills they pushed for that averted a full shutdown of the federal government.
The funding from the city’s two House members came through community funding requests that were part of the appropriations package — known formerly as “earmarks.”
The provisions on the Senate side were included by another process making them part of the base text of the appropriations package.
U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis
- Historic Clayborn Temple Restoration Project — $3.1 million
- Historic Mason Temple Restoration Project — $1.2 million
- Historic Sterick Renovation and Restoration Project — $1.2 million
- Covenant Gardens Senior Apartments — $1 million
- Hyde Square plaza and pedestrian infrastructure improvements — $850,000
- Montgomery Plaza electrical infrastructure upgrades — $850,000
- University of Memphis Park Avenue Campus Upgrades — $850,000
- Memphis Airport Terminal Modernization and Seismic Program — $250,000
U.S. Rep. David Kustoff, R-Germantown
- Sewer Equalization Tank Installation, Bartlett — $1 million
- Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion, Arlington — $1 million
- Memphis Airport Terminal Modernization and Seismic Program — $4 million
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn
Blackburn did not provide dollar amounts for the following projects funded:
- University of Memphis test facility for unmanned aerial and autonomous systems for the Defense Department
- University of Memphis hypersonics ground test facility developed with the Naval Surface Warfare Center
U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty did not provide a rundown of his community funding requests.