Minnesota lawmakers secured earmarks for dozens of local projects delayed by a partial federal shutdown centered around reining in the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics.
The U.S. House on Tuesday passed appropriations bills that contain the earmarks, which are congressionally directed spending allocated by lawmakers, after previous approval by the Senate. The bills will next go to President Donald Trump’s desk.
Debates over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding had put appropriations for several unrelated agencies in limbo. Ahead of the shutdown, eight GOP Senators joined Democrats in insisting that an appropriations bill funding DHS be broken off from the broader package and be considered separately after the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by Border Patrol agents.
Related: Minnesota lawmakers secured a few earmarks in bill that reopened government
DHS oversees Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the agencies leading Trump’s massive immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Democrats have demanded a reduction in the budgets of those agencies and are pushing for reforms that include a mandate for federal agents to wear body cameras and take off their masks.
Since there is no DHS appropriations bill, that department would be funded by a continuing resolution, or CR, for two weeks to give time to negotiate a DHS appropriations bill.
Earmarks in the newly passed appropriations bills, meanwhile, will fund a new road in St. Cloud, an airport tower in Mankato and senior housing in Todd County, among many more around the state and country.
What appropriations did Congress approve?
Tuesday’s House vote means Congress has approved funding for transportation, housing and urban development, labor, health and more programs. These agencies, particularly transportation and housing, represent the biggest direct spending impacts on Minnesota.
The fate of the state’s only earmark tied to DHS funding is murkier, as a new DHS bill will need to be negotiated. Madelia was set to receive $1.98 million in homeland security funding for a disaster mitigation project at a wastewater lift station.
Minnesota earmarks in the transportation, housing and urban development appropriation bill, in comparison, totaled about $105 million.
St. Cloud will receive $7 million of the funding to construct a new road, bridge, trail and other infrastructure along its I-94 business corridor. Democratic Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith and Rep. Tom Emmer, R-6th District, requested the earmark.
The project will extend Heatherwood Road, said Tracy Hodel, St. Cloud’s city administrator, connecting it to a road about 1.5 miles to the south.
“It’s a really critical missing segment,” Hodel said. “This would provide additional economic growth for our region, and more efficiency. There are quite a few congestion issues on our other exits off of I-94.”
The city anticipates the $13 million construction project will begin in 2027. Projects of this size would be a difficult undertaking for cities to take on alone, Hodel said.
“The $7 million that we’re requesting would have a huge impact on the project, especially as it relates to local taxpayers,” she said.
Mankato is waiting on $3.5 million, requested by Klobuchar, Smith and Rep. Brad Finstad, R-1st District, to construct an air traffic control tower at its municipal airport.
The airport is one of the busiest in the state, in large part due to Minnesota State University’s thriving aviation program. With more air traffic comes the need for a tower to increase safety, said Shawn Schloesser, Mankato’s associate director of transportation planning services.
“The ultimate idea is to reduce the risk,” he said. “It’s the third-busiest airport in the state and does not have a tower.”
Mankato applied for two federal grants to cover $25.6 million for the project. The grants could pay for all or most of the total, with the $3.5 million earmark either covering the remainder or covering costs not eligible for the grants.
The city has funding to get through the project’s design phase, roughly on track to be completed in March. Construction timing is tied to when federal funding comes through.
On the housing side of appropriations, the Central Minnesota Housing Partnership will use $3 million toward converting the old Eagle Valley High School in Todd County to affordable senior housing.
Related: Minnesota cities, towns and nonprofits denied millions of dollars in earmarks
Klobuchar and Smith requested the funding, which would add 23 units in the city of Eagle Bend and give new life to a vacant school, said Deanna Hemmesch, the housing partnership’s executive director.
“There definitely is a need for some senior housing,” she said. “And hopefully that will open up housing for some families to move into the community.”
Total development costs to open Hilltop Square Apartments are estimated to be $15.2 million. Federal earmarks are a key part of the funding puzzle along with state tax credits and bonds and local fundraising.
The goal is to put construction out for bids by the end of this year, start construction in spring or summer 2027, then fill units in 2028. Securing the $3 million earmark keeps that timeline on track, Hemmesch said.
(Check here for a full list of Minnesota earmarks).
Other direct spending in the transportation, housing and related agency appropriations include:
- $5 million to the Duluth Seaway Port Authority for a gantry crane replacement project. Klobuchar and Smith and Rep. Pete Stauber, R-8th District, requested it.
- $3.125 million for St. Paul’s Hayden Heights Library construction project, requested by Klobuchar, Smith, and Rep. Betty McCollum, D-4th District.
- $1.2 million to the City of Excelsior for cleanup of the old Watertown missile site, requested by Klobuchar, Smith and Rep. Kelly Morrison, D-3rd District.
- $1.5 million to the Brooklyn Center’s school district for an elementary schoolyard project. Klobuchar, Smith and Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-5th District, were the requestors.
Earmarks in the labor, health and human services and related agencies appropriations bill added up to about $23.8 million in Minnesota. Klobuchar and Smith requested 20 earmarks for projects ranging from:
- $1.8 million to Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital in Grand Rapids for emergency department renovations.
- $1.226 million to Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall for nurse training programs.
- $1.5 million to Achieve Twin Cities for college and career readiness programming.
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