Congressman Dave Taylor Secures Nearly $17 Million for 13 Southern Ohio Projects

Nine of Congressman Dave Taylor’s Fiscal Year 2026 community projects, totaling $10,050,366, were placed into the House government funding bill H.R. 6938 and approved by the House in a 397-28 vote before the measure moved to the Senate for consideration. That concrete action anchors a broader claim from Taylor’s office that he secured nearly $17 million for 13 community-driven projects across Ohio’s Second Congressional District, a discrepancy residents and local officials will want clarified as work begins to translate federal dollars into local improvements.

The House-passed funding in H.R. 6938 included projects described by Taylor’s office and local reporting as addressing water infrastructure, public safety, emergency response, healthcare, economic development, and quality-of-life needs across southern Ohio. Vinton County and neighboring counties sit in the 2nd District, which also includes Clermont, Clinton, Pike, Adams, Brown, Highland, Ross, Scioto, Pickaway, Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Gallia, Meigs, and parts of Fayette County.

Local project detail in the public record names several priorities. VintonJacksonCourier identified an upgrade to the Wellston Police Department’s Multi-Agency Radio Communication Systems (MARCS) as among the projects included in the House bill. LegiStorm republished Taylor’s materials describing a Cherry Fork-area water treatment plant intended to service a newly constructed 55-acre industrial park, add capacity for growth, and address failing septic tanks tied to Ohio EPA orders. Sciotopost highlighted a separate, major $4 million infrastructure investment in Pickaway County that appears in the office’s Feb. 12 statement but is not explicitly tied to the nine-project list in H.R. 6938 as reported.

Taylor’s office framed the expanded package in a Feb. 12 press release, stating that he “secured nearly $17 million in federal funding for 13 community-driven projects across Ohio’s Second Congressional District.” In a longer statement printed by Scioto Valley Guardian, Taylor said, “When I took the oath of office, I promised to advocate for the needs of Ohioans who have had to make do with far too little for far too long. Each of these 13 local projects is a result of year-long conversations I’ve had with local leaders, law enforcement, first responders, and service organizations about where the greatest impact of federal dollars could be made. I look forward to seeing how these projects will improve the quality of life for Ohioans, and I will continue working with local partners to deliver meaningful results to our communities.” VintonJacksonCourier reported Taylor as saying, “I am proud to secure $10 million for southern Ohio to address critical public safety and water infrastructure needs in our community.”

For Vinton County readers the policy questions are straightforward: which projects are funded now, what amounts are attached to each, which require additional Senate approval, and how quickly will funds flow to local governments, first responders, and utilities. The vote margin in the House suggests bipartisan appetite to move funding forward, but the Senate process could alter amounts or the final project list. Local officials should press for an itemized award list and timelines from Taylor’s communications office and the named project sponsors so contractors, counties, and ratepayers can plan.

What comes next is procedural and practical: H.R. 6938’s Senate consideration and a public accounting of how the nearly $17 million claim reconciles with the $10,050,366 included in the House text. For residents and civic leaders in Vinton County and neighboring communities, the next weeks will determine whether announced projects turn into breaking ground, upgraded equipment, or improved water service.