Staff Reports
SAFFORD — U.S. Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-Ariz.) marked Presidents’ Day by returning to his southeastern Arizona district, spending the federal holiday in Graham County to meet with local leaders, farmers, Republican activists, and healthcare providers while highlighting millions of dollars in newly secured federal funding for roads and water systems.
Ciscomani kicked off the day in Thatcher with a meeting at the Gila Valley Irrigation District offices, where he sat down with board members to discuss pressing water challenges facing local agriculture and rural communities.
He then joined the Graham County Republican Party for its annual Lincoln Day Luncheon, addressing attendees and celebrating the shared values of the holiday honoring George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
The congressman capped his schedule with a visit to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center in Safford, where he toured the ICU and cardiac catheterization lab, met with hospital administrators, and heard directly about the facility’s role in serving the region’s healthcare needs.
$4.1 million in new funding for Graham and Greenlee counties
During his visits and in statements from his office, Ciscomani spotlighted critical federal dollars included in the House’s Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development appropriations package that will directly benefit Graham County communities.
The package provides:
• $1 million for the Pima School Road project to improve safety and traffic flow at the intersection serving the new Pima High School.
• $1.9 million for the Town of Duncan to repave more than 4,000 feet of Main Street and High Street — roadways that have not received proper repairs in 45 years.
• $1.2 million for Graham County to modernize aging water and sewer infrastructure. The investment will replace portions of the county’s 40-year-old waterlines and create a system to deliver treated wastewater from the City of Safford for non-potable uses, freeing up precious drinking water supplies.
“These federal resources are coming straight back to our communities to fix roads, secure our water future, and strengthen local infrastructure,” Ciscomani said, according to his office. “Whether it’s supporting our farmers through better water management, improving daily commutes in small towns, or ensuring our hospitals have the resources they need, delivering real results for Arizona’s Sixth District remains my top priority.”
Local leaders welcomed both the in-person engagement and the tangible funding outcomes.
The visits come just weeks after the House passed the broader Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which incorporated the THUD package and other spending measures. Ciscomani has repeatedly credited his position on the House Appropriations Committee with helping steer the projects through the process.
Ciscomani represents Arizona’s Sixth Congressional District, which includes Graham, Greenlee, Cochise, Pinal, and portions of Pima counties. He is seeking re-election in November 2026.
