{"id":1854,"date":"2025-09-15T14:05:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T14:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/?p=1854"},"modified":"2025-09-15T14:08:05","modified_gmt":"2025-09-15T14:08:05","slug":"appropriations-update-5","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cms.hhs.com\/index.php\/2025\/09\/15\/appropriations-update-5\/","title":{"rendered":"Appropriations Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

Appropriations Update \u2013 <\/strong>The House Committee on Appropriations advanced its fiscal year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) spending bill<\/a> in a 35-28 party line vote last week. The spending bill includes a total of $108 billion for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a 6% \u2013 or $7 billion \u2013 cut compared to FY 2025. The House Republican package falls between the $116.6 billion for HHS proposed by Senate appropriators and the President\u2019s budget request of $94.7 billion. The House spending proposal would reduce funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to $48 billion \u2013 a decrease of $456 million, or 1%, compared to FY 2025. Funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) would be reduced by $1.7 billion \u2013 or 19% \u2013 for a total of $7.4 billion. The Committee provided a total of $7.1 billion for the Health Resources and Services Administration, $866 million \u2013 or 11% \u2013 below FY 2025 levels. The Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health would see a 37%, or $500 million, funding cut. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration would see a $298 million cut, to $7.1 billion.<\/p>\n

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During the 12-hour marathon markup, the panel adopted several health-related amendments. An en bloc amendment from Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.) would curb studies for medical treatments that alter the human body to no longer correspond to its biological sex, and asks the CDC to investigate physician-assisted suicide. An amendment from Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) would block funds for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services from being used to implement the Wasteful and Inappropriate Service Reduction (WISeR) Model. An amendment from Rep. Susie Lee (D-Nev.) would extend grants that support certain continuing medical education grant programs through 2028. The manager\u2019s amendment approved by the committee expressed support for investigating the pharmacy benefit manager industry and restricting animal research at the NIH.<\/p>\n

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Prior to markup, the committee released its report<\/a> to accompany the bill. The report language details the wide range of issues considered by lawmakers in drafting the spending measure, and includes a list of the programs retained that the White House had proposed to eliminate in the President\u2019s budget. It also notes that \u201cany large-scale [NIH] restructuring proposal remains under the jurisdiction of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Committee recommendation for fiscal year 2026 reflects the NIH structure under current law. The Committee looks forward to Congress continuing to work with the Administration regarding innovative ideas at the National Institutes of Health.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Lawmakers must pass funding legislation by September 30 to avoid a government shutdown. Congress is expected to rely on a continuing resolution (CR) to extend funding at current levels beyond the end of the fiscal year. Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) has stated that he hopes the House of Representatives will vote on a clean stopgap spending bill this week.<\/p>\n

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Democrats are threatening to block any stopgap spending bill that does not include extension of enhanced advanced premium tax credits. The COVID-era Affordable Care Act subsidies allow families with incomes of more than 400% of the poverty line to cap their premiums at 8.5% of income. While some Republicans support extending the subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of this year, GOP leadership in both chambers have stated that the CR will be free of any policy riders, and that negotiations on an extension should not be linked to the government funding deadline. Marketplace enrollees will begin receiving notifications of the premium increases that will result from expiration of the credits in November. Republicans will need at least seven Democratic votes in the Senate to pass government funding legislation.<\/p>\n

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House Passes Aviator Mental Health Legislation \u2013 <\/strong>The House of Representatives passed the Mental Health in Aviation Act (H.R. 2591) last week by voice vote. The legislation would require the Federal Aviation Administration to update regulations to encourage airline pilots and aviation workers to disclose and seek help for mental health conditions. It would also authorize $13.7 million annually from fiscal year 2026 through 2028 to recruit additional aviation medical examiners and to clear the Office of Aerospace Medicine\u2019s case backlog, and $1.5 million for public awareness campaigns on mental health in the aviation industry.<\/p>\n

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E&C Subcommittee Advances Public Health Reauthorization Bills \u2013 <\/strong>The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health advanced a slate of public health reauthorization bills in a markup last week. All seven bills were favorably reported to the full committee by voice vote:<\/p>\n