H. R. 5304

Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Shown here: Reported in House (2025-09-11)

Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.

That the following sums are appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes, namely:

I DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Employment and training administration

TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

(Including Rescission of Funds)

For necessary expenses of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (referred to in this Act as “WIOA”) and the National Apprenticeship Act, $2,594,412,000 plus reimbursements, shall be available. Of the amounts provided:

(1) for grants to States for adult employment and training activities and dislocated worker employment and training activities, $1,807,553,000 as follows:

(A) $712,000,000 for adult employment and training activities, which shall be available for the period October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; and

(B) $1,095,553,000 for dislocated worker employment and training activities, of which $235,553,000 shall be available for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and of which $860,000,000 shall be available for the period October 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027:

Provided, That the funds available for allotment to outlying areas to carry out subtitle B of title I of the WIOA shall not be subject to the requirements of section 127(b)(1)(B)(ii) of such Act: Provided further, That notwithstanding the requirements of WIOA, outlying areas may submit a single application for a consolidated grant that awards funds that would otherwise be available to such areas to carry out the activities described in subtitle B of title I of the WIOA: Provided further, That such application shall be submitted to the Secretary of Labor (referred to in this title as “Secretary”), at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require: Provided further, That outlying areas awarded a consolidated grant described in the preceding provisos may use the funds for any of the programs and activities authorized under such subtitle B of title I of the WIOA subject to approval of the application and such reporting requirements issued by the Secretary; and

(2) for national programs, $786,859,000 as follows:

(A) $325,859,000 for the dislocated workers assistance national reserve, of which $125,859,000 shall be available for the period July 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, and of which $200,000,000 shall be available for the period October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027: Provided, That funds provided to carry out section 132(a)(2)(A) of the WIOA may be used to provide assistance to a State for statewide or local use in order to address cases where there have been worker dislocations across multiple sectors or across multiple local areas and such workers remain dislocated; coordinate the State workforce development plan with emerging economic development needs; and train such eligible dislocated workers: Provided further, That funds provided to carry out sections 168(b) and 169(c) of the WIOA may be used for technical assistance and demonstration projects, respectively, that provide assistance to new entrants in the workforce and incumbent workers: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 168(b) of the WIOA, of the funds provided under this subparagraph, the Secretary may reserve not more than 10 percent of such funds to provide technical assistance and carry out additional activities related to the transition to the WIOA: Provided further, That of the funds provided under this subparagraph, $120,000,000 shall be for training and employment assistance under sections 168(b), 169(c) (notwithstanding the 10 percent limitation in such section) and 170 of the WIOA as follows:

(i) $55,000,000 shall be for workers in the Appalachian region, as defined by 40 U.S.C. 14102(a)(1), workers in the Lower Mississippi, as defined in section 4(2) of the Delta Development Act (Public Law 100–460, 102 Stat. 2246; 7 U.S.C. 2009aa(2)), and workers in the region served by the Northern Border Regional Commission, as defined by 40 U.S.C. 15733; and

(ii) $65,000,000 shall be for the purpose of developing, offering, or improving educational or career training programs at community colleges, defined as public institutions of higher education, as described in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and at which the associate’s degree is primarily the highest degree awarded, with other eligible institutions of higher education, as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, eligible to participate through consortia, with community colleges as the lead grantee: Provided, That the Secretary shall follow the requirements for the program in House Report 116–62: Provided further, That any grant funds used for apprenticeships shall be used to support only apprenticeship programs registered under the National Apprenticeship Act and as referred to in section 3(7)(B) of the WIOA;

(B) $65,000,000 for Native American programs under section 166 of the WIOA, which shall be available for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027;

(C) $105,000,000 for YouthBuild activities as described in section 171 of the WIOA, which shall be available for the period April 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027;

(D) $6,000,000 for the Workforce Data Quality Initiative, under the authority of section 169 of the WIOA, which shall be available for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027; and

(E) $285,000,000 to expand opportunities through apprenticeships only registered under the National Apprenticeship Act and as referred to in section 3(7)(B) of the WIOA, to be available to the Secretary to carry out activities through grants, cooperative agreements, contracts and other arrangements, with States and other appropriate entities, including equity intermediaries and business and labor industry partner intermediaries, which shall be available for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

Provided, That of the amounts made available for this heading by section 1112 of Public Law 119–4 on October 1, 2025, $712,000,000 are hereby rescinded.

JOB CORPS

(Including Transfer of Funds)

To carry out subtitle C of title I of the WIOA, including Federal administrative expenses, the purchase and hire of passenger motor vehicles, the construction, alteration, and repairs of buildings and other facilities, and the purchase of real property for training centers as authorized by the WIOA, $880,078,000, plus reimbursements, as follows:

(1) $801,663,000 for Job Corps Operations, which shall be available for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027;

(2) $61,500,000 for construction, rehabilitation and acquisition of Job Corps Centers, which shall be available for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029, and which may include the acquisition, maintenance, and repair of major items of equipment: Provided, That the Secretary may transfer up to 15 percent of such funds to meet the operational needs of such centers or to achieve administrative efficiencies: Provided further, That any funds transferred pursuant to the preceding proviso shall not be available for obligation after June 30, 2026: Provided further, That the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer; and

(3) $16,915,000 for necessary expenses of Job Corps:

Provided, That no funds from any other appropriation shall be used to provide meal services at or for Job Corps Centers.

FEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND ALLOWANCES

For payments during fiscal year 2026 of trade adjustment benefit payments and allowances under part I of subchapter B of chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974, and section 246 of that Act; and for training, employment and case management services, allowances for job search and relocation, and related State administrative expenses under part II of subchapter B of chapter 2 of title II of the Trade Act of 1974, and including benefit payments, allowances, training, employment and case management services, and related State administration provided pursuant to section 231(a) of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011, sections 405(a) and 406 of the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015, and section 285(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, $50,300,000 together with such amounts as may be necessary to be charged to the subsequent appropriation for payments for any period subsequent to September 15, 2026: Provided, That notwithstanding section 502 of this Act, any part of the appropriation provided under this heading may remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year pursuant to the authorities of section 245(c) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2317(c)).

STATE UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE AND EMPLOYMENT SERVICE OPERATIONS

(Including Transfer of Funds)

For authorized administrative expenses, $74,306,000, together with not to exceed $3,650,584,000 which may be expended from the Employment Security Administration Account in the Unemployment Trust Fund (“the Trust Fund”), of which—

(1) $2,875,635,000 from the Trust Fund is for grants to States for the administration of State unemployment insurance laws as authorized under title III of the Social Security Act (including not less than $116,000,000 to carry out reemployment services and eligibility assessments under section 306 of such Act, any claimants of regular compensation, as defined in such section, including those who are profiled as most likely to exhaust their benefits, may be eligible for such services and assessments: Provided, That of such amount, $9,000,000 is for continued support of the Unemployment Insurance Integrity Center of Excellence), the administration of unemployment insurance for Federal employees and for ex-service members as authorized under 5 U.S.C. 8501–8523, and the administration of trade readjustment allowances, reemployment trade adjustment assistance, and alternative trade adjustment assistance under the Trade Act of 1974 and under section 231(a) of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Extension Act of 2011, sections 405(a) and 406 of the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015, and section 285(a) of the Trade Act of 1974, as amended, and shall be available for Federal obligation through December 31, 2026, except that funds for outcome payments pursuant to section 306(f)(2) of the Social Security Act shall be available for Federal obligation through March 31, 2027): Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may recapture any funds appropriated under this paragraph that remain unexpended by a State after the period of expenditure for a State (but before such funds have been returned to the Trust Fund), and such recaptured funds shall remain available until expended for reobligation by the Secretary to the States to carry out automation activities related to the administration of unemployment compensation laws: Provided further, That funds transferred pursuant to the preceding proviso shall not be available until 60 days after the Secretary has submitted a plan to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate on the planned use of funds;

(2) $18,000,000 from the Trust Fund is for national activities necessary to support the administration of the Federal-State unemployment insurance system;

(3) $653,639,000 from the Trust Fund, together with $21,413,000 from the General Fund of the Treasury, is for grants to States in accordance with section 6 of the Wagner-Peyser Act, and shall be available for Federal obligation for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027;

(4) $17,500,000 from the Trust Fund is for national activities of the Employment Service, including administration of the work opportunity tax credit under section 51 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (including assisting States in adopting or modernizing information technology for use in the processing of certification requests), and the provision of technical assistance and staff training under the Wagner-Peyser Act;

(5) $85,810,000 from the Trust Fund is for the administration of foreign labor certifications and related activities under the Immigration and Nationality Act and related laws, of which $62,528,000 shall be available for the Federal administration of such activities, and $23,282,000 shall be available for grants to States for the administration of such activities; and

(6) $52,893,000 from the General Fund is to provide workforce information, national electronic tools, and one-stop system building under the Wagner-Peyser Act and shall be available for Federal obligation for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, of which up to $9,800,000 may be used to carry out research and demonstration projects related to testing effective ways to promote greater labor force participation of people with disabilities: Provided, That the Secretary may transfer amounts made available for research and demonstration projects under this paragraph to the “Office of Disability Employment Policy” account for such purposes:

Provided, That to the extent that the Average Weekly Insured Unemployment (“AWIU”) for fiscal year 2026 is projected by the Department of Labor to exceed 3,075,000, an additional $28,600,000 from the Trust Fund shall be available for obligation for every 100,000 increase in the AWIU level (including a pro rata amount for any increment less than 100,000) to carry out title III of the Social Security Act: Provided further, That funds appropriated in this Act that are allotted to a State to carry out activities under title III of the Social Security Act may be used by such State to assist other States in carrying out activities under such title III if the other States include areas that have suffered a major disaster declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act: Provided further, That the Secretary may use funds appropriated for grants to States under title III of the Social Security Act to make payments on behalf of States for the use of the National Directory of New Hires under section 453(j)(8) of such Act: Provided further, That the Secretary may use funds appropriated for grants to States under title III of the Social Security Act to make payments on behalf of States to the entity operating the State Information Data Exchange System: Provided further, That funds appropriated in this Act which are used to establish a national one-stop career center system, or which are used to support the national activities of the Federal-State unemployment insurance, employment service, or immigration programs, may be obligated in contracts, grants, or agreements with States and non-State entities: Provided further, That States awarded competitive grants for improved operations under title III of the Social Security Act, or awarded grants to support the national activities of the Federal-State unemployment insurance system, may award subgrants to other States and non-State entities under such grants, subject to the conditions applicable to the grants: Provided further, That funds appropriated under this Act for activities authorized under title III of the Social Security Act and the Wagner-Peyser Act may be used by States to fund integrated Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service automation efforts, notwithstanding cost allocation principles prescribed under the final rule entitled “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards” at part 200 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations: Provided further, That the Secretary, at the request of a State participating in a consortium with other States, may reallot funds allotted to such State under title III of the Social Security Act to other States participating in the consortium or to the entity operating the Unemployment Insurance Information Technology Support Center in order to carry out activities that benefit the administration of the unemployment compensation law of the State making the request: Provided further, That the Secretary may collect fees for the costs associated with additional data collection, analyses, and reporting services relating to the National Agricultural Workers Survey requested by State and local governments, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofit organizations and may utilize such sums, in accordance with the provisions of 29 U.S.C. 9a, for the National Agricultural Workers Survey infrastructure, methodology, and data to meet the information collection and reporting needs of such entities, which shall be credited to this appropriation and shall remain available until September 30, 2027, for such purposes.

ADVANCES TO THE UNEMPLOYMENT TRUST FUND AND OTHER FUNDS

For repayable advances to the Unemployment Trust Fund as authorized by sections 905(d) and 1203 of the Social Security Act, and to the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund as authorized by section 9501(c)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and for nonrepayable advances to the revolving fund established by section 901(e) of the Social Security Act, to the Unemployment Trust Fund as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 8509, and to the “Federal Unemployment Benefits and Allowances” account, such sums as may be necessary, which shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2027.

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

For expenses of administering employment and training programs, $83,979,000, together with not to exceed $50,941,000 which shall be available from the Employment Security Administration Account in the Unemployment Trust Fund.

Veterans' employment and training

(Including Transfer of Funds)

Not to exceed $276,841,000 may be derived from the Employment Security Administration account in the Unemployment Trust Fund to carry out the provisions of chapters 41, 42, and 43 of title 38, United States Code, of which—

(1) $185,000,000 is for Jobs for Veterans State grants under 38 U.S.C. 4102A(b)(5) to support disabled veterans' outreach program specialists under section 4103A of such title and local veterans' employment representatives under section 4104(b) of such title, and for the expenses described in section 4102A(b)(5)(C), which shall be available for expenditure by the States through September 30, 2028, and not to exceed 3 percent for the necessary Federal expenditures for data systems and contract support to allow for the tracking of participant and performance information: Provided, That, in addition, such funds may be used to support such specialists and representatives in the provision of services to transitioning members of the Armed Forces who have participated in the Transition Assistance Program and have been identified as in need of intensive services, to members of the Armed Forces who are wounded, ill, or injured and receiving treatment in military treatment facilities or warrior transition units, and to the spouses or other family caregivers of such wounded, ill, or injured members, and to surviving spouses of individuals who died while serving as members of the Armed Forces or as a result of a service-connected disability;

(2) $34,379,000 is for carrying out the Transition Assistance Program under 38 U.S.C. 4113 and 10 U.S.C. 1144;

(3) $54,048,000 is for Federal administration of chapters 41, 42, and 43 of title 38, and sections 2021, 2021A and 2023 of title 38, United States Code: Provided, That up to $500,000 may be used to carry out the Hire VETS Act (division O of Public Law 115–31); and

(4) $3,414,000 is for the National Veterans' Employment and Training Services Institute under 38 U.S.C. 4109:

Provided, That the Secretary may reallocate among the appropriations provided under paragraphs (1) through (4) above an amount not to exceed 3 percent of the appropriation from which such reallocation is made.

In addition, from the General Fund of the Treasury, $65,500,000 is for carrying out programs to assist homeless veterans and veterans at risk of homelessness who are transitioning from certain institutions under sections 2021, 2021A, and 2023 of title 38, United States Code: Provided, That notwithstanding subsections (c)(3) and (d) of section 2023, the Secretary may award grants through September 30, 2026, to provide services under such section: Provided further, That services provided under sections 2021 or under 2021A may include, in addition to services to homeless veterans described in section 2002(a)(1), services to veterans who were homeless at some point within the 60 days prior to program entry or veterans who are at risk of homelessness within the next 60 days, and that services provided under section 2023 may include, in addition to services to the individuals described in subsection (e) of such section, services to veterans recently released from incarceration who are at risk of homelessness: Provided further, That notwithstanding paragraph (3) under this heading, funds appropriated in this paragraph may be used for data systems and contract support to allow for the tracking of participant and performance information: Provided further, That notwithstanding sections 2021(e)(2) and 2021A(f)(2) of title 38, United States Code, such funds shall be available for expenditure pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 1553.

In addition, fees may be assessed and deposited in the HIRE Vets Medallion Award Fund pursuant to section 5(b) of the HIRE Vets Act, and such amounts shall be available to the Secretary to carry out the HIRE Vets Medallion Award Program, as authorized by such Act, and shall remain available until expended: Provided, That such sums shall be in addition to any other funds available for such purposes, including funds available under paragraph (3) of this heading: Provided further, That section 2(d) of division O of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (Public Law 115–31; 38 U.S.C. 4100 note) shall not apply.

Employee benefits security administration

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Employee Benefits Security Administration, $181,100,000, of which up to $3,000,000 shall be made available through September 30, 2027, for the procurement of expert witnesses for enforcement litigation.

Pension benefit guaranty corporation

PENSION BENEFIT GUARANTY CORPORATION FUND

The Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (“Corporation”) is authorized to make such expenditures, including financial assistance authorized by subtitle E of title IV of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, within limits of funds and borrowing authority available to the Corporation, and in accord with law, and to make such contracts and commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations, as provided by 31 U.S.C. 9104, as may be necessary in carrying out the program, including associated administrative expenses, through September 30, 2026, for the Corporation: Provided, That none of the funds available to the Corporation for fiscal year 2026 shall be available for obligations for administrative expenses in excess of $494,264,000: Provided further, That to the extent that the number of new plan participants in plans terminated by the Corporation exceeds 100,000 in fiscal year 2026, an amount not to exceed an additional $9,200,000 shall be available through September 30, 2030, for obligations for administrative expenses for every 20,000 additional terminated participants: Provided further, That obligations in excess of the amounts provided for administrative expenses in this paragraph may be incurred and shall be available through September 30, 2030 for obligation for unforeseen and extraordinary pre-termination or termination expenses or extraordinary multiemployer program related expenses after approval by the Office of Management and Budget and notification of the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate: Provided further, That an additional amount shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2030 to the extent the Corporation's costs exceed $250,000 for the provision of credit or identity monitoring to affected individuals upon suffering a security incident or privacy breach, not to exceed an additional $100 per affected individual.

Office of workers' compensation programs

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs, $107,823,000, together with $2,177,000 which may be expended from the Special Fund in accordance with sections 39(c), 44(d), and 44(j) of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.

Special Benefits

(Including Transfer of Funds)

For the payment of compensation, benefits, and expenses (except administrative expenses not otherwise authorized) accruing during the current or any prior fiscal year authorized by 5 U.S.C. 81; continuation of benefits as provided for under the heading “Civilian War Benefits” in the Federal Security Agency Appropriation Act, 1947; the Employees' Compensation Commission Appropriation Act, 1944; section 5(f) of the War Claims Act (50 U.S.C. App. 2012); obligations incurred under the War Hazards Compensation Act (42 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.); and 50 percent of the additional compensation and benefits required by section 10(h) of the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, $1,298,385,000, together with such amounts as may be necessary to be charged to the subsequent year appropriation for the payment of compensation and other benefits for any period subsequent to August 15 of the current year, for deposit into and to assume the attributes of the Employees' Compensation Fund established under 5 U.S.C. 8147(a): Provided, That amounts appropriated may be used under 5 U.S.C. 8104 by the Secretary to reimburse an employer, who is not the employer at the time of injury, for portions of the salary of a re-employed, disabled beneficiary: Provided further, That balances of reimbursements unobligated on September 30, 2025, shall remain available until expended for the payment of compensation, benefits, and expenses: Provided further, That in addition there shall be transferred to this appropriation from the Postal Service and from any other corporation or instrumentality required under 5 U.S.C. 8147(c) to pay an amount for its fair share of the cost of administration, such sums as the Secretary determines to be the cost of administration for employees of such fair share entities through September 30, 2026: Provided further, That of those funds transferred to this account from the fair share entities to pay the cost of administration of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act, $81,808,000 shall be made available to the Secretary as follows:

(1) For enhancement and maintenance of automated data processing systems operations and telecommunications systems, $27,549,000;

(2) For automated workload processing operations, including document imaging, centralized mail intake, and medical bill processing, $25,956,000;

(3) For periodic roll disability management and medical review, $25,957,000;

(4) For program integrity, $2,346,000; and

(5) The remaining funds shall be paid into the Treasury as miscellaneous receipts:

Provided further, That the Secretary may require that any person filing a notice of injury or a claim for benefits under 5 U.S.C. 81, or the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, provide as part of such notice and claim, such identifying information (including Social Security account number) as such regulations may prescribe.

ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES, ENERGY EMPLOYEES

Occupational Illness Compensation Fund

For necessary expenses to administer the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, $68,148,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That the Secretary may require that any person filing a claim for benefits under the Act provide as part of such claim such identifying information (including Social Security account number) as may be prescribed.

SPECIAL BENEFITS FOR DISABLED COAL MINERS

For carrying out title IV of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, as amended by Public Law 107–275, $24,585,000, to remain available until expended.

For making after July 31 of the current fiscal year, benefit payments to individuals under title IV of such Act, for costs incurred in the current fiscal year, such amounts as may be necessary.

For making benefit payments under title IV for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, $5,900,000, to remain available until expended.

BLACK LUNG DISABILITY TRUST FUND

(Including Transfer of Funds)

Such sums as may be necessary from the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund (the “Fund”), to remain available until expended, for payment of all benefits authorized by section 9501(d)(1), (2), (6), and (7) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986; and repayment of, and payment of interest on advances, as authorized by section 9501(d)(4) of that Act. In addition, the following amounts may be expended from the Fund for fiscal year 2026 for expenses of operation and administration of the Black Lung Benefits program, as authorized by section 9501(d)(5): not to exceed $50,684,000 for transfer to the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, “Salaries and Expenses”; not to exceed $39,086,000 for transfer to Departmental Management, “Salaries and Expenses”; not to exceed $373,000 for transfer to Departmental Management, “Office of Inspector General”; and not to exceed $356,000 for payments into miscellaneous receipts for the expenses of the Department of the Treasury.

Wage and hour division

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Wage and Hour Division, including reimbursement to State, Federal, and local agencies and their employees for inspection services rendered, $235,000,000.

Office of Labor-Management Standards

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Office of Labor-Management Standards, $48,515,000.

Occupational safety and health administration

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, $582,381,000, including not to exceed $115,200,000 which shall be the maximum amount available for grants to States under section 23(g) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (the “Act”), which grants shall be no less than 50 percent of the costs of State occupational safety and health programs required to be incurred under plans approved by the Secretary under section 18 of the Act; and, in addition, notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration may retain up to $499,000 per fiscal year of training institute course tuition and fees, otherwise authorized by law to be collected, and may utilize such sums for occupational safety and health training and education: Provided, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, the Secretary is authorized, during the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, to collect and retain fees for services provided to Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories, and may utilize such sums, in accordance with the provisions of 29 U.S.C. 9a, to administer national and international laboratory recognition programs that ensure the safety of equipment and products used by workers in the workplace: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated under this paragraph shall be obligated or expended to prescribe, issue, administer, or enforce any standard, rule, regulation, or order under the Act which is applicable to any person who is engaged in a farming operation which does not maintain a temporary labor camp and employs 10 or fewer employees: Provided further, That no funds appropriated under this paragraph shall be obligated or expended to administer or enforce any standard, rule, regulation, or order under the Act with respect to any employer of 10 or fewer employees who is included within a category having a Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (“DART”) occupational injury and illness rate, at the most precise industrial classification code for which such data are published, less than the national average rate as such rates are most recently published by the Secretary, acting through the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in accordance with section 24 of the Act, except—

(1) to provide, as authorized by the Act, consultation, technical assistance, educational and training services, and to conduct surveys and studies;

(2) to conduct an inspection or investigation in response to an employee complaint, to issue a citation for violations found during such inspection, and to assess a penalty for violations which are not corrected within a reasonable abatement period and for any willful violations found;

(3) to take any action authorized by the Act with respect to imminent dangers;

(4) to take any action authorized by the Act with respect to health hazards;

(5) to take any action authorized by the Act with respect to a report of an employment accident which is fatal to one or more employees or which results in hospitalization of two or more employees, and to take any action pursuant to such investigation authorized by the Act; and

(6) to take any action authorized by the Act with respect to complaints of discrimination against employees for exercising rights under the Act:

Provided further, That the foregoing proviso shall not apply to any person who is engaged in a farming operation which does not maintain a temporary labor camp and employs 10 or fewer employees: Provided further, That not less than $3,500,000 shall be for Voluntary Protection Programs.

Mine safety and health administration

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Mine Safety and Health Administration, $348,207,000, including purchase and bestowal of certificates and trophies in connection with mine rescue and first-aid work, and the hire of passenger motor vehicles, including up to $2,000,000 for mine rescue and recovery activities and not less than $10,537,000 for State assistance grants: Provided, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, not to exceed $750,000 may be collected by the National Mine Health and Safety Academy for room, board, tuition, and the sale of training materials, otherwise authorized by law to be collected, to be available for mine safety and health education and training activities: Provided further, That notwithstanding 31 U.S.C. 3302, the Mine Safety and Health Administration is authorized to collect and retain up to $2,499,000 from fees collected for the approval and certification of equipment, materials, and explosives for use in mines, and may utilize such sums for such activities: Provided further, That the Secretary is authorized to accept lands, buildings, equipment, and other contributions from public and private sources and to prosecute projects in cooperation with other agencies, Federal, State, or private: Provided further, That the Mine Safety and Health Administration is authorized to promote health and safety education and training in the mining community through cooperative programs with States, industry, and safety associations: Provided further, That the Secretary is authorized to recognize the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association as a principal safety association and, notwithstanding any other provision of law, may provide funds and, with or without reimbursement, personnel, including service of Mine Safety and Health Administration officials as officers in local chapters or in the national organization: Provided further, That any funds available to the Department of Labor may be used, with the approval of the Secretary, to provide for the costs of mine rescue and survival operations in the event of a major disaster.

Bureau of labor statistics

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, including advances or reimbursements to State, Federal, and local agencies and their employees for services rendered, $645,952,000, together with not to exceed $68,000,000 which may be expended from the Employment Security Administration account in the Unemployment Trust Fund.

Office of disability employment policy

Salaries and Expenses

(Including Transfer of Funds)

For necessary expenses for the Office of Disability Employment Policy to provide leadership, develop policy and initiatives, and award grants furthering the objective of eliminating barriers to the training and employment of people with disabilities, $37,000,000, of which not less than $9,000,000 shall be for research and demonstration projects related to testing effective ways to promote greater labor force participation of people with disabilities: Provided, That the Secretary may transfer amounts made available under this heading for research and demonstration projects to the “State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Operations” account for such purposes.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

For salaries and expenses of the Office of Inspector General in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act of 1978, $93,187,000, together with not to exceed $5,841,000 which may be expended from the Employment Security Administration account in the Unemployment Trust Fund: Provided, That not more than $2,000,000 of the amount provided under this heading may be available until expended.

Departmental management

Salaries and Expenses

(Including Transfer of Funds)

For necessary expenses for Departmental Management, including the hire of three passenger motor vehicles, $230,312,000, together with not to exceed $308,000, which may be expended from the Employment Security Administration account in the Unemployment Trust Fund: Provided, That $4,281,000 shall be used for program evaluation and shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2027: Provided further, That funds available for program evaluation may be used to administer grants for the purpose of evaluation: Provided further, That grants made for the purpose of evaluation shall be awarded through fair and open competition: Provided further, That funds available for program evaluation may be transferred to any other appropriate account in the Department for such purpose: Provided further, That the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

IT MODERNIZATION

For necessary expenses for Department of Labor centralized infrastructure technology investment activities related to support systems and modernization, $29,269,000, which shall be available through September 30, 2027.

General provisions

101. None of the funds appropriated by this Act for the Job Corps shall be used to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual, either as direct costs or any proration as an indirect cost, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II.

(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

102. Not to exceed 1 percent of any discretionary funds (pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985) which are appropriated for the current fiscal year for the Department of Labor in this Act may be transferred between a program, project, or activity, but no such program, project, or activity shall be increased by more than 3 percent by any such transfer: Provided, That the transfer authority granted by this section shall not be used to create any new program or to fund any project or activity for which no funds are provided in this Act: Provided further, That the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

103. In accordance with Executive Order 13126, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available pursuant to this Act shall be obligated or expended for the procurement of goods mined, produced, manufactured, or harvested or services rendered, in whole or in part, by forced or indentured child labor in industries and host countries already identified by the United States Department of Labor prior to enactment of this Act.

104. Except as otherwise provided in this section, none of the funds made available to the Department of Labor for grants under section 414(c) of the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. 2916a) may be used for any purpose other than competitive grants for training individuals who are older than 16 years of age and are not currently enrolled in school within a local educational agency in the occupations and industries for which employers are using H–1B visas to hire foreign workers, and the related activities necessary to support such training.

105. None of the funds made available by this Act under the heading “Employment and Training Administration” shall be used by a recipient or subrecipient of such funds to pay the salary and bonuses of an individual, either as direct costs or indirect costs, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II. This limitation shall not apply to vendors providing goods and services as defined in Office of Management and Budget Circular A–133. Where States are recipients of such funds, States may establish a lower limit for salaries and bonuses of those receiving salaries and bonuses from subrecipients of such funds, taking into account factors including the relative cost-of-living in the State, the compensation levels for comparable State or local government employees, and the size of the organizations that administer Federal programs involved including Employment and Training Administration programs.

(Transfer of Funds)

(a) Notwithstanding section 102, the Secretary may transfer funds made available to the Employment and Training Administration by this Act, either directly or through a set-aside, for technical assistance services to grantees to “Program Administration” when it is determined that those services will be more efficiently performed by Federal employees: Provided, That this section shall not apply to section 171 of the WIOA.

(b) Notwithstanding section 102, the Secretary may transfer not more than 0.5 percent of each discretionary appropriation made available to the Employment and Training Administration by this Act to “Program Administration” in order to carry out program integrity activities relating to any of the programs or activities that are funded under any such discretionary appropriations: Provided, That notwithstanding section 102 and the preceding proviso, the Secretary may transfer not more than 0.5 percent of funds made available in paragraphs (1) and (2) of the “Office of Job Corps” account to paragraph (3) of such account to carry out program integrity activities related to the Job Corps program: Provided further, That funds transferred under this subsection shall be available to the Secretary to carry out program integrity activities directly or through grants, cooperative agreements, contracts and other arrangements with States and other appropriate entities: Provided further, That funds transferred under the authority provided by this subsection shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2027.

106.

(Transfer of Funds)

(a) The Secretary may reserve not more than 0.75 percent from each appropriation made available in this Act identified in subsection (b) in order to carry out evaluations of any of the programs or activities that are funded under such accounts. Any funds reserved under this section shall be transferred to “Departmental Management” for use by the Office of the Chief Evaluation Officer within the Department of Labor, and shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2027: Provided, That such funds shall only be available if the Chief Evaluation Officer of the Department of Labor submits a plan to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate describing the evaluations to be carried out 15 days in advance of any transfer.

(b) The accounts referred to in subsection (a) are: “Training and Employment Services”, “Job Corps”, “Community Service Employment for Older Americans”, “State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Operations”, “Veterans' Employment and Training”, “Employee Benefits Security Administration”, “Office of Workers' Compensation Programs”, “Wage and Hour Division”, “Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs”, “Office of Labor Management Standards”, “Occupational Safety and Health Administration”, “Mine Safety and Health Administration”, “Office of Disability Employment Policy”, and funding made available to the “Bureau of International Labor Affairs” and “Women's Bureau” within the “Departmental Management” account.

107.

(a) Section 7 of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 207) shall be applied hereafter as if the following text is part of such section:

(1) The provisions of this section shall not apply for a period of 2 years after the occurrence of a major disaster to any employee—
(A) employed to adjust or evaluate claims resulting from or relating to such major disaster, by an employer not engaged, directly or through an affiliate, in underwriting, selling, or marketing property, casualty, or liability insurance policies or contracts;
(B) who receives from such employer on average weekly compensation of not less than $591.00 per week or any minimum weekly amount established by the Secretary, whichever is greater, for the number of weeks such employee is engaged in any of the activities described in subparagraph (C); and
(C) whose duties include any of the following:
(i) interviewing insured individuals, individuals who suffered injuries or other damages or losses arising from or relating to a disaster, witnesses, or physicians;
(ii) inspecting property damage or reviewing factual information to prepare damage estimates;
(iii) evaluating and making recommendations regarding coverage or compensability of claims or determining liability or value aspects of claims;
(iv) negotiating settlements; or
(v) making recommendations regarding litigation.
(2) The exemption in this subsection shall not affect the exemption provided by section 13(a)(1).
(3) For purposes of this subsection—
(A) the term major disaster means any disaster or catastrophe declared or designated by any State or Federal agency or department;
(B) the term employee employed to adjust or evaluate claims resulting from or relating to such major disaster means an individual who timely secured or secures a license required by applicable law to engage in and perform the activities described in clauses (i) through (v) of paragraph (1)(C) relating to a major disaster, and is employed by an employer that maintains worker compensation insurance coverage or protection for its employees, if required by applicable law, and withholds applicable Federal, State, and local income and payroll taxes from the wages, salaries and any benefits of such employees; and
(C) the term affiliate means a company that, by reason of ownership or control of 25 percent or more of the outstanding shares of any class of voting securities of one or more companies, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, another company.
(s)

(b) This section shall be effective on the date of enactment of this Act.

108.

(a) Flexibility with respect to the crossing of H–2B nonimmigrants working in the seafood industry

(1) In general

Subject to paragraph (2), if a petition for H–2B nonimmigrants filed by an employer in the seafood industry is granted, the employer may bring the nonimmigrants described in the petition into the United States at any time during the 120-day period beginning on the start date for which the employer is seeking the services of the nonimmigrants without filing another petition.

(2) Requirements for crossings after 90th day

An employer in the seafood industry may not bring H–2B nonimmigrants into the United States after the date that is 90 days after the start date for which the employer is seeking the services of the nonimmigrants unless the employer—

(A) completes a new assessment of the local labor market by—

(i) listing job orders in local newspapers on 2 separate Sundays; and

(ii) posting the job opportunity on the appropriate Department of Labor Electronic Job Registry and at the employer's place of employment; and

(B) offers the job to an equally or better qualified United States worker who—

(i) applies for the job; and

(ii) will be available at the time and place of need.

(3) Exemption from rules with respect to staggering

The Secretary of Labor shall not consider an employer in the seafood industry who brings H–2B nonimmigrants into the United States during the 120-day period specified in paragraph (1) to be staggering the date of need in violation of section 655.20(d) of title 20, Code of Federal Regulations, or any other applicable provision of law.

(b) H–2B nonimmigrants defined

In this section, the term H–2B nonimmigrants means aliens admitted to the United States pursuant to section 101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(ii)(B)).

109.

110. The determination of prevailing wage for the purposes of the H–2B program shall be the greater of—(1) the actual wage level paid by the employer to other employees with similar experience and qualifications for such position in the same location; or (2) the prevailing wage level for the occupational classification of the position in the geographic area in which the H–2B nonimmigrant will be employed, based on the best information available at the time of filing the petition. In the determination of prevailing wage for the purposes of the H–2B program, the Secretary shall accept private wage surveys even in instances where Occupational Employment Statistics survey data are available unless the Secretary determines that the methodology and data in the provided survey are not statistically supported.

111. None of the funds in this Act shall be used to enforce the definition of corresponding employment found in 20 CFR 655.5 or the three-fourths guarantee rule definition found in 20 CFR 655.20, or any references thereto. Further, for the purpose of regulating admission of temporary workers under the H–2B program, the definition of temporary need shall be that provided in 8 CFR 214.2(h)(6)(ii)(B).

112. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary may furnish through grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and other arrangements, up to $450,000 of excess personal property, at a value determined by the Secretary, to apprenticeship programs for the purpose of training apprentices in those programs.

(a) The Act of March 4, 1913 entitled “An Act to create a Department of Labor” (37 Stat. 736, chapter 141) is amended—

(1) in section 11, by inserting “(except for section 12)” before “shall take effect”; and

(2) by adding the following after section 11:

12. Security detail
(a) In general
The Secretary of Labor is authorized to employ law enforcement officers or special agents to provide—
(1) protection for the Secretary and Deputy Secretary during the performance of official duties by each such officer and during any activity that is preliminary or postliminary to the performance of official duties by each such officer;
(2) protection, incidental to the protection provided pursuant to paragraph (1), to an individual accompanying each such officer who is participating in an activity or event relating to the official duties of each such officer when there is an articulable threat to such individual;
(3) continuous protection to the Secretary and Deputy Secretary (including during periods not described in paragraph (1)) if there is an articulable threat of physical harm, in accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary; and
(4) protection of another senior officer (including a person nominated to be the Secretary during the pendency of such nomination) if there is an articulable threat of physical harm, in accordance with guidelines established by the Secretary.
(b) Authorities of the Protective Operation
(1) In general
The Secretary may authorize officers or special agents employed pursuant to subsection (a)—
(A) to carry firearms;
(B) to conduct criminal investigations into potential threats to the security of persons protected under this section;
(C) to make arrests without a warrant for any offense against the United States committed in the presence of such officer or special agent;
(D) to perform protective intelligence work, including identifying and mitigating potential threats and conducting advance work to review security matters relating to sites and events; and
(E) coordinate with local law enforcement agencies.
(2) Guidelines
The authority provided by this section shall be exercised in accordance with any—
(A) guidelines issued by the Attorney General; and
(B) such additional guidelines as may be issued by the Secretary.
(c) Exception
The authorities granted under this section may be exercised notwithstanding section 1343(b)(1) of Title 31.

113.

114. The Secretary is authorized to dispose of or divest, by any means the Secretary determines appropriate, including an agreement or partnership to construct a new Job Corps center, all or a portion of the real property on which the Treasure Island Job Corps Center and the Gary Job Corps Center are situated. Any sale or other disposition, to include any associated construction project, will not be subject to any requirement of any Federal law or regulation relating to the disposition of Federal real property or relating to Federal procurement, including but not limited to subchapter III of chapter 5 of title 40 of the United States Code, subchapter V of chapter 119 of title 42 of the United States Code, and chapter 33 of division C of subtitle I of title 41 of the United States Code. The net proceeds of such a sale shall be transferred to the Secretary, which shall be available until expended for such project to carry out the Job Corps Program on Treasure Island and the Job Corps Program in and around San Marcos, Texas, respectively.

115. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to—

(1) alter or terminate the Interagency Agreement between the United States Department of Labor and the United States Department of Agriculture; or

(2) close any of the Civilian Conservation Centers, except if such closure is necessary to prevent the endangerment of the health and safety of the students, the capacity of the program is retained, and the requirements of section 159(j) of the WIOA are met.

116. For the 2-year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act, the Adverse Effect Wage Rate in effect under 20 CFR 655.120(b) shall be the Adverse Effect Wage Rate in effect on January 31, 2023.

117. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to administer, implement, or enforce—

(1) the final rule entitled “Adverse Effect Wage Rate Methodology for the Temporary Employment of H-2A Nonimmigrants in Non-Range Occupations in the United States”, (88 Fed. Reg. 12760 (effective March 30, 2023));

(2) 20 CFR 655.131(b) (relating to joint employer requirements); or

(3) the final rule entitled “Improving Protections for Workers in Temporary Agricultural Employment in the United States”, (89 Fed. Reg. 33898 (effective June 28, 2024)).

118. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the final rule entitled “Employee or Independent Contractor Classification Under the Fair Labor Standards Act”, (89 Fed. Reg. 1638 (effective March 11, 2024)).

119. PROHIBITION ON CLOSING, REDUCING, OR CONSOLIDATING JOB CORPS CENTERS. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to close, consolidate, or reduce operations at any Job Corps center unless the Secretary of Labor certifies to the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives that such action will not—

(1) increase the local youth unemployment rate;

(2) increase rates of homelessness in the region served by a Job Corps Center;

(3) shift costs to State and municipal governments or nonprofit entities for housing, education, or retraining of displaced students; or

(4) negatively affect local public safety, including increases in youth crime or incarceration.

This title may be cited as the “Department of Labor Appropriations Act, 2026”.

II DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health resources and services administration

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE

For carrying out titles II and III of the Public Health Service Act (referred to in this Act as the “PHS Act”) with respect to primary health care and the Native Hawaiian Health Care Act of 1988, $1,858,772,000: Provided, That no more than $1,000,000 shall be available until expended for carrying out the provisions of section 224(o) of the PHS Act: Provided further, That no more than $120,000,000 shall be available until expended for carrying out subsections (g) through (n) and (q) of section 224 of the PHS Act, and for expenses incurred by the Department of Health and Human Services (referred to in this Act as “HHS”) pertaining to administrative claims made under such law.

HEALTH WORKFORCE

For carrying out titles III, VII, and VIII of the PHS Act with respect to the health workforce, sections 1128E and 1921 of the Social Security Act, and the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986, $1,366,933,000: Provided, That section 751(j)(2) of the PHS Act and the proportional funding amounts in paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 756(f) of the PHS Act shall not apply to funds made available under this heading: Provided further, That for any program operating under section 751 of the PHS Act on or before January 1, 2009, the Secretary of Health and Human Services (referred to in this title as the “Secretary”) may hereafter waive any of the requirements contained in sections 751(d)(2)(A) and 751(d)(2)(B) of such Act for the full project period of a grant under such section: Provided further, That section 756(c) of the PHS Act shall apply to paragraphs (1) through (4) of section 756(a) of such Act: Provided further, That no funds shall be available for section 340G–1 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That fees collected for the disclosure of information under section 427(b) of the Health Care Quality Improvement Act of 1986 and sections 1128E(d)(2) and 1921 of the Social Security Act shall be sufficient to recover the full costs of operating the programs authorized by such sections and shall remain available until expended for the National Practitioner Data Bank: Provided further, That funds transferred to this account to carry out section 846 and subpart 3 of part D of title III of the PHS Act may be used to make prior year adjustments to awards made under such section and subpart: Provided further, That $130,000,000 shall remain available until expended for the purposes of providing primary health services, assigning National Health Service Corps (“NHSC”) participants to expand the delivery of substance use disorder treatment services, notwithstanding the assignment priorities and limitations under sections 333(a)(1)(D), 333(b), and 333A(a)(1)(B)(ii) of the PHS Act, and making payments under the NHSC Loan Repayment Program under section 338B of such Act: Provided further, That, within the amount made available in the previous proviso, not less than 15 percent shall remain available until expended for the purposes of making payments under the NHSC Loan Repayment Program under section 338B of the PHS Act to individuals participating in such program who provide primary health services in Indian Health Service facilities, Tribally-Operated 638 Health Programs, and Urban Indian Health Programs (as those terms are defined by the Secretary), notwithstanding the assignment priorities and limitations under section 333(b) of such Act: Provided further, That for purposes of the previous two provisos, section 331(a)(3)(D) of the PHS Act shall be applied as if the term primary health services includes clinical substance use disorder treatment services, including those provided by masters level, licensed substance use disorder treatment counselors: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $7,000,000 shall be available to make grants to establish, expand, or maintain optional community-based nurse practitioner fellowship programs that are accredited or in the accreditation process, with a preference for those in Federally Qualified Health Centers, for practicing postgraduate nurse practitioners in primary care or behavioral health: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $10,000,000 shall remain available until expended for activities under section 775 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That the United States may recover liquidated damages in an amount determined by the formula under section 338E(c)(1) of the PHS Act if an individual either fails to begin or complete the service obligated by a contract under section 775(b) of the PHS Act: Provided further, That for purposes of section 775(c)(1) of the PHS Act, the Secretary may include other mental and behavioral health disciplines as the Secretary deems appropriate: Provided further, That the Secretary may terminate a contract entered into under section 775 of the PHS Act in the same manner articulated in section 206 of this title for fiscal year 2026 contracts entered into under section 338B of the PHS Act.

Of the funds made available under this heading, $75,000,000 shall remain available until expended for grants to public institutions of higher education to expand or support graduate education for physicians provided by such institutions, including funding for infrastructure development, maintenance, equipment, and minor renovations or alterations: Provided, That, in awarding such grants, the Secretary shall give priority to public institutions of higher education located in States with a projected primary care provider shortage, as determined by the Secretary: Provided further, That grants so awarded are limited to such public institutions of higher education in States in the top quartile of States with a projected primary care provider shortage, as determined by the Secretary: Provided further, That the minimum amount of a grant so awarded to such an institution shall be not less than $2,000,000 per year: Provided further, That such a grant may be awarded for a period not to exceed 5 years: Provided further, That such a grant awarded with respect to a year to such an institution shall be subject to a matching requirement of non-Federal funds in an amount that is not more than 10 percent of the total amount of Federal funds provided in the grant to such institution with respect to such year.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH

For carrying out titles III, XI, XII, and XIX of the PHS Act with respect to maternal and child health and title V of the Social Security Act, $985,481,000: Provided, That notwithstanding sections 502(a)(1) and 502(b)(1) of the Social Security Act, not more than $163,667,000 shall be available for carrying out special projects of regional and national significance pursuant to section 501(a)(2) of such Act and $10,276,000 shall be available for projects described in subparagraphs (A) through (F) of section 501(a)(3) of such Act.

RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PROGRAM

For carrying out title XXVI of the PHS Act with respect to the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program, $2,045,630,000, which shall remain available to the Secretary through September 30, 2028, for parts A and B of title XXVI of the PHS Act, and of which not less than $900,313,000 shall be for State AIDS Drug Assistance Programs under the authority of section 2616 or 311(c) of such Act.

HEALTH SYSTEMS

For carrying out titles III and XII of the PHS Act with respect to health care systems, and the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005, $122,887,000: Provided, That during the period covered by this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may collect registration fees from members of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (in this title referred to as “OPTN”), authorized under section 372 of the PHS Act, for each transplant candidate such members place on the list described in subsection (b)(2)(A)(i) of such section, including directly or through awards made under subsection (b)(1)(A) of such section: Provided further, That such fees may be credited to this account, to remain available until expended, to support the operation of the OPTN: Provided further, That the Secretary may distribute fees collected pursuant to the first proviso under this heading among the awardee or awardees described in subsection (b)(1)(A) of section 372 of the PHS Act as the Secretary determines appropriate.

RURAL HEALTH

For carrying out titles III and IV of the PHS Act with respect to rural health, section 427(a) of the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, and sections 711 and 1820 of the Social Security Act, $415,407,000, of which $74,277,000 from general revenues, notwithstanding section 1820(j) of the Social Security Act, shall be available for carrying out the Medicare rural hospital flexibility grants program: Provided, That of the funds made available under this heading for Medicare rural hospital flexibility grants, up to $23,442,000 shall be available for the Small Rural Hospital Improvement Grant Program for quality improvement and adoption of health information technology and no less than $5,000,000 shall be available to award grants to public or non-profit private entities for the Rural Emergency Hospital Technical Assistance Program: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 338J(k) of the PHS Act, $13,000,000 shall be available for State Offices of Rural Health: Provided further, That $14,000,000 shall remain available through September 30, 2028, to support the Rural Residency Development Program: Provided further, That $145,000,000 shall be for the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.

In addition to amounts otherwise available for the same purpose, $100,000,000, for making payments to eligible hospitals for the maintenance of health care providers: Provided, That eligible hospitals receiving such payment shall meet the following criteria: (1) have no more than 50 inpatient beds, (2) have an established wage index value of less than 0.90 as determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 1886(d)(3)(E) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395ww(d)(3)(E)), and (3) be located in a State in the top quintile of States with the highest proportion of residents living under the official poverty line, as established by the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and revised by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in accordance with section 673(2) of the Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9902(2)): Provided further, That up to 10 percent of funds made available in this paragraph may be used by eligible hospitals for administrative expenses: Provided further, That payment amounts to eligible hospitals shall be calculated by dividing available funding equally among such eligible hospitals.

HRSA-WIDE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAM SUPPORT

For carrying out title III of the Public Health Service Act and for cross-cutting activities and program support for activities funded in other appropriations included in this Act for the Health Resources and Services Administration, $223,088,000, of which $45,550,000 shall be for expenses necessary for the Office for the Advancement of Telehealth, including grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for the advancement of telehealth activities: Provided, That funds made available under this heading may be used to supplement program support funding provided under the headings “Primary Health Care”, “Health Workforce”, “Maternal and Child Health”, “Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program”, “Health Systems”, and “Rural Health”.

VACCINE INJURY COMPENSATION PROGRAM TRUST FUND

For payments from the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Trust Fund (the “Trust Fund”), such sums as may be necessary for claims associated with vaccine-related injury or death with respect to vaccines administered after September 30, 1988, pursuant to subtitle 2 of title XXI of the PHS Act, to remain available until expended: Provided, That for necessary administrative expenses, not to exceed $15,200,000 shall be available from the Trust Fund to the Secretary.

Centers for disease control and prevention

IMMUNIZATION AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES

For carrying out titles II, III, XVII, and XXI, and section 2821 of the PHS Act, and titles II and IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act, with respect to immunization and respiratory diseases, $231,358,000.

VIRAL HEPATITIS, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES, AND TUBERCULOSIS PREVENTION

For carrying out titles II, III, XVII, and XXIII of the PHS Act with respect to viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis prevention, $353,000,000.

EMERGING AND ZOONOTIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES

For carrying out titles II, III, and XVII, and section 2821 of the PHS Act, and titles II and IV of the Immigration and Nationality Act, with respect to emerging and zoonotic infectious diseases, $777,372,000: Provided, That of the amounts made available under this heading, up to $1,000,000 shall remain available until expended to pay for the transportation, medical care, treatment, and other related costs of persons quarantined or isolated under Federal or State quarantine law.

CHRONIC DISEASE PREVENTION AND HEALTH PROMOTION

For carrying out titles II, III, XI, XV, XVII, and XIX of the PHS Act with respect to chronic disease prevention and health promotion, $742,511,000: Provided, That funds made available under this heading may be available for making grants under section 1509 of the PHS Act for not less than 21 States, tribes, or tribal organizations: Provided further, That the proportional funding requirements under section 1503(a) of the PHS Act shall not apply to funds made available under this heading.

BIRTH DEFECTS, DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, DISABILITIES AND HEALTH

For carrying out titles II, III, XI, and XVII of the PHS Act with respect to birth defects, developmental disabilities, disabilities and health, $208,560,000.

PUBLIC HEALTH SCIENTIFIC SERVICES

For carrying out titles II, III, and XVII of the PHS Act with respect to health statistics, surveillance, health informatics, and workforce development, $604,497,000.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH

For carrying out titles II, III, and XVII of the PHS Act with respect to environmental health, $181,850,000.

INJURY PREVENTION AND CONTROL

For carrying out titles II, III, and XVII of the PHS Act with respect to injury prevention and control, $665,329,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH

For carrying out titles II, III, and XVII of the PHS Act, sections 101, 102, 103, 201, 202, 203, 301, and 501 of the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act, section 13 of the Mine Improvement and New Emergency Response Act, and sections 20, 21, and 22 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, with respect to occupational safety and health, $312,700,000.

ENERGY EMPLOYEES OCCUPATIONAL ILLNESS COMPENSATION PROGRAM

For necessary expenses to administer the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act, $55,358,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That this amount shall be available consistent with the provision regarding administrative expenses in section 151(b) of division B, title I of Public Law 106–554.

GLOBAL HEALTH

For carrying out titles II, III, and XVII of the PHS Act with respect to global health, $473,200,000, of which $293,200,000 shall remain available through September 30, 2027 for global public health protection: Provided, That funds may be used for purchase and insurance of official motor vehicles in foreign countries.

PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE

For carrying out titles II, III, XVII, and XXVIII of the PHS Act with respect to public health preparedness and response, and for expenses necessary to support activities related to countering potential chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats to civilian populations, $913,200,000: Provided, That the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (referred to in this title as “CDC”) or the Administrator of the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry may detail staff without reimbursement to support an activation of the CDC Emergency Operations Center, so long as the Director or Administrator, as applicable, provides a notice to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate within 15 days of the use of this authority, a full report within 30 days after use of this authority which includes the number of staff and funding level broken down by the originating center and number of days detailed, and an update of such report every 180 days until staff are no longer on detail without reimbursement to the CDC Emergency Operations Center.

CDC-WIDE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAM SUPPORT

(Including Transfer of Funds)

For carrying out titles II, III, XVII and XIX, and section 2821 of the PHS Act and for cross-cutting activities and program support for activities funded in other appropriations included in this Act for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, $523,570,000, of which $360,000,000 shall remain available through September 30, 2027, for public health infrastructure and capacity: Provided, That paragraphs (1) through (3) of subsection (b) of section 2821 of the PHS Act shall not apply to funds appropriated under this heading and in all other accounts of the CDC: Provided further, That of the amounts made available under this heading, $35,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be available to the Director of the CDC for deposit in the Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund established by section 231 of division B of Public Law 115–245: Provided further, That funds appropriated under this heading may be used to support a contract for the operation and maintenance of an aircraft in direct support of activities throughout CDC to ensure the agency is prepared to address public health preparedness emergencies: Provided further, That employees of CDC or the Public Health Service, both civilian and commissioned officers, detailed to States, municipalities, or other organizations under authority of section 214 of the PHS Act, or in overseas assignments, shall be treated as non-Federal employees for reporting purposes only and shall not be included within any personnel ceiling applicable to the Agency, Service, or HHS during the period of detail or assignment: Provided further, That CDC may use up to $10,000 from amounts appropriated to CDC in this Act for official reception and representation expenses when specifically approved by the Director of CDC: Provided further, That in addition, such sums as may be derived from authorized user fees, which shall be credited to the appropriation charged with the cost thereof: Provided further, That with respect to the previous proviso, authorized user fees from the Vessel Sanitation Program and the Respirator Certification Program shall be available through September 30, 2027.

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

(Including Transfer of Funds)

For acquisition of real property, equipment, construction, installation, demolition, and renovation of facilities, $40,000,000, which shall remain available until expended: Provided, That funds made available to this account in this or any prior Act that are available for the acquisition of real property or for construction or improvement of facilities shall be available to make improvements on non-federally owned property, provided that any improvements that are not adjacent to federally owned property do not exceed $2,500,000, and that the primary benefit of such improvements accrues to CDC: Provided further, That funds previously set-aside by CDC for repair and upgrade of the Lake Lynn Experimental Mine and Laboratory shall be used to acquire a replacement mine safety research facility: Provided further, That funds made available to this account in this or any prior Act that are available for the acquisition of real property or for construction or improvement of facilities in conjunction with the new replacement mine safety research facility shall be available to make improvements on non-federally owned property, provided that any improvements that are not adjacent to federally owned property do not exceed $5,000,000: Provided further, That in addition, the prior year unobligated balance of any amounts assigned to former employees in accounts of CDC made available for Individual Learning Accounts shall be credited to and merged with the amounts made available under this heading to support the replacement of the mine safety research facility.

National institutes of health

NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to cancer, $7,272,159,000, of which up to $30,000,000 may be used for facilities repairs and improvements at the National Cancer Institute—Frederick Federally Funded Research and Development Center in Frederick, Maryland.

NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to cardiovascular, lung, and blood diseases, and blood and blood products, $3,990,345,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DENTAL AND CRANIOFACIAL RESEARCH

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to dental and craniofacial diseases, $525,163,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases, $2,330,721,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS AND STROKE

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to neurological disorders and stroke, $2,633,925,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ALLERGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to allergy and infectious diseases, $6,582,279,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF GENERAL MEDICAL SCIENCES

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to general medical sciences, $3,265,679,000, of which $1,365,002,000 shall be from funds available under section 241 of the PHS Act: Provided, That not less than $455,956,000 is provided for the Institutional Development Awards program.

EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to child health and human development, $1,759,078,000: Provided, That amounts made available for the Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) initiative shall come from amounts made available solely under this heading.

NATIONAL EYE INSTITUTE

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to eye diseases and visual disorders, $896,549,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to environmental health sciences, $913,979,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to aging, $4,507,623,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ARTHRITIS AND MUSCULOSKELETAL AND SKIN DISEASES

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to arthritis and musculoskeletal and skin diseases, $685,465,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to deafness and other communication disorders, $534,333,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NURSING RESEARCH

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to nursing research, $197,693,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to alcohol abuse and alcoholism, $595,318,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to drug abuse, $1,662,695,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to mental health, $2,187,843,000.

NATIONAL HUMAN GENOME RESEARCH INSTITUTE

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to human genome research, $663,200,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF BIOMEDICAL IMAGING AND BIOENGINEERING

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to biomedical imaging and bioengineering research, $440,627,000.

NATIONAL CENTER FOR COMPLEMENTARY AND INTEGRATIVE HEALTH

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to complementary and integrative health, $170,384,000.

NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to minority health and health disparities research, $544,395,000.

JOHN E. FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER

For carrying out the activities of the John E. Fogarty International Center (described in subpart 2 of part E of title IV of the PHS Act), $95,162,000.

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to health information communications, $497,548,000: Provided, That of the amounts available for improvement of information systems, $4,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2027: Provided further, That in this fiscal year, the National Library of Medicine may enter into personal services contracts for the provision of services in facilities owned, operated, or constructed under the jurisdiction of the National Institutes of Health (referred to in this title as “NIH”).

NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES

For carrying out section 301 and title IV of the PHS Act with respect to translational sciences, $928,323,000: Provided, That $75,000,000 shall be available to implement section 480 of the PHS Act, relating to the Cures Acceleration Network.

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

For carrying out the responsibilities of the Office of the Director, NIH, $2,428,914,000: Provided, That funding shall be available for the purchase of not to exceed 29 passenger motor vehicles for replacement only: Provided further, That all funds credited to the NIH Management Fund shall remain available for one fiscal year after the fiscal year in which they are deposited: Provided further, That $672,401,000 shall be available for the Common Fund established under section 402A(c)(1) of the PHS Act: Provided further, That of the funds provided, $10,000 shall be for official reception and representation expenses when specifically approved by the Director of the NIH: Provided further, That the Office of AIDS Research within the Office of the Director of the NIH may spend up to $8,000,000 to make grants for construction or renovation of facilities as provided for in section 2354(a)(5)(B) of the PHS Act: Provided further, That amounts made available under this heading are also available to establish, operate, and support the Research Policy Board authorized by section 2034(f) of the 21st Century Cures Act: Provided further, That the funds made available under this heading for the Office of Research on Women’s Health shall also be available for making grants to serve and promote the interests of women in research, and the Director of such Office may, in making such grants, use the authorities available to NIH Institutes and Centers.

In addition to other funds appropriated for the Office of the Director, $12,600,000 is appropriated from the 10-year Pediatric Research Initiative Fund described in section 9008 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (26 U.S.C. 9008), for the purpose of carrying out section 402(b)(7)(B)(ii) of the PHS Act (relating to pediatric research), as authorized in the Gabriella Miller Kids First Research Act.

BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES

For the study of, construction of, demolition of, renovation of, and acquisition of equipment for, facilities of or used by NIH, including the acquisition of real property, $352,000,000, to remain available until expended.

NIH INNOVATION ACCOUNT, CURES ACT

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses to carry out the purposes described in section 1001(b)(4) of the 21st Century Cures Act, in addition to amounts available for such purposes in the appropriations provided to the NIH in this Act, $226,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That such amounts are appropriated pursuant to section 1001(b)(3) of such Act, are to be derived from amounts transferred under section 1001(b)(2)(A) of such Act, and may be transferred by the Director of the NIH to other accounts of the NIH solely for the purposes provided in such Act: Provided further, That upon a determination by the Director of the NIH that funds transferred pursuant to the previous proviso are not necessary for the purposes provided, such amounts may be transferred back to the Account: Provided further, That the transfer authority provided under this heading is in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law.

ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY FOR HEALTH

For carrying out section 301 and part J of title IV of the PHS Act with respect to advanced research projects for health, $945,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2028.

Substance abuse and mental health services administration

MENTAL HEALTH

For carrying out titles III, V, and XIX of the PHS Act with respect to mental health, the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act, and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, $2,667,521,000: Provided, That of the funds made available under this heading, $100,887,000 shall be for the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 520A(f)(2) of the PHS Act, no funds appropriated for carrying out section 520A shall be available for carrying out section 1971 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That in addition to amounts provided herein, $21,039,000 shall be available under section 241 of the PHS Act to carry out subpart I of part B of title XIX of the PHS Act to fund section 1920(b) technical assistance, national data, data collection and evaluation activities, and further that the total available under this Act for section 1920(b) activities shall not exceed 5 percent of the amounts appropriated for subpart I of part B of title XIX: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading for subpart I of part B of title XIX of the PHS Act, at least 5 percent shall be available to support evidence-based crisis systems: Provided further, That up to 10 percent of the amounts made available to carry out the Children’s Mental Health Services program may be used to carry out demonstration grants or contracts for early interventions with persons not more than 25 years of age at clinical high risk of developing a first episode of psychosis: Provided further, That section 520E(b)(2) of the PHS Act shall not apply to funds appropriated in this Act for fiscal year 2026: Provided further, That $385,000,000 shall be available until September 30, 2028 for grants to communities and community organizations who meet criteria for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics pursuant to section 223(a) of Public Law 113–93: Provided further, That none of the funds provided for section 1911 of the PHS Act shall be subject to section 241 of such Act: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $26,420,000 shall be to carry out section 224 of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–93; 42 U.S.C. 290aa 22 note).

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT

For carrying out titles III and V of the PHS Act with respect to substance abuse treatment and title XIX of such Act with respect to substance abuse treatment and prevention, section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act, and the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act, $3,929,763,000: Provided, That $1,575,000,000 shall be for carrying out section 1003 of the 21st Century Cures Act: Provided further, That of such amount in the preceding proviso not less than 5 percent shall be made available to Indian Tribes or Tribal organizations: Provided further, That in addition to amounts provided herein, $79,200,000 shall be available under section 241 of the PHS Act to carry out subpart II of part B of title XIX of the PHS Act to fund section 1935(b) technical assistance, national data, data collection and evaluation activities, and further that the total available under this Act for section 1935(b) activities shall not exceed 5 percent of the amounts appropriated for subpart II of part B of title XIX: Provided further, That none of the funds provided for section 1921 of the PHS Act or State Opioid Response Grants shall be subject to section 241 of such Act.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION

For carrying out titles III and V of the PHS Act with respect to substance abuse prevention, $205,009,000.

HEALTH SURVEILLANCE AND PROGRAM SUPPORT

For program support and cross-cutting activities that supplement activities funded under the headings “Mental Health”, “Substance Abuse Treatment”, and “Substance Abuse Prevention” in carrying out titles III, V, and XIX of the PHS Act and the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act in the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, $129,895,000: Provided, That in addition to amounts provided herein, $31,428,000 shall be available under section 241 of the PHS Act to supplement funds available to carry out national surveys on drug abuse and mental health, to collect and analyze program data, and to conduct public awareness and technical assistance activities: Provided further, That, in addition, fees may be collected for the costs of publications, data, data tabulations, and data analysis completed under title V of the PHS Act and provided to a public or private entity upon request, which shall be credited to this appropriation and shall remain available until expended for such purposes: Provided further, That amounts made available in this Act for carrying out section 501(o) of the PHS Act shall remain available through September 30, 2027: Provided further, That funds made available under this heading (other than amounts specified in the first proviso under this heading) may be used to supplement program support funding provided under the headings “Mental Health”, “Substance Abuse Treatment”, and “Substance Abuse Prevention”.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

GRANTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAID

For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, titles XI and XIX of the Social Security Act, $508,148,791,000, to remain available until expended.

In addition, for carrying out such titles after May 31, 2026, for the last quarter of fiscal year 2026 for unanticipated costs incurred for the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary, to remain available until expended.

In addition, for carrying out such titles for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, $316,514,725,000, to remain available until expended.

Payment under such title XIX may be made for any quarter with respect to a State plan or plan amendment in effect during such quarter, if submitted in or prior to such quarter and approved in that or any subsequent quarter.

PAYMENTS TO THE HEALTH CARE TRUST FUNDS

For payment to the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, as provided under sections 217(g), 1844, and 1860D–16 of the Social Security Act, sections 103(c) and 111(d) of the Social Security Amendments of 1965, section 278(d)(3) of Public Law 97–248, and for administrative expenses incurred pursuant to section 201(g) of the Social Security Act, $593,817,000,000.

In addition, for making matching payments under section 1844 and benefit payments under section 1860D–16 of the Social Security Act that were not anticipated in budget estimates, such sums as may be necessary.

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, titles XI, XVIII, XIX, and XXI of the Social Security Act, titles XIII and XXVII of the PHS Act, the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, and other responsibilities of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, not to exceed $3,474,391,000 to be transferred from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, as authorized by section 201(g) of the Social Security Act; together with all funds collected in accordance with section 353 of the PHS Act and section 1857(e)(2) of the Social Security Act, funds retained by the Secretary pursuant to section 1893(h) of the Social Security Act, and such sums as may be collected from authorized user fees and the sale of data, which shall be credited to this account and remain available until expended: Provided, That all funds derived in accordance with 31 U.S.C. 9701 from organizations established under title XIII of the PHS Act shall be credited to and available for carrying out the purposes of this appropriation: Provided further, That the Secretary is directed to collect fees in fiscal year 2026 from Medicare Advantage organizations pursuant to section 1857(e)(2) of the Social Security Act and from eligible organizations with risk-sharing contracts under section 1876 of that Act pursuant to section 1876(k)(4)(D) of that Act: Provided further, That of the amount made available under this heading, $407,334,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2027, and shall be available for the Survey and Certification Program: Provided further, That amounts available under this heading to support quality improvement organizations (as defined in section 1152 of the Social Security Act) shall not exceed the amount specifically provided for such purpose under this heading in division H of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115–141).

HEALTH CARE FRAUD AND ABUSE CONTROL ACCOUNT

In addition to amounts otherwise available for program integrity and program management, $941,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2027, to be transferred from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund, as authorized by section 201(g) of the Social Security Act, of which $699,058,000 shall be for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services program integrity activities, of which $108,735,000 shall be for the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General to carry out fraud and abuse activities authorized by section 1817(k)(3) of such Act, and of which $133,207,000 shall be for the Department of Justice to carry out fraud and abuse activities authorized by section 1817(k)(3) of such Act: Provided, That the report required by section 1817(k)(5) of the Social Security Act for fiscal year 2026 shall include measures of the operational efficiency and impact on fraud, waste, and abuse in the Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP programs for the funds provided by this appropriation: Provided further, That of the amount provided under this heading, $311,000,000 is provided to meet the terms of a concurrent resolution on the budget, and $630,000,000 is additional new budget authority specified for purposes of a concurrent resolution on the budget for additional health care fraud and abuse control activities: Provided further, That the Secretary shall provide not less than $35,000,000 from amounts made available under this heading and amounts made available for fiscal year 2026 under section 1817(k)(3)(A) of the Social Security Act for the Senior Medicare Patrol program to combat health care fraud and abuse.

Administration for children and families

PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT AND FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS

For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, titles I, IV–D, X, XI, XIV, and XVI of the Social Security Act and the Act of July 5, 1960, $4,147,000,000, to remain available until expended; and for such purposes for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, $1,800,000,000, to remain available until expended.

For carrying out, after May 31 of the current fiscal year, except as otherwise provided, titles I, IV–D, X, XI, XIV, and XVI of the Social Security Act and the Act of July 5, 1960, for the last 3 months of the current fiscal year for unanticipated costs, incurred for the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary.

LOW INCOME HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE

For making payments under subsections (b) and (d) of section 2602 of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981 (42 U.S.C. 8621 et seq.), $4,035,000,000: Provided, That notwithstanding section 2609A(a) of such Act, not more than $9,600,000 may be reserved by the Secretary for technical assistance, training, and monitoring of program activities for compliance with internal controls, policies and procedures, and to supplement funding otherwise available for necessary administrative expenses to carry out such Act, and the Secretary may, in addition to the authorities provided in section 2609A(a)(1), use such funds through contracts with private entities that do not qualify as nonprofit organizations: Provided further, That all but $902,348,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading shall be allocated as though the total appropriation for such payments for fiscal year 2026 was less than $1,975,000,000: Provided further, That, after applying all applicable provisions of section 2604 of such Act and the previous proviso, each State or territory that would otherwise receive an allocation that is less than 97 percent of the amount that it received under this heading for fiscal year 2025 from amounts appropriated in Public Law 119–4 shall have its allocation increased to that 97 percent level, with the portions of other States' and territories' allocations that would exceed 100 percent of the amounts they respectively received in such fashion for fiscal year 2025 being ratably reduced.

REFUGEE AND ENTRANT ASSISTANCE

For necessary expenses for refugee and entrant assistance activities authorized by section 414 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and section 501 of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980, and for carrying out section 462 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, section 235 of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008, the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (“TVPA”), and the Torture Victims Relief Act of 1998, $4,292,755,000, of which $4,243,000,000 shall remain available through September 30, 2028 for carrying out such sections 414, 501, 462, and 235: Provided, That amounts available under this heading to carry out the TVPA shall also be available for research and evaluation with respect to activities under such Act: Provided further, That the contribution of funds requirement under section 235(c)(6)(C)(iii) of the William Wilberforce Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 shall not apply to funds made available under this heading: Provided further, That not more than 7 percent of amounts made available under this heading shall be available for Federal administrative costs.

PROMOTING SAFE AND STABLE FAMILIES

For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, section 436 of the Social Security Act, $420,000,000 and, for carrying out, except as otherwise provided, section 437 of such Act, $62,515,000: Provided, That of the funds available to carry out section 437, $59,765,000 shall be allocated consistent with subsections (b) through (d) of such section: Provided further, That of the funds available to carry out section 437, $2,750,000 shall be for the Family First Clearinghouse and to support evaluation and technical assistance relating to identifying or developing child and family services that meet the criteria in section 471(e)(4)(C) of such Act, in addition to funds otherwise appropriated to support such purposes in section 476(d): Provided further, That the minimum grant award for kinship navigator programs in the case of States and territories shall be $200,000, and, in the case of Tribes, shall be $25,000.

PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR THE CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT

For carrying out the Child Care and Development Block Grant Act of 1990 (“CCDBG Act”), $8,746,387,000 shall be used to supplement, not supplant State general revenue funds for child care assistance for low-income families: Provided, That technical assistance under section 658I(a)(3) of such Act may be provided directly, or through the use of contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, or interagency agreements: Provided further, That all funds made available to carry out section 418 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 618), including funds appropriated for that purpose in such section 418 or any other provision of law, shall be subject to the reservation of funds authority in paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 658O(a) of the CCDBG Act: Provided further, That notwithstanding the reservation requirements in any other provision of law, of amounts appropriated under this heading, not less than 6 percent shall be reserved for payments to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations: Provided further, That of the amounts made available under this heading, the Secretary may reserve up to 0.5 percent for Federal administrative expenses.

SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT

For making grants to States pursuant to section 2002 of the Social Security Act, $1,700,000,000: Provided, That notwithstanding subparagraph (B) of section 404(d)(2) of such Act, the applicable percent specified under such subparagraph for a State to carry out State programs pursuant to title XX–A of such Act shall be 10 percent.

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES SERVICES PROGRAMS

For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act, the Head Start Act, the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, sections 303 and 313 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, the Native American Programs Act of 1974, title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment and Adoption Reform Act of 1978 (adoption opportunities), part B–1 of title IV and sections 429, 473A, 477(i), 1110, 1114A, and 1115 of the Social Security Act, and the Community Services Block Grant Act (“CSBG Act”); and for necessary administrative expenses to carry out titles I, IV, V, X, XI, XIV, XVI, and XX–A of the Social Security Act, the Act of July 5, 1960, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, $14,480,087,000, of which $75,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2027, shall be for grants to States for adoption and legal guardianship incentive payments, as defined by section 473A of the Social Security Act and may be made for adoptions and legal guardianships completed before September 30, 2026: Provided, That $12,271,820,000 shall be for making payments under the Head Start Act, including for Early Head Start–Child Care Partnerships, and, of which, notwithstanding section 640 of such Act:

(1) $25,000,000 shall be available for allocation by the Secretary to supplement activities described in paragraphs (7)(B) and (9) of section 641(c) of the Head Start Act under the Designation Renewal System, established under the authority of sections 641(c)(7), 645A(b)(12), and 645A(d) of such Act, and such funds shall not be included in the calculation of “base grant” in subsequent fiscal years, as such term is used in section 640(a)(7)(A) of such Act;

(2) $12,000,000 shall be available for the Tribal Colleges and Universities Head Start Partnership Program consistent with section 648(g) of such Act;

(3) Not to exceed $8,000,000 shall be available for the Marshall Islands and Micronesia for the start-up and operation of Head Start services and for the provision of training and technical assistance; and

(4) Up to $21,000,000 shall be available to supplement funding otherwise available for research, evaluation, and Federal administrative costs:

Provided further, That the Secretary may reduce the reservation of funds under section 640(a)(2)(C) of such Act in lieu of reducing the reservation of funds under sections 640(a)(2)(B), 640(a)(2)(D), and 640(a)(2)(E) of such Act: Provided further, That $810,383,000 shall be for making payments under the CSBG Act: Provided further, That for services furnished under the CSBG Act with funds made available for such purpose in this fiscal year and in fiscal year 2025, States may apply the last sentence of section 673(2) of the CSBG Act by substituting “200 percent” for “125 percent”: Provided further, That $35,383,000 shall be for section 680 of the CSGB Act, of which not less than $22,383,000 shall be for section 680(a)(2) and not less than $13,000,000 shall be for section 680(a)(3)(B) of such Act: Provided further, That $240,000,000 shall be for carrying out section 303(a) of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, of which $12,000,000 shall be allocated notwithstanding section 303(a)(2) of such Act for carrying out section 309 of such Act: Provided further, That the percentages specified in section 112(a)(2) of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act shall not apply to funds appropriated under this heading: Provided further, That $1,864,000 shall be for a human services case management system for federally declared disasters, to include a comprehensive national case management contract and Federal costs of administering the system: Provided further, That up to $2,000,000 shall be for improving the Public Assistance Reporting Information System, including grants to States to support data collection for a study of the system's effectiveness.

PAYMENTS FOR FOSTER CARE AND PERMANENCY

For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, title IV–E of the Social Security Act, $6,843,000,000.

For carrying out, except as otherwise provided, title IV–E of the Social Security Act, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, $3,800,000,000.

For carrying out, after May 31 of the current fiscal year, except as otherwise provided, section 474 of title IV–E of the Social Security Act, for the last 3 months of the current fiscal year for unanticipated costs, incurred for the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary.

Administration for community living

AGING AND DISABILITY SERVICES PROGRAMS

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, the Older Americans Act of 1965 (“OAA”), the RAISE Family Caregivers Act, the Supporting Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Act, titles III and XXIX of the PHS Act, sections 1252 and 1253 of the PHS Act, section 119 of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, title XX–B of the Social Security Act, the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000, parts 2 and 5 of subtitle D of title II of the Help America Vote Act of 2002, the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, titles II and VII (and section 14 with respect to such titles) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and for Department-wide coordination of policy and program activities that assist individuals with disabilities, $2,425,190,000, together with $55,242,000 to be transferred from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund to carry out section 4360 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990: Provided, That of amounts made available under this heading to carry out sections 311, 331, and 336 of the OAA, up to one percent of such amounts shall be available for developing and implementing evidence-based practices for enhancing senior nutrition, including medically-tailored meals: Provided further, That notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, funds made available under this heading to carry out section 311 of the OAA may be transferred to the Secretary of Agriculture in accordance with such section: Provided further, That up to 5 percent of the funds provided for adult protective services grants under section 2042 of title XX of the Social Security Act may be used to make grants to Tribes and Tribal organizations: Provided further, That $2,000,000 shall be for competitive grants to support alternative financing programs that provide for the purchase of assistive technology devices, such as a low-interest loan fund; an interest buy-down program; a revolving loan fund; a loan guarantee; or an insurance program: Provided further, That applicants shall provide an assurance that, and information describing the manner in which, the alternative financing program will expand and emphasize consumer choice and control: Provided further, That State agencies and community-based disability organizations that are directed by and operated for individuals with disabilities shall be eligible to compete: Provided further, That none of the funds made available under this heading may be used by an eligible system (as defined in section 102 of the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness Act (42 U.S.C. 10802)) to continue to pursue any legal action in a Federal or State court on behalf of an individual or group of individuals with a developmental disability (as defined in section 102(8)(A) of the Developmental Disabilities and Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 (20 U.S.C. 15002(8)(A)) that is attributable to a mental impairment (or a combination of mental and physical impairments), that has as the requested remedy the closure of State operated intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, unless reasonable public notice of the action has been provided to such individuals (or, in the case of mental incapacitation, the legal guardians who have been specifically awarded authority by the courts to make healthcare and residential decisions on behalf of such individuals) who are affected by such action, within 90 days of instituting such legal action, which informs such individuals (or such legal guardians) of their legal rights and how to exercise such rights consistent with current Federal Rules of Civil Procedure: Provided further, That the limitations in the immediately preceding proviso shall not apply in the case of an individual who is neither competent to consent nor has a legal guardian, nor shall the proviso apply in the case of individuals who are a ward of the State or subject to public guardianship.

Administration for strategic preparedness and response

RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, AND PROCUREMENT

For carrying out title III and subtitles A and B of title XXVIII of the PHS Act, with respect to the research, development, storage, production, and procurement of medical countermeasures to counter potential chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats to civilian populations, $3,265,000,000: Provided, That of such amount:

(1) $1,100,000,000, to remain available through September 30, 2027, shall be for expenses necessary to support advanced research and development, including of mRNA vaccines, pursuant to section 319L of the PHS Act and other administrative expenses of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority;

(2) $850,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for expenses necessary for procuring security countermeasures (as defined in section 319F–2(c)(1)(B) of the PHS Act);

(3) $1,000,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for expenses necessary to carry out section 319F–2(a) of the PHS Act; and

(4) $315,000,000 shall be for expenses necessary to prepare for or respond to an influenza pandemic, of which $280,000,000 shall remain available until expended for activities including the development and purchase of vaccines, antivirals, necessary medical supplies, diagnostics, and surveillance tools: Provided, That notwithstanding section 496(b) of the PHS Act, funds allocated under this paragraph may be used for the construction or renovation of privately owned facilities for the production of pandemic influenza vaccines and other biologics, if the Secretary finds such construction or renovation necessary to secure sufficient supplies of such vaccines or biologics:

Provided further, That funds provided under this heading for purposes of acquisition of security countermeasures shall be in addition to any other funds made available for such purposes: Provided further, That products purchased with funds made available under this heading may, at the discretion of the Secretary, be deposited in the Strategic National Stockpile pursuant to section 319F–2 of the PHS Act: Provided further, That none of the funds made available under this heading may be used by the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response to develop, acquire, or stockpile medical countermeasures, or to strengthen the domestic industrial base, by procuring or acquiring any medical equipment, pharmaceutical good, or service produced by a Chinese-owned company, unless such equipment, good, or service is otherwise unavailable.

OPERATIONS, PREPAREDNESS, AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE

For carrying out titles III, XII, and subtitles A and B of title XXVIII of the PHS Act, operations and emergency response activities related to countering potential chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats and other public health emergencies, $244,606,000: Provided, That of the amounts made available under this heading, $5,000,000 shall remain available through September 30, 2028, to support emergency operations: Provided further, That of the amounts made available under this heading, $10,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2027, for advanced research and development, manufacturing, production, procurement, distribution, and the acquisition, construction, alteration, or renovation of non-federally owned facilities for the production and purchase of medical countermeasures, which may include the development, translation, and demonstration at scale of innovations in manufacturing platform.

Office of the secretary

GENERAL DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT

For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided, for general departmental management, including hire of six passenger motor vehicles, and for carrying out titles III, XVII, XXI, and section 229 of the PHS Act, the United States-Mexico Border Health Commission Act, research studies under section 1110 of the Social Security Act, and for protection services for the Secretary, $333,169,000, together with $58,028,000 from the amounts available under section 241 of the PHS Act to carry out national health or human services research and evaluation activities: Provided, That of this amount, $20,000,000 shall be for minority AIDS prevention and treatment activities: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $40,000,000 shall be for making competitive grants which exclusively implement education in sexual risk avoidance (defined as voluntarily refraining from non-marital sexual activity): Provided further, That funding for such competitive grants for sexual risk avoidance shall use medically accurate information referenced to peer-reviewed publications by educational, scientific, governmental, or health organizations; implement an evidence-based approach integrating research findings with practical implementation that aligns with the needs and desired outcomes for the intended audience; and teach the benefits associated with self-regulation, success sequencing for poverty prevention, healthy relationships, goal setting, and resisting sexual coercion, dating violence, and other youth risk behaviors such as underage drinking or illicit drug use without normalizing teen sexual activity: Provided further, That no more than 10 percent of the funding for such competitive grants for sexual risk avoidance shall be available for technical assistance and administrative costs of such programs: Provided further, That funds provided in this Act for embryo adoption activities may be used to provide to individuals adopting embryos, through grants and other mechanisms, medical and administrative services deemed necessary for such adoptions: Provided further, That such services shall be provided consistent with 42 CFR 59.5(a)(4): Provided further, That of the funds made available under this heading, $5,000,000 shall be for carrying out prize competitions sponsored by the Office of the Secretary to accelerate innovation in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of kidney diseases (as authorized by section 24 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3719)).

In addition, for expenses necessary to carry out title II of the PHS Act to support, except as otherwise provided, activities related to safeguarding classified national security information and providing intelligence and national security support across the Department and to counter cybersecurity threats to civilian populations, $108,983,000.

In addition, for expenses necessary to prevent, prepare for, or respond to an influenza pandemic, $7,009,000.

In addition to amounts otherwise available, $100,000,000, to remain available until expended, for carrying out activities to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA).

MEDICARE HEARINGS AND APPEALS

For expenses necessary for Medicare hearings and appeals in the Office of the Secretary, $180,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2027, to be transferred in appropriate part from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.

OFFICE OF THE NATIONAL COORDINATOR FOR HEALTH INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

For expenses necessary for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, including grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for the development and advancement of interoperable health information technology, $59,238,000 shall be from amounts made available under section 241 of the PHS Act.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

For expenses necessary for the Office of Inspector General, including the hire of passenger motor vehicles for investigations, in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act of 1978, $87,000,000: Provided, That of such amount, necessary sums shall be available for investigating non-payment of child support cases for which non-payment is a Federal offense under 18 U.S.C. 228: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated under this heading, necessary sums shall be available for carrying out activities authorized under section 3022 of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 300jj–52).

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

For expenses necessary for the Office for Civil Rights, $39,798,000.

RETIREMENT PAY AND MEDICAL BENEFITS FOR COMMISSIONED OFFICERS

For retirement pay and medical benefits of Public Health Service Commissioned Officers as authorized by law, for payments under the Retired Serviceman's Family Protection Plan and Survivor Benefit Plan, and for medical care of dependents and retired personnel under the Dependents' Medical Care Act, such amounts as may be required during the current fiscal year.

General provisions

201. Funds appropriated in this title shall be available for not to exceed $50,000 for official reception and representation expenses when specifically approved by the Secretary.

202. None of the funds appropriated in this title shall be used to pay the salary of an individual, through a grant or other extramural mechanism, at a rate in excess of Executive Level II: Provided, That none of the funds appropriated in this title shall be used to prevent the NIH from paying up to 100 percent of the salary of an individual at this rate.

203. None of the funds appropriated in this or any other Act may be expended pursuant to section 241 of the PHS Act, except for funds specifically provided for in this Act, or for other taps and assessments made by any office located in HHS, prior to the preparation and submission of a report by the Secretary to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate detailing the planned uses of such funds.

204. Notwithstanding section 241(a) of the PHS Act, such portion as the Secretary shall determine, but not more than 2.5 percent, of any amounts appropriated for programs authorized under such Act shall be made available for the evaluation (directly, or by grants or contracts) and the implementation and effectiveness of programs funded in this title.

(TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

205. Not to exceed 1 percent of any discretionary funds (pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985) which are appropriated for the current fiscal year for HHS in this Act may be transferred between appropriations, but no such appropriation shall be increased by more than 3 percent by any such transfer: Provided, That the transfer authority granted by this section shall not be used to create any new program or to fund any project or activity for which no funds are provided in this Act: Provided further, That the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

206. In lieu of the timeframe specified in section 338E(c)(2) of the PHS Act, terminations described in such section may occur up to 60 days after the effective date of a contract awarded in fiscal year 2026 under section 338B of such Act, or at any time if the individual who has been awarded such contract has not received funds due under the contract.

207. None of the funds appropriated in this Act may be made available to any entity under title X of the PHS Act unless the applicant for the award certifies to the Secretary that it encourages family participation in the decision of minors to seek family planning services and that it provides counseling to minors on how to resist attempts to coerce minors into engaging in sexual activities.

208. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no provider of services under title X of the PHS Act shall be exempt from any State law requiring notification or the reporting of child abuse, child molestation, sexual abuse, rape, or incest.

209. None of the funds appropriated by this Act (including funds appropriated to any trust fund) may be used to carry out the Medicare Advantage program if the Secretary denies participation in such program to an otherwise eligible entity (including a Provider Sponsored Organization) because the entity informs the Secretary that it will not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or provide referrals for abortions: Provided, That the Secretary shall make appropriate prospective adjustments to the capitation payment to such an entity (based on an actuarially sound estimate of the expected costs of providing the service to such entity's enrollees): Provided further, That nothing in this section shall be construed to change the Medicare program's coverage for such services and a Medicare Advantage organization described in this section shall be responsible for informing enrollees where to obtain information about all Medicare covered services.

210. None of the funds made available in this title may be used, in whole or in part, to advocate or promote gun control.

211. The Secretary shall make available through assignment not more than 60 employees of the Public Health Service to assist in child survival activities and to work in AIDS programs through and with funds provided by the Agency for International Development, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund or the World Health Organization.

212. In order for HHS to carry out international health activities, including HIV/AIDS and other infectious disease, chronic and environmental disease, and other health activities abroad during fiscal year 2026:

(1) The Secretary may exercise authority equivalent to that available to the Secretary of State in section 2(c) of the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956. The Secretary shall consult with the Secretary of State and relevant Chief of Mission to ensure that the authority provided in this section is exercised in a manner consistent with section 207 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and other applicable statutes administered by the Department of State.

(2) The Secretary is authorized to provide such funds by advance or reimbursement to the Secretary of State as may be necessary to pay the costs of acquisition, lease, alteration, renovation, and management of facilities outside of the United States for the use of HHS. The Department of State shall cooperate fully with the Secretary to ensure that HHS has secure, safe, functional facilities that comply with applicable regulation governing location, setback, and other facilities requirements and serve the purposes established by this Act. The Secretary is authorized, in consultation with the Secretary of State, through grant or cooperative agreement, to make available to public or nonprofit private institutions or agencies in participating foreign countries, funds to acquire, lease, alter, or renovate facilities in those countries as necessary to conduct programs of assistance for international health activities, including activities relating to HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases, chronic and environmental diseases, and other health activities abroad.

(3) The Secretary is authorized to provide to personnel appointed or assigned by the Secretary to serve abroad, allowances and benefits similar to those provided under chapter 9 of title I of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, and 22 U.S.C. 4081 through 4086 and subject to such regulations prescribed by the Secretary. The Secretary is further authorized to provide locality-based comparability payments (stated as a percentage) up to the amount of the locality-based comparability payment (stated as a percentage) that would be payable to such personnel under section 5304 of title 5, United States Code if such personnel's official duty station were in the District of Columbia. Leaves of absence for personnel under this subsection shall be on the same basis as that provided under subchapter I of chapter 63 of title 5, United States Code, or section 903 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, to individuals serving in the Foreign Service.

(Transfer of Funds)

213. The Director of the NIH, jointly with the Director of the Office of AIDS Research, may transfer up to 3 percent among institutes and centers from the total amounts identified by these two Directors as funding for research pertaining to the human immunodeficiency virus: Provided, That the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

(Transfer of Funds)

214. Of the amounts made available in this Act for NIH, the amount for research related to the human immunodeficiency virus, as jointly determined by the Director of NIH and the Director of the Office of AIDS Research, shall be made available to the “Office of AIDS Research” account. The Director of the Office of AIDS Research shall transfer from such account amounts necessary to carry out section 2353(d)(3) of the PHS Act.

(a) Authority

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Director of NIH (“Director”) may use funds authorized under section 402(b)(12) of the PHS Act to enter into transactions (other than contracts, cooperative agreements, or grants) to carry out research identified pursuant to or research and activities described in such section 402(b)(12).

(b) Peer review

In entering into transactions under subsection (a), the Director may utilize such peer review procedures (including consultation with appropriate scientific experts) as the Director determines to be appropriate to obtain assessments of scientific and technical merit. Such procedures shall apply to such transactions in lieu of the peer review and advisory council review procedures that would otherwise be required under sections 301(a)(3), 405(b)(1)(B), 405(b)(2), 406(a)(3)(A), 492, and 494 of the PHS Act.

215.

216. Not to exceed $100,000,000 of funds appropriated by this Act to the institutes and centers of the National Institutes of Health may be used for alteration, repair, or improvement of facilities, as necessary for the proper and efficient conduct of the activities authorized herein, at not to exceed $5,000,000 per project.

(Transfer of Funds)

217. Of the amounts made available for NIH, 1 percent of the amount made available for National Research Service Awards (“NRSA”) shall be made available to the Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration to make NRSA awards for research in primary medical care to individuals affiliated with entities who have received grants or contracts under sections 736, 739, or 747 of the PHS Act, and 1 percent of the amount made available for NRSA shall be made available to the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to make NRSA awards for health service research.

(a) The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (“BARDA”) may enter into a contract, for more than one but no more than 10 program years, for purchase of research services or of security countermeasures, as that term is defined in section 319F–2(c)(1)(B) of the PHS Act (42 U.S.C. 247d–6b(c)(1)(B)), if—

(1) funds are available and obligated—

(A) for the full period of the contract or for the first fiscal year in which the contract is in effect; and

(B) for the estimated costs associated with a necessary termination of the contract; and

(2) the Secretary determines that a multi-year contract will serve the best interests of the Federal Government by encouraging full and open competition or promoting economy in administration, performance, and operation of BARDA's programs.

(b) A contract entered into under this section—

(1) shall include a termination clause as described by subsection (c) of section 3903 of title 41, United States Code; and

(2) shall be subject to the congressional notice requirement stated in subsection (d) of such section.

218.

(a) The Secretary shall publish in the fiscal year 2027 budget justification and on Departmental Web sites information concerning the employment of full-time equivalent Federal employees or contractors for the purposes of implementing, administering, enforcing, or otherwise carrying out the provisions of the ACA, and the amendments made by that Act, in the proposed fiscal year and each fiscal year since the enactment of the ACA.

(b) With respect to employees or contractors supported by all funds appropriated for purposes of carrying out the ACA (and the amendments made by that Act), the Secretary shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

(1) For each such fiscal year, the section of such Act under which such funds were appropriated, a statement indicating the program, project, or activity receiving such funds, the Federal operating division or office that administers such program, and the amount of funding received in discretionary or mandatory appropriations.

(2) For each such fiscal year, the number of full-time equivalent employees or contracted employees assigned to each authorized and funded provision detailed in accordance with paragraph (1).

(c) In carrying out this section, the Secretary may exclude from the report employees or contractors who—

(1) are supported through appropriations enacted in laws other than the ACA and work on programs that existed prior to the passage of the ACA;

(2) spend less than 50 percent of their time on activities funded by or newly authorized in the ACA; or

(3) work on contracts for which FTE reporting is not a requirement of their contract, such as fixed-price contracts.

219.

220. The Secretary shall publish, as part of the fiscal year 2027 budget of the President submitted under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, information that details the uses of all funds used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services specifically for Health Insurance Exchanges for each fiscal year since the enactment of the ACA and the proposed uses for such funds for fiscal year 2027. Such information shall include, for each such fiscal year, the amount of funds used for each activity specified under the heading “Health Insurance Exchange Transparency” in the report accompanying this Act.

221. None of the funds made available by this Act from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund or the Federal Supplemental Medical Insurance Trust Fund, or transferred from other accounts funded by this Act to the “Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—Program Management” account, may be used for payments under section 1342(b)(1) of Public Law 111–148 (relating to risk corridors).

(Transfer of Funds)

(a) Within 45 days of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transfer funds appropriated under section 4002 of the ACA to the accounts specified, in the amounts specified, and for the activities specified under the heading “Prevention and Public Health Fund” in the report accompanying this Act.

(b) Notwithstanding section 4002(c) of the ACA, the Secretary may not further transfer these amounts.

(c) Funds transferred for activities authorized under section 2821 of the PHS Act shall be made available without reference to section 2821(b) of such Act.

222.

223. Effective during the period beginning on November 1, 2015 and ending January 1, 2028, any provision of law that refers (including through cross-reference to another provision of law) to the current recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force with respect to breast cancer screening, mammography, and prevention shall be administered by the Secretary involved as if—

(1) such reference to such current recommendations were a reference to the recommendations of such Task Force with respect to breast cancer screening, mammography, and prevention last issued before 2009; and

(2) such recommendations last issued before 2009 applied to any screening mammography modality under section 1861(jj) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395x(jj)).

(Transfer of Funds)

224. The NIH Director may transfer funds for opioid addiction, opioid alternatives, stimulant misuse and addiction, pain management, and addiction treatment to other Institutes and Centers of the NIH to be used for the same purpose 15 days after notifying the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate: Provided, That the transfer authority provided in the previous proviso is in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law.

(a) The Secretary shall provide to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate:

(1) Detailed monthly enrollment figures from the Exchanges established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 pertaining to enrollments during the open enrollment period; and

(2) Notification of any new or competitive grant awards, including supplements, authorized under section 330 of the Public Health Service Act.

(b) The Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate must be notified at least 2 business days in advance of any public release of enrollment information or the award of such grants.

225.

226. In addition to the amounts otherwise available for “Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Program Management”, the Secretary of Health and Human Services may transfer up to $455,000,000 to such account from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund to support program management activity related to the Medicare Program: Provided, That except for the foregoing purpose, such funds may not be used to support any provision of Public Law 111–148 or Public Law 111–152 (or any amendment made by either such Public Law) or to supplant any other amounts within such account.

227. Funds appropriated in this Act that are available for salaries and expenses of employees of the Department of Health and Human Services shall also be available to pay travel and related expenses of such an employee or of a member of his or her family, when such employee is assigned to duty, in the United States or in a U.S. territory, during a period and in a location that are the subject of a determination of a public health emergency under section 319 of the Public Health Service Act and such travel is necessary to obtain medical care for an illness, injury, or medical condition that cannot be adequately addressed in that location at that time. For purposes of this section, the term U.S. territory means Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands.

228. The Department of Health and Human Services may accept donations from the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and other groups independent of the Federal Government for the care of unaccompanied alien children (as defined in section 462(g)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 279(g)(2))) in the care of the Office of Refugee Resettlement of the Administration for Children and Families, including medical goods and services, which may include early childhood developmental screenings, school supplies, toys, clothing, and any other items intended to promote the wellbeing of such children.

229. In addition to the existing Congressional notification for formal site assessments of potential influx facilities, the Secretary shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate at least 15 days before operationalizing an unlicensed facility, and shall (1) specify whether the facility is hard-sided or soft-sided, and (2) provide analysis that indicates that, in the absence of the influx facility, the likely outcome is that unaccompanied alien children will remain in the custody of the Department of Homeland Security for longer than 72 hours or that unaccompanied alien children will be otherwise placed in danger. Within 60 days of bringing such a facility online, and monthly thereafter, the Secretary shall provide to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report detailing the total number of children in care at the facility, the average length of stay and average length of care of children at the facility, and, for any child that has been at the facility for more than 60 days, their length of stay and reason for delay in release.

230. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to prevent a United States Senator or Member of the House of Representatives from entering, for the purpose of conducting oversight, any facility in the United States used for the purpose of maintaining custody of, or otherwise housing, unaccompanied alien children (as defined in section 462(g)(2) of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 279(g)(2))), provided that such Senator or Member has coordinated the oversight visit with the Office of Refugee Resettlement not less than two business days in advance to ensure that such visit would not interfere with the operations (including child welfare and child safety operations) of such facility.

231. Not later than 14 days after the date of enactment of this Act, and monthly thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate, and make publicly available online, a report with respect to children who were separated from their parents or legal guardians by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) (regardless of whether or not such separation was pursuant to an option selected by the children, parents, or guardians), subsequently classified as unaccompanied alien children, and transferred to the care and custody of ORR during the previous month. Each report shall contain the following information:

(1) the number and ages of children so separated subsequent to apprehension at or between ports of entry, to be reported by sector where separation occurred; and

(2) the documented cause of separation, as reported by DHS when each child was referred.

232. Funds appropriated in this Act that are available for salaries and expenses of employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shall also be available for the primary and secondary schooling of eligible dependents of personnel stationed in a U.S. territory at costs not in excess of those paid for or reimbursed by the Department of Defense. For purposes of this section, the term U.S. territory means Guam, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, or the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands

233. The Community Services Block Grant Act (42 U.S.C. 9901 et seq.) is amended—

(1) in section 675C(a)—

(A) in paragraph (2) by striking “, subject to paragraph (3)”; and

(B) by striking paragraph (3); and

(2) in section 680(a)(2) by adding at the end the following:

(F) Uses of funds
Funds made available to carry out this paragraph may be used for financing construction and rehabilitation, and for loans or investments, in private business enterprises, including those owned by community development corporations.
(G) Ownership of intangible property and earnings
The Secretary shall establish procedures regarding the disposition of intangible assets and program income that permit such assets acquired with, and program income derived from, grants made under this paragraph, to become the sole property of the grantees after a period of not more than 12 years after the end of the grant period for any activity consistent with subsection (a)(2)(A).
(H) Use of intangible assets
Intangible assets in the form of loans, equity investments and other debt instruments, and program income may be used by grantees for any eligible purpose consistent with subsection (a)(2)(A).

(RESCISSION AND INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

234. Of the unobligated balances in the “Nonrecurring Expenses Fund” established in section 223 of division G of Public Law 110–161, $1,613,000,000 are hereby rescinded not later than September 30, 2026, except that no amounts may be rescinded from amounts that were previously designated by the Congress as being for an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided, That from any remaining unobligated balances in such Fund, the Secretary may transfer up to $30,000,000 to “General Departmental Management” for cybersecurity: Provided further, That the Secretary may obligate funds from such Fund for any program, project, or activity for which a notification was submitted before the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary may transfer amounts into such Fund: Provided further, That any amounts transferred into such Fund are available for the purposes provided by this section or for which a notification was submitted to such Committees on Appropriations before the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the authority to transfer amounts under this section is in addition to any other transfer authority in law.

235. None of the funds made available by this Act to the National Institutes of Health may be used for facilities and administration costs (as defined in section 200.414 of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations) that exceed 30 percent of an award to an applicable educational institution that is an organization subject to taxation under section 4968 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986.

236. None of the funds provided in this Act may be used to conduct or support research using human fetal tissue if such tissue is obtained pursuant to an induced abortion.

(a) None of the funds appropriated in this Act, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are appropriated in this Act, shall be made available to a hospital or any other entity that administers any postgraduate physician training program, or any other program of training in the health professions, that provides training in the performance of, or assisting in the performance of, induced abortions, or in counseling or referrals for such abortions, if such program—

(1) provides or requires such training for any participant in such program without the participant first voluntarily electing to opt in to undergo such training; or

(2) subjects any participant in such program to discrimination on the basis that the participant does not—

(A) voluntarily elect to opt in to undergo such training; or

(B) perform, assist in the performance of, or provide counseling or referrals for, such abortions.

(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to permit training described in subsection (a) that is not otherwise allowed by law.

237.

(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made available by this Act may be made available either directly, through a State (including through managed care contracts with a State), or through any other means, to a prohibited entity.

(b) PROHIBITED ENTITY.—The term “prohibited entity” means an entity, including its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, and clinics—

(1) that, as of the date of enactment of this Act—

(A) is an organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and exempt from taxation under section 501(a) of such Code;

(B) is an essential community provider described in section 156.235 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act), that is primarily engaged in family planning services, reproductive health, and related medical care; and

(C) performs, or provides any funds to any other entity that performs, abortions other than an abortion performed—

(i) in the case of a pregnancy that is the result of an act of rape or incest; or

(ii) in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by, or arising from, the pregnancy itself; and

(2) for which the total amount of Federal grants to such entity, including grants to any affiliates, subsidiaries, or clinics of such entity, under title X of the Public Health Service Act in fiscal year 2016 exceeded $23,000,000.

(1) END OF PROHIBITION.—The definition in subsection (b) shall cease to apply to an entity if such entity certifies that it, including its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, and clinics, will not perform, and will not provide any funds to any other entity that performs, an abortion as described in subsection (b)(1)(C).

(2) REPAYMENT.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall seek repayment of any Federal assistance received by any entity that had made a certification described in paragraph (1) and subsequently violated the terms of such certification.

(c)

238.

239. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to establish, support, administer, oversee, or issue a grant, contract, or cooperative agreement for the purposes of providing information on, promoting access to, or facilitating an abortion.

240. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to require any project under title X of the PHS Act to refer for abortions: Provided, That no provider of services under title X of the PHS Act shall be required to subvert or operate in conflict with any State law limiting referral for abortion/pregnancy counseling.

241. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement, administer, or enforce Executive Order 14076 (Protecting Access to Reproductive Healthcare Services) or Executive Order 14079 (Securing Access to Reproductive and Other Healthcare Services).

242. None of the funds made available by this Act, or provided under a previous or subsequent appropriations Act to the Department of Health and Human Services, or provided from any account in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees available to such Department, may be used to enforce the final rule titled “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Policy and Regulatory Changes to the Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Requirements” (86 Fed. Reg. 61555), or any substantially similar rule.

243. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement, administer, or enforce Executive Order 13988, entitled “Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation”, published by the Executive Office of the President on January 25, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 7023).

244. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used for any social, psychological, behavioral, or medical intervention performed for the purposes of intentionally changing the body of an individual (including by disrupting the body’s development, inhibiting its natural functions, or modifying its appearance) to no longer correspond to the individual’s biological sex.

245. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to issue or implement as a final rule the proposed rule entitled “Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities” published by the Department of Health and Human Services in the Federal Register on August 4, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 47824) (relating to section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act) or any successor or substantially similar rule.

246. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the final rule entitled “Designated Placement Requirements Under Titles IV-E and IV-B for LGBTQI+ Children”, 89 Fed. Reg. 34818 (effective July 1, 2024) or any successor or substantially similar rule.

247. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the final rule entitled “Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule”, (89 Fed. Reg. 34384 (effective July 1, 2024)) or any successor or substantially similar rule.

248. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be used to place an unaccompanied alien child with a sponsor in any case where such unaccompanied alien child has been convicted of a crime, or has a pending criminal charge relating to gang affiliation or activity, in the United States or in such unaccompanied alien child’s country of origin or country of last habitual residence.

249. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the final rule entitled “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting”, (89 Fed. Reg. 40876 (effective June 21, 2024)) or any successor or substantially similar rule.

250. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the final rule entitled “Short-Term, Limited-Duration Insurance and Independent, Noncoordinated Excepted Benefits Coverage”, (89 Fed. Reg. 23338 (effective June 17, 2024)) or any successor or substantially similar rule.

251. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to determine that a public health emergency exists pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d), or issue any related order that would impede, limit, or restrict a citizen’s Second Amendment rights.

252. Title II of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 202 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 245 (42 U.S.C. 238n) the following:

245A. Civil action for certain violations
(a) In general
A qualified party may, in a civil action, obtain appropriate relief with regard to a designated violation.
(b) Definitions
For purposes of this section:
(1) Designated violation
The term “designated violation” means an actual or threatened violation of—
(A) section 507(d) of division D of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (or any subsequent substantially similar provision); or
(B) any funding condition imposed by the Federal Government pursuant to such section 507(d) (or such substantially similar provision).
(2) Qualified party
The term “qualified party” means—
(A) the Attorney General of the United States;
(B) any attorney general of a State; or
(C) any person or entity adversely affected by the designated violation without regard to whether such person or entity is a health care provider.
(3) State governmental entity
The term “State governmental entity” means a State, a local government within a State, and any agency or other governmental unit or subdivision of a State, or of such a local government.
(c) Administrative remedies not required
An action under this section may be commenced, and relief may be granted, without regard to whether the party commencing the action has sought or exhausted any available administrative remedies.
(d) Defendants
An action under this section may be maintained against a Federal agency committing a designated violation described in subsection (b)(1)(A) or any recipient or subrecipient of Federal assistance committing a designated violation described in subsection (b)(1)(B), including a State governmental entity.
(e) Nature of relief
In an action under this section, the court shall grant—
(1) all appropriate relief, including injunctive relief, declaratory relief, and compensatory damages, to prevent the occurrence, continuance, or repetition of the designated violation and to compensate for losses resulting from the designated violation; and
(2) to a prevailing plaintiff, reasonable attorneys’ fees and litigation costs.
Relief in an action under this section may include money damages even if the defendant is a governmental entity.
(f) Abrogation of State Immunity
No State or governmental official that commits a designated violation shall be immune under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the Eleventh Amendment to the Constitution of the United States, or any other source of law, from an action under subsection (a).

253. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to administer, implement, or enforce the final rule entitled “Improving Child Care Access, Affordability, and Stability in the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)”, (89 Fed. Reg. 15366 (effective April 30, 2024)) insofar as such rule makes changes relating to sections 98.16(z) and 98.30(b)(1) of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations.

254. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to place an unaccompanied alien child with an alien sponsor who has not been admitted (as defined in paragraph (13) of section 101(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a))) or who is deportable under section 237(a) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1227(a)).

255. None of the funds in this Act may be used for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to fund or carry out any research relating to gunshot injury or mortality prevention that treats crimes committed with a firearm as a public health epidemic, including advocating, promoting, or studying firearm-related restrictions or policies; firearm disenfranchisement, bans, confiscation, or registration, or other gun control measures; and any other restriction on firearms: Provided, That nothing shall prevent the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration from carrying out research on medical procedures, practices, treatments, medicines, and therapies related to gunshot injuries and recovery.

256. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used for research on vertebrate animals for the purpose of studying the effects of drugs, surgery, or other interventions to alter the human body (including by disrupting the body’s development, inhibiting its natural functions, or modifying its appearance) to no longer correspond to its biological sex.

257. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to implement CMS-5056-N, “Implementation of Prior Authorization for Select Services for the Wasteful and Inappropriate Services Reduction (WISeR) Model,” or any such model that implements prior authorizations in traditional Medicare.

258. Section 752 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 294b) is amended in subsection (g) by striking “fiscal years 2023 through 2025” and inserting “fiscal years 2026 through 2028”.

This title may be cited as the “Department of Health and Human Services Appropriations Act, 2026”.

III DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

Education for the Disadvantaged

(Including Rescission of Funds)

For carrying out title I and subpart 2 of part B of title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (referred to in this Act as “ESEA”) and section 418A of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (referred to in this Act as “HEA”), $14,850,490,000, of which $3,974,313,000 shall become available on July 1, 2026, and shall remain available through September 30, 2027, and of which $10,841,177,000 shall become available on October 1, 2026, and shall remain available through September 30, 2027, for academic year 2026–2027: Provided, That $3,614,089,000 shall be for basic grants under section 1124 of the ESEA: Provided further, That up to $5,000,000 of these funds shall be available to the Secretary of Education (referred to in this title as “Secretary”) on October 1, 2025, to obtain annually updated local educational agency-level census poverty data from the Bureau of the Census: Provided further, That $1,362,301,000 shall be for concentration grants under section 1124A of the ESEA: Provided further, That $4,825,050,000 shall be for targeted grants under section 1125 of the ESEA: Provided further, That $4,825,050,000 shall be for education finance incentive grants under section 1125A of the ESEA: Provided further, That $224,000,000 shall be for carrying out subpart 2 of part B of title II: Provided further, That of the amounts made available for this heading by section 1112 of title I of division A of Public Law 119–4 on October 1, 2025, $938,266,000 are hereby rescinded.

Impact Aid

For carrying out programs of financial assistance to federally affected schools authorized by title VII of the ESEA, $1,630,151,000, of which $1,477,000,000 shall be for basic support payments under section 7003(b), $49,316,000 shall be for payments for children with disabilities under section 7003(d), $19,000,000 shall be for construction under section 7007(a), $80,000,000 shall be for Federal property payments under section 7002, and $4,835,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for facilities maintenance under section 7008: Provided, That for purposes of computing the amount of a payment for an eligible local educational agency under section 7003(a) for school year 2025–2026, children enrolled in a school of such agency that would otherwise be eligible for payment under section 7003(a)(1)(B) of such Act, but due to the deployment of both parents or legal guardians, or a parent or legal guardian having sole custody of such children, or due to the death of a military parent or legal guardian while on active duty (so long as such children reside on Federal property as described in section 7003(a)(1)(B)), are no longer eligible under such section, shall be considered as eligible students under such section, provided such students remain in average daily attendance at a school in the same local educational agency they attended prior to their change in eligibility status.

School Improvement Programs

(Including Rescission of Funds)

For carrying out school improvement activities authorized by part B of title I, part A of title II, subpart 1 of part A of title IV, part B of title IV, part B of title V, and parts B and C of title VI of the ESEA; the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act; section 203 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002; and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, $4,840,964,000, of which $3,068,673,000 shall become available on July 1, 2026, and remain available through September 30, 2027, and of which $1,681,441,000 shall become available on October 1, 2026, and shall remain available through September 30, 2027, for academic year 2026–2027: Provided, That $1,329,673,000 shall be for part B of title IV: Provided further, That $45,897,000 shall be for part B of title VI, which may be used for construction, renovation, and modernization of any public elementary school, secondary school, or structure related to a public elementary school or secondary school that serves a predominantly Native Hawaiian student body, and that the 5 percent limitation in section 6205(b) of the ESEA on the use of funds for administrative purposes shall apply only to direct administrative costs: Provided further, That $44,953,000 shall be for part C of title VI, which shall be awarded on a competitive basis, and may be used for construction, and that the 5 percent limitation in section 6305 of the ESEA on the use of funds for administrative purposes shall apply only to direct administrative costs: Provided further, That $225,000,000 shall be for part B of title V: Provided further, That in carrying out such part B the percentage in section 316(b)(1)(D) of title III of division H of Public Law 116–260 shall be deemed 75 percent: Provided further, That $1,385,000,000 shall be available for grants under subpart 1 of part A of title IV: Provided further, That funds provided by Public Law 117–328 and this Act for subpart B of title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act shall be available for expenditure by educational agencies and institutions for an additional fiscal year following the succeeding fiscal year provided by subsection 421(b)(1) of the General Education Provisions Act: Provided further, That of the amounts made available for this heading by section 1112 of title I of division A of Public Law 119–4 on October 1, 2025, $1,681,441,000 are hereby rescinded.

Safe Schools and Citizenship Education

For carrying out activities authorized by subparts 2 and 3 of part F of title IV of the ESEA, $190,000,000, to remain available through December 31, 2026: Provided, That $190,000,000 shall be available for section 4631, of which up to $10,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for the Project School Emergency Response to Violence (Project SERV) program.

Indian Education

For expenses necessary to carry out, to the extent not otherwise provided, title VI, part A of the ESEA, $199,746,000, of which $72,000,000 shall be for subpart 2 of part A of title VI and $17,365,000 shall be for subpart 3 of part A of title VI: Provided, That the 5 percent limitation in sections 6115(d), 6121(e), and 6133(g) of the ESEA on the use of funds for administrative purposes shall apply only to direct administrative costs: Provided further, That grants awarded under sections 6132 and 6133 of the ESEA with funds provided under this heading may be for a period of up to 5 years.

Innovation and Improvement

For carrying out activities authorized by subparts 1, 3, and 4 of part B of title II, and parts C, D, and E and subparts 1 and 4 of part F of title IV of the ESEA, $891,000,000: Provided, That $23,000,000 shall be for subparts 1, 3 and 4 of part B of title II and shall be made available without regard to sections 2201, 2231(b) and 2241: Provided further, That $639,000,000 shall be for parts C, D, and E and subpart 4 of part F of title IV, and shall be made available without regard to sections 4311, 4409(a), and 4601 of the ESEA: Provided further, That section 4303(d)(3)(A)(i) shall not apply to these funds available for part C of title IV: Provided further, That of the funds available for part C of title IV, the Secretary shall use not less than $65,000,000 to carry out section 4304 of the ESEA, amounts made available to carry out section 4305(b) of the ESEA shall remain available through March 31, 2027, and not more than $16,000,000 to carry out the activities in section 4305(a)(3) of the ESEA: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 4304(k)(2)(C) of the ESEA, in making awards under section 4304(k), the Secretary may pay a Federal share of up to 100 percent of the cost of establishing or enhancing, and administering, a per-pupil facilities aid program for each of the first two fiscal years for which the program receives funding: Provided further, That the Secretary shall permit any State entity, as defined under section 4303(a), to receive a grant under section 4304(k): Provided further, That the Secretary shall permit such a State entity to receive such a grant if any form of State or local financial support for charter school facilities, such as the capitalization of a State revolving loan fund to support charter school facilities financing, and not necessarily a program of per-pupil facilities aid, will meet the matching requirements of section 4304(k)2)(C): Provided further, That the Secretary shall allow entities receiving grants under section 4303 to use up to 10 percent of such grants for activities described in section 4303(b)(2) and up to 5 percent for the activities described in section 4303(c)(1)(C): Provided further, That notwithstanding section 4601(b), $229,000,000 shall be available through December 31, 2026 for subpart 1 of part F of title IV.

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

Special Education

For carrying out the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Special Olympics Sport and Empowerment Act of 2004, $15,493,264,000, of which $5,910,321,000 shall become available on July 1, 2026, and shall remain available through September 30, 2027, and of which $9,283,383,000 shall become available on October 1, 2026, and shall remain available through September 30, 2027, for academic year 2026–2027: Provided, That the amount for section 611(b)(2) of the IDEA shall be equal to the lesser of the amount available for that activity during fiscal year 2025, increased by the amount of inflation as specified in section 619(d)(2)(B) of the IDEA, or the percent change in the funds appropriated under section 611(i) of the IDEA, but not less than the amount for that activity during fiscal year 2025: Provided further, That the Secretary shall, without regard to section 611(d) of the IDEA, distribute to all other States (as that term is defined in section 611(g)(2)), subject to the third proviso, any amount by which a State's allocation under section 611, from funds appropriated under this heading, is reduced under section 612(a)(18)(B), according to the following: 85 percent on the basis of the States' relative populations of children aged 3 through 21 who are of the same age as children with disabilities for whom the State ensures the availability of a free appropriate public education under this part, and 15 percent to States on the basis of the States' relative populations of those children who are living in poverty: Provided further, That the Secretary may not distribute any funds under the previous proviso to any State whose reduction in allocation from funds appropriated under this heading made funds available for such a distribution: Provided further, That the States shall allocate such funds distributed under the second proviso to local educational agencies in accordance with section 611(f): Provided further, That the amount by which a State's allocation under section 611(d) of the IDEA is reduced under section 612(a)(18)(B) and the amounts distributed to States under the previous provisos in fiscal year 2012 or any subsequent year shall not be considered in calculating the awards under section 611(d) for fiscal year 2013 or for any subsequent fiscal years: Provided further, That, notwithstanding the provision in section 612(a)(18)(B) regarding the fiscal year in which a State's allocation under section 611(d) is reduced for failure to comply with the requirement of section 612(a)(18)(A), the Secretary may apply the reduction specified in section 612(a)(18)(B) over a period of consecutive fiscal years, not to exceed 5, until the entire reduction is applied: Provided further, That the Secretary may, in any fiscal year in which a State's allocation under section 611 is reduced in accordance with section 612(a)(18)(B), reduce the amount a State may reserve under section 611(e)(1) by an amount that bears the same relation to the maximum amount described in that paragraph as the reduction under section 612(a)(18)(B) bears to the total allocation the State would have received in that fiscal year under section 611(d) in the absence of the reduction: Provided further, That the Secretary shall either reduce the allocation of funds under section 611 for any fiscal year following the fiscal year for which the State fails to comply with the requirement of section 612(a)(18)(A) as authorized by section 612(a)(18)(B), or seek to recover funds under section 452 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C. 1234a): Provided further, That the funds reserved under 611(c) of the IDEA may be used to provide technical assistance to States to improve the capacity of the States to meet the data collection requirements of sections 616 and 618 and to administer and carry out other services and activities to improve data collection, coordination, quality, and use under parts B and C of the IDEA: Provided further, That the Secretary may use funds made available for the State Personnel Development Grants program under part D, subpart 1 of IDEA to evaluate program performance under such subpart: Provided further, That States may use funds reserved for other State-level activities under sections 611(e)(2) and 619(f) of the IDEA to make subgrants to local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, other public agencies, and private non-profit organizations to carry out activities authorized by those sections: Provided further, That, notwithstanding section 643(e)(2)(A) of the IDEA, if 5 or fewer States apply for grants pursuant to section 643(e) of such Act, the Secretary shall provide a grant to each State in an amount equal to the maximum amount described in section 643(e)(2)(B) of such Act: Provided further, That if more than 5 States apply for grants pursuant to section 643(e) of the IDEA, the Secretary shall award funds to those States on the basis of the States' relative populations of infants and toddlers except that no such State shall receive a grant in excess of the amount described in section 643(e)(2)(B) of such Act: Provided further, That States may use funds allotted under section 643(c) of the IDEA to make subgrants to local educational agencies, institutions of higher education, other public agencies, and private non-profit organizations to carry out activities authorized by section 638 of IDEA: Provided further, That, notwithstanding section 638 of the IDEA, a State may use funds it receives under section 633 of the IDEA to offer continued early intervention services to a child who previously received services under part C of the IDEA from age 3 until the beginning of the school year following the child’s third birthday with parental consent and without regard to the procedures in section 635(c) of the IDEA: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 638 of the IDEA, a State may use funds appropriated under Part C of the IDEA to conduct child find, public awareness, and referral activities for an individual who is expected to become a parent of an infant with a disability (as that term is defined in section 632(5)), as established by medical or other records: Provided further, That any State electing to use funds under the preceding proviso shall ensure that, as soon as possible but not later than 45 days after the child's birth, it completes the referral and eligibility process under this part for that child.

Rehabilitation Services

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Helen Keller National Center Act, $4,648,295,000, of which $4,504,096,000 shall be for grants for vocational rehabilitation services under title I of the Rehabilitation Act.

Special Institutions for Persons With Disabilities

AMERICAN PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND

For carrying out the Act to Promote the Education of the Blind of March 3, 1879, $44,431,000.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF

For the National Technical Institute for the Deaf under titles I and II of the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986, $94,500,000: Provided, That from the total amount available, the Institute may at its discretion use funds for the endowment program as authorized under section 207 of such Act.

GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY

For the Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, and the partial support of Gallaudet University under titles I and II of the Education of the Deaf Act of 1986, $168,361,000, of which up to $15,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for construction, as defined by section 201(2) of such Act: Provided, That from the total amount available, the University may at its discretion use funds for the endowment program as authorized under section 207 of such Act.

Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education

Career, Technical, and Adult Education

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (“Perkins Act”), $1,475,000,000, of which $684,000,000 shall become available on July 1, 2026, and shall remain available through September 30, 2027, and of which $791,000,000 shall become available on October 1, 2026, and shall remain available through September 30, 2027: Provided, That up to $10,152,000 shall be available for innovation and modernization grants under such section 114(e) of the Perkins Act.

Office of Postsecondary Education

Higher education

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, titles II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, and VIII of the HEA, the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, and section 117 of the Perkins Act, $2,714,241,000: Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds made available in this Act to carry out title VI of the HEA and section 102(b)(6) of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 may be used to support visits and study in foreign countries by individuals who are participating in advanced foreign language training and international studies in areas that are vital to United States national security and who plan to apply their language skills and knowledge of these countries in the fields of government, the professions, or international development: Provided further, That of the funds referred to in the preceding proviso up to 1 percent may be used for program evaluation, national outreach, and information dissemination activities: Provided further, That up to 1.5 percent of the funds made available under chapter 2 of subpart 2 of part A of title IV of the HEA may be used for evaluation: Provided further, That section 313(d) of the HEA shall not apply to an institution of higher education that is eligible to receive funding under section 318 of the HEA: Provided further, That amounts made available for carrying out section 419N of the HEA may be awarded notwithstanding the limitations in section 419N(b)(2) of the HEA: Provided further, That activities authorized under sections 317(c)(2)(B), 319(c)(2)(B), and 320(c)(2)(B) of the HEA may include construction and maintenance in classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and other instructional facilities: Provided further, That of the funds made available under this Act to carry out part B of title III of the HEA, $6,000,000 shall be for grants to supplement amounts awarded to part B institutions that are junior or community colleges, as defined in section 312(f) of the HEA: Provided further, That the supplemental funds described in the preceding proviso are in addition to any grant award that any institution may receive under section 323 of the HEA and shall be allocated in accordance with the allotments specified under section 324 of such Act.

Howard university

For partial support of Howard University, $240,018,000, of which not less than $3,405,000 shall be for a matching endowment grant pursuant to the Howard University Endowment Act and shall remain available until expended.

College housing and academic facilities loans program

For Federal administrative expenses to carry out activities related to existing facility loans pursuant to section 121 of the HEA, $298,000.

Historically black college and university capital financing program account

For the cost of guaranteed loans, $20,150,000, as authorized pursuant to part D of title III of the HEA, which shall remain available through September 30, 2027: Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That these funds are available to subsidize total loan principal, any part of which is to be guaranteed, not to exceed $500,000,000: Provided further, That these funds may be used to support loans to public and private Historically Black Colleges and Universities without regard to the limitations within section 344(a) of the HEA.

In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program entered into pursuant to part D of title III of the HEA, $528,000.

Office of Federal Student Aid

Student Financial Assistance

For carrying out subparts 1, 3, and 10 of part A, and part C of title IV of the HEA, $23,254,221,000 which shall remain available through September 30, 2027.

The maximum Pell Grant for which a student shall be eligible during award year 2026–2027 shall be $6,335.

Student aid administration

For Federal administrative expenses to carry out part D of title I, and subparts 1, 3, 9, and 10 of part A, and parts B, C, D, and E of title IV of the HEA, and subpart 1 of part A of title VII of the Public Health Service Act, $2,058,943,000, to remain available through September 30, 2027.

Institute of education sciences

For necessary expenses for the Institute of Education Sciences as authorized by section 208 of the Department of Education Organization Act and carrying out activities authorized by the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act, section 208 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002, and section 664 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, $740,373,000, which shall remain available through September 30, 2027: Provided, That funds available to carry out section 208 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act may be used to link Statewide elementary and secondary data systems with early childhood, postsecondary, and workforce data systems, or to further develop such systems: Provided further, That up to $6,000,000 of the funds available to carry out section 208 of the Educational Technical Assistance Act may be used for awards to public or private organizations or agencies to support activities to improve data coordination, quality, and use at the local, State, and national levels.

Departmental management

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION

For carrying out, to the extent not otherwise provided, the Department of Education Organization Act, including rental of conference rooms in the District of Columbia and hire of three passenger motor vehicles, $293,007,000.

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

For expenses necessary for the Office for Civil Rights, as authorized by section 203 of the Department of Education Organization Act, $91,000,000.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

For expenses necessary for the Office of Inspector General, as authorized by section 212 of the Department of Education Organization Act, $63,000,000, of which $3,000,000 shall remain available through September 30, 2027.

General provisions

301. No funds appropriated in this Act may be used to prevent the implementation of programs of voluntary prayer and meditation in the public schools.

(Transfer of Funds)

302. Not to exceed 1 percent of any discretionary funds (pursuant to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985) which are appropriated for the Department of Education in this Act may be transferred between appropriations, but no such appropriation shall be increased by more than 3 percent by any such transfer: Provided, That the transfer authority granted by this section shall not be used to create any new program or to fund any project or activity for which no funds are provided in this Act: Provided further, That the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

303. Funds appropriated in this Act and consolidated for evaluation purposes under section 8601(c) of the ESEA shall be available from July 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.

(a) An institution of higher education that maintains an endowment fund supported with funds appropriated for title III or V of the HEA for fiscal year 2026 may use the income from that fund to award scholarships to students, subject to the limitation in section 331(c)(3)(B)(i) of the HEA. The use of such income for such purposes, prior to the enactment of this Act, shall be considered to have been an allowable use of that income, subject to that limitation.

(b) Subsection (a) shall be in effect until titles III and V of the HEA are reauthorized.

304.

305. Section 114(f) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1011c(f)) shall be applied by substituting “2026” for “2021”.

306. Section 458(a)(4) of the HEA (20 U.S.C. 1087h(a)) shall be applied by substituting “2027” for “2021”.

307. Funds appropriated in this Act under the heading “Student Aid Administration” may be available for payments for student loan servicing to an institution of higher education that services outstanding Federal Perkins Loans under part E of title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1087aa et seq.).

308. The Secretary may reserve not more than 0.5 percent from any amount made available in this Act for an HEA program, except for any amounts made available for subpart 1 of part A of title IV of the HEA, to carry out rigorous and independent evaluations and to collect and analyze outcome data for any program authorized by the HEA: Provided, That no funds made available in this Act for the “Student Aid Administration” account shall be subject to the reservation under this section: Provided further, That any funds reserved under this section shall be available through September 30, 2028: Provided further, That if, under any other provision of law, funds are authorized to be reserved or used for evaluation activities with respect to a program or project, the Secretary may also reserve funds for such program or project for the purposes described in this section so long as the total reservation of funds for such program or project does not exceed any statutory limits on such reservations: Provided further, That not later than 30 days prior to the initial obligation of funds reserved under this section, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions of the Senate, and the Committee on Education and Workforce of the House of Representatives a plan that identifies the source and amount of funds reserved under this section, the impact on program grantees if funds are withheld for the purposes of this section, and the activities to be carried out with such funds.

(Including Transfer of Funds)

309. Of the amounts appropriated in this Act for “Institute of Education Sciences”, up to $13,000,000 shall be available for the Secretary of Education (“the Secretary”) to provide support services to the Institute of Education Sciences (including, but not limited to information technology services, lease or procurement of office space, human resource services, financial management services, financial systems support, budget formulation and execution, legal counsel, equal employment opportunity services, physical security, facilities management, acquisition and contract management, grants administration and policy, and enterprise risk management): Provided, That the Secretary shall calculate the actual amounts obligated and expended for such support services by using a standard Department of Education methodology for allocating the cost of all such support services: Provided further, That the Secretary may transfer any amounts available for IES support services in excess of actual amounts needed for IES support services, as so calculated, to the “Program Administration” account from the “Institute of Education Sciences” account: Provided further, That in order to address any shortfall between amounts available for IES support services and amounts needed for IES support services, as so calculated, the Secretary may transfer necessary amounts to the “Institute of Education Sciences” account from the “Program Administration” account: Provided further, That the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are notified at least 14 days in advance of any transfer made pursuant to this section.

(Including Rescission and Transfer of Funds)

310. Of the unobligated balances in the “Department of Education Nonrecurring Expenses Fund” established in section 313 of division H of Public Law 116–260, $197,000,000 are hereby rescinded not later than September 30, 2026: Provided, That from any remaining unobligated balances in such Fund, the Secretary may transfer up to $15,000,000 to “Student Aid Administration” for information technology, to remain available through September 30, 2027: Provided further, That the Secretary may obligate funds from such Fund for any program, project, or activity for which a notification was submitted before the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the Secretary may transfer amounts into such Fund: Provided further, That any amounts transferred into such Fund are available for the purposes provided by this section or for which a notification was submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate before the date of enactment of this Act: Provided further, That the authority to transfer amounts under this section is in addition to any other transfer authority in law.

311. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to provide financial assistance to an educational institution that allows an individual whose sex is male to participate in an athletic program or activity that is designated for women or girls. For the purpose of this section, the term “sex” means the reproductive biology and genetics of an individual as determined solely at birth.

312. None of the funds provided in this Act to the Department of Education, or provided under a previous or subsequent appropriations Act to such Department, may be used to enforce any of the following rules or interpretations related to title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (20 U.S.C.1681-1688):

(1) The final rule titled, “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance”, 89 Fed. Reg. 33474 (effective August 1, 2024).

(2) The proposed rule titled, “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance: Sex-Related Eligibility Criteria for Male and Female Athletic Teams”, (88 Fed. Reg. 22860; published April 13, 2023).

(3) The notice of interpretation titled, “Enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 With Respect to Discrimination Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Light of Bostock v. Clayton County”, (86 Fed. Reg. 32637; published June 22, 2021).

(4) Any substantially similar rule or interpretation.

313. None of the funds made available under this Act may be provided to any public institution of higher education that denies to a religious student organization any right, benefit, or privilege that is otherwise afforded to other student organizations at the institution (including full access to the facilities of the institution and official recognition of the organization by the institution) because of the religious beliefs, practices, speech, leadership standards, or standards of conduct of the religious student organization.

314. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to—

(1) implement the modifications of statutory and regulatory provisions relating to debt discharge described in the rule published by the Department of Education in the Federal Register on October 12, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 61514), or take any substantially similar action;

(2) implement, administer, or enforce section 682.215 or section 685 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to income-based repayment and income-driven repayment), as amended by the final regulations published by the Department of Education in the Federal Register on July 10, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 43820 et seq.) or take any substantially similar action;

(3) implement, administer, or enforce section 685.401 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to borrower defense to repayment), as amended by the final regulations published by the Department of Education in the Federal Register on November 1, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 65904 et seq.) or take any substantially similar action;

(4) implement, administer, or enforce section 668.28 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to the 90/10 rule), as added or amended by the final regulations published by the Department of Education in the Federal Register on October 28, 2022 (87 Fed. Reg. 65426 et. seq.) or take any substantially similar action;

(5) implement, administer, or enforce sections 600.10, 600.21, 668.2, 668.13, 668.43, 668.91, 668.402 through 668.409 (excluding section 668.408), and 668.601 through 668.606 of title 34, Code of Federal Regulations (relating to financial value transparency and gainful employment), as added or amended by the final regulations published by the Department of Education in the Federal Register on October 10, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 70004 et. seq.) or take any substantially similar action; or

(6) finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the proposed rule titled “Student Debt Relief for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program (Direct Loans), the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, the Federal Perkins Loan (Perkins) Program, and the Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program” published by the Department of Education in the Federal Register on April 17, 2024 (89 FR 27564) or any substantially similar rule.

315. The Workforce Pell Grants authorized under section 401(k) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 shall hereafter be known and designated as “Trump Grants”.

316. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used by any local education agency to conduct student-involved active shooter drills in schools without first providing student participants under 16 years old with the ability to opt out of such exercises with parental or legal guardianship consent.

This title may be cited as the “Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2026”.

IV RELATED AGENCIES

America First Corps

OPERATING EXPENSES

For necessary expenses for the Corporation for National and Community Service (referred to in this title as “CNCS”) to carry out the Domestic Volunteer Service Act of 1973 (referred to in this title as “1973 Act”) and the National and Community Service Act of 1990 (referred to in this title as “1990 Act”), $524,725,000, notwithstanding sections 198B(b)(3), 198S(g), 501(a)(4)(C), and 501(a)(4)(F) of the 1990 Act: Provided, That of the amounts provided under this heading: (1) up to 1 percent of program grant funds may be used to defray the costs of conducting grant application reviews, including the use of outside peer reviewers and electronic management of the grants cycle; (2) $9,769,000 shall be available to provide assistance to State commissions on national and community service, under section 126(a) of the 1990 Act and notwithstanding section 501(a)(5)(B) of the 1990 Act; (3) $20,923,000 shall be available to carry out subtitle E of the 1990 Act; (4) $8,558,000 shall be available for expenses authorized under section 501(a)(4)(F) of the 1990 Act, which, notwithstanding the provisions of section 198P shall be awarded by CNCS on a competitive basis; and (5) $55,105,000 shall be for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program: Provided further, That for the purposes of carrying out the 1990 Act, satisfying the requirements in section 122(c)(1)(D) may include a determination of need by the local community.

PAYMENT TO THE NATIONAL SERVICE TRUST

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For payment to the National Service Trust established under subtitle D of title I of the 1990 Act, $40,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That CNCS may transfer additional funds from the amount provided within “Operating Expenses” allocated to grants under subtitle C of title I of the 1990 Act to the National Service Trust upon determination that such transfer is necessary to support the activities of national service participants and after notice is transmitted to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate: Provided further, That amounts appropriated for or transferred to the National Service Trust may be invested under section 145(b) of the 1990 Act without regard to the requirement to apportion funds under 31 U.S.C. 1513(b).

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For necessary expenses of administration as provided under section 501(a)(5) of the 1990 Act and under section 504(a) of the 1973 Act, including payment of salaries, authorized travel, hire of passenger motor vehicles, the rental of conference rooms in the District of Columbia, the employment of experts and consultants authorized under 5 U.S.C. 3109, and not to exceed $2,500 for official reception and representation expenses, $69,627,000.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General in carrying out the Inspector General Act of 1978, $8,595,000, of which $2,000,000 shall be available until expended.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS

401. CNCS shall make any significant changes to program requirements, service delivery or policy only through public notice and comment rulemaking. For fiscal year 2026, during any grant selection process, an officer or employee of CNCS shall not knowingly disclose any covered grant selection information regarding such selection, directly or indirectly, to any person other than an officer or employee of CNCS that is authorized by CNCS to receive such information.

402. AmeriCorps programs receiving grants under the National Service Trust program shall meet an overall minimum share requirement of 24 percent for the first 3 years that they receive AmeriCorps funding, and thereafter shall meet the overall minimum share requirement as provided in section 2521.60 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations, without regard to the operating costs match requirement in section 121(e) or the member support Federal share limitations in section 140 of the 1990 Act, and subject to partial waiver consistent with section 2521.70 of title 45, Code of Federal Regulations.

403. Donations made to CNCS under section 196 of the 1990 Act for the purposes of financing programs and operations under titles I and II of the 1973 Act or subtitle B, C, D, or E of title I of the 1990 Act shall be used to supplement and not supplant current programs and operations.

404. In addition to the requirements in section 146(a) of the 1990 Act, use of an educational award for the purpose described in section 148(a)(4) shall be limited to individuals who are veterans as defined under section 101 of the Act.

405. For the purpose of carrying out section 189D of the 1990 Act—

(1) entities described in paragraph (a) of such section shall be considered “qualified entities” under section 3 of the National Child Protection Act of 1993 (“NCPA”);

(2) individuals described in such section shall be considered “volunteers” under section 3 of NCPA; and

(3) State Commissions on National and Community Service established pursuant to section 178 of the 1990 Act, are authorized to receive criminal history record information, consistent with Public Law 92–544.

406. Notwithstanding sections 139(b), 146, and 147 of the 1990 Act, an individual who successfully completes a term of service of not less than 1,200 hours during a period of not more than one year may receive a national service education award having a value of 70 percent of the value of a national service education award determined under section 147(a) of the Act.

407. Section 148(f)(2)(A)(i) of the 1990 Act shall be applied by substituting “an approved national service position” for “a national service program that receives grants under subtitle C”.

408. CNCS and AmeriCorps shall hereafter be known and designated as “America First Corps”.

Committee for purchase from people who are blind or severely disabled

Salaries and Expenses

For expenses necessary for the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled (referred to in this title as “the Committee”) established under section 8502 of title 41, United States Code, $13,124,000: Provided, That in order to authorize any central nonprofit agency designated pursuant to section 8503(c) of title 41, United States Code, to perform requirements of the Committee as prescribed under section 51–3.2 of title 41, Code of Federal Regulations, the Committee shall enter into a written agreement with any such central nonprofit agency: Provided further, That such agreement shall contain such auditing, oversight, and reporting provisions as necessary to implement chapter 85 of title 41, United States Code: Provided further, That such agreement shall include the elements listed under the heading “Committee For Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled—Written Agreement Elements” in the explanatory statement described in section 4 of Public Law 114–113 (in the matter preceding division A of that consolidated Act): Provided further, That any such central nonprofit agency may not charge a fee under section 51–3.5 of title 41, Code of Federal Regulations, prior to executing a written agreement with the Committee: Provided further, That no less than $3,150,000 shall be available for the Office of Inspector General.

Federal mediation and conciliation service

Salaries and Expenses

For expenses necessary to carry out the closure of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, $7,400,000, to remain available until expended.

Federal mine safety and health review commission

Salaries and Expenses

For expenses necessary for the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, $16,890,000.

Institute of museum and library services

OFFICE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES: GRANTS AND ADMINISTRATION

For carrying out the Museum and Library Services Act of 1996 and the National Museum of African American History and Culture Act, $291,800,000.

Medicaid and chip payment and access commission

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For expenses necessary to carry out section 1900 of the Social Security Act, $9,405,000.

Medicare payment advisory commission

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For expenses necessary to carry out section 1805 of the Social Security Act, $14,673,000, to be transferred to this appropriation from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Medical Insurance Trust Fund.

National council on disability

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For expenses necessary for the National Council on Disability as authorized by title IV of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, $3,850,000.

National labor relations board

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For expenses necessary for the National Labor Relations Board to carry out the functions vested in it by the Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947, and other laws, $200,000,000: Provided, That no part of this appropriation shall be available to organize or assist in organizing agricultural laborers or used in connection with investigations, hearings, directives, or orders concerning bargaining units composed of agricultural laborers as referred to in section 2(3) of the Act of July 5, 1935, and as amended by the Labor-Management Relations Act, 1947, and as defined in section 3(f) of the Act of June 25, 1938, and including in said definition employees engaged in the maintenance and operation of ditches, canals, reservoirs, and waterways when maintained or operated on a mutual, nonprofit basis and at least 95 percent of the water stored or supplied thereby is used for farming purposes.

ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISION

409. None of the funds provided by this Act or previous Acts making appropriations for the National Labor Relations Board may be used to issue any new administrative directive or regulation that would provide employees any means of voting through any electronic means in an election to determine a representative for the purposes of collective bargaining.

National mediation board

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For expenses necessary to carry out the provisions of the Railway Labor Act, including emergency boards appointed by the President, $14,300,000.

Occupational safety and health review commission

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

For expenses necessary for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, $14,214,000.

Railroad retirement board

DUAL BENEFITS PAYMENTS ACCOUNT

For payment to the Dual Benefits Payments Account, authorized under section 15(d) of the Railroad Retirement Act of 1974, $5,000,000, which shall include amounts becoming available in fiscal year 2026 pursuant to section 224(c)(1)(B) of Public Law 98–76; and in addition, an amount, not to exceed 2 percent of the amount provided herein, shall be available proportional to the amount by which the product of recipients and the average benefit received exceeds the amount available for payment of vested dual benefits: Provided, That the total amount provided herein shall be credited in 12 approximately equal amounts on the first day of each month in the fiscal year.

FEDERAL PAYMENTS TO THE RAILROAD RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS

For payment to the accounts established in the Treasury for the payment of benefits under the Railroad Retirement Act for interest earned on unnegotiated checks, $150,000, to remain available through September 30, 2027, which shall be the maximum amount available for payment pursuant to section 417 of Public Law 98–76.

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATION

For necessary expenses for the Railroad Retirement Board (“Board”) for administration of the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, $126,000,000, to be derived in such amounts as determined by the Board from the railroad retirement accounts and from moneys credited to the railroad unemployment insurance administration fund: Provided, That notwithstanding section 7(b)(9) of the Railroad Retirement Act this limitation may be used to hire attorneys only through the excepted service: Provided further, That the previous proviso shall not change the status under Federal employment laws of any attorney hired by the Railroad Retirement Board prior to January 1, 2013: Provided further, That notwithstanding section 7(b)(9) of the Railroad Retirement Act, this limitation may be used to hire students attending qualifying educational institutions or individuals who have recently completed qualifying educational programs using current excepted hiring authorities established by the Office of Personnel Management.

LIMITATION ON THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

For expenses necessary for the Office of Inspector General for audit, investigatory and review activities, as authorized by the Inspector General Act of 1978, not more than $14,000,000, to be derived from the railroad retirement accounts and railroad unemployment insurance account.

Social security administration

PAYMENTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST FUNDS

For payment to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, as provided under sections 201(m) and 1131(b)(2) of the Social Security Act, $15,000,000.

SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME PROGRAM

For carrying out titles XI and XVI of the Social Security Act, section 401 of Public Law 92–603, section 212 of Public Law 93–66, as amended, and section 405 of Public Law 95–216, including payment to the Social Security trust funds for administrative expenses incurred pursuant to section 201(g)(1) of the Social Security Act, $49,447,966,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That any portion of the funds provided to a State in the current fiscal year and not obligated by the State during that year shall be returned to the Treasury: Provided further, That not more than $91,000,000 shall be available for research and demonstrations under sections 1110, 1115, and 1144 of the Social Security Act, and remain available through September 30, 2028.

For making, after June 15 of the current fiscal year, benefit payments to individuals under title XVI of the Social Security Act, for unanticipated costs incurred for the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary.

For making benefit payments under title XVI of the Social Security Act for the first quarter of fiscal year 2027, $23,500,000,000, to remain available until expended.

LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For necessary expenses, including the hire and purchase of two passenger motor vehicles, and not to exceed $20,000 for official reception and representation expenses, not more than $14,621,978,000 may be expended, as authorized by section 201(g)(1) of the Social Security Act, from any one or all of the trust funds referred to in such section: Provided, That not less than $2,700,000 shall be for the Social Security Advisory Board: Provided further, That unobligated balances of funds provided under this paragraph at the end of fiscal year 2026 not needed for fiscal year 2026 shall remain available until expended to invest in the Social Security Administration information technology and telecommunications hardware and software infrastructure, including related equipment and non-payroll administrative expenses associated solely with this information technology and telecommunications infrastructure: Provided further, That the Commissioner of Social Security shall notify the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate prior to making unobligated balances available under the authority in the previous proviso: Provided further, That reimbursement to the trust funds under this heading for expenditures for official time for employees of the Social Security Administration pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 7131, and for facilities or support services for labor organizations pursuant to policies, regulations, or procedures referred to in section 7135(b) of such title shall be made by the Secretary of the Treasury, with interest, from amounts in the general fund not otherwise appropriated, as soon as possible after such expenditures are made.

From funds provided under the first paragraph under this heading, not more than $2,397,000,000, to remain available through March 31, 2027, is for the costs associated with continuing disability reviews under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act, including work-related continuing disability reviews to determine whether earnings derived from services demonstrate an individual's ability to engage in substantial gainful activity, for the cost associated with conducting redeterminations of eligibility under title XVI of the Social Security Act, for the cost of co-operative disability investigation units, and for the cost associated with the prosecution of fraud in the programs and operations of the Social Security Administration by Special Assistant United States Attorneys: Provided, That, of such amount, $273,000,000 is provided to meet the terms of a concurrent resolution the budget and $2,124,000,000 is additional new budget authority specified for purposes of a concurrent resolution of the budget: Provided further, That, of the additional new budget authority described in the preceding proviso, up to $24,600,000 may be transferred to the “Office of Inspector General”, Social Security Administration, for the cost of jointly operated co-operative disability investigation units: Provided further, That such transfer authority is in addition to any other transfer authority provided by law: Provided further, That the Commissioner shall provide to the Congress (at the conclusion of the fiscal year) a report on the obligation and expenditure of these funds, similar to the reports that were required by section 103(d)(2) of Public Law 104–121 for fiscal years 1996 through 2002: Provided further, That none of the funds described in this paragraph shall be available for transfer or reprogramming except as specified in this paragraph.

In addition, $170,000,000 to be derived from administration fees in excess of $5.00 per supplementary payment collected pursuant to section 1616(d) of the Social Security Act or section 212(b)(3) of Public Law 93–66, which shall remain available until expended: Provided, That to the extent that the amounts collected pursuant to such sections in fiscal year 2026 exceed $170,000,000, the amounts shall be available in fiscal year 2027 only to the extent provided in advance in appropriations Acts.

In addition, up to $1,000,000 to be derived from fees collected pursuant to section 303(c) of the Social Security Protection Act, which shall remain available until expended.

410. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to reduce availability of phone services for Social Security beneficiaries or to close any Social Security field offices.

OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL

(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)

For expenses necessary for the Office of Inspector General in carrying out the provisions of the Inspector General Act of 1978, $32,000,000, together with not to exceed $82,665,000, to be transferred and expended as authorized by section 201(g)(1) of the Social Security Act from the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund: Provided, That $2,000,000 shall remain available until expended for information technology modernization, including related hardware and software infrastructure and equipment, and for administrative expenses directly associated with information technology modernization.

In addition, an amount not to exceed 3 percent of the total provided in this appropriation may be transferred from the “Limitation on Administrative Expenses”, Social Security Administration, to be merged with this account, to be available for the time and purposes for which this account is available: Provided, That notice of such transfers shall be transmitted promptly to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.

V GENERAL PROVISIONS

(Transfer of Funds)

501. The Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education are authorized to transfer unexpended balances of prior appropriations to accounts corresponding to current appropriations provided in this Act. Such transferred balances shall be used for the same purpose, and for the same periods of time, for which they were originally appropriated.

502. No part of any appropriation contained in this Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.

(a) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act or transferred pursuant to section 4002 of Public Law 111–148 shall be used, other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships, for publicity or propaganda purposes, for the preparation, distribution, or use of any kit, pamphlet, booklet, publication, electronic communication, radio, television, or video presentation designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before the Congress or any State or local legislature or legislative body, except in presentation to the Congress or any State or local legislature itself, or designed to support or defeat any proposed or pending regulation, administrative action, or order issued by the executive branch of any State or local government, except in presentation to the executive branch of any State or local government itself.

(b) No part of any appropriation contained in this Act or transferred pursuant to section 4002 of Public Law 111–148 shall be used to pay the salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or Executive order proposed or pending before the Congress or any State government, State legislature or local legislature or legislative body, other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships or participation by an agency or officer of a State, local or tribal government in policymaking and administrative processes within the executive branch of that government.

(c) The prohibitions in subsections (a) and (b) shall include any activity to advocate or promote any proposed, pending or future Federal, State or local tax increase, or any proposed, pending, or future requirement or restriction on any legal consumer product, including its sale or marketing, including but not limited to the advocacy or promotion of gun control.

503.

504. The Secretaries of Labor and Education are authorized to make available not to exceed $28,000 and $20,000, respectively, from funds available for salaries and expenses under titles I and III, respectively, for official reception and representation expenses; the Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service is authorized to make available for official reception and representation expenses not to exceed $5,000 from the funds available for “Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Salaries and Expenses”; and the Chairman of the National Mediation Board is authorized to make available for official reception and representation expenses not to exceed $5,000 from funds available for “National Mediation Board, Salaries and Expenses”.

505. When issuing statements, press releases, requests for proposals, bid solicitations and other documents describing projects or programs funded in whole or in part with Federal money, all grantees receiving Federal funds included in this Act, including but not limited to State and local governments and recipients of Federal research grants, shall clearly state—

(1) the percentage of the total costs of the program or project which will be financed with Federal money;

(2) the dollar amount of Federal funds for the project or program; and

(3) percentage and dollar amount of the total costs of the project or program that will be financed by non-governmental sources.

(a) None of the funds appropriated in this Act, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are appropriated in this Act, shall be expended for any abortion.

(b) None of the funds appropriated in this Act, and none of the funds in any trust fund to which funds are appropriated in this Act, shall be expended for health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion.

(c) The term health benefits coverage means the package of services covered by a managed care provider or organization pursuant to a contract or other arrangement.

506.

(a) The limitations established in the preceding section shall not apply to an abortion—

(1) if the pregnancy is the result of an act of rape or incest; or

(2) in the case where a woman suffers from a physical disorder, physical injury, or physical illness, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself, that would, as certified by a physician, place the woman in danger of death unless an abortion is performed.

(b) Nothing in the preceding section shall be construed as prohibiting the expenditure by a State, locality, entity, or private person of State, local, or private funds (other than a State's or locality's contribution of Medicaid matching funds).

(c) Nothing in the preceding section shall be construed as restricting the ability of any managed care provider from offering abortion coverage or the ability of a State or locality to contract separately with such a provider for such coverage with State funds (other than a State's or locality's contribution of Medicaid matching funds).

(1) None of the funds made available in this Act may be made available to a Federal agency or program, or to a State or local government, if such agency, program, or government subjects any institutional or individual health care entity to discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions.

(2) In this subsection, the term health care entity includes an individual physician or other health care professional, a hospital, a provider-sponsored organization, a health maintenance organization, a health insurance plan, or any other kind of health care facility, organization, or plan.

(d)

507.

(a) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used for—

(1) the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; or

(2) research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death greater than that allowed for research on fetuses in utero under 45 CFR 46.204(b) and section 498(b) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 289g(b)).

(b) For purposes of this section, the term human embryo or embryos includes any organism, not protected as a human subject under 45 CFR 46 as of the date of the enactment of this Act, that is derived by fertilization, parthenogenesis, cloning, or any other means from one or more human gametes or human diploid cells.

508.

(a) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used for any activity that promotes the legalization of any drug or other substance included in schedule I of the schedules of controlled substances established under section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act except for normal and recognized executive-congressional communications.

(b) The limitation in subsection (a) shall not apply when there is significant medical evidence of a therapeutic advantage to the use of such drug or other substance or that federally sponsored clinical trials are being conducted to determine therapeutic advantage.

509.

510. None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to promulgate or adopt any final standard under section 1173(b) of the Social Security Act providing for, or providing for the assignment of, a unique health identifier for an individual (except in an individual's capacity as an employer or a health care provider), until legislation is enacted specifically approving the standard.

511. None of the funds made available in this Act may be obligated or expended to enter into or renew a contract with an entity if—

(1) such entity is otherwise a contractor with the United States and is subject to the requirement in 38 U.S.C. 4212(d) regarding submission of an annual report to the Secretary of Labor concerning employment of certain veterans; and

(2) such entity has not submitted a report as required by that section for the most recent year for which such requirement was applicable to such entity.

512. None of the funds made available in this Act may be transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality of the United States Government, except pursuant to a transfer made by, or transfer authority provided in, this Act or any other appropriation Act.

513. None of the funds made available by this Act to carry out the Library Services and Technology Act may be made available to any library covered by paragraph (1) of section 224(f) of such Act, as amended by the Children's Internet Protection Act, unless such library has made the certifications required by paragraph (4) of such section.

(a) None of the funds provided under this Act, or provided under previous appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in fiscal year 2026, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming of funds that—

(1) creates new programs;

(2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;

(3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any project or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted;

(4) relocates an office or employees;

(5) reorganizes or renames offices;

(6) reorganizes programs or activities; or

(7) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities presently performed by Federal employees;

unless the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate are consulted 15 days in advance of such reprogramming or of an announcement of intent relating to such reprogramming, whichever occurs earlier, and are notified in writing 10 days in advance of such reprogramming.

(b) None of the funds provided under this Act, or provided under previous appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in fiscal year 2026, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury of the United States derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming of funds in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, that—

(1) augments existing programs, projects (including construction projects), or activities;

(2) reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program, project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent as approved by Congress; or

(3) results from any general savings from a reduction in personnel which would result in a change in existing programs, activities, or projects as approved by Congress;

514.

(a) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to request that a candidate for appointment to a Federal scientific advisory committee disclose the political affiliation or voting history of the candidate or the position that the candidate holds with respect to political issues not directly related to and necessary for the work of the committee involved.

(b) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to disseminate information that is deliberately false or misleading.

515.

516. Within 45 days of enactment of this Act, each department and related agency funded through this Act shall submit an operating plan that details at the program, project, and activity level any funding allocations for fiscal year 2026 that are different than those specified in this Act, the detailed table in the Committee report accompanying this Act, or the fiscal year 2026 budget request.

517. The Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education shall each prepare and submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report on the number and amount of contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements exceeding $500,000, individually or in total for a particular project, activity, or programmatic initiative, in value and awarded by the Department on a non-competitive basis during each quarter of fiscal year 2026, but not to include grants awarded on a formula basis or directed by law. Such report shall include the name of the contractor or grantee, the amount of funding, the governmental purpose, including a justification for issuing the award on a non-competitive basis. Such report shall be transmitted to the Committees within 30 days after the end of the quarter for which the report is submitted.

518. None of the funds appropriated in this Act shall be expended or obligated by the Commissioner of Social Security, for purposes of administering Social Security benefit payments under title II of the Social Security Act, to process any claim for credit for a quarter of coverage based on work performed under a social security account number that is not the claimant's number and the performance of such work under such number has formed the basis for a conviction of the claimant of a violation of section 208(a)(6) or (7) of the Social Security Act.

519. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be used by the Commissioner of Social Security or the Social Security Administration to pay the compensation of employees of the Social Security Administration to administer Social Security benefit payments, under any agreement between the United States and Mexico establishing totalization arrangements between the social security system established by title II of the Social Security Act and the social security system of Mexico, which would not otherwise be payable but for such agreement.

(a) None of the funds made available in this Act may be used to maintain or establish a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography.

(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds necessary for any Federal, State, Tribal, or local law enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.

520.

521. For purposes of carrying out Executive Order 13589, Office of Management and Budget Memorandum M–12–12 dated May 11, 2012, and requirements contained in the annual appropriations bills relating to conference attendance and expenditures:

(1) the operating divisions of HHS shall be considered independent agencies; and

(2) attendance at and support for scientific conferences shall be tabulated separately from and not included in agency totals.

522. Federal agencies funded under this Act shall clearly state within the text, audio, or video used for advertising or educational purposes, including emails or Internet postings, that the communication is printed, published, or produced and disseminated at United States taxpayer expense. The funds used by a Federal agency to carry out this requirement shall be derived from amounts made available to the agency for advertising or other communications regarding the programs and activities of the agency.

523. Not later than 30 days after the end of each calendar quarter, beginning with the first month of fiscal year 2026 the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education and the Social Security Administration shall provide the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and Senate a report on the status of balances of appropriations: Provided, That for balances that are unobligated and uncommitted, committed, and obligated but unexpended, the monthly reports shall separately identify the amounts attributable to each source year of appropriation (beginning with fiscal year 2012, or, to the extent feasible, earlier fiscal years) from which balances were derived.

524. The Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education shall provide to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a comprehensive list of any new or competitive grant award notifications, including supplements, issued at the discretion of such Departments not less than 3 full business days before any entity selected to receive a grant award is announced by the Department or its offices (other than emergency response grants at any time of the year or for grant awards made during the last 10 business days of the fiscal year, or if applicable, of the program year).

525. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, no funds appropriated in this Act shall be used to purchase sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug: Provided, That such limitation does not apply to the use of funds for elements of a program other than making such purchases if the relevant State or local health department, in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, determines that the State or local jurisdiction, as applicable, is experiencing, or is at risk for, a significant increase in hepatitis infections or an HIV outbreak due to injection drug use, and such program is operating in accordance with State and local law: Provided further, That none of the funds appropriated in this Act may be used for the operation of a supervised drug consumption facility that permits the consumption onsite of any substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).

526. Each department and related agency funded through this Act shall provide answers to questions submitted for the record by members of the Committee within 45 business days after receipt.

(a) This section applies to: (1) the Administration for Children and Families in the Department of Health and Human Services; and (2) the Chief Evaluation Office and the statistical-related cooperative and interagency agreements and contracting activities of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the Department of Labor.

(b) Amounts made available under this Act which are either appropriated, allocated, advanced on a reimbursable basis, or transferred to the functions and organizations identified in subsection (a) for research, evaluation, or statistical purposes shall be available for obligation through September 30, 2030: Provided, That when an office referenced in subsection (a) receives research and evaluation funding from multiple appropriations, such offices may use a single Treasury account for such activities, with funding advanced on a reimbursable basis.

(c) Amounts referenced in subsection (b) that are unexpended at the time of completion of a contract, grant, or cooperative agreement may be deobligated and shall immediately become available and may be reobligated in that fiscal year or the subsequent fiscal year for the research, evaluation, or statistical purposes for which such amounts are available.

527.

(RESCISSION OF FUNDS)

528. Of amounts deposited in the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund under section 2104(n)(2) of the Social Security Act and the income derived from investment of those funds pursuant to section 2104(n)(2)(C) of that Act, $12,835,000,000 are hereby permanently rescinded.

(RESCISSION OF FUNDS)

529. Of the unobligated balances of funds made available by sections 2023, 2206, 2301, 2302, 2303, 2401, 2402, 2403, 2404, 2501, 2502, 2601, 2602, 2603, 2605, 2701, 2702, 2703, 2704, 2705, 2706, 2707, 2708, 2709, 2710, 2711, 2712, 2713, 2904, 2912, 3101, and 9911 of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117–2), $183,000,000 are hereby rescinded: Provided, That not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report specifying the unobligated balances rescinded pursuant to this section by both account and amount from each applicable appropriation in Public Law 117–2.

(a) In general.—Notwithstanding section 7 of title 1, United States Code, section 1738C of title 28, United States Code, or any other provision of law, none of the funds provided by this Act, or previous appropriations Acts, shall be used in whole or in part to take any discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially, on the basis that such person speaks, or acts, in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief, or moral conviction, that marriage is, or should be recognized as, a union of one man and one woman.

(b) Discriminatory action defined.—As used in subsection (a), a discriminatory action means any action taken by the Federal Government to—

(1) alter in any way the Federal tax treatment of, or cause any tax, penalty, or payment to be assessed against, or deny, delay, or revoke an exemption from taxation under section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 of, any person referred to in subsection (a);

(2) disallow a deduction for Federal tax purposes of any charitable contribution made to or by such person;

(3) withhold, reduce the amount or funding for, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, any Federal grant, contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, guarantee, loan, scholarship, license, certification, accreditation, employment, or other similar position or status from or to such person;

(4) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make unavailable or deny, any entitlement or benefit under a Federal benefit program, including admission to, equal treatment in, or eligibility for a degree from an educational program, from or to such person; or

(5) withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise make unavailable or deny access or an entitlement to Federal property, facilities, educational institutions, speech fora (including traditional, limited, and nonpublic fora), or charitable fundraising campaigns from or to such person.

(c) Accreditation; Licensure; Certification.—The Federal Government shall consider accredited, licensed, or certified for purposes of Federal law any person that would be accredited, licensed, or certified, respectively, for such purposes but for a determination against such person wholly or partially on the basis that the person speaks, or acts, in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction described in subsection (a).

530.

531. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used by the Secretaries of Labor, Health and Human Services, or Education, the Commissioner of the Social Security Administration, or the head of any other agency funded in this Act to fly or display a flag over a Federal facility other than—

(1) the flag of the United States;

(2) the flag of a State, territory, or the District of Columbia;

(3) the flag of an Indian Tribal Government; the official Flag of a Federal agency;

(4) the POW/MIA flag;

(5) the flag of the Public Health Service; or

(6) the flag of the United States Surgeon General.

532. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to implement, enforce, or otherwise carry out the following—

(1) Executive Order 13990, relating to Protecting Public Health and the Environment and Restoring Science To Tackle the Climate Crisis;

(2) Executive Order 14008, relating to Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad;

(3) Section 6 of Executive Order 14013, relating to Rebuilding and Enhancing Programs To Resettle Refugees and Planning for the Impact of Climate Change on Migration;

(4) Executive Order 14030, relating to Climate-Related Financial Risk;

(5) Executive Order 14037, relating to Strengthening American Leadership in Clean Cars and Trucks;

(6) Executive Order 14057, relating to Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs through Federal Sustainability;

(7) Executive Order 14082, relating to Implementation of the Energy and Infrastructure Provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022; and

(8) Executive Order 14096, relating to Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All.

533. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to implement, administer, apply, enforce, or carry out Executive Order 13985 of January 20, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 7009, relating to advancing racial equity and support for under-served communities through the Federal government); Executive Order 14035 of June 25, 2021 (86 Fed. Reg. 34593, relating to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the Federal workforce); or Executive Order 14091 of February 16, 2023 (88 Fed. Reg. 10825, relating to further advancing racial equity and support for underserved communities through the Federal Government).

534. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, training, programs, offices, officers, policies, or any program, project, or activity that promotes or advances Critical Race Theory, or any concept associated with Critical Race Theory.

535. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used to carry out any program, project, or activity that teaches or trains any idea or concept that condones an individual being discriminated against or receiving adverse or beneficial treatment based on race or sex, that condones an individual feeling discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of that individual’s race or sex, as well as any idea or concept that regards one race as inherently superior to another race, the United States or its institutions as being systemically racist or sexist, an individual as being inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive by virtue of that individual’s race or sex, an individual’s moral character as being necessarily determined by race or sex, an individual as bearing responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex, or meritocracy being racist, sexist, or having been created by a particular race to oppress another race.

(a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to a United States institution of higher education unless and until such institution adopts a prohibition on antisemitic conduct that creates a hostile environment in violation of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in all documents relating to student or employee conduct.

(b) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be made available to a United States institution of higher education that has failed to take administrative action against any student, staff member, or student group that commits acts of antisemitism while utilizing the facilities, grounds, or resources of such institution.

536.

537. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, none of the funds made available by this Act may be made available to support directly or indirectly—

(1) the Wuhan Institute of Virology located in the City of Wuhan in the People’s Republic of China;

(2) the EcoHealth Alliance, Inc.;

(3) any laboratory owned or controlled by the governments of the People’s Republic of China, the Republic of Cuba, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela under the regime of Nicolás Maduro Moros, or any other country determined by the Secretary of State to be a foreign adversary; or

(4) gain-of-function research.

538. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to establish, implement, administer, or enforce any COVID–19 mask or vaccine mandate.

539. None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to enter into a procurement contract, memorandum of understanding, or cooperative agreement with, or make a grant to, or provide a loan or guarantee to, any entity identified under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (Public Law 116–283) or any subsidiary of such entity.

540. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may be made available for any institution of higher education (as defined by 20 U.S.C. 1002), that engages in a partnership or other formalized academic collaboration in STEM (as defined in 15 U.S.C. 8841) including but not limited to a joint institute with an entity, such as a college or university that is located, operated, or controlled by the Chinese Communist Party or the Government of the People’s Republic of China.

(a) None of the funds made available by this Act or otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 may be obligated or expended to procure or purchase computers, printers, or interoperable videoconferencing services needed for an office environment in which the manufacturer, bidder, or offeror, or any subsidiary or parent entity of the manufacturer, bidder, or offeror, of the equipment is an entity, or parent company of an entity in which the People’s Republic of China has any ownership stake.

(b) The prohibition in subsection (a) also applies in cases in which the agency has contracted with a third party for the procurement, purchase, or expenditure of funds on any of the equipment and software described in such subsection.

541.

Spending Reduction Account

542. $0.

This Act may be cited as the “Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026”.