Shelley Capito (R-WV)
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 140.
Cleared committee, waiting for its first floor vote
A committee approved it and it is on the calendar of the chamber it started in.
This is further than most bills get, and still no promise of a vote: the calendar is a queue, and the majority leadership decides what is called. A bill can sit here until the Congress ends.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- On Calendar
What this bill would do
This bill provides funding for various federal agencies, including the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. It allocates significant resources toward workforce training, unemployment insurance, job corps, and higher education, including Pell Grants. The legislation also funds public health initiatives, medical research through the National Institutes of Health, and social services like Head Start and community services. Additionally, it covers provisions for veterans' employment, tribal education, and various social safety nets. The bill establishes several spending restrictions regarding reproductive health, research methods, and harm reduction. Finally, it includes mandates for agency reporting, transparency in federal funding, and oversight of fund transfers.
Yes· 3 of 40
- Scored +8
Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together?
The bill includes extensive resources for veteran employment, transition assistance, and support for homeless veterans.
- Scored +8
Does this put more money into medical research?
The bill provides massive funding to the National Institutes of Health across various specialized institutes.
- Scored +8
Does this put more money into scientific research?
The bill provides vast resources for medical, scientific, and technological research through the NIH.
The opposite
- Scored -5
Does this make abortion easier to get?
The bill explicitly prohibits the use of funds for any abortion or health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Workforce Training and Employment: The bill provides $2,919,332,000 for grants to States to support adult, youth, and dislocated worker employment and training activities under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
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Apprenticeship Opportunities: $285,000,000 is allocated to expand opportunities through apprenticeships registered under the National Apprenticeship Act.
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Support for Veterans: Funds are provided for Jobs for Veterans State grants ($185,000,000) and the Transition Assistance Program ($34,379,000) to assist with employment and transition services.
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Health Care Workforce and Primary Care: The bill includes funding for the National Health Service Corps ($1,383,376,000) to expand the delivery of substance use disorder treatment and primary health services.
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Medical Research: Significant funds are directed toward the National Institutes of Health for various research needs, such as $7,374,159,000 for the National Cancer Institute and $6,592,279,000 for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
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Family and Child Support: Funding is provided for the Child Care and Development Block Grant ($8,831,387,000) to assist low-income families.
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Increased Support for Early Childhood Education: The bill provides $77,000,000 for cost of living adjustments for Head Start, which can help support the program's operations (Children and Families Services Programs).
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Support for Tribal Education: $8,000,000 is designated for the Tribal Colleges and Universities Head Start Partnership Program (Children and Families Services Programs).
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Financial Assistance for Students: The bill sets the maximum Pell Grant at $6,335 for the 2026-2027 award year to assist with higher education costs (Student Financial Assistance).
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Support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities: The bill provides $20,150,000 for the Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program to subsidize loan principals (Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program Account).
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Protection for Rural Healthcare Access: The bill includes requirements for the Administrator of CMS to provide detailed analysis of the healthcare impacts before terminating agreements with critical access hospitals, intended to ensure continuity in hospital standards (Sec. 240).
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Empowerment of Individuals with Disabilities: Funding is provided for the American Printing House for the Blind, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf, and Gallaudet University to support specialized educational and service needs (Special Institutions for Persons With Disabilities).
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Increased Transparency in Federal Funding: Grantees receiving Federal money must clearly state the percentage and dollar amount of the project funded by Federal money versus non-governmental sources (Sec. 505).
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Protection for Medical Professionals: Funds cannot be used to deny money to agencies that discriminate against health care entities because they do not provide, pay for, or refer for abortions (Sec. 507(d)(1)).
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Safeguards for Medical Exceptions: The restrictions on abortion funding do not apply in cases of rape, incest, or when a physician certifies a physical condition that places a woman in danger of death (Sec. 507(a)).
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Protection Against Misinformation: The bill prohibits the use of funds to disseminate information that is deliberately false or misleading (Sec. 515(b)).
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Cybersecurity and Content Control: Federal agencies are prohibited from maintaining computer networks unless they block the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography (Sec. 520(a)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Salary and Bonus Limitations: Under Section 105, recipients or subrecipients of funds for Employment and Training Administration programs are prohibited from paying salaries and bonuses to individuals at a rate in excess of Executive Level II.
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Restrictions on Training and Job Opportunities: Some funds for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration cannot be used to enforce standards for employers with 10 or fewer employees in certain categories, which may impact the scope of oversight for those businesses.
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Job Corps Salary Caps: Section 101 prohibits the use of Job Corps funds to pay salaries or bonuses that exceed Executive Level II.
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Restrictions on Legal Action for Individuals with Disabilities: There are limitations placed on using certain funds for legal actions that seek to close State-operated intermediate care facilities for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, unless specific public notice is provided (Administration for Community Living).
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Limitations on Higher Education Institutions: Under the National Institutes of Health, the Director may decline the transfer of an ongoing extramural award if there are unresolved concerns regarding harassment, bullying, or hostile work environments (Sec. 237).
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Restrictions on Student Loan Servicing: The bill allows for the reallocation of accounts from student loan servicers who fail to comply with guidelines, which could impact the continuity of service for borrowers (Student Aid Administration).
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Limitations on Certain Health Services: The bill specifies that funds may not be used to support the Medicare Advantage program if an entity informs the Secretary that it will not provide, pay for, or cover abortions (Sec. 209).
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Restrictions on Research: Funds cannot be used for the creation of human embryos for research or research where human embryos are destroyed or subjected to risk of injury or death (Sec. 508(a)).
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Limitations on Drug Research: Funds are prohibited from being used for any activity that promotes the legalization of Schedule I drugs, unless there is significant medical evidence of therapeutic advantage or federally sponsored clinical trials are underway (Sec. 509).
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Restrictions on Harm Reduction Tools: Funds cannot be used to purchase sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of illegal drugs (Sec. 526).
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Impact on Social Security Payments: The bill prohibits using funds to process certain Social Security claims based on work performed under a social security account number that is not the claimant's number if it resulted in a conviction (Sec. 518).
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Restrictions on International Agreements: Funds cannot be used to pay compensation for employees of the Social Security Administration to administer payments under agreements with Mexico that would not otherwise be payable (Sec. 519).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would veterans be better off under this, taking everything together? — The bill includes extensive resources for veteran employment, transition assistance, and support for homeless veterans. Would children be better off under this? — The bill provides extensive funding for Head Start, child care, and child abuse prevention. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill provides significant funding for Medicaid, food/nutrition, energy assistance, and child care for low-income families. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill provides substantial funding for IDEA, rehabilitation services, and aging/disability programs. Would students be better off under this? — The bill provides extensive funding for K-12 education, Pell Grants, and higher education support. Would Native Americans be better off under this? — The bill allocates significant funding to Indian Tribes for substance abuse and various educational programs. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill funds Medicare, the Older Americans Act, and aging and disability services. Would Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides funding for Howard University and various minority health and education programs. Would immigrants be better off under this? — The bill funds refugee and entrant assistance activities. Would women be better off under this? — The bill funds the Women's Bureau and the Women in Apprenticeship and Nontraditional Occupations Act. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill includes funding for Medicare and various social support programs.
- Healthcare
- Does this put more money into medical research? — The bill provides massive funding to the National Institutes of Health across various specialized institutes. Does this make mental health care easier to get? — Large appropriations are provided for mental health services, the 988 Lifeline, and the Mental Health Block Grant. Does this do more about addiction and overdose deaths? — The bill includes billions of dollars specifically for substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Does this make the country readier for the next outbreak? — The bill funds the research, development, and procurement of medical countermeasures for various threats, including influenza. Does this help veterans get medical care? — The bill provides significant resources for veterans' employment, transition assistance, and rural healthcare coordination. Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill provides substantial funding for Medicare and Medicaid programs to ensure healthcare access. Does this strengthen the Affordable Care Act? — The bill provides significant funding for the implementation and administration of the Affordable Care Act. Does this put more money into Medicare, the health coverage for people over 65? — The bill provides substantial funding for Medicare programs to ensure healthcare access. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — The bill includes funding for the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission. Does this make abortion easier to get? — The bill explicitly prohibits the use of funds for any abortion or health benefits coverage that includes coverage of abortion.
- Education And Technology
- Does this put more money into scientific research? — The bill provides vast resources for medical, scientific, and technological research through the NIH. Does this make college cost less? — The bill provides substantial funding for Pell Grants and student financial assistance. Does this put more money into public schools? — The bill provides significant new funding for Title I, special education, and various school improvement programs. Does this reduce what student borrowers owe or repay? — The bill funds the administration of student loans and includes provisions for loan cancellation outreach.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make child care cost less? — The bill provides $8.8 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant to support low-income families. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — The bill funds various social services, including low-income home energy assistance and food/nutrition related agencies. Is this likely to reduce homelessness? — The bill funds the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to support students experiencing homelessness. Does this tighten control of the border? — The bill provides funding for refugee and entrant assistance which includes services for unaccompanied children at the border. Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill provides $3,850,000 for the National Council on Disability. Does this strengthen Social Security? — The bill provides massive funding for the Social Security Administration and its trust funds.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make the government pay for what it commits to? — The bill includes rescissions of billions of dollars from various nonrecurring expense funds. Is this likely to create jobs? — The bill allocates billions for workforce training, apprenticeships, and employment services. Does this increase support for people who lose their jobs? — The bill provides significant funding for state unemployment insurance and trade adjustment assistance. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill invests heavily in workforce development and training programs to support economic participation. Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill funds the National Labor Relations Board to carry out its functions.
- National Security And Foreign Policy
- Does this increase the pay, pensions or support veterans receive? — The bill specifically funds jobs for veterans, transition assistance, and support for homeless veterans. Does this send more money or help to other countries? — The bill authorizes funding for international health activities and assistance through the Secretary of HHS.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill provides funding for disaster human services case management for federally declared disasters. Does this invest in rural communities? — Funding is provided for rural hospital flexibility grants and rural health services.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates various reporting requirements for agency staffing and program spending.
- 7/31/2025
- Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Capito. With written report No. 119-55.
- Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 140.
- Introduced in Senate
4 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.