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The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 2026 was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on July 31, 2025. This bill, which is the largest non-defense spending measure of the year, totals $197 billion in discretionary spending and received broad bipartisan support with a vote of 26-3.
The bill provides significant increases in funding for health and education, rejecting proposed cuts from the White House. Specifically, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) would receive $116.6 billion in discretionary spending, an increase of $446 million over the previously enacted level and $22 billion more than the White House requested.
The Department of Education would receive $79 billion for discretionary funding, including boosts for K-12 education. The bill includes language that would prevent the dismantling of the Education Department, after President Trump signed an executive order in March aimed at closing the department to the extent permitted by law.
Approval of this bill demonstrates a commitment from Senate members to maintain and enhance funding for key social services, despite proposed cuts from the executive branch. The broad bipartisan support suggests a collaborative effort to prioritize health and education funding in the upcoming fiscal year.
For more detailed information about the bill, please refer to the Committee’s webpage under News, with options to view both Majority and Minority News Releases. This site provides access to bill summaries from both Chair Senator Collins and Vice-Chair Senator Murray.
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