UAEM Applauds Congress for Passing the FY 2026 Funding Bill Strengthening Federal Health Investment and Access
For Immediate Release: March 6, 2026
Contact: Cassidy Parshall, cassidy@uaem.org
WASHINGTON, D.C. — On February 3rd, 2026, both chambers of the United States Congress passed and the President signed H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, for the 2026 Fiscal Year. The bill appropriates funds for the federal government through September 30th, 2026, and helps support continued investment in several federal health agencies, public health infrastructure, and important biomedical research.
There has been plenty of uncertainty and fear regarding cuts to federal health and research spending in the last year. The final appropriations package will restore stability across various public health institutions including the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The NIH was allotted $47.2 billion for the 2026 fiscal year, a small increase over 2025 levels.
The recently passed legislation also consists of extensions to key health programs, continued support for many rural health initiatives and community health centers, as well as an improvement in the funding for essential maternal and behavioral health services. These are some of the most important investments that help protect access to crucial health care resources, as well as improving public health infrastructure that supports disease prevention, drug development, and clinical research around the country.
“Tax-payer funded research is the backbone of the United States biomedical innovation system,” said Pranav Pinapala, UAEM North America Coordinating Committee Member. “Allocating robust funding for this research is critical to ensuring we have the tools needed for our most pressing health needs.”
The Consolidated Appropriations bill is an important step towards protecting the nation’s health research system and improving bipartisan support for science and public health. UAEM applauds the lawmakers for maintaining NIH funding during a period of unease in science and public health, and will continue to work with universities and legislators to support policies that advance science and access to health technologies.
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