Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026
Public Law 119- 75
The following are excerpts from the final legislation and/or conference report which contain references to and studies for The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, underlined and in bold. (Pound signs [##] between passages denote the deletion of unrelated text.)
HR7148 Cole, Tom (R-OK) 02/03/26
Making further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
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ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Saturday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-six
AN ACT
Making further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026”.
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SEC. 4. Explanatory Statement.
The explanatory statement regarding this Act, printed in the House section of the Congressional Record on or about January 21, 2026, and submitted by the chair of the Committee on Appropriations of the House, shall have the same effect with respect to the allocation of funds and implementation of Divisions A through D of this Act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference.
The explanatory statement regarding division A of H.R. 7006 of the 119th Congress, the explanatory statement regarding division B of H.R. 7006 of the 119th Congress, and the explanatory statement regarding division C of H.R. 7006 of the 119th Congress, printed in the House section of the Congressional Record on January 14, 2026, and submitted by the chair of the Committee on Appropriations of the House, shall each have the same effect with respect to the allocation of funds and implementation of divisions E, F, and G, respectively, of this Act as if they were each a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference.
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ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS—CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
During fiscal year 2026, none of the amounts made available by this Act may be used to finalize or implement the Safety Standard for Recreational Off-Highway Vehicles published by the Consumer Product Safety Commission in the Federal Register on November 19, 2014 (79 Fed. Reg. 68964) until after—
(1) .—the National Academy of Sciences, in consultation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Department of Defense, completes a study to determine—
(A) the technical validity of the lateral stability and vehicle handling requirements proposed by such standard for purposes of reducing the risk of Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle (referred to in this section as “ROV”) rollovers in the off-road environment, including the repeatability and reproducibility of testing for compliance with such requirements;
(B) the number of ROV rollovers that would be prevented if the proposed requirements were adopted;
(C) whether there is a technical basis for the proposal to provide information on a point-of-sale hangtag about a ROV’s rollover resistance on a progressive scale; and
(D) the effect on the utility of ROVs used by the United States military if the proposed requirements were adopted; and
(2) .—a report containing the results of the study completed under paragraph (1) is delivered to—
(A) the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate;
(B) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives;
(C) the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
(D) the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
None of the funds provided may be used to promulgate, implement, administer, or enforce any regulation issued by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban gas stoves as a class of products.
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SEC. 6507. PREEMIE
(a) RESEARCH RELATING TO PRETERM LABOR AND DELIVERY AND THE CARE, TREATMENT, AND OUTCOMES OF PRETERM AND LOW BIRTHWEIGHT INFANTS
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 3(e) of the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Act (42 U.S.C. 247b–4f(e)) is amended by striking “fiscal years 2019 through 2023” and inserting “fiscal years 2026 through 2030”.
(2) TECHNICAL CORRECTION.—Effective as if included in the enactment of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018 ( Public Law 115–328 ), section 2 of such Act is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking “Section 2” and inserting “Section 3”.
(b) INTERAGENCY WORKING GROUP.—Section 5(a) of the PREEMIE Reauthorization Act of 2018 ( Public Law 115–328 ) is amended by striking “The Secretary of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with other departments, as appropriate, may establish” and inserting “Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in collaboration with other departments, as appropriate, shall establish”.
(c) STUDY ON PRETERM BIRTHS
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall enter into appropriate arrangements with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine under which the National Academies shall—
(A) not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, convene a committee of experts in maternal health to study premature births in the United States; and
(B) upon completion of the study under subparagraph (A)—
(i) approve by consensus a report on the results of such study;
(ii) include in such report—
(I) an assessment of each of the topics listed in paragraph (2);
(II) the analysis required by paragraph (3); and
(III) the raw data used to develop such report; and
(iii) not later than 24 months after the date of enactment of this Act, transmit such report to—
(I) the Secretary of Health and Human Services;
(II) the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives; and
(III) the Committee on Finance and the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate.
(2) ASSESSMENT TOPICS.—The topics listed in this subsection are each of the following:
(A) The financial costs of premature birth to society, including—
(i) an analysis of stays in neonatal intensive care units and the cost of such stays;
(ii) long-term costs of stays in such units to society and the family involved post-discharge; and
(iii) health care costs for families post-discharge from such units (such as medications, therapeutic services, co-payments for visits, and specialty equipment).
(B) The factors that impact preterm birth rates.
(C) Opportunities for earlier detection of premature birth risk factors, including—
(i) opportunities to improve maternal and infant health; and
(ii) opportunities for public health programs to provide support and resources for parents in-hospital, in non-hospital settings, and post-discharge.
(3) ANALYSIS.—The analysis required by this subsection is an analysis of—
(A) targeted research strategies to develop effective drugs, treatments, or interventions to bring at-risk pregnancies to term;
(B) State and other programs’ best practices with respect to reducing premature birth rates; and
(C) precision medicine and preventative care approaches starting early in the life course (including during pregnancy) with a focus on behavioral and biological influences on premature birth, child health, and the trajectory of such approaches into adulthood.
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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY MR. COLE, CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, REGARDING H.R. 7148, CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
The following is an explanation of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026.
This Act includes 4 regular appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. The divisions contained in the Act are as follows:
Division A - Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026
Division B - Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and
Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
Division C - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
Division D - Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Act, 2026
Division E - Authorizing Extenders and Technical Corrections
Division F - Health Care Extenders
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DIVISION B - DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEAL TH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
The explanatory statement accompanying this division is approved and indicates Congressional intent. Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in House Report 119-271 and Senate Report 119-55 carry the same weight as language included in this explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this explanatory statement. While some language is repeated for emphasis, it is not intended to negate the language referred to above unless expressly provided herein.
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CDC-WIDE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAM SUPPORT
Within the total provided for CDC-wide activities, the agreement includes the following amounts:
Budget Activity – FY2026 Agreement
Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Transfer from the Prevention and Public Health Fund ............................................................................................................................................. . $160,000,000
Public Health Leadership and Support & Office of the Director appropriations ..........................101,570,000
Office of Rural Health appropriations (non-add) ......................................................................... . 6,000,000
John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program appropriations (non-add) ........... . 6,500,000
NASEM Study appropriations (non-add) .............................................................................. . 1,000,000
Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund appropriations ............................................ . 25,000,000
Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity ............................................................................... . 360,000,000
Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity appropriations (non-add) ……………………… ... . 270,000,000
Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity Transfer from the Prevention and Public Health Fund (non-add) .................................................................................................................................................... 90,000,000
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Social Services Research and Demonstration (SSRD)
Within the total provided, the agreement includes the following amounts:
Budget Activity - FY 2026 Agreement
Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot ............... . $20,000,000
Institutional Child Abuse Study .................................................. . 2,000,000
Preventing Youth Homelessness ..................................................... . 5,000,000
Affordable Housing and Support Services ...................................... . 2,500,000
Medical Legal Partnerships ............................................................. . 2,000,000
Other SSRD Activities .................................................................... . 3,012,000
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HRpt 119-271 - To accompany H.R. 5304 – [M]aking appropriations for the departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (except the Food and Drug Administration, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, and the Indian Health Service), and Education, and the America First Corps (formerly known as AmeriCorps), the Committee for Purchase from People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, Institute of Museum and Library Services, Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, National Council on Disability, National Labor Relations Board, National Mediation Board, Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, Railroad Retirement Board, and Social Security Administration for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
(9/11/25)
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Public Health Emergency Medical Countermeasures Enterprise Advisory Committee.--The Committee recognizes effective public-private partnerships are the best way to support our nation's preparedness and response capabilities, as these private sector partners are the primary developers of critical MCMs such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines which have no commercial market. The Committee notes with concern that the PHEMCE, which is chaired by ASPR, has not established an advisory committee incorporating private sector and non-Federal partners and stakeholders despite recommendations from Congress and NASEM. The Committee encourages ASPR to establish this advisory committee with urgency to ensure timely and transparent communication with the government's private sector partners. The Committee requests a briefing within 180 days of enactment on efforts to engage and include industry partners in the MCM development efforts and supporting activities.
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SRpt 119-55 - To accompany S. 2587 – [M]aking appropriations for Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes
(6/31/25)
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Traineeships to Address the Nursing Shortage and Prepare Academic Faculty.—The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM] issued a report that provided recommendations to Congress to ease the nursing shortage in America. The Committee recognizes the urgent need to address the nursing shortage existing in all parts of the United States and grow the pipeline of nurse educators to meet the demand to grow the workforce. Therefore, the Committee encourages HRSA to provide new traineeships and fellowships, including stipends, for eligible entities at both public and private institutions to expand opportunities that prepare individuals for careers in nursing
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Budget Activity – Committee Recommendation
Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant Transfer from the Prevention and Public Health Fund ............................................................................................................................................. . $160,000,000
Public Health Leadership and Support & Office of the Director appropriations ..........................101,570,000
Office of Rural Health appropriations …………......................................................................... . 6,000,000
John R. Lewis Undergraduate Public Health Scholars Program appropriations ……………..... . 6,500,000
NASEM Study appropriations ……………............................................................................ . 1,000,000
Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund appropriations ............................................. . 25,000,000
Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity ................................................................................ . 360,000,000
Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity appropriations ……………….…………………... . 270,000,000
Public Health Infrastructure and Capacity Transfer from the Prevention and Public Health Fund
………………………………………………………………………………………………..……..90,000,000
Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices [ACIP] Report.— The Committee includes $1,000,000 and directs CDC to enter into a contract with the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM] to develop a framework that delineates the considerations that should be taken into account when considering prospective voting members of ACIP, as well as recommendations to strengthen the ACIP appointment process. The framework should also address best practices for ensuring transparency, independence, and integrity in the appointment process. NASEM should also include specific criteria in the framework for maintaining a balanced range of expertise across ACIP, and propose any necessary revisions to the conflict of interest policy for ACIP and its working groups.
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Temporomandibular Disorders [TMD].—The Committee commends NIDCR for developing the TMD Collaborative for Improving Patient-Centered Translational Research [TMD IMPACT]. The timely implementation of the TMD IMPACT Collaborative into a national consortium is essential. The Committee is pleased NIDCR has funded nine TMD IMPACT groups. The Committee encourages NIDCR to maintain a patient-centered approach in the implementation of this Collaborative by including patients and advocacy organizations in this next phase of the project. The Committee is encouraged to see that NIDCR has added collaborators including the FDA, NIAMS, NIBIB, NINDS, NCCIH, OBSSR, and ORWH. NIDCR should encourage other Agencies and Institutes, Centers, and Offices within NIH with appropriate scientific expertise to participate in and support this project. Given the complexity of TMDs, interdisciplinary expertise is essential, particularly in addressing comorbidities and chronic pain conditions. The Committee directs NIH to provide an update within 120 days on the progress to implement the next phase of this important initiative including the recruitment of other NIH Institutes as partners. The Committee urges NIDCR to enhance the centralized resources of the two TMD national programs [TMD IMPACT] to advance interdisciplinary care, disseminate best practices, refine clinical guidelines, and integrate research into precision care for TMD patients. Finally, the Committee acknowledges NIDCR’s participation and support of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Report on TMDs and urges continued engagement to advance a scientific understanding and improve patient care.
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Epitranscriptomics Database Standards.—The Committee recognizes the recent release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM] report ‘‘Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications’’ in March 2024. The Committee notes the report’s recommendation that clear and consistent standards for data and databases need to be established to facilitate data access and sharing. Given that NLM’s National Center for Biotechnology Information [NCBI] collaborates with the scientific community to support development of standards for databases and biological nomenclature, among other responsibilities, the Committee urges NCBI to support the establishment of data and database standards for epitranscriptomics in collaboration with the scientific community consistent with the NASEM report recommendation, and include an update on this effort in the fiscal year 2027 CJ.
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Cephalopod Research.—The Committee recognizes that there are no federally required welfare standards for the use of cephalopods in federally-funded research because all invertebrate animals are excluded from the Public Health Service [PHS] Policy on the Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals, which provides certain welfare standards for vertebrate animals. The Committee recognizes that implementing and complying with the PHS Policy requires reference to guidelines in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals [the Guide], which does not currently include cephalopod-specific welfare guidelines, and updates to which are overseen by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM]. The Committee also recognizes that researchers must still justify their use and numbers when proposing research seeking NIH funding. The Committee acknowledges that other countries have established oversight requirements for cephalopods when used in government-funded research. The Committee encourages NIH to consider developing guidance for the humane care and use of cephalopods in NIH-supported research, including possibly expanding the definition of ‘‘animal’’ in the PHS Policy to include cephalopods.
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Long COVID Treatments.—The Committee remains concerned about the economic and overall health impact that Long COVID inflicts on the Nation. It is currently estimated that between 6 percent and 19 percent of those infected with SARS–CoV–2 go on to develop Long COVID, resulting in up to 20 million Americans suffering from this set of debilitating chronic symptoms. Long COVID is characterized by a wide range of symptoms including severe fatigue, non-restorative sleep, cognitive dysfunction, and widespread pain. Further, it resembles other post-acute infection syndromes [PAISs], such as fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome [ME/CFS] and related conditions, known as chronic overlapping pain conditions [COPCs] or nociplastic syndromes. While the Committee is pleased that NIH’s HEAL and RECOVER initiatives plan to target some specific symptoms of Long COVID, the Committee is concerned that NIH has not expanded the evaluation of treatments to address many common symptoms associated with Long COVID either individually or that present as syndromes which are combinations of symptoms. Furthermore, NIH’s research program has defined Long COVID narrowly, excluding many of the common symptoms plaguing Long COVID sufferers. In June 2024, NASEM released the 2024 NASEM Long COVID Definition, which encompasses extensive lists of the symptoms and diagnosable conditions that current science attributes to Long COVID. The Committee urges NIH to rebalance its research program to prioritize clinical trials in pursuit of effective treatments and to use the NASEM Long COVID definition to guide its choice of symptoms and conditions to be address by the candidate treatments. Such trials should target key symptoms and symptom complexes associated with Long COVID including widespread pain, fatigue, non-restorative sleep, brain fog, dizziness, post-exertional malaise [PEM], postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome [POTS] and loss of taste and smell. Further, the Committee urges NIH to prioritize the support of clinical trials evaluating therapies for Long COVID including therapies that have demonstrated efficacy in treating COPCs or nociplastic syndromes that overlap with Long COVID
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Temporomandibular Disorder [TMD].—The Committee notes the issuance of the TMD Collaborative for Improving Patient-Centered Translational Research [TMD IMPACT] by NIDCR and the first step in the implementation of a national consortium for TMD research. The Committee recognizes that TMD is a complex, multisystem condition and therefore encourages the NIH Director to work closely with the NIDCR Director to ensure that other Institutes, Centers, and Offices with the appropriate scientific expertise participate and support NIDCR as it implements and manages this project. NIH is encouraged to use the recommendations from the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report on TMDs, from the TMJ Patient-led RoundTable efforts, and from patients themselves as guidelines in the development of this consortium. The Committee also supports the creation and implementation of a Patient-Centered Coordinated Registry Network [CRN] for TMDs, recognizing its critical role in advancing research and collaboration across Federal agencies. The Committee is encouraged that TMD, a long neglected, misunderstood and underfunded condition is now receiving the attention and support needed to improve the understanding of TMD and develop evidence-based treatments and care for this complex condition. The Committee requests an update within 120 days of enactment on the development and implementation of this large-scale Collaborative to ensure the full participation of the many government and private entities necessary to successfully launch the Collaborative.
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Institutional Child Abuse Study.—The Committee provides $2,000,000 and directs the Secretary to enter into a contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM] to conduct a study to examine the state of youth in youth residential programs and make recommendations. Pursuant to the contract, NASEM shall issue a report informed by the study conducted that includes identification of the nature, prevalence, severity, and scope of child abuse, neglect, and deaths in youth residential programs, including types of abuse and neglect, causes of abuse, neglect, and deaths, and criteria used to assess abuse, neglect, and deaths; identification of all funding sources for youth residential programs; and identification of existing barriers in policy for blending and braiding of funding sources to serve youth in community-based settings.
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Reusable Respirators.—The Committee recognizes the substantial evidence supporting the value of strategic stockpiling of reusable respirators, as documented by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. These respirators provide enhanced protection compared to disposable surgical and N95 masks through their superior face-seal characteristics. They provide superior defense for emergency service and other critical infrastructure personnel against infectious diseases, biological weapons, and chemical agents. Due to their longer operational lifetime and extended shelflife when compared with disposable masks, reusable respirators are also more cost-effective to stockpile. Stockpiling American made reusable respirators will also ensure that first responders have rapid access to effective protective equipment and not be solely dependent on foreign supply chains and disposable products.
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Access to Lactation Support Services.—The Committee continues to support HHS’ initiatives to improve access to lactation support services for all women who choose to breastfeed. The Committee notes that despite guidance from the HHS Women’s Preventive Services Initiative recommending that families receive comprehensive lactation support services to optimize the successful initiation and maintenance of breastfeeding, many families struggle to gain access to quality lactation care. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 (Public Law 117–328) included funding for HHS to enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM] to provide an evidence-based, non-partisan analysis of the macroeconomic, health, and social costs of U.S. breastfeeding rates and national breastfeeding goals. The Committee expects that this analysis should also examine how health insurers have implemented comprehensive lactation services, the standards set to determine reimbursement rates for breastfeeding supplies and services, and the current best practices used to provide coverage to help women breastfeed.
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Women’s Health Research Study.—To address the persistent gaps in knowledge of women’s health and improve access to care, the Secretary should continue to coordinate with NIH and NASEM in support of research that explores the proportion of research on conditions that are more common or unique to women. This research should establish how these conditions are defined and ensure that it captures conditions across the lifespan and determine the appropriate level of funding that is needed to address gaps in women’s health research at NIH and submit to Congress a report containing the findings and recommendations of the study no later than 18 months after enactment of this act.
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National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Literacy Study.—Recent NAEP and Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies scores show a troubling decline in literacy achievement for public school students and adult learners. The Committee shares the Administration’s stated priority to improve literacy outcomes and includes $1,500,000 for the Director to enter into an agreement with the NASEM to conduct a study of literacy attainment across the life-course, which shall include an analysis of factors that contribute to the current state of literacy attainment in the U.S., what is known about how to improve literacy attainment across the life-course, and implications for the well-being of individuals, communities, as well as national security and global competitiveness. The report shall include recommendations for Federal, state, and local policy and practice that take the varied landscape of how Americans develop literacy into account and how best to maintain literacy attainment, including for English learners and students with disabilities.
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ASSESSMENT
The Committee provides $193,300,000 to provide support for the National Assessment of Educational Progress [NAEP], a congressionally mandated assessment created to measure and report the educational achievement of American students in a range of subjects and analyze trends over time.
Within the funds appropriated, the Committee recommends $8,300,000 for the National Assessment Governing Board [NAGB], which is responsible for formulating policy for NAEP.
The Committee recommendation continues support of $10,000,000 for research and development investments activities to modernize and innovate assessments while reducing future program costs. NAGB and NCES should continue to consult with the authorizing and appropriations committees of Congress as it considers strategies, including those identified by NASEM, in achieving cost efficiencies in and upgrades of its assessment program. Further, the Committee requests that the fiscal year 2027 CJ and fiscal year 2026 administrative and staffing plan describe implemented and planned strategies for cost efficiencies and necessary research and development projects.
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DIVISION D -TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTIVES
The joint explanatory statement accompanying this division is approved and indicates congressional intent. Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in House Report 119-212 and Senate Report 119-47 carry the same weight as language included in this joint explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this joint explanatory statement. While some language is repeated for emphasis, it is not intended to negate the language referred to above unless expressly provided herein. In cases where the House and Senate have directed the submission of a report, such report is to be submitted to both the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations. The Department of Transportation [DOT] and the Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] are directed to notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations 7 days prior to the announcement of a new program, initiative, or authority.
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TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, RESEARCH, AND DEVELOPMENT
(INCLUDING TRANSFER OF FUNDS)
The agreement provides $32,043,000 for planning, research, and development activities, to remain available until expended. Of this amount, $5,436,000 is for the Interagency Infrastructure Permitting Improvement Center and $9,647,000 is for the purposes and amounts specified in the table entitled "Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending" included in this joint explanatory statement.
Flight 5342.-The agreement provides $2,000,000 for DOT to commission the National Academies of Science within 30 days of enactment of this act to conduct an independent review of airspace design, civil-military coordination, and operational safety in the National Capital Region, consistent with all direction under this heading in Senate Report 119-47.
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The agreement provides an obligation limitation of $4,000,000,000 and a liquidating cash appropriation of $4,000,000,000, to remain available until expended. Within the obligation limitation, the agreement provides not less than $160,000,000 for administrative expenses, $15,000,000 for the airport cooperative research program, $41,827,000 for airport technology research program, and $15,000,000 for the small community air service development program.
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HRpt 119-212 - To accompany H.R. 4552 – [M] aking appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.
(7/21/25)
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Aeromedical.--The recommendation includes an additional $3,000,000 over fiscal year 2025 for the Office of Aviation Safety to provide sufficient staffing of psychiatrists, physicians, legal instrument examiners, and program analysts to ensure the Office of Aerospace Medicine can expedite and reduce the existing backlog of pilot and air traffic controller medical certifications, including special issuances, special considerations, and medication approvals. The Committee directs the FAA, no later than 180 days after enactment of this Act, to provide a briefing on implementation of Section 411 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63), including any updates regarding the findings and recommendations of the Mental Health and Aviation Medical Clearances Rulemaking Committee and the Aviation Workforce Mental Health Task Group.
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Small community air service.--The Committee reminds the Department of its directive under section 570 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63) to conduct a report assessing the loss of commercial air service in no fewer than seven small communities and to provide recommendations for restoring such service. The Committee encourages the Department to consider additional communities for inclusion in this assessment, specifically those located within 30 miles of an international trade partner, in proximity to a military installation, or uniquely positioned to enhance cross-border commerce or support national security objectives.
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Aircraft noise.--The Committee directs the FAA to support the continued reduction of aircraft noise and engage regularly with communities affected by aircraft noise. The Committee further directs the FAA to implement the sections of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (Public Law 118-63) related to aircraft noise and noise mitigation, including establishing the aircraft noise advisory committee responsible for assessing alternative noise metrics to the day night level standard, updating AIP eligibilities related to noise barriers, evaluating noise impact as a consideration when implementing flight procedures, and others.
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The consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements grant program is authorized by section 22907 of title 49, United States Code, to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of passenger and freight rail transportation systems. Eligible activities include a wide range of capital, safety technology deployment, trespassing prevention measures, regional and corridor planning, environmental analyses, research, workforce development, and training projects. States, a group of states, interstate compacts, public agencies or publicly chartered authorities established by one or more states, political subdivisions of a state, Tribes, Amtrak or other intercity passenger rail operators, class II or class III railroads and associations representing such railroads, rail carriers and rail equipment manufacturers in partnership with a public entity, the transportation research board, university transportation centers, and non-profit rail labor organizations are eligible to apply for this competitive grant program.
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Rail rate study.--In 2015, the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences issued a report titled ‘Modernizing Freight Rail Regulation’ as authorized in Section 9007 of P.L. 109-59. The report determined that the methodology used to identify unusually high rail rates is unreliable, arbitrary, and economically flawed. Since this report, the STB has done much to improve rate reasonableness. In December 2022, the STB issued two final rules establishing new rate reasonableness procedures: Final Offer Rate Review (FORR) and Voluntary Arbitration. Both review mechanisms are limited to rate disputes worth up to $4 million in relief over two years.
The Committee directs the STB to brief the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations regarding its work in rate reasonableness, and efforts to review and resolve larger rate disputes within one year of enactment of this Act. The Committee further directs the STB to evaluate the potential need to construct a new economic model of rail rates, the appropriate method for constructing such a model and the authorization and resources that would be required to construct the model. The STB shall provide this evaluation in writing to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within one year of enactment of this Act.
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SRpt 119-47 - To accompany S. 2465 – [M]aking appropriations for the Departments of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes
(7/24/25)
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Flight 5342.--In light of the traffic accident of American Eagle Flight 5342 with an U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter, the Committee remains fully committed to ensuring no such accident occurs again. As such, the Committee recommendation includes $2,000,000 for the DOT to commission the National Academies of Science within 30 days of enactment of this act to conduct an independent review of airspace design, civil-military coordination, and operational safety in the National Capital Region, with particular focus on airspace activities at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport [DCA]. The review shall be conducted by an independent panel of experts in aviation safety, airspace operations, and civil-military coordination. Panel members shall be selected by the National Academies of Science, in consultation with the National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB], the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, and other relevant authorizing committees. Panel members shall include representatives from academia, former regulators currently unaffiliated with the Federal Aviation Administration [FAA] or the Department of Defense [DoD], relevant industry partners, stakeholders, unions, and nationally recognized safety institutions. The panel shall be formed within 90 days of enactment of this act. The review shall assess: (1) historical and ongoing risks associated with DCA airspace design and usage, including historical incidents relevant to current protocols; (2) the adequacy of coordination protocols between the FAA, DoD, and other entities involved in or affected by airspace coordination; (3) patterns of near-miss incidents involving military aircraft; and (4) structural, cultural, or procedural barriers to risk identification and accountability. The DOT and the FAA shall: (1) not chair, direct, or control the panel's work; (2) allocate sufficient resources to ensure timely completion of the review; and (3) provide full cooperation, including access to non-classified data, documentation, and personnel. The DOT and FAA shall fully cooperate with the National Academies of Science and respond to all requests for data, including by coordinating with the DoD to provide their data. The National Academies of Science shall issue a summary of findings and recommendations as determined by the panel not later than 180 days after enactment of this act. The findings and recommendations shall convey key conclusions without redacting non-sensitive procedural information, and shall be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations and published online not later than 180 days after enactment of this act. The full report of the panel shall be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 210 days after enactment of this act. The DOT and the FAA shall respond publicly in writing to the recommendations of the panel within 90 days of publication of the final report.
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Medical Certifications and Clearances.--The Committee recommendation includes $100,063,000, an increase of $3,000,000 above the budget request, for the Office of Aerospace Medicine to increase staffing and to modernize its information management system in order to reduce processing times and improve decision-making for medical certification and clearances. The FAA is directed to increase staffing for additional staff psychiatrists, legal instrument examiners, and program analysts who can help expedite and reduce the existing backlogs for pilot and air traffic controller medical certification, including special issuance or special consideration, and medication approvals. The FAA should also use the additional funding to modernize its information management system by developing a template electronic submission platform to reduce errors and omissions in information submitted to the FAA by aviation medical examiners. The FAA should also publish practical medical certification/clearance guidance for applicants and ensure that information and documentation made available to aviation stakeholders is correct and consistent. The FAA should strive to achieve fair and reasonable time limits on certification decisions of all classes of medical applications. Finally, the FAA is directed to provide a briefing within 90 days of enactment of this act to the House and Senate Committee on Appropriations on: (1) implementation of recommendations from the mental health and aviation medical clearances rulemaking committee; and (2) the findings and recommendations from the aviation workforce mental health task group established in section 411 of the FAA Reauthorization of 2024.
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Salmon Mitigation.--The Committee provided $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 to establish a cooperative series of agreements with universities, Federal agencies, the National Academy of Sciences, transportation agencies, or nonprofit organizations to examine the impacts of culverts, roads, and bridges on threatened or endangered salmon populations. The Committee notes that the FHWA has not published a solicitation for these funds. The Committee directs the FHWA to publish a solicitation for these funds within 90 days of enactment of this act and award funds within 180 days of enactment on this act.
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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements [CRISI] grants program was authorized to improve the safety, efficiency, and reliability of passenger and freight rail systems. Eligible activities include a wide range of freight and passenger rail capital, safety, technology deployment, planning, environmental analysis, research, workforce development, and training projects as authorized under 49 U.S.C. 22907. Eligible recipients include States, local governments, Class II and Class III railroads, Amtrak, and other intercity passenger rail operators, rail carriers and equipment manufacturers that partner with an eligible public-sector applicant, the Transportation Research Board, university transportation centers, and non-profit rail labor organizations. As authorized, the program requires a minimum non-Federal share of 20 percent, that preference be given to projects with at least a 50 percent non-Federal match, and that at least 25 percent of the funds be provided to projects in rural areas.
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Research, Evaluation, and Demonstration.--The Committee recommendation includes up to $3,128,000 research, evaluation, and demonstration. Of this amount, up to $2,100,000 shall be for ongoing research on moving to work [MTW] expansion, and the community choice demonstration. The remaining $1,028,000 shall be for HUD to contract with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [National Academies] as delineated under the ‘Housing Data Infrastructure’ heading in this report.
Housing Data Infrastructure.--Housing is a fundamental aspect of people's daily lives and well-being, but millions of Americans face insecurity or displacement from their homes due to rapid rent increases, evictions, foreclosures, increasing property taxes and insurance costs, and post-disaster upheavals. However, existing Federal housing data infrastructure lacks the timely local data needed to adequately track housing market disruptions and effectively inform policies intended to address these problems. HUD is directed to contract with the National Academies to convene an expert consensus committee, including housing policy, economics, social science, statistics, public policy, and survey methodology experts, to consider the issues in a holistic fashion and provide solutions for moving forward.
Such a consensus committee should review key uses and needs for a modern housing data and statistics infrastructure designed to track key aspects of the Nation's housing conditions and inform decision-making, such as: housing starts and completions, development timelines, costs to build, hazard insurance costs, property ownership, local changes to rent, evictions, foreclosures and demolitions, homelessness, unique needs and data gaps relating to Tribal areas and territories, and post-disaster impacts on housing markets and households. Such a consensus committee should: (1) review current sources of housing information; (2) identify shortcomings and strengths in these sources for key research and policy uses; (3) hold open meetings to seek input from key stakeholders; and (4) recommend strategies for modernizing the housing data infrastructure to inform Federal, State, and local policymaking in a timely manner. The Committee directs the National Academies to submit a report with its findings, conclusions, and recommendations no later than 2 years after the work has been contracted.
Disaster-Impacted Renters and Rental Markets.--The Committee is concerned insufficient attention is being paid to renter household needs and rental market forces following natural disasters. Recent analysis shows that rents in disaster-impacted communities rise and then remain higher than their original rates for years. These impacts are amplified in already constrained rental markets, especially when communities are hit by successive disasters. Without adequate and thoughtful intervention, these market impacts can lead to secondary displacement of other vulnerable renter households who were not directly affected by the disaster. If funds are available, HUD may, in coordination with and after consulting FEMA, contract with NAPA, to study this issue. The study should be overseen by a panel of experts, to examine in-depth how renters and rental markets have recovered from recent major disasters, with a special focus on disasters that involve long displacement times for a large number of renter households. The study should consider the roles of the insurance industry, FEMA, HUD, Small Business Administration [SBA], and State and local governments as they relate to: (1) addressing the temporary and long-term housing needs and the recovery of impacted renters; (2) how the disaster and disaster response impacts other renters in the housing market; and (3) the replacement of lost affordable rental housing inventory. The expert panel should include the experience and expertise of former FEMA, HUD, and SBA leaders, expertise in research and advocacy for displaced renters and impacted single-family and multi-family rental property owners; insurance and reinsurance industry; support services for those at risk of homelessness; and State and local emergency management and long-term recovery. From that review, NAPA should make recommendations on reforms to guide FEMA, HUD, and SBA that would, in coordination with the insurance industry, facilitate affordable, faster, inclusive, and resilient recovery for renters, and include guidance on improving how Federal, State and local governments monitor rental market trends to inform disaster recovery policy decisions. NAPA should communicate with the GAO and the National Academy of Sciences over the course of its study and review previous studies to prevent duplication of effort.
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Rail Rate Evaluation.--In 2015, the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences issued a report titled ‘Modernizing Freight Rail Regulation,’ as authorized in section 9007 of Public Law 109-59. The report raised concerns with the methodology used to identify unusually high rail rates. Since then, the STB has taken steps to improve rate reasonableness. In 2020, the Board commissioned a study, issued in March 2022, which analyzed and evaluated alternatives to its current economic model. In December 2022, the Board issued two final rules establishing new rate reasonableness procedures which provide two streamlined approaches for shippers and railroads to resolve smaller rate disputes: final offer rate review and voluntary arbitration. However, the STB was forced to remove the final offer rate review rule in May 2025 following a decision by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals vacating it. The Committee directs the STB to evaluate the need to construct a new economic model of rail rates, the appropriate method for constructing such a model, and the authorization and resources that would be required to construct the model. The Committee directs the STB to provide this evaluation in writing to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 1 year of enactment of this act.
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