Appropriations subcommittee votes to send FY2026 Labor-HHS-Education bill to full committee after divided debate

The House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies voted to report the fiscal 2026 appropriations bill to the full Appropriations Committee after a divided markup session in which members disputed deep program cuts and policy riders.

Representative Robert Aderholt, chair of the subcommittee, opened the session and described the measure as balancing “the need for responsible physical stewardship while maintaining key investments in biomedical research, schools, and public health.” He said the bill increases support for biodefense, rural hospitals and school choice while eliminating or reducing other programs.

Ranking Member Representative Rosa DeLauro opposed the bill in full and listed specific cuts she said would harm families and public health. DeLauro said the bill would cut Education funding by $12,000,000,000 (about 15 percent), cut Title I by $4,700,000,000, eliminate English learner funding for more than 5,000,000 students, and abolish the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program used by about 1,600,000 low-income students. She also…