Appropriations subcommittee advances FY2026 agriculture-FDA bill with cuts to WIC, rural housing and debate over FDA staffing

Chairman Harris opened a House Appropriations subcommittee markup Tuesday to consider the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and related agencies appropriations bill for fiscal year 2026, saying the subcommittee’s discretionary allocation for the measure is $25,500,000,000 — a $1,100,000,000 (4.2%) cut from fiscal 2025 enacted levels. "In a setting of ongoing $2,000,000,000,000 deficits, that modest constraint is necessary," Chairman Harris said as he presented the measure.

The bill proposes targeted increases and notable cuts. It provides $1,150,000,000 for the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS); $90,000,000 for the ReConnect broadband program; $7,600,000,000 in appropriations for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) while rescinding $100,000,000 from existing carryover balances; and a 10% cut to the WIC cash value voucher (CVV) in the near term. For the Food and Drug Administration, the bill lists $3,200,000,000 in direct appropriations and expects user fees to bring FDA’s total to about $6,800,000,000.

Supporters framed the bill as a pro-farmer, fiscally responsible package. Chairman Harris said the measure "reflects a clear conservative commitment to fiscal responsibility while ensuring that America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities remain a top priority." He described provisions that would strengthen animal and plant health responses, maintain funding for agricultural research including the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, and add the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS for agricultural transactions.

Opponents said the bill would reduce services that poor and rural Americans rely on and undercut public health. Ranking Member Bishop called the bill "not up to the task" and warned that cuts to rural housing and…