Budget & Taxes

# Summary of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 This comprehensive appropriations bill provides funding for the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and related agencies for fiscal year 2026. Key provisions include: ## Major Funding Provisions - $2 billion for Rural Development programs - $1.5 billion for Food and Drug Administration operations - $2 million for the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program - $2 million for Section 758 of P.L. 118-42 - $1.5 million for grants under Section 12502 of Public Law 115-334 ## Significant Restrictions on Fund Usage - **Prohibits funds** for diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives or any program promoting Critical Race Theory (Section 755) - **Prohibits implementation** of certain proposed rules on poultry grower contracting and livestock markets (Section 729) - **Restricts SNAP variety requirements** until regulatory amendments are made (Section 726) - **Prohibits new guidelines** for Listeria monocytogenes until FDA considers new science (Section 756) - **Prohibits new sodium reduction regulations** until impact assessment is completed (Section 757) - **Requires congressional approval** for reprogramming of funds (Section 716) - **Limits indirect cost rates** on cooperative agreements to 10% of total direct cost (Section 704) ## Other Notable Provisions - Rescinds $100 million from WIC program unobligated balances (Section 722) - Rescinds $100 million from conservation activities unobligated balances (Section 778) - Rescinds $100 million from Inflation Reduction Act funds (Section 779) - Prohibits use of funds for certain tobacco product regulations (Section 773) - Requires specific study on applying "Buy American" requirements to nutrition programs (Section 775) - Prohibits use of funds for certain food traceability rules before August 1, 2028 (Section 766) The bill contains numerous specific restrictions on how federal funds may be spent, reflecting a strong emphasis on limiting government spending and regulating program implementation through detailed legislative language.

HR 3597, the Protecting Circuit Boards and Substrates Act, creates two main incentives to boost domestic production of printed circuit boards and integrated circuit substrates. It provides a 25% tax credit for businesses purchasing US-manufactured circuit boards and substrates, and establishes a federal financial assistance program offering up to $300 million per project (with larger amounts possible with presidential approval) for manufacturing or research and development facilities in the United States. The program prioritizes small businesses, minority-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, and projects that expand domestic production capacity or relocate manufacturing from foreign-controlled areas. Recipients must use funds for specific covered incentives like facility construction, equipment, or workforce training programs, with strict clawback provisions for delays or inappropriate technology sharing with foreign entities of concern. The program requires coordination with multiple federal agencies and includes annual reviews by the Government Accountability Office to track outcomes.

HR 4494, the Flood Insurance Relief Act, allows homeowners to deduct qualified flood insurance premiums from their taxable income. It directly affects individual homeowners who pay for flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program or approved private policies. The deduction applies only to premiums paid for covered property, with a limit: it phases out for taxpayers earning over $200,000 individually ($400,000 for joint returns). The bill modifies the tax code to add this deduction as a new line item, effective for tax years after enactment.

HR 3687 renews and enhances the Opportunity Zone program, which provides tax incentives for investments in designated low-income communities. The bill extends the program through 2033, increases tax benefits for rural Opportunity Zones (offering a 30% basis increase instead of 10%), and establishes new reporting requirements for Opportunity Zone funds and businesses. It also mandates annual Treasury reports tracking the program's economic impact, including job creation, poverty reduction, and other metrics to evaluate effectiveness.

The HOMES Act disallows tax deductions for interest and depreciation on single-family rental properties owned by large-scale investors. Specifically, it prohibits deductions for taxpayers owning 50 or more single-family rental properties (defined as properties with 4 or fewer units), effective for taxable years after enactment. Exceptions apply when such properties are sold to individuals for primary residence use or to qualified nonprofit housing organizations (like community land trusts or affordable housing nonprofits). The bill targets tax benefits currently available to institutional landlords, aiming to redirect incentives toward affordable housing solutions. These changes affect only large-scale rental property owners, not individual landlords or small investors.

HR 4274, the Remittance Expense Minimization and Integrity for Transfers Act (REMIT Act of 2025), requires the Treasury Secretary to certify to Congress before imposing any excise tax or fee on money transmitting businesses. This applies to both licensed services and informal transfer systems (IVTS), such as those used by diaspora communities. The certification must confirm the tax/fee won’t increase money laundering risks or impose undue burdens on businesses. The bill responds to findings that current regulations have pushed users toward unregulated IVTS, which criminal groups exploit for money laundering and terrorist financing. It aims to prevent new fees from inadvertently worsening financial crime while protecting legitimate remittance flows.

This bill creates a new Medicaid buy-in program allowing certain individuals to purchase Medicaid coverage starting January 1, 2026. It directly affects state residents who are not enrolled in other health insurance plans and meet income requirements, with premiums limited to 8.5% of household income. Key provisions include allowing individuals to use premium tax credits, providing states with enhanced federal funding (90% match) for administrative costs, and requiring states to update quality measures by 2030. The program would be structured similarly to private Marketplace insurance, with cost-sharing aligned with the Affordable Care Act. States would also be required to cover comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services as part of this Medicaid buy-in program.

# Summary of the Proposed Legislative Document This document outlines a comprehensive legislative proposal that amends and reauthorizes various environmental, weather, climate, and health-related programs. Key elements include: 1. **National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS)**: Establishes a new system within NOAA to reduce heat-related health risks, with a 5-year strategic plan and $5 million annual funding (2026-2030) for implementation. 2. **National Landslide Preparedness Act Reauthorization**: - Updates definitions to include "atmospheric river" and "extreme precipitation event" - Increases funding from $25 million to $35 million annually (with at least $10 million for landslide early warning systems) - Establishes regional partnerships with eligible organizations and institutions of higher education - Requires assessment of risks from atmospheric river flooding and extreme precipitation events 3. **Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Program**: - Creates a National-Level Incubator Program to develop new strategies for preventing, mitigating, and controlling harmful algal blooms - Increases funding for NOAA ($19.5 million annually) and EPA ($8 million annually) - Establishes an Action Strategy for harmful algal blooms to be updated every five years 4. **Other Key Provisions**: - Amends the Flood Level Observation, Operations, and Decision Support Act - Establishes an interagency committee to coordinate heat health activities across multiple federal departments - Creates an "unfunded priorities list" for Congress to identify critical needs not included in the budget - Includes provisions for meteorological observations in the Arctic region - Authorizes technical assistance for Pacific Island nations The legislation represents a significant expansion of NOAA's role in climate and weather-related research, public health protection, and disaster preparedness, with emphasis on cross-agency coordination, updated terminology reflecting current scientific understanding, and increased funding for critical programs.

This bill amends the WIC program to replace "drug abuse" with "substance use disorder" throughout its provisions, directly affecting WIC participants who may have substance use disorder. Key mechanisms include creating new nutrition education materials for pregnant individuals with substance use disorder and infants affected by prenatal exposure, establishing an online clearinghouse for these resources, and authorizing $1 million for fiscal year 2026. The changes aim to provide evidence-based, non-judgmental support through updated program materials and outreach. The bill specifically targets WIC participants impacted by substance use disorder, not broader population changes.

HR 4354 establishes the Agricultural Emergency Relief Act of 2025, creating a new program to provide payments to farmers who suffer crop losses due to specific disasters like droughts, wildfires, floods, or extreme weather. Farmers must apply for payments by documenting "qualified losses" (such as prevented planting, crop quality damage, or wildfire smoke exposure) and agree to purchase Federal Crop Insurance or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance coverage for the next two crop years. Payments are calculated based on either past insurance data or farm revenue, with limits set at $125,000-$900,000 per farmer depending on their average farm income level, and capped at 70-90% of documented losses. The program requires the Secretary of Agriculture to administer both insurance-based and revenue-based payment calculations simultaneously during each crop year. This relief applies to eligible producers (excluding joint ventures or general partnerships) who experienced qualifying disasters during the crop year.