Budget & Taxes (Government Spending)

This bill, titled the End-of-Year Fiscal Responsibility Act, would limit how much money federal executive agencies can spend near the end of each fiscal year. It directly affects federal agencies that receive discretionary funding, restricting their spending in the two months before a fiscal year ends to no more than their average monthly spending over the previous 10 months. The law requires agencies to submit detailed reports to Congress and publish them online within 60 days after each fiscal year concludes. Certain spending for national security and disaster relief would be exempt from these limits.

The Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act of 2025 allows federal employees to receive cash awards of up to $20,000 for identifying spending their agency's Chief Financial Officer determines is not required for its intended purpose. Employees report potential wasteful expenses to their agency's Chief Financial Officer, who verifies if the spending qualifies under the new definition (funds not needed for their original purpose). If approved, the agency head can award the employee, and agencies must publicly report on these disclosures and awards. The Office of Personnel Management will monitor compliance, and the Comptroller General will report on the program's operation every three years.

HR 869, the Keep Our PACT Act, mandates specific annual funding levels for two key education programs: Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). For Title I, it requires funding in fiscal years 2026-2035 that equals the difference between the 2025 funding level and set annual dollar targets (e.g., $20.5 billion for 2026). For IDEA, it sets mandatory annual funding levels that gradually increase to reach 40% of the national average per-pupil expenditure for students with disabilities by 2035. The bill directly affects public school districts and students, particularly those with disabilities, by guaranteeing these funding levels rather than relying on annual appropriations.

The GORAC Act of 2025 requires the government's watchdog office (Comptroller General) to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of federal agencies and programs every 10 years, starting within one year of the bill's enactment. A non-Federal auditor will identify duplicative, wasteful, or outdated programs - recommending consolidation of agencies with identical functions or elimination of those that wasted funds, completed their purpose, or failed to meet goals. Any savings from these changes must be used to reduce the national debt, and affected federal employees must be offered relocation assistance within government positions. The bill applies broadly to most federal agencies and programs (excluding military installations and pure entitlement programs), with Congress required to consider implementation bills based on the auditor's recommendations within 15 days of submission.

This bill requires federal agencies to provide detailed information about payments they authorize, including the purpose, funding source, and activity type. It mandates agencies to verify bank account information before payments are made and gives the Treasury Department access to the National Directory of New Hires, tax information, and Social Security data to help identify and prevent improper payments. Agencies must periodically verify payment information accuracy and report on payments exempt from these requirements due to sensitive operations. These provisions apply to all federal agencies using Treasury disbursement systems, aiming to improve government spending efficiency through better data sharing and verification processes.

The LEDGER Act (HR 4091) requires the Treasury Department to create a system tracking every government payment within 180 days of enactment. It mandates that all federal departments, agencies, and branches (executive, legislative, judicial) must report disbursements from every funding source, including how long funds remain available for spending. This system will detail each payment's origin, recipient, and timing across all government accounts. The bill directly affects all federal spending entities by standardizing expenditure tracking previously handled inconsistently.

# 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.

This bill modifies federal budget rules for unspent agency funds. It requires federal agencies to allocate 49% of unused funds to the next fiscal year, 49% toward paying the national debt, and 2% for retention bonuses (capped at 10% of an employee's base pay). Agencies must also limit future budget requests to the previous year's amount adjusted for inflation. The bill directly affects all executive branch agencies (excluding the Red Cross), altering how they manage leftover budget authority. It does not create new savings programs for individuals but changes government fiscal management procedures.

This bill creates a 6-year Medicare pilot program providing medically tailored home-delivered meals and nutrition counseling to specific high-risk Medicare patients after hospital discharge. It targets individuals with diet-impacted conditions (like diabetes or heart failure) who live at home, have limited mobility, and are at high risk of hospital readmission. Selected hospitals must meet quality standards, screen patients using approved tools, and deliver at least two meals daily meeting nutritional needs while respecting cultural/religious dietary requirements, all without patient cost-sharing. The program requires hospitals to submit data for the Secretary to evaluate health outcomes, readmission rates, and cost savings compared to non-participants. Funding comes from the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund, offset by reductions to other hospital payments to maintain budget neutrality.

This bill ensures FEMA can continue disaster relief operations during government funding gaps by authorizing the agency to use existing Disaster Relief Fund balances. It allows FEMA to process claims and payments for both current and future disasters (including individual and public assistance) without interruption, while maintaining necessary staff and contracts. The bill prohibits diverting Disaster Relief Fund money during shutdowns (except for mandatory legal requirements) and explicitly designates FEMA operations as "essential" under the Anti-Deficiency Act to protect life and property. It directly affects disaster victims by preventing aid delays during budget disputes.