Budget & Taxes (Appropriations)

This resolution directs the House of Representatives to accept a Senate amendment to a 2026 federal spending bill and to add a specific amendment from the House Rules Committee. It is a procedural step that moves the legislation forward by formally combining the House and Senate versions of the appropriations bill. The bill itself provides funding for various government programs and operations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. This action does not change the actual spending amounts but ensures both chambers agree on the final text before it can become law.

HR 506, the "Security First Act," allocates $110 million annually (2025-2028) for border security grants to state/local law enforcement through the Operation Stonegarden program, funded by a new trust fund using seized monetary instruments at the border. It requires the State Department to assess whether major Mexican cartels (like Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation) and gangs (like Tren de Aragua) meet criteria for foreign terrorist organization designation. The bill mandates a detailed technology needs analysis by DHS within one year, evaluating border security tech gaps, new surveillance systems, and infrastructure to address threats like drug trafficking and human smuggling. This analysis must be updated biannually and includes assessing privacy impacts, staffing needs, and coordination with Mexican law enforcement.

This bill, titled the Balanced Budget Responsibility Act of 2026, would give the President the authority to reduce government spending to eliminate a projected budget deficit. It allows the President to decline to spend certain discretionary funds, excluding Medicare and Social Security benefits, if a deficit is anticipated for a fiscal year. The decision to withhold these funds would be made in consultation with the Treasury Secretary and the Office of Management and Budget. This provision would operate outside the usual rules governing how the President handles unspent government funds.

This bill requires federal agencies and recipients of taxpayer money to clearly state the percentage and dollar amount of federal funding used for any project in public communications like press releases and bid solicitations. It applies to all programs, projects, or activities supported by federal funds, with the exception of very short messages under 280 characters. The law also mandates annual compliance reviews by the Office of Management and Budget and establishes a public reporting system for anonymous complaints about noncompliance. These requirements aim to increase transparency about how taxpayer dollars are allocated across government initiatives.

The Prevent Government Shutdowns Act of 2025 would prevent government shutdowns by automatically continuing funding for federal programs at previous year's levels if Congress fails to pass regular appropriations bills. If a lapse in appropriations occurs, the bill would provide automatic funding for 14 days, extendable for additional 14-day periods until a new appropriations bill is enacted, with funds charged to the appropriate account once legislation is passed. The bill also restricts official travel for certain government employees and congressional staff during a lapse, with limited exceptions for returning to Washington, D.C. or responding to national security events. It establishes procedures requiring Congress to prioritize appropriations legislation during a funding gap and would take effect on September 30, 2025.

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.

This bill, titled the Fund CISA Personnel Act of 2026, provides emergency funding to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to pay its employees during a federal government shutdown. It authorizes the agency to use Treasury funds to cover standard pay, benefits, and allowances for CISA staff when regular appropriations are not available, ensuring critical cybersecurity functions continue without interruption. The funding is temporary and will end when new appropriations are passed or by September 30, 2026, whichever comes first. The bill also includes provisions to prevent double payment to employees and ensures that costs incurred under this emergency funding are later charged to the appropriate permanent budget accounts.

This bill, known as the Pay FEMA Personnel Act of 2026, provides emergency funding to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to ensure its employees receive regular pay and benefits during a government shutdown. It authorizes the use of Treasury funds to cover salaries, allowances, and benefits for FEMA staff required to manage disaster relief operations and administer federal grant programs. The funding remains available until new appropriations are passed, a regular appropriations bill is enacted, or September 30, 2026, whichever comes first. The legislation also clarifies that this funding does not prevent FEMA from distributing grant money to eligible recipients.

This bill provides temporary funding to ensure Transportation Security Administration employees receive their regular pay, benefits, and allowances during a potential government funding gap in fiscal year 2026. It allows the agency to use Treasury funds to cover salaries and benefits starting February 14, 2026, until a full-year budget is passed or the fiscal year ends on September 30, 2026. The legislation prevents employees from receiving duplicate payments by restricting these funds to periods when no other pay sources are available and requires any costs to be transferred to the permanent budget once enacted. The bill takes effect retroactively as if it were passed on February 13, 2026, to cover the initial days of the potential funding lapse.

# Summary of the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 This is a comprehensive federal appropriations bill that allocates funding for multiple government agencies, with significant restrictions on how those funds may be used. The bill is structured into four main titles: ## Key Components 1. **Title I: Health and Human Services Appropriations** - Contains detailed funding allocations for: - Public health programs - Social Security Administration - Medicaid and CHIP programs - Various health research and services - Specific restrictions on abortion funding (sections 506-508) 2. **Title II: Department of Education Appropriations** - Funds for: - Higher education programs - K-12 education initiatives - Career and technical education - Student financial assistance - Prohibitions on certain gender-related policies (section 312) 3. **Title III: Related Agencies** - Includes funding for: - Corporation for National and Community Service ("America First Corps") - Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled - Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service - Various other independent agencies 4. **Title IV: General Provisions** - Contains numerous restrictions on fund usage, including: ## Notable Restrictions and Prohibitions - **Abortion restrictions** (sections 506-508): Prohibits funding for abortions except in cases of rape, incest, or life endangerment - **Research restrictions** (section 508): Bans funding for human embryo research - **Prohibitions on Critical Race Theory** (section 534): Bans funding for programs promoting Critical Race Theory - **Restrictions on diversity initiatives** (section 535): Prohibits funding for programs teaching concepts related to systemic racism - **Executive order prohibitions** (sections 532-533): Prohibits implementation of various climate-related executive orders - **Restrictions on transgender policies** (section 311): Prohibits funds for educational institutions allowing males to participate in women's athletic programs - **Restrictions on certain international collaborations** (sections 537, 540): Prohibits funding for certain Chinese research institutions - **Prohibitions on certain technology procurement** (section 541): Bans purchasing from companies with Chinese ownership stakes The bill also includes: - Rescission of $12.8 billion from the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund (section 528) - Rescission of $183 million from various American Rescue Plan Act funds (section 529) - Specific requirements for reporting on fund usage and contract awards - Restrictions on flag display at federal facilities (section 531) This appropriations bill represents a highly restrictive approach to federal funding, with numerous specific limitations on how money can be spent across multiple government agencies.