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The Institutes and Centers of the National Institutes of Health receive an increase of $301 million in budget authority for a new total of $47.216 billion in FY 2026, a figure that stands in sharp contradiction to the severe cuts recommended in the Administration’s request. Additionally, ARPA-H is to receive $1.5 billion.

Of the nearly $7 billion in the FY 2026 appropriations bill working its way through Congress for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, 51.7% is slated for “economic development initiatives (EDIs)” designated by members of Congress outside of any competitive process or assessment of need. The Community Development Block Grant program captures most of the rest of the funding at $3.3 billion. Separately, the Native American/Indian community block grant program is to receive $100 million.

With report language in the final budget package for FY 2026, Congress continues to thwart some of the administration’s efforts to shrink government operations and spending by fiat. In the Department of Transportation’s section, projects cannot be terminated without following established federal financial assistance regulations and established agency protocols. DOT must also inform Congress of how it will address the substantial backlog of projects, particularly of “awarded but not obligated competitive grant and community project funding.” This includes previously passed congressionally directed spending projects (earmarks) that the agency has not awarded, which is certainly one way to antagonize appropriators. Additionally, any “reprogramming requests must be submitted to the Committees on Appropriations no later than June 30, 2026.”