Senate (71–29) and House (217–214) pass FY2026 Labor-HHS appropriations, restoring NIH to $47.22B and reversing RFK Jr. cuts

Congress enacted the FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act in a rare bipartisan vote — 71–29 in the Senate on January 30, including 42 Republicans, and 217–214 in the House on February 3, 2026. The law restored NIH funding to $47.22 billion (a $415 million increase over the Senate bill), fully funded CDC programs that RFK Jr.'s restructuring had targeted, and added an explicit 60-day congressional notification requirement before any future HHS reorganization could take effect. The legislation directly rejected the president's proposed 40% NIH cut and $3.6 billion CDC reduction.