Blogs

On June 9, the House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) bill in a party-line vote, 34 to 28. The bill covers funding for federal science and statistical agencies important to the population sciences, including the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), and National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Overall, the bill rejected numerous funding cuts and policy proposals that were included in the Administration’s FY 2027 budget. PAA is very grateful that the Committee rejected the Administration’s proposed cut to NIH and instead recommended that the agency receive an additional $100 million over its FY 2026 funding level. Likewise, PAA is pleased that the committee disregarded the Administration’s request to cut the BLS by approximately $40 million below its FY 2026 level and instead increased the agency to $716.5 million.

Not all agencies of interest to population scientists emerged from the mark up unscathed. Most notably, the bill proposes eliminating the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The bill also cuts NCES by 38%, only slightly less than the Administration’s proposed 44% cut. More information about the bill’s proposed funding levels is in the below table.

In addition to the funding recommendations, the LHHS bill was accompanied by a report that included language regarding NICHD-supported population research. Specifically, the language, on page 123, states:

Population Research—The Committee has commended NICHD for supporting a robust population dynamics research portfolio that includes the Population Dynamics Centers Research Infrastructure Program and prospective, population representative longitudinal studies, including the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Child Development Supplement and Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Data from these studies are used widely to inform research and training activities conducted by thousands of scientists at universities nationwide, including underserved institutions, and are heavily used by new and early-stage investigators, facilitating research to improve health and well-being across the lifespan. These investments support scientists’ ability to uncover how adverse events early in an individual’s life may influence the onset and course of chronic disease. As part of the fiscal year 2028 congressional justification, the Committee requests NICHD provide an update on how it is sustaining this area of research and collaborations with other ICs such as NIA to advance science on the influence of life course risk factors and how they could be mitigated to promote better health outcomes in infants, adolescents, and young adults.

PAA is extremely grateful to Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3), Ranking Member of the House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee, and also to Chairman of the House LHHS Subcommittee Robert Alderholt (R-AL-4) for including this language in the report.

Additional language in the report acknowledges the Committee’s concern over delays in NIH grant funding and "broad-based efforts to limit access to grant funds for some higher education institutions." Additionally, there was language added capping NIH multi-year funding at the agency’s FY 2025 levels.

It is not clear when the LHHS bill will be considered by the full House of Representatives. In addition, it is not clear when the Senate Appropriations Committee will consider its version of the FY 2027 LHHS appropriations bill. Ideally, both chambers would negotiate a final version of the LHHS bill and send to the President to sign into law before FY 2027 begins on October 1. However, it is not likely Congress, and the Administration, will agree on a final bill before that date, increasing the chances of a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open. 

#latest-news
#GPAC2026
#congressional-activities
#FederalFunding
#NIH