Senate appropriations bill boosts ID funding, falls short on workforce needs

The Senate FY 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill provides level funding with FY 2025 to maintain some key domestic and global infectious diseases programs, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. IDSA is encouraged that the committee members heeded calls from IDSA members and other organizations and included language throughout the legislation imploring the Administration to maintain enough staff to support agency and program responsibilities in light of the extensive layoffs of federal employees, requiring 180-day notice to Congress for NIH restructuring or reorganizing, prohibiting the Administration from changing NIH's facilities and administrative or indirect cost reimbursement, and directing NIH to allow reimbursements with research partners abroad for certain conditions, including HIV and ID. 

While IDSA appreciates these investments and important guidance, we are very disappointed that the LHHS funding measure did not provide funding for the Bio-Preparedness Workforce Pilot Program at the Health Resources and Services Administration, a bipartisan effort to close growing ID workforce gaps that endanger patient care, public health and preparedness.  

Information on funding for HIV programs can be found here.

Additional details on the funding levels for specific agencies and programs in the appropriations bills are below. The House Appropriations Committee is expected to consider its health funding bill in September, and then the House, Senate and Administration may attempt to negotiate final funding legislation later this year. IDSA continues to urge Congress to provide sufficient funding in FY 2026 for ID programs. 

Senate Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill

• $47.201 billion in overall funding for the National Institutes of Health, a $400 million increase over FY 2025
  
  
• $9.150 billion in overall funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a $50 million decrease from FY 2025 funding
• $197 million for CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative, level with FY 2025
  
  
• $6.592 billion for NIAID at NIH, a $30 million increase over FY 2025; this includes $565 million for antimicrobial resistance research, also level with FY 2025
  
  
• $1.015 billion for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, a $40 million increase over FY 2025
  
  
• $692.843 million for the Center for Global Health, the same as FY 2025, including level funding of $128.9 million for global HIV/AIDS funding
  
  
• $24 million in funding for the National Healthcare Safety Network at CDC, level funding
  
  
• $40 million in funding for the Advanced Molecular Detection initiative at CDC, level funding
  
  
• $23 million for infectious diseases and opioid activities at CDC, level funding
  
  
• $95.162 million for NIH’s Fogarty International Center, level funding
  
  
• $682 million for CDC’s Immunizations Program, level with FY 2025  

About IDSA
The Infectious Diseases Society of America is a global community of 13,000-plus clinicians, scientists and public health experts working together to solve humanity’s smallest and greatest challenges, from tiny microbes to global outbreaks. Rooted in science, committed to health equity and driven by curiosity, our compassionate and knowledgeable members safeguard the health of individuals, our communities and the world by advancing the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. Visit idsociety.org to learn more.