| Abstract: |
This report provides an overview of FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations, including relevant congressional actions and a topline comparison of discretionary funding enacted in FY2024 and FY2025 versus relevant FY2026 congressional proposals, as of the cover date of this report. It also provides background on the scope of the bill and context for congressional budgetary decision-making. The LHHS bill is the largest of the 12 annual appropriations bills, in terms of appropriated funds, when accounting for both mandatory and discretionary funding ($1.4 trillion in FY2024). In general, mandatory funding represents more than 80% of the total LHHS bill, supporting annually appropriated entitlements such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Discretionary funds, which account for less than 20% of total funds in the bill, tend to be the focus of congressional debate during the appropriations process. This is because the appropriations process generally has little control over the amount of mandatory funding provided for appropriated entitlements; rather, the authorizing statute controls the program parameters (e.g., eligibility rules, benefit levels) that entitle certain recipients to payments. Consequently, the focus of this report generally is on the discretionary spending for LHHS programs and activities under various laws and proposals. |