Division B — DEPARTMENTS OF LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, AND EDUCATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
Division Overview
1. Overview
Division B funds the Departments of Labor (DoL), Health and Human Services (HHS), Education (DoE), and related agencies (such as the Social Security Administration, Corporation for National and Community Service, and others) for fiscal year 2026. Its primary purpose is to support workforce training and employment services, public health programs and medical research, K-12 and higher education initiatives, social welfare benefits, disability services, and related administrative functions.
2. Total Spending
The total appropriation amount for the entire division is not discernible as a single aggregated figure from the text.
3. Key Funding Areas
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Training and Employment Services: $3.98 billion — grants to states for adult, youth, and dislocated worker training, plus national programs like apprenticeships and YouthBuild.
- Job Corps: $1.76 billion — operations, construction, and administration of residential training centers for at-risk youth.
- State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Operations: $4.00 billion (from trust fund) + $74 million — state grants for unemployment administration, reemployment services, and employment services under Wagner-Peyser Act.
- Primary Health Care (HRSA): $1.86 billion — community health centers, National Health Service Corps, and Native Hawaiian health programs.
- Health Workforce (HRSA): $1.41 billion — scholarships, loan repayments, and training for doctors, nurses, and other providers.
- NIH National Cancer Institute: $7.35 billion — cancer research and facilities.
- Special Education (IDEA): $15.49 billion — grants to states for educating children with disabilities.
- Student Financial Assistance (Pell Grants): $24.62 billion — need-based grants for low-income college students.
- Medicaid Grants to States: $508.15 billion (plus advance payments) — federal matching funds for state Medicaid programs.
- Payments to Health Care Trust Funds (Medicare): $593.82 billion — hospital insurance and supplementary medical insurance.
4. Notable Provisions
- Labor flexibility for outlying areas: States like Puerto Rico can submit consolidated WIOA grant applications without standard formula restrictions.
- OSHA restrictions: No funds for enforcing standards on small farms (≤10 employees, no temp labor camps) or low-hazard small businesses, except for complaints, imminent dangers, or fatalities.
- H-2B visa changes: Flexibility for seafood industry employers to bring workers over 120 days; prevailing wage based on employer pay or surveys.
- Job Corps property sales: Allows sale of Treasure Island and Gary centers, with proceeds for new facilities.
- NIH multiyear awards: Extends prior-year funding for ongoing grants.
- HHS telehealth and rural aid: Funds for telehealth advancement and rural hospital payments.
- Transfer authorities: Up to 1% across most accounts (3% cap per account); specific flexibilities for evaluations and IT.
- Rescissions: $206 million from immigration fees; $1.83 billion from HHS nonrecurring fund; ARP balances.
5. Who Benefits
Primary beneficiaries include unemployed and dislocated workers, youth and apprentices, older Americans seeking employment, veterans, migrant farmworkers, Native Americans, Job Corps participants, low-income families via Medicaid/CHIP, students via Pell grants and special education, rural hospitals and communities, people with disabilities, public health efforts against diseases, medical researchers, and unaccompanied migrant children through refugee assistance.
6. Plain English Summary
This chunk of the big spending bill—about $1.7 trillion overall, though not totaled here—pays for job training so folks out of work can learn new skills, runs Job Corps camps for troubled teens, funds unemployment offices, boosts health clinics for the poor and rural areas, pours billions into cancer research and NIH labs, covers Medicaid for low-income health care, hands out Pell Grants for college tuition, and supports special ed for kids with disabilities. It also keeps Social Security checks going, helps refugees and homeless youth, and adds rules like no OSHA rules for tiny farms and tweaks for guest worker visas—basically keeping America working, healthy, educated, and safe without big new programs.
Titles
1. Title Summary
Title I appropriates funds for the Department of Labor, primarily supporting the Employment and Training Administration's Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) programs, Job Corps, unemployment insurance operations, veterans' employment services, worker protection agencies (e.g., Wage and Hour Division, OSHA, MSHA), Bureau of Labor Statistics, and departmental management. Key focus areas include adult/youth/dislocated worker training ($2.92B), national programs like apprenticeships and YouthBuild ($1.06B), Job Corps operations ($1.76B), and administrative costs across bureaus.
2. Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Training and Employment Services (WIOA) | $3,981,588,000 + reimbursements | Grants to states for adult ($875.6M), youth ($948.1M), dislocated workers ($1.1B); national programs including dislocated worker reserve ($300.9M), Native American ($62.5M), migrant farmworker ($97.4M), YouthBuild ($105M), ex-offenders ($110M), apprenticeships ($285M), pilots ($95.5M). |
| Job Corps | $1,760,155,000 + reimbursements | Operations ($1.60B), construction/rehab ($123M), admin ($33.8M). |
| Community Service Employment for Older Americans | $395,000,000 | Title V of Older Americans Act. |
| Federal Unemployment Benefits and Allowances | $50,300,000 | Trade adjustment assistance payments/training. |
| State Unemployment Insurance and Employment Service Operations | $74,306,000 + $4,000,584,000 from Trust Fund | UI admin ($3.23B from Trust Fund), employment services ($675M), foreign labor certs ($84.8M from Trust Fund). |
| Veterans’ Employment and Training Service | $269,841,000 from Trust Fund + $65,500,000 General Fund | Jobs for Veterans grants ($185M), Transition Assistance ($34.4M), homeless veterans ($65.5M). |
| Employee Benefits Security Administration | $191,100,000 | Enforcement/litigation. |
| Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Fund | $494,264,000 (admin limit; scalable) | Pension insurance admin/expenses. |
| Wage and Hour Division | $260,000,000 | Wage enforcement/reimbursements. |
| Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (Salaries/Expenses) | $120,500,000 + $2,205,000 Special Fund | Compensation processing. |
| Special Benefits (OWCP) | $1,298,385,000 | Federal employee compensation fund. |
| Occupational Safety and Health Administration | $629,309,000 | Enforcement ($243M), state grants ($120M), training. |
| Mine Safety and Health Administration | $387,816,000 | Inspections, state grants ($10.5M). |
| Bureau of Labor Statistics | $640,500,000 + $68M from Trust Fund | Data collection/analysis. |
| Departmental Management (Salaries/Expenses) | $362,877,000 + $308,000 Trust Fund | International Labor Affairs ($116M), Women's Bureau ($23M). |
3. Notable Sections
- Restrictions: OSHA funds cannot enforce standards on small farms (<11 employees, no temp labor camp) or low-DART-rate small employers (except complaints/imminent dangers); no meal services at Job Corps from other funds (Job Corps proviso); salary caps at Exec Level II for Job Corps/ETA recipients.
- Flexibilities/Transfers: Up to 1% transfers across DOL discretionary funds (Sec. 102); 0.5-0.75% for program integrity/evaluations (Secs. 106-107); Job Corps construction transfer up to 15%.
- H-2B Provisions: Seafood industry flexibility for worker entry over 120 days with new labor market test (Sec. 109); prevailing wage uses private surveys (Sec. 110); no enforcement of certain H-2B rules (Sec. 111).
- New Authority: DOL Secretary may employ law enforcement for protection (Sec. 113); dispose of specific Job Corps properties without standard rules (Sec. 114).
- Rescission: $206M from immigration fees (Sec. 116).
4. Plain English
This title provides billions to train workers, run Job Corps centers, administer unemployment benefits, enforce safety/wage laws, and support veterans and older Americans seeking jobs.
Title Summary
Title II appropriates funds for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), primarily supporting the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for primary care, health workforce development, maternal/child health, Ryan White HIV/AIDS programs, rural health, and family planning; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for immunization, infectious disease prevention, chronic disease control, and public health infrastructure; and National Institutes of Health (NIH) for biomedical research across 27 institutes and centers. It also funds Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for mental health and addiction treatment; Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for Medicaid grants and Medicare trust fund payments; Administration for Children and Families (ACF) for child welfare, refugee assistance, child care, and Head Start; Administration for Community Living (ACL) for aging/disability services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) for medical countermeasures; and HHS departmental management.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| HRSA Primary Health Care | $1,858,772,000 | Titles II/III PHS Act primary health care, Native Hawaiian Health Care Act; includes set-asides for sec. 224(o) ($1M) and subsections (g)-(n),(q) ($120M) |
| HRSA Health Workforce | $1,413,776,000 | Titles III/VII/VIII PHS Act health workforce, NHSC loan repayment, nurse practitioner fellowships, pediatric specialty loan repayment |
| HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program | $2,571,041,000 | Title XXVI PHS Act HIV/AIDS care, ADAP, Ending the HIV Epidemic |
| HRSA Rural Health | $392,907,000 + $25,000,000 | Titles III/IV PHS Act rural health, flexibility grants, small rural hospital improvement; additional for eligible small hospitals |
| HRSA Family Planning | $286,479,000 | Title X PHS Act voluntary family planning (no abortion funding) |
| CDC HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, TB Prevention | $1,384,056,000 | Titles II/III/XVII/XXIII PHS Act disease prevention |
| CDC Public Health Preparedness and Response | $913,200,000 | Titles II/III/XVII/XXVIII PHS Act preparedness, countering CBRN threats |
| NIH National Cancer Institute | $7,352,159,000 | Sec. 301/title IV PHS Act cancer research |
| NIH National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases | $6,585,279,000 | Sec. 301/title IV PHS Act; ≥$270M universal flu vaccines |
| NIH Office of the Director | $2,462,914,000 | NIH responsibilities, Common Fund ($572M), ECHO study ($180M) |
| NIH Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health | $1,500,000,000 | Sec. 301/part J title IV PHS Act advanced health projects |
| SAMHSA Mental Health | $2,790,407,000 | Titles III/V/XIX PHS Act; block grants, CCBHCs ($385.5M) |
| SAMHSA Substance Abuse Treatment | $4,091,098,000 | Titles III/V/XIX PHS Act; Cures Act State Opioid Response ($1.595B) |
| CMS Grants to States for Medicaid | $508,148,791,000 (+ FY2027 Q1 $316.5B) | Titles XI/XIX Social Security Act |
| CMS Payments to Health Care Trust Funds | $593,817,000,000 | Medicare Hospital/Supplementary Insurance Trust Funds |
| ACF Children and Families Services Programs | $14,923,390,000 | Head Start ($12.36B), CSBG ($810M), family violence, child abuse prevention |
| ACF Refugee and Entrant Assistance | $5,163,956,000 | Immigration/Refugee Acts unaccompanied children, trafficking victims |
| ACL Aging and Disability Services Programs | $2,453,737,000 | Older Americans Act, developmental disabilities, assistive technology |
| ASPR Research, Development, Procurement | $3,207,991,000 | Title III/XXVIII PHS Act medical countermeasures (e.g., $1B stockpile, $850M security countermeasures) |
Notable Sections
- Restrictions: Family planning funds ($286M) prohibit abortion funding/expenditures and require nondirective counseling (HRSA); no funds for PHS Act sec. 340G-1 or gun control advocacy (Secs. 210, general provisos); Title X providers must report child abuse (Sec. 208).
- Waivers/Flexibilities: HRSA health workforce waives certain PHS Act requirements (e.g., sec. 751); rural health includes $25M direct payments to small hospitals; NIH allows multiyear awards continuation (Sec. 240).
- Set-asides/Congressionally Directed: HRSA-wide ($858M), SAMHSA health surveillance ($54M), ACF children/families ($41M), ACL ($14M) for specific projects exempt from PHS Act sec. 241; NHSC ≥13% for Indian Health facilities.
- New/Emergency: ASPR pandemic flu ($308M); CMS fraud/abuse control ($941M, including $35M Senior Medicare Patrol); refugee assistance trigger for unaccompanied children influx (>16K/month adds $15M/500 children).
- Reporting/ Oversight: Monthly unaccompanied children reports (Secs. 231-234); NIH harassment investigation requirements (Sec. 238); CDC reorganization plan required (Sec. 239).
Plain English
This title allocates over $1.3 trillion (mostly mandatory for Medicare/Medicaid) to HHS for healthcare access, disease prevention, medical research, addiction/mental health treatment, child/family support, and emergency preparedness, sustaining programs that serve millions of Americans.
Title Summary
Title III appropriates approximately $80 billion for the Department of Education in FY 2026, primarily funding K-12 programs under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Pell Grants and student aid, career/technical education, higher education institutions, and departmental operations. Key offices include Elementary and Secondary Education, Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Federal Student Aid, Postsecondary Education, and the Institute of Education Sciences. Funds support disadvantaged students, English learners, students with disabilities, homeless youth, tribal schools, and HBCUs, with many allocations available starting July 1, 2026, for the 2026-2027 academic year.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Education for the Disadvantaged (Office of Elementary and Secondary Education) | $19,127,790,000 | Title I ESEA basic ($6.46B), concentration ($1.36B), targeted ($5.3B), and incentive grants ($5.3B); title II-B ($224M); HEA 418A ($52M); portions available July/Oct 2026 |
| Impact Aid | $1,630,151,000 | Basic support ($1.48B), disabilities ($49M), construction ($19M), property payments ($80M), maintenance ($4.8M) for federally affected schools |
| School Improvement Programs | $5,781,178,000 | Title II-A ($2.19B), I-B ($380M), IV-B ($1.33B), VI-B/C ($91M), V-B ($225M), IV-A ($1.38B), McKinney-Vento ($129M); portions available July/Oct 2026 |
| Indian Education | $196,746,000 | ESEA title VI-A subparts 2 ($72M) and 3 ($14M) |
| Innovation and Improvement | $1,191,147,000 | ESEA title II-B, IV-C/D/E/F; per explanatory statement table |
| Safe Schools and Citizenship Education | $431,000,000 | ESEA title IV-F subparts 2/3 (e.g., 4631 $190M, 4625 $150M, 4624 $91M) |
| English Language Acquisition | $890,000,000 | ESEA title III-A; available July 2026 (6.5% Oct 2025) |
| Special Education (IDEA) | $15,490,264,000 | Grants for states/local agencies; portions available July/Oct 2026 |
| Rehabilitation Services | $4,648,295,000 | Vocational rehab grants ($4.5B); post-reallotment for employment/TA |
| Special Institutions: American Printing House for the Blind | $43,431,000 | Educational materials for blind students |
| National Technical Institute for the Deaf | $92,500,000 | Postsecondary programs |
| Gallaudet University | $167,361,000 | Deaf schools/university support; $15M construction |
| Career, Technical, and Adult Education | $2,181,436,000 | Perkins Act/AEFLA; portions available July/Oct 2026 |
| Student Financial Assistance | $24,615,352,000 | Pell Grants subpart 1 ($22.5B), 3 ($910M), work-study ($1.23B); max Pell $6,335 |
| Student Aid Administration | $2,058,943,000 | Federal student loan servicing/admin |
| Higher Education | $3,265,598,000 | HEA titles II-VIII; aid for institutions ($493M title III-A/V, $529M III-B) |
| Howard University | $254,018,000 | Operations; $3.4M endowment |
| HBCU Capital Financing Program | $20,150,000 (+ $528,000 admin) | Loan guarantees up to $500M principal |
| Institute of Education Sciences | $789,606,000 | Research/assessment per explanatory statement |
| Departmental Management: Program Administration | $399,407,000 | Operations |
| Office for Civil Rights | $140,000,000 | Enforcement |
| Office of Inspector General | $67,500,000 | Oversight |
Notable Sections
- Restrictions: Sec. 301 prohibits funds for preventing voluntary prayer/meditation in public schools; Program Administration bars Budget Service reorganization or excess non-career staff; Student Aid Administration mandates multi-servicer loan environment with performance-based allocation and monthly reporting.
- Flexibilities/Transfers: Sec. 302 allows 1% transfers (max 3% increase); Sec. 309 enables Program Administration-to-IES support transfers; rehabilitation funds post-reallotment for employment innovation.
- Rescissions: Sec. 310 rescinds $160M from Nonrecurring Expenses Fund (up to $60M transferable to Innovation); Sec. 311 rescinds $25M from IES.
- Formula/Eligibility Changes: Impact Aid extends eligibility for military children; Special Education allows multi-year reductions for non-compliance, data improvements; English Learners/Homeless extend availability.
- Pell Maximum: Set at $6,335 for 2026-2027.
Plain English
This title provides federal funding for public schools to support low-income and disadvantaged K-12 students, special education, English learners, college Pell Grants up to $6,335, and vocational training, helping ensure access to education for millions of American students.
Title Summary
Title IV funds independent agencies and commissions supporting community service, labor relations, occupational safety, museums and libraries, health payment advisory bodies, disability councils, railroad retirement, and Social Security programs. Key recipients include the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS/AmeriCorps), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Railroad Retirement Board, Social Security Administration (SSA), and others such as the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service and Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled—Salaries and Expenses | $13,124,000 | Operations, with no less than $3,150,000 for Office of Inspector General |
| CNCS—Operating Expenses | $975,525,000 | Grants and activities under 1973 and 1990 Acts per explanatory statement table |
| CNCS—Payment to the National Service Trust (including transfers) | $180,000,000 | Education awards for national service participants, available until expended |
| CNCS—Salaries and Expenses | $89,686,000 | Administration under 1973 and 1990 Acts |
| CNCS—Office of Inspector General | $8,595,000 | Oversight activities |
| Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service—Salaries and Expenses | $48,705,000 | Labor-management mediation, training fees credited to account |
| Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission—Salaries and Expenses | $18,012,000 | Commission operations |
| Institute of Museum and Library Services—Office of Museum and Library Services: Grants and Administration | $291,800,000 | Grants per explanatory statement table |
| Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission—Salaries and Expenses | $9,405,000 | Advisory functions under Social Security Act |
| Medicare Payment Advisory Commission—Salaries and Expenses | $14,673,000 | Advisory functions, transferred from trust funds |
| National Council on Disability—Salaries and Expenses | $3,850,000 | Operations under Rehabilitation Act |
| National Labor Relations Board—Salaries and Expenses | $294,224,000 | Labor relations functions, excluding agricultural laborers |
| National Mediation Board—Salaries and Expenses | $15,113,000 | Railway Labor Act functions |
| Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission—Salaries and Expenses | $14,449,000 | Commission operations |
| Railroad Retirement Board—Dual Benefits Payments Account | $5,000,000 | Dual benefits payments |
| Railroad Retirement Board—Federal Payments to the Railroad Retirement Accounts | $150,000 | Interest on unnegotiated checks, available through FY2027 |
| Railroad Retirement Board—Limitation on Administration | $127,000,000 | Administrative expenses |
| Railroad Retirement Board—Limitation on the Office of Inspector General | $14,000,000 | Oversight activities |
| SSA—Payments to Social Security Trust Funds | $15,000,000 | Transfers under Social Security Act |
| SSA—Supplemental Security Income Program | $49,452,282,000 (+ $23,500,000,000 for FY2027 Q1) | SSI benefits, research/demonstrations up to $91,000,000 |
| SSA—Limitation on Administrative Expenses | $14,671,978,000 (+ $170,000,000 from fees + $1,000,000 from other fees) | Operations, IT infrastructure, disability reviews ($2,397,000,000) |
| SSA—Office of Inspector General (including transfers) | $32,000,000 (+ up to $82,665,000 from trust funds) | Oversight, with $2,000,000 for IT modernization |
Notable Sections
- Requires written agreements with central nonprofit agencies for the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled, prohibiting fees without agreement (provisos under Salaries and Expenses).
- CNCS funding allocated per explanatory statement table; mandates grant award deadlines (April 1 and June 1, 2026), public rulemaking for changes (Sec. 401), 24% minimum match for AmeriCorps grants (Sec. 402), and pro-rated awards for early exits due to funding lapses (Sec. 408).
- Prohibits NLRB from using funds for new directives on electronic voting in union elections (Sec. 409).
- SSA allows IT carryover from unobligated balances and transfers for disability investigations; imposes reporting on disability review spending.
Plain English
This title provides funding for community volunteering through AmeriCorps, labor dispute mediation, museum/library grants, Social Security and SSI benefits, railroad retiree payments, and oversight of workplace safety and health programs.
Title Summary
Title V contains general administrative provisions, restrictions, and reporting requirements applicable to all appropriations in Division B (Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies). It authorizes limited funds for official receptions by the Departments of Labor and Education and related entities, imposes spending prohibitions (e.g., on abortions, embryo-destructive research), and includes rescissions of prior unobligated balances. No new programs are funded; it primarily governs fund use and accountability.
Spending Breakdown
| Line Item | Amount | Purpose |
| Sec. 504 (DOL Salaries and Expenses) | $28,000 | Official reception and representation expenses |
| Sec. 504 (ED Titles I/III) | $20,000 | Official reception and representation expenses |
| Sec. 504 (Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service) | $5,000 | Official reception and representation expenses |
| Sec. 504 (National Mediation Board) | $5,000 | Official reception and representation expenses |
| Sec. 527 (Child Enrollment Contingency Fund) | -$12,340,000,000 | Unavailable for obligation this fiscal year |
| Sec. 528 (PL 117-169 sec. 10301(1)(A)(iii)) | -$11,661,000,000 | Rescission of unobligated balances |
| Sec. 530 (PL 117-2 various sections) | -$2,000,000,000 | Rescission of unobligated balances |
Notable Sections
- Sec. 501: Authorizes Secretaries of Labor, HHS, and Education to transfer prior unexpended balances to current accounts for same purposes.
- Secs. 506-507: Prohibits funds for abortions or health coverage including abortion (with exceptions for rape, incest, or life-endangering conditions); bars discrimination against health entities refusing abortion services.
- Sec. 508: Bans funds for creating or destroying human embryos for research.
- Sec. 503: Restricts use of funds for propaganda, lobbying, or promoting tax increases/gun control.
- Sec. 514: Limits reprogramming of funds without congressional notification (e.g., no new programs or >$500,000/10% shifts without 15-day consultation).
- Secs. 516-517, 523-524: Requires operating plans, quarterly reports on non-competitive awards >$500,000, balance reports, and 3-day notice for grants.
- Sec. 525: Bans funds for sterile needles/syringes for illegal drug injection (with exception for HIV/hepatitis outbreaks).
- Secs. 528, 530: Rescinds $11.661 billion (from Inflation Reduction Act) and $2 billion (from American Rescue Plan Act).
Plain English
This title imposes rules limiting how agencies like Labor, HHS, and Education can spend appropriated funds, bans using them for abortions or embryo research (with narrow exceptions), requires transparency on grants and balances, and cancels billions in unspent prior COVID/climate funds.