This article was updated Aug. 12 to provide additional details about U.S. Senate-proposed NIH funding, and highlight a new Trump administration executive order regarding facilities and administration (F&A) costs.
The Senate Committee on Appropriations advanced its fiscal year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations bill July 31. The bill would provide $48.7 billion in funding for National Institutes of Health (NIH), representing a $400 million increase compared to FY 2025 appropriations. The proposal includes $7.4 billion for the National Cancer Institute, including $28 million for the Childhood Cancer STAR (Survivorship, Treatment, Access, Research) Act. It also proposes $3.9 billion for Alzheimer’s and dementia research. Additionally, the bill would maintain funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) at the FY 2025 level of $1.5 billion.
The Trump administration released FY 2025 NIH funding following a temporary pause initiated when the White House issued a budget document to NIH that included a footnote limiting what the agency could fund, including research grants, research and development contracts and training awards. This action follows a letter sent last month to OMB Director Russell Vought, led by Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and 13 other Republican senators, that called for full implementation of FY 2025 NIH funding.
ACR® continues its advocacy urging Congress to fund NIH at the highest possible levels in FY 2026.
For more information, contact Katie Grady, ACR Government Affairs Director.
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