Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. ADERHOLT. Madam Chair, I rise today, again, as my colleagues have, to ask for support for the final FY26 appropriations package. It completes the culmination of a lot of hard work from a lot of folks who fulfilled their commitment to the American people.

As chairman of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, I was honored to lead the effort to rein in spending and secure an America First future, while also ensuring that these bills provide for funding for critical projects and growth around our districts.

I thank Chairman Cole for his longstanding leadership on the Labor- HHS bill and express my appreciation for Ranking Member DeLauro, who tirelessly champions her priorities and so many things in this bill. It is an honor to work with both of them as we have moved this bill forward.

The bill on the floor today balances the need for responsible fiscal stewardship while maintaining key investments in biomedical research, schools, and public health.

Thanks to negotiations on a bicameral, bipartisan level, funding decisions have moved through a very deliberate, very Member-driven process that puts an emphasis on transparency, accountability, and timely consideration.

This bill demonstrates the will of the American people who want new priorities and accountability in government, including priorities that make America healthy again and make America skilled again.

Investments in this bill are directed to where they matter most: into lifesaving biomedical research and resilient medical supply chains, classrooms, and training that prepare the next generation for success.

Enactment and passage of this full-year appropriations bill is vital to implementing provisions that keep our Nation strong, secure, and competitive.

In closing, I thank Chairman Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro, again. I also equally thank the committee staff on both sides of the aisle, majority and minority.

For the majority: Kathryn Salmon, James Redstone, Emily Goff, Kirk Boyle, Jaime Varela, along with Megan Medley on my staff, who has worked very diligently on this bill, as well.

For the minority: Stephen Steigleder, who has already been mentioned but needs to be mentioned again, Philip Tizzani, Laurie Mignone, and Jackie Kilroy.

There are so many others that we could name, but those are the folks that were on the front line.

Madam Chair, I urge my colleagues to support this bill. This is a good bill.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source