⚡️ NIMITZ HEALTH NEWS FLASH ⚡️ 

August 4th, 2025

SUMMARY

This past week, the Senate Appropriations Committee advanced a major HHS funding bill that will shape public health, medical research, and drug programs for the year ahead. While the bill cleared the committee with strong bipartisan support, the full Senate will still need to pass it when lawmakers return from recess. In the meantime, a continuing resolution remains in place to keep the government funded through the end of September, avoiding an immediate shutdown but setting the stage for a busy appropriations season this fall.

WHAT’S IN THE BILL?

The FY26 Labor-HHS-Education Funding Bill, passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee 26-3, blocks steep health and education cuts proposed by the Trump administration, while making targeted increases in critical health programs. The $200.1 billion discretionary package strengthens biomedical research, public health readiness, behavioral health services, and key education programs. Here are key funding provisions:

• NIH Biomedical Research — $48.7B (+$400M), reversing proposed 40% cut

  • $150M more for cancer research; $100M more for Alzheimer’s

  • Increases for maternal mortality, women’s health, ALS, diabetes, rare disease, and Parkinson’s projects

  • $12 million increase for BRAIN Initiative research

• Public Health Protection — Rejects $4B (50%) CDC cut; sustains chronic disease, immunization, and infectious disease programs

• Mental Health & Substance Use — $2B for Substance Use Prevention & Treatment Block Grant; $1.6B for State Opioid Response grants; $535M for the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline (+$15M)

• Women’s Health — Protects Title X and Teen Pregnancy Prevention funding; invests $53M in maternal health and mental health programs

• Pandemic Preparedness — $3.6B for ASPR, sustaining BARDA, Project Bioshield, and the Strategic National Stockpile

• Rural Health — $9.3M increase for rural health recruitment & hospital support; maintains community health center funding

LINKS

• Bill Text

• Adopted Amendments

• Senate Report

• Bill Summary

• Approved HHS Congressionally Directed Spending Requests