The Trump administration on May 30 released its budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2026, which includes the president’s funding and policy recommendations across the federal government, including key research and public health agencies. In addition to the materials that the White House had released on May 2, which offered a preview of the president’s FY 2026 proposals [see Washington Highlights, May 2], the White House Office of Management and Budget released the full budget appendix (PDF), and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released its Budget in Brief document (PDF), highlighting proposals at agencies across the department. The administration also posted several individual agency congressional justifications that provide detailed information on funding estimates and how agencies propose to spend appropriated funding, including a justification for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The justification for the Administration for a Healthy America (AHA) was later posted on June 7.
The proposed budget for HHS totals $94.6 billion, a $31.3 billion reduction from FY 2025. This incorporates several cuts to federal research agencies, including a proposed $27.9 billion in total program level funding for the NIH, approximately $18 billion less than current funding. The NIH would also be reorganized into eight institutes, eliminating four and shifting one institute into the AHA. The budget also states that in FY 2026, it will “continue to cap indirect cost rates at 15 percent.” Additionally, the budget would transfer the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health into the Office of the Assistant Secretary for a Healthy Future and provide $945 million in funding. The budget proposes $3.9 billion in funding for the National Science Foundation, a $5.1 billion (56.9%) decrease over FY 2024 levels.
The budget would reorganize the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) under AHA, proposing $948 million in mandatory and discretionary funding for health workforce initiatives. Notably, the budget proposes a $1 billion cut to the health workforce and the elimination of 15 workforce programs, translating to proposed cuts of $71 million for the Health Professions Training for Diversity programs, $163 million for Community-Based Linkages programs, and $212 million for Nursing Workforce programs. Further, funding for the Children’s Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Program (CHGME) program is proposed for elimination in FY 2026 budget request.
The budget also includes proposed funding for the Title VII Centers of Excellence and Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program, and Title VIII NURSE Corps at FY 2025 levels, as well as $129 million for Behavioral Health Workforce Development programs, a $68 million (34.5%) decrease from FY 2025 levels. Moreover, the budget includes $474 million for the National Health Service Corps — $345 million of which represents mandatory proposed funding — and $175 million in mandatory proposed funding for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program.
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Additionally, the budget proposes $4.3 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a $3.5 billion cut. Several CDC programs would be eliminated or shifted to AHA. The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response would also be reorganized under AHA. The budget in brief would combine the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality and other data management agencies into the new Office of Strategy. Additionally, the budget proposes $114.9 billion in discretionary funding for Department of Veterans Affairs medical care programs, a $1.9 billion (1.8%) increase compared to FY 2025 enacted levels. This includes cuts to Medical Services and increases to Medical Community Care and for the Medical and Prosthetic Research Program. The budget includes additional mandatory funding to support other medical services by the VA.
The FY 2026 budget justification for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS, PDF) proposes a $674 million reduction in funding for the agency, including proposed cuts to health equity initiatives and community outreach efforts. Notably, the budget proposes to shift oversight and administration of the 340B Drug Pricing Program from HRSA to the CMS, while maintaining a $12 million budget to support statutory obligations and program oversight.
The budget proposal for the Department of Education (PDF) would propose $66.7 billion in discretionary budget authority, a $12 billion (-15.3%) decrease compared to FY 2025 levels. The budget states that the request amount “reflects an agency that is responsibly winding down.