February 18, 2026
Federal Funding Update
Congress finalized Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations in late January. On February 3, the House passed the Senate-amended funding package, including the Labor-Health and Human Services-Education bill, and the President signed it into law the same day.
The positive news is that disability and health programs avoided funding cuts. Congress will soon begin work on Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations, with the process formally kicking off upon the submission of the President’s budget request.
Key Disability & Research Funding
- Councils on Developmental Disabilities (DD Councils), University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs) and Protection & Advocacy (P&A) agencies received level funding.
- Autism & Other Developmental Disabilities, including Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (LENDs): Increased to $57.3 million
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, where the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Centers (IDDRCs) are housed: increased from the last Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) appropriations at $1,759,078,000 to $1,769,078,000.
- The funding package includes the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Buy-In Programs Act.
- Working people with disabilities often lose Medicaid at age 65. Medicaid buy-in programs allow individuals to continue accessing critical services — including home- and community-based services (HCBS) — while remaining employed.
Senate Hearing on the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
On February 3, the Senate HELP Committee held a hearing on the NIH that featured NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. Lawmakers from both parties raised concerns about:
- Major NIH funding cuts and canceled research grants.
- Misinformation linking vaccines and autism.
- Changes to childhood vaccine guidance that could undermine public trust.
- Director Bhattacharya stated that he has seen no evidence that vaccines cause autism.
Civil Rights Enforcement Concerns
A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, requested by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), details costs and savings associated with staffing cuts (reduction in force or RIF) at the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) that reduced the agency’s ability to address discrimination complaints. According to GAO, “from March through September 2025, OCR resolved more than 7,000 discrimination complaints, but about 90% were resolved by the department dismissing the complaint, meaning staff received information from complainants but did not proceed to investigate.”
New Legislation
- ALS Better Care Act (H.R. 7336 / S. 3763) – Would expand access to specialized care for people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at no cost via a supplemental payment in Medicare for ALS related services. Introduced by Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky (D-IL) and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R- AK).
- Prior Authorization Relief Act (S. 3762) – Would require the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to streamline and standardize prior authorization for services in medicine in Medicare Advantage. Introduced by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).
Advocacy Action
Contact your Members of Congress to urge them to oppose the Administration’s efforts to close the Department of Education and transfer Part B (K-12) of IDEA to the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS).
You can reach your House and Senate offices by calling the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121, to be transferred directly to their office. You can also find contact information for your Congressional Members using TASH’s Advocacy Tools & Resources page.
To learn more about TASH’s policy positions and sign on letters and for other advocacy resources, visit our Advocacy Tools & Resources page.
Washington Update logo image credit: Romain Pontida, Creative Commons, Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic, some modifications.