May 15, 2026
Administration and Capitol Hill Updates
Appropriations
The House Appropriations released their fiscal year (FY) 2027 markup schedule, which is expected to run through the end of June. The full line-up of FY27 House bills, along with their subcommittee and full committee markup dates is below.
Please note that past markups are denoted with a *:
- Financial Services: Subcommittee markup April 17 | Full committee markup April 21 *
- Military Construction-VA: Subcommittee markup April 17 | Full committee markup April 21*
- Agriculture-FDA: Subcommittee markup April 23 | Full committee markup April 28 *
- State-Foreign Operations: Subcommittee markup April 23 | Full committee markup April 28*
- Commerce-Justice-Science: Subcommittee markup April 30* | Full committee markup May 13
- Legislative Branch: Subcommittee markup April 30| Full committee markup May 13*
- Energy-Water: Subcommittee markup May 15 | Full committee Markup May 20
- Interior-Environment: Subcommittee Markup May 21 | Full committee markup June 3
- Transportation-HUD: Subcommittee markup May 21 | Full committee markup June 4
- Congressional Recess – Memorial Day
- Homeland Security: Subcommittee markup June 4 | Full committee markup June 10
- Labor-HHS-Education: Subcommittee markup June 5 | Full committee markup June 9
- Defense: Classified subcommittee markup June 13 | Full committee markup June 24
Of note, draft texts are typically made available 24 hours before the subcommittee markup, and the draft committee reports are usually available 24 hours before the full committee markup. TASH will be closely following Labor-HHS-Education, which is scheduled for subcommittee markup on June 5.
We would be remiss if we didn’t note that after 76 days (the longest in U.S. history), Congress passed funding for the following Department of Homeland Security Programs: FEMA, TSA, Secret Service, the Coast Guard, and the department’s cyber agency and other offices not dealing with immigration enforcement. President Trump officially ended the shutdown by signing the bill into law on April 30, 2026.
It is unknown if lawmakers are will pursue further funding through an additional reconciliation package by the midterm elections. However, to advance the process, the Senate adopted a budget resolution on April 23, followed by House approval on April 29. We will keep you up to date with any additional reconciliation signals, should the process move forward.
Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) Holds First Meeting of Trump Administration
On April 28, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) held its first meeting under a new administration. The meeting focused on the “root causes” of autism, particularly a surge in autism cases and officially focusing on defining and addressing “profound autism.” There were many concerns raised by advocates, particularly around the fact that the committee voted on recommendations to be transmitted to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), focusing on improving medical care, addressing “diagnostic overshadowing,” and mitigating risks of wandering/elopement without releasing the materials publicly for comment.
Federal Oversight of Disability Discrimination in Schools Related to Section 504
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has opened an investigation into Houston Independent School District (TX) over concerns that restructuring special education services could improperly segregate students with disabilities. The restructuring would violate Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act by not allowing students with disabilities to get their education alongside their nondidsabled peers. The case highlights continuing federal attention on inclusive education and Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) requirements under disability law.
State of Indiana Withdraws from Texas v. Kennedy and Joint Status Report Clarifies Case
On May 4, the state of Indiana withdrew from Texas v. Kennedy, an ongoing federal lawsuit brought by several states which challenges portions of updated Section 504 regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The case originally began in 2024 as Texas v. Becerra and later became Texas v. Kennedy after leadership changes at HHS.
The lawsuit focuses on rules reinforcing the right of people with disabilities to receive services in the most integrated community setting rather than being unnecessarily institutionalized. In a Joint Status Report filed with the court, plaintiff states clarified that they are not seeking any ruling that would declare Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act unconstitutional or block its enforcement by HHS. This removes a significant legal threat to disability rights. The remaining states are as follows: Texas, Alaska, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota.
Living Wage for All Act Introduced
On April 28, Representative Ramirez (D-IL) introduced H.R. 855, the “Living Wage for All Act.” The bill seeks to gradually raise the federal minimum wage to keep pace with the national median wage and moves toward what supporters describe as a “living wage.” It would also phase out all subminimum wages, including those for workers with disabilities under Section 14(c), and require large profitable corporations to meet higher wage standards sooner than smaller employers. Supporters argue the bill would improve economic security and wage equity, while critics may raise concerns about impacts on businesses, employment costs, and providers that currently use subminimum wage programs.
Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act Introduced
This week, Representative Grothman (R-WI) introduced H.R. 8736, the “Restoration of Employment Choice for Adults with Disabilities Act”. The bill would amend Section 511 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which governs when employers can pay workers with disabilities a subminimum wage under Section 14(c) certificates.
Home and Community Based Services Access Act and Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act Introduced
Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) has reintroduced 2 bills focused on home and community-based services (HCBS). The first, the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Access Act, is designed to ensure eligible older adults and people with disabilities have a real choice of care and support options between home care and institutional care. The bill would, over time, eliminate HCBS waiting lists and the need for states to repeatedly apply for HCBS waivers. Jan Shakowsky (D-IL) is a co-sponsor.
Specifically, the bill would:
- Increase Medicaid funding for home and community-based services;
- Increase the federal match for state funding to expand their capacity to meet the needs of people who prefer HCBS;
- Make steps to improve the stability, availability, and quality of direct care providers to help address the decades-long workforce shortage crisis;
- Provide states with resources so that caregiving workers—who are disproportionately women of color—have stable, quality jobs and a living wage;
- Provide training and support for family caregivers; and
- Create better evaluation measures to assess the quality of HCBS being provided.
The Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act will:
- Increase the number of direct care professionals, including in rural communities;
- Provide pathways to enter and be supported in the workforce for women, people of color, and people with disabilities;
- Improve compensation for direct care professionals to reduce vacancies and turnover;
- Ensure that the direct care professionals are treated with respect, provided with a safe working environment, protected from exploitation, and provided fair compensation;
- Improve access and quality of long-term care for families;
- Document the need for long-term care, identify effective recruitment and training strategies, and promote practices that help retain direct care professionals.
- Strengthen the direct care professional workforce in order to support the 53,000,000 unpaid family caregivers who are providing complex services to their loved ones in the home and across long-term care settings.
- Doris Matsui (D-CA) is a cosponsor.
- View the press release.
- View the text of the HCBS Access Act and view the text of the Long-Term Care Workforce Support Act.
On the Horizon
Senator Wyden to Host Call on Health Care Solutions for Families
Ranking Member Wyden will soon launch the next project in his effort to advance a new generation of health care solutions aimed at lowering costs for American families. Please join us for a virtual meeting on Tuesday, May 19, at 2:30 pm ET for a preview of this project focused on long-term care.
The next phase of the initiatives will include white papers and public-facing requests for written comment on key policy questions. The long-term care project will follow a similar process.
Join the meeting on Tuesday, May 19, at 2:30 pm ET using the following link:
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/265226222027095?p=0bNQ0SLnRZPS5dgZDI
Meeting ID: 265 226 222 027 095
Passcode: YV3EQ3cD
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to Hold Listening Session on New Home and Community Based Services Option in the Working Families Tax Cut Legislation
On May 19, 2026, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold a. national listening session on the new home and community-based services (HCBS) option created within the Working Families Tax Cut (WFTC) legislation. All stakeholders, including states, providers, health plans, participants and family members, self-advocates, direct service professionals, advocacy and disability organizations, Tribal and rural partners, and all other interested stakeholders are invited to participate.
- Learn more about the Working Families Tax Cut Legislation.
- Register to attend the national listening session on May 19, 2026 from 1:30-3:30pm EST.
National Health Law Program to Hold Webinar, “Strengthening the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Grievance Process”
On May 19, the National Health Law Program will host a webinar for advocates related to the May 2024 regulations in the HCBS Access Rule that require states to implement a grievance process for individuals receiving Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). The webinar will also provide advocates with suggestions and ideas for how states can build and test a grievance process responsive to the needs of people using HCBS. Additionally, the presentation will discuss the differences between grievances, appeals, and critical incidents and the importance of states making sure these systems are well integrated. It will also point to progress that some states have already made implementing their grievance processes.
- Register for the webinar on May 19, 2026 at 2pm EST.
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.