Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
This bill is an appropriations measure for the 2026 fiscal year that funds the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies (with details shown here for the Department of Labor). The excerpt provided shows the bill’s approach to workforce development and employment programs under the Department of Labor, including major programs authorized by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) and the National Apprenticeship Act. It lays out specific funding amounts for adult, youth, and dislocated worker training, job training programs for special populations (Native Americans, migrant workers, ex-offenders), and for job placement and apprenticeship initiatives. It also funds core administrative operations, Job Corps, veterans employment programs, unemployment insurance administration, and labor statistics, along with several targeted regional and programmatic initiatives (e.g., Appalachian and Delta region efforts, community college training consortia, and demonstration projects). In short, the bill structurally increases and specifies how much money will be spent on workforce development, unemployment services, job training, and worker safety programs for FY 2026, with various provisos and set-asides. Note: The text provided covers mainly Title I (Department of Labor) and does not include the full bill text for all agencies (Health and Human Services, Education, etc.). The summary reflects the content shown.
Key Points
- 1Workforce development funding under WIOA and the National Apprenticeship Act: The bill appropriates about $3.98 billion for necessary costs of WIOA-related activities and national apprenticeship programs, with detailed allocations to adult employment and training, youth activities, dislocated worker programs, and a large slate of national programs and demonstrations.
- 2Job Corps and related job training centers: Total of about $1.76 billion for Job Corps activities, including operations, construction/expansion of centers, and essential center administration, with transfer provisions and oversight requirements.
- 3Regional and targeted investments: Specific funding and flexibilities are provided to support regional workers programs (e.g., Appalachian region, Lower Mississippi Delta, Northern Border Regional Commission) and targeted sectors, including expanded opportunities for community colleges and consortia-led training, as well as special programs for Native Americans, migrant and seasonal farmworkers, and ex-offenders (with competitive grants and special training initiatives).
- 4Unemployment insurance and employment services administration: A substantial package of funds from both the Unemployment Trust Fund and the General Fund supports state administration of unemployment insurance, national employment service activities, foreign labor certification, and related IT and reporting needs, with detailed timing and obligation rules (periods through 2026–2028 and beyond).
- 5Veterans employment programs and disability policy: Funding for Jobs for Veterans State Grants, the Transition Assistance Program, and related federal administration, plus the Office of Disability Employment Policy, with emphasis on policy leadership, research, and demonstration projects to improve labor force participation for people with disabilities.