Senator Susan Collins on Bipartisan Appropriations Bills for Defense and HHS

Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriations Bills

• 🎯 The committee is considering two fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills: the Defense legislation and the Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies bill.
• 📈 To date, six bills have been favorably reported, and with these two, the total will reach eight, covering nearly 90% of discretionary spending.
• 🗓️ Markups will continue in September to report the remaining bills, with a goal to complete work on the first package of appropriations bills before the Senate recess.

Defense Appropriations Bill

• 🤝 The Defense Appropriations Bill is a bipartisan product developed collaboratively, providing essential resources for military personnel and strengthening the defense industrial base.
• 🚢 Investments include funding for shipbuilding, such as a down payment for an additional DDG51 and Virginia class submarines.
• 🚀 The bill expands critical munitions production, including air and missile defense interceptors, long-range missiles, and hypersonic weapons.
• 🛡️ Funding is allocated for drone and counter-drone technologies, and it sustains security cooperation with allies.

Labor, Health, and Human Services Appropriations Bill

• ❤️ This bill prioritizes funding to improve American health and supports lifesaving medical research, with targeted increases for diseases like Alzheimer's, cancer, and diabetes.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 It supports families through investments in education and affordable child care, promoting financial stability for working parents.
• 📚 Funding is maintained for programs like TRIO, which provides opportunities for low-income and first-generation students, and the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

Bipartisan Member-Driven Process

• 💡 Both the Defense and Labor/HHS bills are described as bipartisan member-driven products.
• ✉️ Over 11,000 requests from 95 senators were submitted to the committee for consideration, reflecting extensive work by subcommittee members and staff.