WASHINGTON, D.C. (WVDN) – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee and a member of Senate Republican Leadership, today joined President Donald J. Trump at the White House as he signed a five-bill Appropriations package into law. The bill includes legislation authored by Chairman Capito. The package passed the Senate by a vote of 71 to 29 and passed the House of Representatives today.
“I was honored to join President Trump at the White House today for the signing of the five-bill appropriations package. I’m especially proud to see my Labor-HHS bill included in this final agreement – a bipartisan product that reflects months of thoughtful work and targeted priorities that will help many in West Virginia. While there’s always more work ahead, today’s signing is a meaningful step forward for families and communities in West Virginia and across the country,” Senator Capito said.
As the chairman of the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Capito led the crafting and negotiating of the FY26 Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The legislation includes a multitude of wins that will help West Virginians and entities throughout the state.
BILL HIGHLIGHTS:
National Institutes of Health: $48.7 billion for biomedical investments in research, including targeted investments for research on Alzheimer’s, cancer, diabetes, ALS, maternal health, Lyme and tick-born disease, rare diseases, and women’s health. The legislation also provides funding for the National Cancer Institute, including $30 million for Senator Capito’s Childhood Cancer STAR Act.
Combatting the Opioid Epidemic: The bill includes funding for the State Opioid Response Grants; the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant; and the Rural Communities Opioid Response program to support efforts to combat the opioid epidemic and other substance use disorders. Funding provided in the bill will also support strengthening the workforce, especially in rural communities, and expanding research for critical needs, such as funding alternative pain medications.
Mental Health: More than $5.5 billion for mental health research, treatment, and prevention, including funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) suicide prevention Lifeline, 9-8-8, Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, the National Institute of Mental Health, and school-based mental health grants at the Department of Education.
Health and Human Services Preparedness: $3.7 billion for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, including funding for the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Project BioShield, and the Strategic National Stockpile.
Rural Health: $418 million for the Health Resources and Services Administration’s rural health programs and $6 million for the CDC Office of Rural Health.
NIOSH: The bill includes funding for the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA); Mining Research; and the National Firefighter Cancer Registry.
Early Education: Funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and Head Start.
K-12 Formula Grants: Funding for Title I Grants to Local Educational Agencies and for IDEA State Grants.
Rural Education: Funding for the Rural Education Achievement Program and for the Rural Postsecondary and Economic Development Grant Program.
Pell Maximum Award: Maintains the maximum Pell award at $7,395 for the 2026-2027 school year.
Maintains Legacy Riders: The bill maintains long-standing riders, including Hyde and Hyde-Weldon conscience protections, needle exchange prohibition, NLRB electronic voting prohibition, and the Dickey Amendment.
Last week, Senator Capito delivered a speech on the Senate floor where she highlighted the many wins included in the Labor-HHS bill. Click here to watch the full speech.
