House passes bill to fund rest of government
The House today passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026 to fund all previously unfunded federal agencies through Sept. 30 except for the Homeland Security Department, which is funded for only two weeks during which legislators will try to reach agreement on restrictions on federal agents dealing with immigration.
The bill was passed last week by the Senate and now goes to President Trump for his signature. Its enactment means the end of a short shutdown at agencies in the bill.
The measure divided both parties. The vote was 217 to 214, with 196 Republicans and 21 Democrats voting for it, and 193 Democrats and 21 Republicans voting against it.
Both the Agriculture Department and the Food and Drug Administration remained open because they had been funded by an earlier measure.
Government Executive noted today that leaders have already expressed pessimism about reaching a solution to the issues surrounding the Homeland Security Department before the Feb. 13 deadline. Government Executive explained, “Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has laid out his caucus’ demands for changes at DHS, including the removal of masks by DHS law enforcement personnel, mandated use of body cameras, a requirement for third-party warrants to enter homes, the end of roving patrols in metropolitan areas by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and more uniform restrictions on use of force by federal agents. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has called some of those requests non-starters.”
FMI – The Food Industry Association said the bill includes “the most consequential pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) reforms to date and representing a major step forward for patients, pharmacies, employers and the communities they serve.”
FMI Chief Public Policy Officer Jennifer Hatcher stated, “These bipartisan reforms represent a major step towards lower costs, better care and less red tape in our pharmacies. FMI and our members operating nearly 12,000 supermarket pharmacies look forward to working with CMS to define and enforce ‘reasonable and relevant’ PBM contract terms that benefit customers.”
The bill also includes an extension of the U.S. Grain Standards Act through Sept. 30 and a renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act, allowing for tariff-free access to the U.S. market for thousands of products from Haiti and dozens of sub-Saharan African countries through Dec. 31, 2026.
