[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 132 (Thursday, July 31, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5140-S5166]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SA 3411. Ms. COLLINS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
by her to the bill H.R. 3944, making appropriations for military
construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related agencies
for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes;
which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Military Construction and
Veterans Affairs and Agriculture Appropriations Act, 2026''.
SEC. 2. REFERENCES TO ACT.
Except as expressly provided otherwise, any reference to
``this Act'' contained in any division of this Act shall be
treated as referring only to the provisions of that division.
SEC. 3. REFERENCES TO REPORT.
(a) Any reference to a ``report accompanying this Act''
contained in division A shall be treated as a reference to
Senate Report 119-43. The effect of such Report shall be
limited to division A and shall apply for purposes of
determining the allocation of funds provided by, and the
implementation of, division A.
(b) Any reference to a ``report accompanying this Act''
contained in division B shall be treated as a reference to
Senate Report 119-37. The effect of such Report shall be
limited to division B and shall apply for purposes of
determining the allocation of funds provided by, and the
implementation of, division B.
DIVISION A--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED
AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
The following sums are appropriated, out of any money in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for military
construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and related
agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and
for other purposes, namely:
TITLE I
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Military Construction, Army
For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment
of temporary or permanent public works, military
installations, facilities, and real property for the Army as
currently authorized by law, including personnel in the Army
Corps of Engineers and other personal services necessary for
the purposes of this appropriation, and for construction and
operation of facilities in support of the functions of the
Commander in Chief, $2,447,609,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2030: Provided, That, of this amount, not to
exceed $446,388,000 shall be available for study, planning,
design, architect and engineer services, and host nation
support, as authorized by law, unless the Secretary of the
Army determines that additional obligations are necessary for
such purposes and notifies the Committees on Appropriations
of both Houses of Congress of the determination and the
reasons therefor: Provided further, That of the amount made
available under this heading, $268,650,000 shall be for the
projects and activities, and in the amounts, specified in the
table under the heading ``Military Construction, Army'' in
the report accompanying this Act, in addition to amounts
otherwise available for such purposes.
Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps
For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment
of temporary or permanent public works, naval installations,
facilities, and real property for the Navy and Marine Corps
as currently authorized by law, including personnel in the
Naval Facilities Engineering Command and other personal
services necessary for the purposes of this appropriation,
$5,906,524,000, to remain available until September 30, 2030:
Provided, That, of this amount, not to exceed $613,213,000
shall be available for study, planning, design, and architect
and engineer services, as authorized by law, unless the
Secretary of the Navy determines that additional obligations
are necessary for such purposes and notifies the Committees
on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of the
determination and the reasons therefor: Provided further,
That of the amount made available under this heading,
$144,390,000 shall be for the projects and activities, and in
the amounts, specified in the table under the heading
``Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps'' in the
report accompanying this Act, in addition to amounts
otherwise available for such purposes.
Military Construction, Air Force
For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment
of temporary or permanent
[[Page S5141]]
public works, military installations, facilities, and real
property for the Air Force as currently authorized by law,
including personnel in the Department of the Air Force when
designated by the Secretary of Defense to direct and
supervise Military Construction projects in accordance with
section 2851 of title 10, United States Code, and other
personal services necessary for the purposes of this
appropriation, $4,090,673,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2030: Provided, That, of this amount, not to
exceed $718,973,000 shall be available for study, planning,
design, and architect and engineer services, as authorized by
law, unless the Secretary of the Air Force determines that
additional obligations are necessary for such purposes and
notifies the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress of the determination and the reasons therefor:
Provided further, That of the amount made available under
this heading, $359,200,000 shall be for the projects and
activities, and in the amounts, specified in the table under
the heading ``Military Construction, Air Force'' in the
report accompanying this Act, in addition to amounts
otherwise available for such purposes.
Military Construction, Defense-Wide
(including transfer of funds)
For acquisition, construction, installation, and equipment
of temporary or permanent public works, installations,
facilities, and real property for activities and agencies of
the Department of Defense (other than the military
departments), as currently authorized by law, $3,724,301,000,
to remain available until September 30, 2030: Provided, That
such amounts of this appropriation as may be determined by
the Secretary of Defense may be transferred to such
appropriations of the Department of Defense available for
military construction or family housing as the Secretary may
designate, to be merged with and to be available for the same
purposes, and for the same time period, as the appropriation
or fund to which transferred: Provided further, That, of the
amount, not to exceed $211,001,000 shall be available for
study, planning, design, and architect and engineer services,
as authorized by law, unless the Secretary of Defense
determines that additional obligations are necessary for such
purposes and notifies the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress of the determination and the reasons
therefor: Provided further, That of the amount made
available under this heading, $32,000,000 shall be for the
projects and activities, and in the amounts, specified in the
table under the heading ``Military Construction, Defense-
Wide'' in the report accompanying this Act, in addition to
amounts otherwise available for such purposes.
Military Construction, Army National Guard
For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation,
and conversion of facilities for the training and
administration of the Army National Guard, and contributions
therefor, as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, United
States Code, and Military Construction Authorization Acts,
$271,230,000, to remain available until September 30, 2030:
Provided, That, of the amount, not to exceed $78,380,000
shall be available for study, planning, design, and architect
and engineer services, as authorized by law, unless the
Director of the Army National Guard determines that
additional obligations are necessary for such purposes and
notifies the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress of the determination and the reasons therefor:
Provided further, That of the amount made available under
this heading, $112,050,000 shall be for the projects and
activities, and in the amounts, specified in the table under
the heading ``Military Construction, Army National Guard'' in
the report accompanying this Act, in addition to amounts
otherwise available for such purposes.
Military Construction, Air National Guard
For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation,
and conversion of facilities for the training and
administration of the Air National Guard, and contributions
therefor, as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10, United
States Code, and Military Construction Authorization Acts,
$292,546,000, to remain available until September 30, 2030:
Provided, That, of the amount, not to exceed $73,646,000
shall be available for study, planning, design, and architect
and engineer services, as authorized by law, unless the
Director of the Air National Guard determines that additional
obligations are necessary for such purposes and notifies the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of
the determination and the reasons therefor: Provided
further, That of the amount made available under this
heading, $95,900,000 shall be for the projects and
activities, and in the amounts, specified in the table under
the heading ``Military Construction, Air National Guard'' in
the report accompanying this Act, in addition to amounts
otherwise available for such purposes.
Military Construction, Army Reserve
For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation,
and conversion of facilities for the training and
administration of the Army Reserve as authorized by chapter
1803 of title 10, United States Code, and Military
Construction Authorization Acts, $46,239,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2030: Provided, That, of the
amount, not to exceed $6,013,000 shall be available for
study, planning, design, and architect and engineer services,
as authorized by law, unless the Chief of the Army Reserve
determines that additional obligations are necessary for such
purposes and notifies the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress of the determination and the reasons
therefor: Provided further, That of the amount made
available under this heading, $4,000,000 shall be for the
projects and activities, and in the amounts, specified in the
table under the heading ``Military Construction, Army
Reserve'' in the report accompanying this Act, in addition to
amounts otherwise available for such purposes.
Military Construction, Navy Reserve
For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation,
and conversion of facilities for the training and
administration of the reserve components of the Navy and
Marine Corps as authorized by chapter 1803 of title 10,
United States Code, and Military Construction Authorization
Acts, $2,255,000, to remain available until September 30,
2030: Provided, That, of the amount, not to exceed
$2,255,000 shall be available for study, planning, design,
and architect and engineer services, as authorized by law,
unless the Secretary of the Navy determines that additional
obligations are necessary for such purposes and notifies the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of
the determination and the reasons therefor.
Military Construction, Air Force Reserve
For construction, acquisition, expansion, rehabilitation,
and conversion of facilities for the training and
administration of the Air Force Reserve as authorized by
chapter 1803 of title 10, United States Code, and Military
Construction Authorization Acts, $116,268,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2030: Provided, That, of the
amount, not to exceed $6,970,000 shall be available for
study, planning, design, and architect and engineer services,
as authorized by law, unless the Chief of the Air Force
Reserve determines that additional obligations are necessary
for such purposes and notifies the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress of the
determination and the reasons therefor: Provided further,
That of the amount made available under this heading,
$55,810,000 shall be for the projects and activities, and in
the amounts, specified in the table under the heading
``Military Construction, Air Force Reserve'' in the report
accompanying this Act, in addition to amounts otherwise
available for such purposes.
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Security Investment Program
For the United States share of the cost of the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization Security Investment Program for
the acquisition and construction of military facilities and
installations (including international military headquarters)
and for related expenses for the collective defense of the
North Atlantic Treaty Area as authorized by section 2806 of
title 10, United States Code, and Military Construction
Authorization Acts, $481,832,000, to remain available until
expended.
Department of Defense Base Closure Account
For deposit into the Department of Defense Base Closure
Account, established by section 2906(a) of the Defense Base
Closure and Realignment Act of 1990 (10 U.S.C. 2687 note),
$410,161,000, to remain available until expended.
Family Housing Construction, Army
For expenses of family housing for the Army for
construction, including acquisition, replacement, addition,
expansion, extension, and alteration, as authorized by law,
$228,558,000, to remain available until September 30, 2030.
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Army
For expenses of family housing for the Army for operation
and maintenance, including debt payment, leasing, minor
construction, principal and interest charges, and insurance
premiums, as authorized by law, $388,418,000.
Family Housing Construction, Navy and Marine Corps
For expenses of family housing for the Navy and Marine
Corps for construction, including acquisition, replacement,
addition, expansion, extension, and alteration, as authorized
by law, $177,597,000, to remain available until September 30,
2030.
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Navy and Marine Corps
For expenses of family housing for the Navy and Marine
Corps for operation and maintenance, including debt payment,
leasing, minor construction, principal and interest charges,
and insurance premiums, as authorized by law, $384,108,000.
Family Housing Construction, Air Force
For expenses of family housing for the Air Force for
construction, including acquisition, replacement, addition,
expansion, extension, and alteration, as authorized by law,
$274,230,000, to remain available until September 30, 2030.
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Air Force
For expenses of family housing for the Air Force for
operation and maintenance, including debt payment, leasing,
minor construction, principal and interest charges, and
insurance premiums, as authorized by law, $369,765,000.
[[Page S5142]]
Family Housing Operation and Maintenance, Defense-Wide
For expenses of family housing for the activities and
agencies of the Department of Defense (other than the
military departments) for operation and maintenance, leasing,
and minor construction, as authorized by law, $53,374,000.
Department of Defense
Family Housing Improvement Fund
For the Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement
Fund, $8,315,000, to remain available until expended, for
family housing initiatives undertaken pursuant to section
2883 of title 10, United States Code, providing alternative
means of acquiring and improving military family housing and
supporting facilities.
Department of Defense
Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund
For the Department of Defense Military Unaccompanied
Housing Improvement Fund, $497,000, to remain available until
expended, for unaccompanied housing initiatives undertaken
pursuant to section 2883 of title 10, United States Code,
providing alternative means of acquiring and improving
military unaccompanied housing and supporting facilities.
Administrative Provisions
Sec. 101. None of the funds made available in this title
shall be expended for payments under a cost-plus-a-fixed-fee
contract for construction, where cost estimates exceed
$25,000, to be performed within the United States, except
Alaska, without the specific approval in writing of the
Secretary of Defense setting forth the reasons therefor.
Sec. 102. Funds made available in this title for
construction shall be available for hire of passenger motor
vehicles.
Sec. 103. Funds made available in this title for
construction may be used for advances to the Federal Highway
Administration, Department of Transportation, for the
construction of access roads as authorized by section 210 of
title 23, United States Code, when projects authorized
therein are certified as important to the national defense by
the Secretary of Defense.
Sec. 104. None of the funds made available in this title
may be used to begin construction of new bases in the United
States for which specific appropriations have not been made.
Sec. 105. None of the funds made available in this title
shall be used for purchase of land or land easements in
excess of 100 percent of the value as determined by the Army
Corps of Engineers or the Naval Facilities Engineering
Command, except: (1) where there is a determination of value
by a Federal court; (2) purchases negotiated by the Attorney
General or the designee of the Attorney General; (3) where
the estimated value is less than $25,000; or (4) as otherwise
determined by the Secretary of Defense to be in the public
interest.
Sec. 106. None of the funds made available in this title
shall be used to: (1) acquire land; (2) provide for site
preparation; or (3) install utilities for any family housing,
except housing for which funds have been made available in
annual Acts making appropriations for military construction.
Sec. 107. None of the funds made available in this title
for minor construction may be used to transfer or relocate
any activity from one base or installation to another,
without prior notification to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
Sec. 108. None of the funds made available in this title
may be used for the procurement of steel for any construction
project or activity for which American steel producers,
fabricators, and manufacturers have been denied the
opportunity to compete for such steel procurement.
Sec. 109. None of the funds available to the Department of
Defense for military construction or family housing during
the current fiscal year may be used to pay real property
taxes in any foreign nation.
Sec. 110. None of the funds made available in this title
may be used to initiate a new installation overseas without
prior notification to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress.
Sec. 111. None of the funds made available in this title
may be obligated for architect and engineer contracts
estimated by the Government to exceed $500,000 for projects
to be accomplished in Japan, in any North Atlantic Treaty
Organization member country, or in countries bordering the
Arabian Gulf, unless such contracts are awarded to United
States firms or United States firms in joint venture with
host nation firms.
Sec. 112. None of the funds made available in this title
for military construction in the United States territories
and possessions in the Pacific and on Kwajalein Atoll, or in
countries bordering the Arabian Gulf, may be used to award
any contract estimated by the Government to exceed $1,000,000
to a foreign contractor: Provided, That this section shall
not be applicable to contract awards for which the lowest
responsive and responsible bid of a United States contractor
exceeds the lowest responsive and responsible bid of a
foreign contractor by greater than 20 percent: Provided
further, That this section shall not apply to contract awards
for military construction on Kwajalein Atoll for which the
lowest responsive and responsible bid is submitted by a
Marshallese contractor.
Sec. 113. The Secretary of Defense shall inform the
appropriate committees of both Houses of Congress, including
the Committees on Appropriations, of plans and scope of any
proposed military exercise involving United States personnel
30 days prior to its occurring, if amounts expended for
construction, either temporary or permanent, are anticipated
to exceed $100,000.
Sec. 114. Funds appropriated to the Department of Defense
for construction in prior years shall be available for
construction authorized for each such military department by
the authorizations enacted into law during the current
session of Congress.
Sec. 115. For military construction or family housing
projects that are being completed with funds otherwise
expired or lapsed for obligation, expired or lapsed funds may
be used to pay the cost of associated supervision,
inspection, overhead, engineering and design on those
projects and on subsequent claims, if any.
Sec. 116. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any
funds made available to a military department or defense
agency for the construction of military projects may be
obligated for a military construction project or contract, or
for any portion of such a project or contract, at any time
before the end of the fourth fiscal year after the fiscal
year for which funds for such project were made available, if
the funds obligated for such project: (1) are obligated from
funds available for military construction projects; and (2)
do not exceed the amount appropriated for such project, plus
any amount by which the cost of such project is increased
pursuant to law.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 117. Subject to 30 days prior notification, or 14
days for a notification provided in an electronic medium
pursuant to sections 480 and 2883 of title 10, United States
Code, to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress, such additional amounts as may be determined by the
Secretary of Defense may be transferred to: (1) the
Department of Defense Family Housing Improvement Fund from
amounts appropriated for construction in ``Family Housing''
accounts, to be merged with and to be available for the same
purposes and for the same period of time as amounts
appropriated directly to the Fund; or (2) the Department of
Defense Military Unaccompanied Housing Improvement Fund from
amounts appropriated for construction of military
unaccompanied housing in ``Military Construction'' accounts,
to be merged with and to be available for the same purposes
and for the same period of time as amounts appropriated
directly to the Fund: Provided, That appropriations made
available to the Funds shall be available to cover the costs,
as defined in section 502(5) of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974, of direct loans or loan guarantees issued by the
Department of Defense pursuant to the provisions of
subchapter IV of chapter 169 of title 10, United States Code,
pertaining to alternative means of acquiring and improving
military family housing, military unaccompanied housing, and
supporting facilities.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 118. In addition to any other transfer authority
available to the Department of Defense, amounts may be
transferred from the Department of Defense Base Closure
Account to the fund established by section 1013(d) of the
Demonstration Cities and Metropolitan Development Act of 1966
(42 U.S.C. 3374) to pay for expenses associated with the
Homeowners Assistance Program incurred under 42 U.S.C.
3374(a)(1)(A). Any amounts transferred shall be merged with
and be available for the same purposes and for the same time
period as the fund to which transferred.
Sec. 119. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
funds made available in this title for operation and
maintenance of family housing shall be the exclusive source
of funds for repair and maintenance of all family housing
units, including general or flag officer quarters: Provided,
That not more than $35,000 per unit may be spent annually for
the maintenance and repair of any general or flag officer
quarters without 30 days prior notification, or 14 days for a
notification provided in an electronic medium pursuant to
sections 480 and 2883 of title 10, United States Code, to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress,
except that an after-the-fact notification shall be submitted
if the limitation is exceeded solely due to costs associated
with environmental remediation that could not be reasonably
anticipated at the time of the budget submission: Provided
further, That the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) is
to report annually to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress all operation and maintenance
expenditures for each individual general or flag officer
quarters for the prior fiscal year.
Sec. 120. Amounts contained in the Ford Island Improvement
Account established by subsection (h) of section 2814 of
title 10, United States Code, are appropriated and shall be
available until expended for the purposes specified in
subsection (i)(1) of such section or until transferred
pursuant to subsection (i)(3) of such section.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 121. During the 5-year period after appropriations
available in this Act to the Department of Defense for
military construction and family housing operation and
maintenance and construction have expired for obligation,
upon a determination that such
[[Page S5143]]
appropriations will not be necessary for the liquidation of
obligations or for making authorized adjustments to such
appropriations for obligations incurred during the period of
availability of such appropriations, unobligated balances of
such appropriations may be transferred into the appropriation
``Foreign Currency Fluctuations, Construction, Defense'', to
be merged with and to be available for the same time period
and for the same purposes as the appropriation to which
transferred.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 122. Amounts appropriated or otherwise made available
in an account funded under the headings in this title may be
transferred among projects and activities within the account
in accordance with the reprogramming guidelines for military
construction and family housing construction contained in
Department of Defense Financial Management Regulation
7000.14-R, Volume 3, Chapter 7, of April 2021, as in effect
on the date of enactment of this Act.
Sec. 123. None of the funds made available in this title
may be obligated or expended for planning and design and
construction of projects at Arlington National Cemetery.
Sec. 124. For an additional amount for the accounts and in
the amounts specified, to remain available until September
30, 2030:
``Military Construction, Army'', $45,000,000;
``Military Construction, Army National Guard'',
$15,500,000;
``Military Construction, Air National Guard'', $11,000,000;
and
``Military Construction, Army Reserve'', $15,000,000:
Provided, That such funds may only be obligated to carry
out construction and cost to complete projects identified in
the respective military department's unfunded priority list
for fiscal year 2026 submitted to Congress: Provided
further, That such projects are subject to authorization
prior to obligation and expenditure of funds to carry out
construction: Provided further, That not later than 60 days
after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the military
department concerned, or their designee, shall submit to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an
expenditure plan for funds provided under this section.
Sec. 125. All amounts appropriated to the ``Department of
Defense--Military Construction, Army'', ``Department of
Defense--Military Construction, Navy and Marine Corps'',
``Department of Defense--Military Construction, Air Force'',
and ``Department of Defense--Military Construction, Defense-
Wide'' accounts pursuant to the authorization of
appropriations in a National Defense Authorization Act
specified for fiscal year 2026 in the funding table in
section 4601 of that Act shall be immediately available and
allotted to contract for the full scope of authorized
projects.
Sec. 126. Notwithstanding section 116 of this Act, funds
made available in this Act or any available unobligated
balances from prior appropriations Acts may be obligated
before October 1, 2027 for fiscal year 2017, 2018, 2019, and
2020 military construction projects for which project
authorization has not lapsed or for which authorization is
extended for fiscal year 2026 by a National Defense
Authorization Act: Provided, That no amounts may be
obligated pursuant to this section from amounts that were
designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement
pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 127. For the purposes of this Act, the term
``congressional defense committees'' means the Committees on
Armed Services of the House of Representatives and the
Senate, the Subcommittee on Military Construction and
Veterans Affairs of the Committee on Appropriations of the
Senate, and the Subcommittee on Military Construction and
Veterans Affairs of the Committee on Appropriations of the
House of Representatives.
Sec. 128. For an additional amount for ``Military
Construction, Navy and Marine Corps'', $76,000,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2030: Provided, That such
funds may only be obligated to carry out construction
projects specified in a National Defense Authorization Act
for fiscal year 2026 in the funding table in section 4601 of
that Act: Provided further, That not later than 30 days
after enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Defense, or
their designee, shall submit to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an expenditure plan
for funds provided under this section.
Sec. 129. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to carry out the closure or realignment of the United
States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
TITLE II
DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
Veterans Benefits Administration
compensation and pensions
(including transfer of funds)
For the payment of compensation benefits to or on behalf of
veterans and a pilot program for disability examinations as
authorized by section 107 and chapters 11, 13, 18, 51, 53,
55, and 61 of title 38, United States Code; pension benefits
to or on behalf of veterans as authorized by chapters 15, 51,
53, 55, and 61 of title 38, United States Code; and burial
benefits, the Reinstated Entitlement Program for Survivors,
emergency and other officers' retirement pay, adjusted-
service credits and certificates, payment of premiums due on
commercial life insurance policies guaranteed under the
provisions of title IV of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act
(50 U.S.C. App. 541 et seq.) and for other benefits as
authorized by sections 107, 1312, 1977, and 2106, and
chapters 23, 51, 53, 55, and 61 of title 38, United States
Code, $241,947,603,000, which shall become available on
October 1, 2026, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That not to exceed $29,454,647 of the amount made
available for fiscal year 2027 under this heading shall be
reimbursed to ``General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits
Administration'', and ``Information Technology Systems'' for
necessary expenses in implementing the provisions of chapters
51, 53, and 55 of title 38, United States Code, the funding
source for which is specifically provided as the
``Compensation and Pensions'' appropriation: Provided
further, That such sums as may be earned on an actual
qualifying patient basis, shall be reimbursed to ``Medical
Care Collections Fund'' to augment the funding of individual
medical facilities for nursing home care provided to
pensioners as authorized.
readjustment benefits
For the payment of readjustment and rehabilitation benefits
to or on behalf of veterans as authorized by chapters 21, 30,
31, 33, 34, 35, 36, 39, 41, 51, 53, 55, and 61 of title 38,
United States Code, $20,057,841,000, which shall become
available on October 1, 2026, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That expenses for rehabilitation program
services and assistance which the Secretary is authorized to
provide under subsection (a) of section 3104 of title 38,
United States Code, other than under paragraphs (1), (2),
(5), and (11) of that subsection, shall be charged to this
account.
veterans insurance and indemnities
For military and naval insurance, national service life
insurance, servicemen's indemnities, service-disabled
veterans insurance, and veterans mortgage life insurance as
authorized by chapters 19 and 21 of title 38, United States
Code, $97,893,000, which shall become available on October 1,
2026, to remain available until expended.
veterans housing benefit program fund
For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans, such sums as
may be necessary to carry out the program, as authorized by
subchapters I through III of chapter 37 of title 38, United
States Code: Provided, That such costs, including the cost
of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section 502
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further,
That, during fiscal year 2026, within the resources
available, not to exceed $500,000 in gross obligations for
direct loans are authorized for specially adapted housing
loans.
In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the
direct and guaranteed loan programs, $266,736,842.
vocational rehabilitation loans program account
For the cost of direct loans, $45,428, as authorized by
chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code: Provided, That
such costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall
be as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974: Provided further, That funds made available under
this heading are available to subsidize gross obligations for
the principal amount of direct loans not to exceed
$1,394,442.
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry
out the direct loan program, $507,254, which may be paid to
the appropriation for ``General Operating Expenses, Veterans
Benefits Administration''.
native american veteran housing loan program account
For the cost of direct loans, $6,865,235, as authorized by
subchapter V of chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code:
Provided, That such costs, including the cost of modifying
such loans, shall be as defined in section 502 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That
funds made available under this heading are available to
subsidize gross obligations for the principal amount of
direct loans not to exceed $75,000,000.
In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the
direct loan program authorized by subchapter V of chapter 37
of title 38, United States Code, $5,845,241.
general operating expenses, veterans benefits administration
For necessary operating expenses of the Veterans Benefits
Administration, not otherwise provided for, including hire of
passenger motor vehicles, reimbursement of the General
Services Administration for security guard services, and
reimbursement of the Department of Defense for the cost of
overseas employee mail, $3,879,000,000: Provided, That
expenses for services and assistance authorized under
paragraphs (1), (2), (5), and (11) of section 3104(a) of
title 38, United States Code, that the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs determines are necessary to enable entitled veterans:
(1) to the maximum extent feasible, to become employable and
to obtain and maintain suitable employment; or (2) to achieve
maximum independence in daily living, shall be charged to
this account: Provided further, That, of the funds made
available under this heading, not to exceed 10 percent shall
remain available until September 30, 2027.
Veterans Health Administration
medical services
For necessary expenses for furnishing, as authorized by
law, inpatient and outpatient care and treatment to
beneficiaries of the
[[Page S5144]]
Department of Veterans Affairs and veterans described in
section 1705(a) of title 38, United States Code, including
care and treatment in facilities not under the jurisdiction
of the Department, and including medical supplies and
equipment, bioengineering services, food services, and
salaries and expenses of healthcare employees hired under
title 38, United States Code, assistance and support services
for caregivers as authorized by section 1720G of title 38,
United States Code, loan repayments authorized by section 604
of the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of
2010 (Public Law 111-163; 124 Stat. 1174; 38 U.S.C. 7681
note), monthly assistance allowances authorized by section
322(d) of title 38, United States Code, grants authorized by
section 521A of title 38, United States Code, and
administrative expenses necessary to carry out sections
322(d) and 521A of title 38, United States Code, and hospital
care and medical services authorized by section 1787 of title
38, United States Code; $59,858,000,000, plus reimbursements,
which shall become available on October 1, 2026, and shall
remain available until September 30, 2027: Provided, That,
of the amount made available on October 1, 2026, under this
heading, $2,000,000,000 shall remain available until
September 30, 2028: Provided further, That of the
$75,039,000,000 to become available on October 1, 2025,
previously appropriated under this heading in the Full-Year
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (division A of Public Law
119-4), $15,889,000,000 is hereby rescinded: Provided
further, That, notwithstanding any other provision of law,
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall establish a priority
for the provision of medical treatment for veterans who have
service-connected disabilities, lower income, or have special
needs: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
give priority funding for the provision of basic medical
benefits to veterans in enrollment priority groups 1 through
6: Provided further, That, notwithstanding any other
provision of law, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs may
authorize the dispensing of prescription drugs from Veterans
Health Administration facilities to enrolled veterans with
privately written prescriptions based on requirements
established by the Secretary: Provided further, That the
implementation of the program described in the previous
proviso shall incur no additional cost to the Department of
Veterans Affairs: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall ensure that sufficient amounts
appropriated under this heading for medical supplies and
equipment are available for the acquisition of prosthetics
designed specifically for female veterans: Provided further,
That nothing in section 2044(e) of title 38, United States
Code, may be construed as limiting amounts that may be made
available under this heading for fiscal years 2026 and 2027
in this or prior Acts.
medical community care
For necessary expenses for furnishing health care to
individuals pursuant to chapter 17 of title 38, United States
Code, at non-Department facilities, $38,700,000,000, plus
reimbursements, which shall become available on October 1,
2026, and shall remain available until September 30, 2027:
Provided, That, of the amount made available on October 1,
2026, under this heading, $2,000,000,000 shall remain
available until September 30, 2028.
medical support and compliance
For necessary expenses in the administration of the
medical, hospital, nursing home, domiciliary, construction,
supply, and research activities, as authorized by law;
administrative expenses in support of capital policy
activities; and administrative and legal expenses of the
Department for collecting and recovering amounts owed the
Department as authorized under chapter 17 of title 38, United
States Code, and the Federal Medical Care Recovery Act (42
U.S.C. 2651 et seq.), $12,000,000,000, plus reimbursements,
which shall become available on October 1, 2026, and shall
remain available until September 30, 2027: Provided, That,
of the amount made available on October 1, 2026, under this
heading, $350,000,000 shall remain available until September
30, 2028: Provided further, That, of the $12,700,000,000 to
become available on October 1, 2025, previously appropriated
under this heading in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations
Act, 2025 (division A of Public Law 119-4), $610,000,000 is
hereby rescinded.
medical facilities
For necessary expenses for the maintenance and operation of
hospitals, nursing homes, domiciliary facilities, and other
necessary facilities of the Veterans Health Administration;
for administrative expenses in support of planning, design,
project management, real property acquisition and
disposition, construction, and renovation of any facility
under the jurisdiction or for the use of the Department; for
oversight, engineering, and architectural activities not
charged to project costs; for repairing, altering, improving,
or providing facilities in the several hospitals and homes
under the jurisdiction of the Department, not otherwise
provided for, either by contract or by the hire of temporary
employees and purchase of materials; for leases of
facilities; and for laundry services; $3,000,000, which shall
be in addition to funds previously appropriated under this
heading that become available on October 1, 2025; and, in
addition, $11,700,000,000, plus reimbursements, which shall
become available on October 1, 2026, and shall remain
available until September 30, 2027: Provided, That, of the
amount made available on October 1, 2026, under this heading,
$500,000,000 shall remain available until September 30, 2028.
medical and prosthetic research
For necessary expenses in carrying out programs of medical
and prosthetic research and development as authorized by
chapter 73 of title 38, United States Code, $943,000,000,
plus reimbursements, shall remain available until September
30, 2027: Provided, That the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall ensure that sufficient amounts appropriated under this
heading are available for prosthetic research specifically
for female veterans, and for toxic exposure research.
National Cemetery Administration
For necessary expenses of the National Cemetery
Administration for operations and maintenance, not otherwise
provided for, including uniforms or allowances therefor;
cemeterial expenses as authorized by law; purchase of one
passenger motor vehicle for use in cemeterial operations;
hire of passenger motor vehicles; and repair, alteration or
improvement of facilities under the jurisdiction of the
National Cemetery Administration, $497,000,000, of which not
to exceed 10 percent shall remain available until September
30, 2027.
Departmental Administration
general administration
(including transfer of funds)
For necessary operating expenses of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, not otherwise provided for, including
administrative expenses in support of Department-wide capital
planning, management and policy activities, uniforms, or
allowances therefor; not to exceed $25,000 for official
reception and representation expenses; hire of passenger
motor vehicles; and reimbursement of the General Services
Administration for security guard services, $440,000,000,
which shall be for the offices and in the amounts specified
under this heading in the report accompanying this Act, of
which not to exceed 10 percent for each such office shall
remain available until September 30, 2027: Provided, That
funds provided under this heading may be transferred to
``General Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits
Administration''.
board of veterans appeals
For necessary operating expenses of the Board of Veterans
Appeals, $277,000,000, of which not to exceed 10 percent
shall remain available until September 30, 2027.
information technology systems
(including transfer of funds)
For necessary expenses for information technology systems
and telecommunications support, including developmental
information systems and operational information systems; for
pay and associated costs; and for the capital asset
acquisition of information technology systems, including
management and related contractual costs of said
acquisitions, including contractual costs associated with
operations authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United
States Code, $5,908,000,000, plus reimbursements: Provided,
That $1,418,416,000 shall be for pay and associated costs, of
which not to exceed 3 percent shall remain available until
September 30, 2027: Provided further, That $4,488,829,000
shall be for operations and maintenance, of which not to
exceed 5 percent shall remain available until September 30,
2027, and of which $118,900,000 shall remain available until
September 30, 2030, for the purpose of facility activations
related to projects funded by the ``Construction, Major
Projects'', ``Construction, Minor Projects'', ``Medical
Facilities'', ``National Cemetery Administration'', ``General
Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration'', and
``General Administration'' accounts: Provided further, That
$755,000 shall be for information technology systems
development, and shall remain available until September 30,
2027: Provided further, That amounts made available for
salaries and expenses, operations and maintenance, and
information technology systems development may be transferred
among the three subaccounts after the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs requests from the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer
and an approval is issued: Provided further, That amounts
made available for the ``Information Technology Systems''
account for development may be transferred among projects or
to newly defined projects: Provided further, That no project
may be increased or decreased by more than $3,000,000 of cost
prior to submitting a request to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress to make the
transfer and an approval is issued, or absent a response, a
period of 30 days has elapsed.
veterans electronic health record
For activities related to implementation, preparation,
development, interface, management, rollout, and maintenance
of a Veterans Electronic Health Record system, including
contractual costs associated with operations authorized by
section 3109 of title 5, United States Code, and salaries and
expenses of employees hired under titles 5 and 38, United
States Code, $3,488,000,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2028: Provided, That the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs shall submit to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress quarterly reports detailing
obligations, expenditures, and deployment implementation by
facility, including any changes from the deployment plan or
schedule: Provided further, That the funds provided in this
account shall
[[Page S5145]]
only be available to the Office of the Deputy Secretary, to
be administered by that Office: Provided further, That 25
percent of the funds made available under this heading shall
not be available until July 1, 2026, and are contingent upon
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs providing to the Committees
on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a plan by June
1, 2026, containing the following:
(1) an updated life-cycle cost estimate for the EHRM
program based on the Department's acceleration of deployments
announced in March 2025;
(2) an updated facility-by-facility deployment schedule for
all facilities to receive the EHRM program;
(3) a certification that all VA facilities using the new
EHR on or before April 1, 2024, have exceeded or met certain
health care performance baseline metrics indicating they have
returned to their service delivery levels in place prior to
the deployment of the new EHR; and
(4) a description of the projected Federal VA staffing
levels, contract support, and other relevant activities
required, and the resources required to fund those
activities, to meet the deployment goal as outlined in (2),
including target Federal and contracted staffing levels at VA
Central Office and, each local VA medical center with a
slated deployment in 2026 and 2027, as well as contract
support to provide technical and other change management
support to carry out the deployments.
office of inspector general
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General,
to include information technology, in carrying out the
provisions of the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 401
et seq.), $296,000,000, of which not to exceed 10 percent
shall remain available until September 30, 2027.
construction, major projects
For constructing, altering, extending, and improving any of
the facilities, including parking projects, under the
jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, or for any of the purposes set forth in sections
316, 2404, 2406 and chapter 81 of title 38, United States
Code, not otherwise provided for, including planning,
architectural and engineering services, construction
management services, maintenance or guarantee period services
costs associated with equipment guarantees provided under the
project, services of claims analysts, offsite utility and
storm drainage system construction costs, and site
acquisition, where the estimated cost of a project is more
than the amount set forth in section 8104(a)(3)(A) of title
38, United States Code, or where funds for a project were
made available in a previous major project appropriation,
$1,394,000,000, of which $621,615,000 shall remain available
until September 30, 2030, and of which $772,385,000 shall
remain available until expended: Provided, That except for
advance planning activities, including needs assessments
which may or may not lead to capital investments, and other
capital asset management related activities, including
portfolio development and management activities, and
planning, cost estimating, and design for major medical
facility projects and major medical facility leases and
investment strategy studies funded through the advance
planning fund and the planning and design activities funded
through the design fund, staffing expenses, and funds
provided for the purchase, security, and maintenance of land
for the National Cemetery Administration and the Veterans
Health Administration through the land acquisition line item,
none of the funds made available under this heading shall be
used for any project that has not been notified to Congress
through the budgetary process or that has not been approved
by the Congress through statute, joint resolution, or in the
explanatory statement accompanying such Act and presented to
the President at the time of enrollment: Provided further,
That funds provided for the Veterans Health Administration
through the land acquisition line item shall be only for
projects included on the five year development plan notified
to Congress through the budgetary process: Provided further,
That such sums as may be necessary shall be available to
reimburse the ``General Administration'' account for payment
of salaries and expenses of all Office of Construction and
Facilities Management employees to support the full range of
capital infrastructure services provided, including minor
construction and leasing services: Provided further, That
funds made available under this heading for fiscal year 2026,
for each approved project shall be obligated: (1) by the
awarding of a construction documents contract by September
30, 2026; and (2) by the awarding of a construction contract
by September 30, 2027: Provided further, That the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs shall promptly submit to the Committees
on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress a written report
on any approved major construction project for which
obligations are not incurred within the time limitations
established above: Provided further, That notwithstanding
the requirements of section 8104(a) of title 38, United
States Code, amounts made available under this heading for
seismic program management activities shall be available for
the completion of both new and existing seismic projects of
the Department.
construction, minor projects
For constructing, altering, extending, and improving any of
the facilities, including parking projects, under the
jurisdiction or for the use of the Department of Veterans
Affairs, including planning and assessments of needs which
may lead to capital investments, architectural and
engineering services, maintenance or guarantee period
services costs associated with equipment guarantees provided
under the project, services of claims analysts, offsite
utility and storm drainage system construction costs, and
site acquisition, or for any of the purposes set forth in
sections 316, 2404, 2406 and chapter 81 of title 38, United
States Code, not otherwise provided for, where the estimated
cost of a project is equal to or less than the amount set
forth in section 8104(a)(3)(A) of title 38, United States
Code, $709,000,000, of which $467,940,000 shall remain
available until September 30, 2030, and of which $241,060,000
shall remain available until expended, along with unobligated
balances of previous ``Construction, Minor Projects''
appropriations which are hereby made available for any
project where the estimated cost is equal to or less than the
amount set forth in such section: Provided, That funds made
available under this heading shall be for: (1) repairs to any
of the nonmedical facilities under the jurisdiction or for
the use of the Department which are necessary because of loss
or damage caused by any natural disaster or catastrophe; and
(2) temporary measures necessary to prevent or to minimize
further loss by such causes.
grants for construction of state extended care facilities
For grants to assist States to acquire or construct State
nursing home and domiciliary facilities and to remodel,
modify, or alter existing hospital, nursing home, and
domiciliary facilities in State homes, for furnishing care to
veterans as authorized by sections 8131 through 8137 of title
38, United States Code, $171,000,000, to remain available
until expended.
grants for construction of veterans cemeteries
For grants to assist States and tribal organizations in
establishing, expanding, or improving veterans cemeteries as
authorized by section 2408 of title 38, United States Code,
$60,000,000, to remain available until expended.
Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund
For investment in the delivery of veterans' health care
associated with exposure to environmental hazards, the
expenses incident to the delivery of veterans' health care
and benefits associated with exposure to environmental
hazards, and medical and other research relating to exposure
to environmental hazards, as authorized by section 324 of
title 38, United States Code, and in addition to the amounts
otherwise available for such purposes in the appropriations
provided in this or prior Acts, including the Fiscal
Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118-5),
$52,676,000,000, to remain available until expended.
Administrative Provisions
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 201. Any appropriation for fiscal year 2026 for
``Compensation and Pensions'', ``Readjustment Benefits'', and
``Veterans Insurance and Indemnities'' may be transferred as
necessary to any other of the mentioned appropriations:
Provided, That, before a transfer may take place, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request from the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the
authority to make the transfer and such Committees issue an
approval, or absent a response, a period of 30 days has
elapsed.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 202. Amounts made available for the Department of
Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, in this or any other
Act, under the ``Medical Services'', ``Medical Community
Care'', ``Medical Support and Compliance'', and ``Medical
Facilities'' accounts may be transferred among the accounts:
Provided, That any transfers among the ``Medical Services'',
``Medical Community Care'', and ``Medical Support and
Compliance'' accounts of 1 percent or less of the total
amount appropriated to the account in this or any other Act
may take place subject to notification from the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to the Committees on Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress of the amount and purpose of the transfer:
Provided further, That any transfers among the ``Medical
Services'', ``Medical Community Care'', and ``Medical Support
and Compliance'' accounts in excess of 1 percent, or
exceeding the cumulative 1 percent for the fiscal year, may
take place only after the Secretary requests from the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the
authority to make the transfer and an approval is issued:
Provided further, That any transfers to or from the ``Medical
Facilities'' account may take place only after the Secretary
requests from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress the authority to make the transfer and an
approval is issued.
Sec. 203. Appropriations available in this title for
salaries and expenses shall be available for services
authorized by section 3109 of title 5, United States Code;
hire of passenger motor vehicles; lease of a facility or land
or both; and uniforms or allowances therefore, as authorized
by sections 5901 through 5902 of title 5, United States Code.
Sec. 204. No appropriations in this title (except the
appropriations for ``Construction, Major Projects'' and
``Construction, Minor Projects'') shall be available for the
purchase of any site for or toward the construction of any
new hospital or home.
[[Page S5146]]
Sec. 205. No appropriations in this title shall be
available for hospitalization or examination of any persons
(except beneficiaries entitled to such hospitalization or
examination under the laws providing such benefits to
veterans, and persons receiving such treatment under sections
7901 through 7904 of title 5, United States Code, or the
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance
Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)), unless reimbursement of the
cost of such hospitalization or examination is made to the
``Medical Services'' account at such rates as may be fixed by
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 206. Appropriations available in this title for
``Compensation and Pensions'', ``Readjustment Benefits'', and
``Veterans Insurance and Indemnities'' shall be available for
payment of prior year accrued obligations required to be
recorded by law against the corresponding prior year accounts
within the last quarter of fiscal year 2025.
Sec. 207. Appropriations available in this title shall be
available to pay prior year obligations of corresponding
prior year appropriations accounts resulting from sections
3328(a), 3334, and 3712(a) of title 31, United States Code,
except that if such obligations are from trust fund accounts
they shall be payable only from ``Compensation and
Pensions''.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 208. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
during fiscal year 2026, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall, from the National Service Life Insurance Fund under
section 1920 of title 38, United States Code, the Veterans'
Special Life Insurance Fund under section 1923 of title 38,
United States Code, and the United States Government Life
Insurance Fund under section 1955 of title 38, United States
Code, reimburse the ``General Operating Expenses, Veterans
Benefits Administration'' and ``Information Technology
Systems'' accounts for the cost of administration of the
insurance programs financed through those accounts:
Provided, That reimbursement shall be made only from the
surplus earnings accumulated in such an insurance program
during fiscal year 2026 that are available for dividends in
that program after claims have been paid and actuarially
determined reserves have been set aside: Provided further,
That if the cost of administration of such an insurance
program exceeds the amount of surplus earnings accumulated in
that program, reimbursement shall be made only to the extent
of such surplus earnings: Provided further, That the
Secretary shall determine the cost of administration for
fiscal year 2026 which is properly allocable to the provision
of each such insurance program and to the provision of any
total disability income insurance included in that insurance
program.
Sec. 209. Amounts deducted from enhanced-use lease
proceeds to reimburse an account for expenses incurred by
that account during a prior fiscal year for providing
enhanced-use lease services shall be available until
expended.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 210. Funds available in this title or funds for
salaries and other administrative expenses shall also be
available to reimburse the Office of Resolution Management,
the Office of Employment Discrimination Complaint
Adjudication, and the Alternative Dispute Resolution function
within the Office of Human Resources and Administration for
all services provided at rates which will recover actual
costs but not to exceed $134,342,000 for the Office of
Resolution Management, $7,607,000 for the Office of
Employment Discrimination Complaint Adjudication, and
$7,586,000 for the Alternative Dispute Resolution function
within the Office of Human Resources and Administration:
Provided, That payments may be made in advance for services
to be furnished based on estimated costs: Provided further,
That amounts received shall be credited to the ``General
Administration'' and ``Information Technology Systems''
accounts for use by the office that provided the service.
Sec. 211. No funds of the Department of Veterans Affairs
shall be available for hospital care, nursing home care, or
medical services provided to any person under chapter 17 of
title 38, United States Code, for a non-service-connected
disability described in section 1729(a)(2) of such title,
unless that person has disclosed to the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs, in such form as the Secretary may require, current,
accurate third-party reimbursement information for purposes
of section 1729 of such title: Provided, That the Secretary
may recover, in the same manner as any other debt due the
United States, the reasonable charges for such care or
services from any person who does not make such disclosure as
required: Provided further, That any amounts so recovered
for care or services provided in a prior fiscal year may be
obligated by the Secretary during the fiscal year in which
amounts are received.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 212. Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
proceeds or revenues derived from enhanced-use leasing
activities (including disposal) may be deposited into the
``Construction, Major Projects'' and ``Construction, Minor
Projects'' accounts and be used for construction (including
site acquisition and disposition), alterations, and
improvements of any medical facility under the jurisdiction
or for the use of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Such
sums as realized are in addition to the amount provided for
in ``Construction, Major Projects'' and ``Construction, Minor
Projects''.
Sec. 213. Amounts made available under ``Medical
Services'' are available--
(1) for furnishing recreational facilities, supplies, and
equipment; and
(2) for funeral expenses, burial expenses, and other
expenses incidental to funerals and burials for beneficiaries
receiving care in the Department.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 214. Such sums as may be deposited into the Medical
Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of title 38,
United States Code, may be transferred to the ``Medical
Services'' and ``Medical Community Care'' accounts to remain
available until expended for the purposes of these accounts.
Sec. 215. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may enter into
agreements with Federally Qualified Health Centers in the
State of Alaska and Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations
which are party to the Alaska Native Health Compact with the
Indian Health Service, to provide healthcare, including
behavioral health and dental care, to veterans in rural
Alaska. The Secretary shall require participating veterans
and facilities to comply with all appropriate rules and
regulations, as established by the Secretary. The term
``rural Alaska'' shall mean those lands which are not within
the boundaries of the municipality of Anchorage or the
Fairbanks North Star Borough.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 216. Such sums as may be deposited into the
Department of Veterans Affairs Capital Asset Fund pursuant to
section 8118 of title 38, United States Code, may be
transferred to the ``Construction, Major Projects'' and
``Construction, Minor Projects'' accounts, to remain
available until expended for the purposes of these accounts.
Sec. 217. Not later than 30 days after the end of each
fiscal quarter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress a report on the financial status of the Department
of Veterans Affairs for the preceding quarter: Provided,
That, at a minimum, the report shall include the direction
contained in the paragraph entitled ``Quarterly reporting'',
under the heading ``General Administration'' in the joint
explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 114-223.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 218. Amounts made available under the ``Medical
Services'', ``Medical Community Care'', ``Medical Support and
Compliance'', ``Medical Facilities'', ``General Operating
Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration'', ``Board of
Veterans Appeals'', ``General Administration'', and
``National Cemetery Administration'' accounts for fiscal year
2026 may be transferred to or from the ``Information
Technology Systems'' account: Provided, That such transfers
may not result in a more than 10 percent aggregate increase
in the total amount made available by this Act for the
``Information Technology Systems'' account: Provided
further, That, before a transfer may take place, the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall request from the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the
authority to make the transfer and an approval is issued.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 219. Of the amounts appropriated to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026 for ``Medical
Services'', ``Medical Community Care'', ``Medical Support and
Compliance'', ``Medical Facilities'', ``Construction, Minor
Projects'', and ``Information Technology Systems'', up to
$654,954,000, plus reimbursements, may be transferred to the
Joint Department of Defense--Department of Veterans Affairs
Medical Facility Demonstration Fund, established by section
1704 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84; 123 Stat. 2571) and may be used
for operation of the facilities designated as combined
Federal medical facilities as described by section 706 of the
Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4500): Provided,
That additional funds may be transferred from accounts
designated in this section to the Joint Department of
Defense--Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility
Demonstration Fund upon written notification by the Secretary
of Veterans Affairs to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress: Provided further, That section 220
of title II of division A of Public Law 118-42, as continued
by section 1101(a)(10) of division A of Public Law 119-4, is
repealed.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 220. Of the amounts appropriated to the Department of
Veterans Affairs which become available on October 1, 2026,
for ``Medical Services'', ``Medical Community Care'',
``Medical Support and Compliance'', and ``Medical
Facilities'', up to $739,918,000, plus reimbursements, may be
transferred to the Joint Department of Defense--Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund,
established by section 1704 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84;
123 Stat. 2571) and may be used for operation of the
facilities designated as combined Federal medical facilities
as described by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law
110-417; 122 Stat. 4500): Provided, That additional funds
may be transferred from accounts designated in this section
to
[[Page S5147]]
the Joint Department of Defense--Department of Veterans
Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund upon written
notification by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 221. Such sums as may be deposited into the Medical
Care Collections Fund pursuant to section 1729A of title 38,
United States Code, for healthcare provided at facilities
designated as combined Federal medical facilities as
described by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law
110-417; 122 Stat. 4500) shall also be available: (1) for
transfer to the Joint Department of Defense--Department of
Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration Fund,
established by section 1704 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84;
123 Stat. 2571); and (2) for operations of the facilities
designated as combined Federal medical facilities as
described by section 706 of the Duncan Hunter National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law
110-417; 122 Stat. 4500): Provided, That, notwithstanding
section 1704(b)(3) of the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2010 (Public Law 111-84; 123 Stat. 2573),
amounts transferred to the Joint Department of Defense--
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Facility Demonstration
Fund shall remain available until expended.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 222. Of the amounts available in this title for
``Medical Services'', ``Medical Community Care'', ``Medical
Support and Compliance'', and ``Medical Facilities'', a
minimum of $15,000,000 shall be transferred to the DOD-VA
Health Care Sharing Incentive Fund, as authorized by section
8111(d) of title 38, United States Code, to remain available
until expended, for any purpose authorized by section 8111 of
title 38, United States Code.
Sec. 223. None of the funds available to the Department of
Veterans Affairs, in this or any other Act, may be used to
replace the current system by which the Veterans Integrated
Service Networks select and contract for diabetes monitoring
supplies and equipment.
Sec. 224. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall notify
the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress
of all bid savings in a major construction project that total
at least $5,000,000, or 5 percent of the programmed amount of
the project, whichever is less: Provided, That such
notification shall occur within 14 days of a contract
identifying the programmed amount: Provided further, That
the Secretary shall notify the Committees on Appropriations
of both Houses of Congress 14 days prior to the obligation of
such bid savings and shall describe the anticipated use of
such savings.
Sec. 225. None of the funds made available for
``Construction, Major Projects'' may be used for a project in
excess of the scope specified for that project in the
original justification data provided to the Congress as part
of the request for appropriations unless the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs receives approval from the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
Sec. 226. Not later than 30 days after the end of each
fiscal quarter, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
submit to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress a quarterly report containing performance measures
and data from each Veterans Benefits Administration Regional
Office: Provided, That, at a minimum, the report shall
include the direction contained in the section entitled
``Disability claims backlog'', under the heading ``General
Operating Expenses, Veterans Benefits Administration'' in the
joint explanatory statement accompanying Public Law 114-223:
Provided further, That the report shall also include
information on the number of appeals pending at the Veterans
Benefits Administration as well as the Board of Veterans
Appeals on a quarterly basis.
Sec. 227. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide
written notification to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress 15 days prior to organizational
changes which result in the transfer of 25 or more full-time
equivalents from one organizational unit of the Department of
Veterans Affairs to another.
Sec. 228. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall provide
on a quarterly basis to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress notification of any single national
outreach and awareness marketing campaign in which
obligations exceed $1,000,000.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 229. Amounts made available for the Department of
Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, under the ``Board of
Veterans Appeals'' and the ``General Operating Expenses,
Veterans Benefits Administration'' accounts may be
transferred between such accounts: Provided, That before a
transfer may take place, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs
shall request from the Committees on Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress the authority to make the transfer and
receive approval of that request.
Sec. 230. The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may not
reprogram funds among major construction projects or programs
if such instance of reprogramming will exceed a cumulative
$7,000,000, unless such reprogramming is approved by the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
Sec. 231. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall
ensure that the toll-free suicide hotline under section
1720F(h) of title 38, United States Code--
(1) provides to individuals who contact the hotline
immediate assistance from a trained professional; and
(2) adheres to all requirements of the American Association
of Suicidology.
(b)(1) None of the funds made available by this Act may be
used to enforce or otherwise carry out any Executive action
that prohibits the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from
appointing an individual to occupy a vacant civil service
position, or establishing a new civil service position, at
the Department of Veterans Affairs with respect to such a
position relating to the hotline specified in subsection (a).
(2) In this subsection--
(A) the term ``civil service'' has the meaning given such
term in section 2101(1) of title 5, United States Code; and
(B) the term ``Executive action'' includes--
(i) any Executive order, Presidential memorandum, or other
action by the President; and
(ii) any agency policy, order, or other directive.
(c)(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs shall conduct a
study on the effectiveness of the hotline specified in
subsection (a) during the 5-year period beginning on January
1, 2016, based on an analysis of national suicide data and
data collected from such hotline.
(2) At a minimum, the study required by paragraph (1)
shall--
(A) determine the number of veterans who contact the
hotline specified in subsection (a) and who receive follow up
services from the hotline or mental health services from the
Department of Veterans Affairs thereafter;
(B) determine the number of veterans who contact the
hotline who are not referred to, or do not continue
receiving, mental health care who commit suicide; and
(C) determine the number of veterans described in
subparagraph (A) who commit or attempt suicide.
Sec. 232. Effective during the period beginning on October
1, 2018, and ending on January 1, 2027, none of the funds
made available to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs by this
or any other Act may be obligated or expended in
contravention of the ``Veterans Health Administration
Clinical Preventive Services Guidance Statement on the
Veterans Health Administration's Screening for Breast Cancer
Guidance'' published on May 10, 2017, as issued by the
Veterans Health Administration National Center for Health
Promotion and Disease Prevention.
Sec. 233. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law,
the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available to the
Department of Veterans Affairs for the ``Medical Services''
account may be used to provide--
(1) fertility counseling and treatment using assisted
reproductive technology to a covered veteran or the spouse of
a covered veteran; or
(2) adoption reimbursement to a covered veteran.
(b) In this section:
(1) The term ``service-connected'' has the meaning given
such term in section 101 of title 38, United States Code.
(2) The term ``covered veteran'' means a veteran, as such
term is defined in section 101 of title 38, United States
Code, who has a service-connected disability that results in
the inability of the veteran to procreate without the use of
fertility treatment.
(3) The term ``assisted reproductive technology'' means
benefits relating to reproductive assistance provided to a
member of the Armed Forces who incurs a serious injury or
illness on active duty pursuant to section 1074(c)(4)(A) of
title 10, United States Code, as described in the memorandum
on the subject of ``Policy for Assisted Reproductive Services
for the Benefit of Seriously or Severely Ill/Injured
(Category II or III) Active Duty Service Members'' issued by
the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs on
April 3, 2012, and the guidance issued to implement such
policy, including any limitations on the amount of such
benefits available to such a member except that--
(A) the time periods regarding embryo cryopreservation and
storage set forth in part III(G) and in part IV(H) of such
memorandum shall not apply; and
(B) such term includes embryo cryopreservation and storage
without limitation on the duration of such cryopreservation
and storage.
(4) The term ``adoption reimbursement'' means reimbursement
for the adoption-related expenses for an adoption that is
finalized after the date of the enactment of this Act under
the same terms as apply under the adoption reimbursement
program of the Department of Defense, as authorized in
Department of Defense Instruction 1341.09, including the
reimbursement limits and requirements set forth in such
instruction.
(c) Amounts made available for the purposes specified in
subsection (a) of this section are subject to the
requirements for funds contained in section 508 of division H
of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-
141).
Sec. 234. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act or any other Act for the Department of
Veterans
[[Page S5148]]
Affairs may be used in a manner that is inconsistent with:
(1) section 842 of the Transportation, Treasury, Housing and
Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia,
and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 2006 (Public Law
109-115; 119 Stat. 2506); or (2) section 8110(a)(5) of title
38, United States Code.
Sec. 235. Section 842 of Public Law 109-115 shall not
apply to conversion of an activity or function of the
Veterans Health Administration, Veterans Benefits
Administration, or National Cemetery Administration to
contractor performance by a business concern that is at least
51 percent owned by one or more Indian Tribes as defined in
section 5304(e) of title 25, United States Code, or one or
more Native Hawaiian Organizations as defined in section
637(a)(15) of title 15, United States Code.
Sec. 236. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in
consultation with the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary
of Labor, shall discontinue collecting and using Social
Security account numbers to authenticate individuals in all
information systems of the Department of Veterans Affairs for
all individuals not later than September 30, 2026.
(b) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may collect and use a
Social Security account number to identify an individual, in
accordance with section 552a of title 5, United States Code,
in an information system of the Department of Veterans
Affairs if and only if the use of such number is necessary
to:
(1) obtain or provide information the Secretary requires
from an information system that is not under the jurisdiction
of the Secretary;
(2) comply with a law, regulation, or court order;
(3) perform anti-fraud activities; or
(4) identify a specific individual where no adequate
substitute is available.
(c) The matter in subsections (a) and (b) shall supersede
section 237 of division A of Public Law 118-42.
Sec. 237. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and 2027 for ``Medical
Services'', section 239 of division A of Public Law 114-223
shall apply.
Sec. 238. None of the funds appropriated in this or prior
appropriations Acts or otherwise made available to the
Department of Veterans Affairs may be used to transfer any
amounts from the Filipino Veterans Equity Compensation Fund
to any other account within the Department of Veterans
Affairs.
Sec. 239. Of the funds provided to the Department of
Veterans Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and fiscal year
2027 for ``Medical Services'', funds may be used in each year
to carry out and expand the child care program authorized by
section 205 of Public Law 111-163, notwithstanding subsection
(e) of such section.
Sec. 240. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available in this title may be used by the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs to enter into an agreement related to
resolving a dispute or claim with an individual that would
restrict in any way the individual from speaking to members
of Congress or their staff on any topic not otherwise
prohibited from disclosure by Federal law or required by
Executive order to be kept secret in the interest of national
defense or the conduct of foreign affairs.
Sec. 241. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and 2027, section 258 of
division A of Public Law 114-223 shall apply.
Sec. 242. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise
made available by this Act may be used to deny an Inspector
General funded under this Act timely access to any records,
documents, or other materials available to the department or
agency over which that Inspector General has responsibilities
under the Inspector General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 401 et
seq.), or to prevent or impede the access of the Inspector
General to such records, documents, or other materials, under
any provision of law, except a provision of law that
expressly refers to such Inspector General and expressly
limits the right of access.
(b) A department or agency covered by this section shall
provide its Inspector General access to all records,
documents, and other materials in a timely manner.
(c) Each Inspector General shall ensure compliance with
statutory limitations on disclosure relevant to the
information provided by the establishment over which that
Inspector General has responsibilities under the Inspector
General Act of 1978 (5 U.S.C. 401 et seq.).
(d) Each Inspector General covered by this section shall
report to the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and
the Committee on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives within 5 calendar days of any failure by any
department or agency covered by this section to comply with
this requirement.
Sec. 243. None of the funds made available in this Act may
be used in a manner that would increase wait times for
veterans who seek care at medical facilities of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 244. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act to the Veterans Health Administration
may be used in fiscal year 2026 to convert any program which
received specific purpose funds in fiscal year 2025 to a
general purpose funded program unless the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs submits written notification of any such
proposal to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress at least 30 days prior to any such action and an
approval is issued by the Committees.
Sec. 245. For funds provided to the Department of Veterans
Affairs for each of fiscal year 2026 and 2027, section 248 of
division A of Public Law 114-223 shall apply.
Sec. 246. (a) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise
made available by this Act may be used to conduct research
commencing on or after the date of enactment of this Act,
that uses any canine, feline, or non-human primate unless the
Secretary of Veterans Affairs approves such research
specifically and in writing pursuant to subsection (b).
(b)(1) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may approve the
conduct of research commencing on or after the date of
enactment of this Act, using canines, felines, or non-human
primates if the Secretary certifies that--
(A) the scientific objectives of the research can only be
met by using such canines, felines, or non-human primates and
cannot be met using other animal models, in vitro models,
computational models, human clinical studies, or other
research alternatives;
(B) such scientific objectives are necessary to advance
research benefiting veterans and are directly related to an
illness or injury that is combat-related as defined by 10
U.S.C. 1413(e);
(C) the research is consistent with the revised Department
of Veterans Affairs canine research policy document dated
December 15, 2017, including any subsequent revisions to such
document; and
(D) ethical considerations regarding minimizing the harm
experienced by canines, felines, or non-human primates are
included in evaluating the scientific necessity of the
research.
(2) The Secretary may not delegate the authority under this
subsection.
(c) If the Secretary approves any new research pursuant to
subsection (b), not later than 30 days before the
commencement of such research, the Secretary shall submit to
the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and House of
Representatives a report describing--
(1) the nature of the research to be conducted using
canines, felines, or non-human primates;
(2) the date on which the Secretary approved the research;
(3) the USDA pain category on the approved use;
(4) the justification for the determination of the
Secretary that the scientific objectives of such research
could only be met using canines, felines, or non-human
primates, and methods used to make such determination;
(5) the frequency and duration of such research; and
(6) the protocols in place to ensure the necessity, safety,
and efficacy of the research, and animal welfare.
(d) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, and biannually thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to such Committees a report describing--
(1) any research being conducted by the Department of
Veterans Affairs using canines, felines, or non-human
primates as of the date of the submittal of the report;
(2) the circumstances under which such research was
conducted using canines, felines, or non-human primates;
(3) the justification for using canines, felines, or non-
human primates to conduct such research;
(4) the protocols in place to ensure the necessity, safety,
and efficacy of such research; and
(5) the development and adoption of alternatives to
canines, felines, or non-human primate research.
(e) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Department of
Veterans Affairs must submit to voluntary U.S. Department of
Agriculture inspections of canine, feline, and non-human
primate research facilities.
(f) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall
submit to such Committees a report describing--
(1) any violations of the Animal Welfare Act, the Public
Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory
Animals, or other Department of Veterans Affairs policies
related to oversight of animal research found during that
quarter in VA research facilities;
(2) immediate corrective actions taken; and
(3) specific actions taken to prevent their recurrence.
(g) The Department shall implement a plan under which the
Secretary will eliminate the research conducted using
canines, felines, or non-human primates by not later than 2
years after the date of enactment of this Act.
Sec. 247. (a) The Secretary of Veterans Affairs may use
amounts appropriated or otherwise made available in this
title to ensure that the ratio of veterans to full-time
employment equivalents within any program of rehabilitation
conducted under chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code,
does not exceed 125 veterans to one full-time employment
equivalent.
(b) Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report
on the programs of rehabilitation conducted under chapter 31
of title 38, United States Code, including--
(1) an assessment of the veteran-to-staff ratio for each
such program; and
[[Page S5149]]
(2) recommendations for such action as the Secretary
considers necessary to reduce the veteran-to-staff ratio for
each such program.
Sec. 248. Amounts made available for the ``Veterans Health
Administration, Medical Community Care'' account in this or
any other Act for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 may be used for
expenses that would otherwise be payable from the Veterans
Choice Fund established by section 802 of the Veterans
Access, Choice, and Accountability Act, as amended (38 U.S.C.
1701 note).
Sec. 249. Obligations and expenditures applicable to the
``Medical Services'' account in fiscal years 2017 through
2019 for aid to state homes (as authorized by section 1741 of
title 38, United States Code) shall remain in the ``Medical
Community Care'' account for such fiscal years.
Sec. 250. Of the amounts made available for the Department
of Veterans Affairs for fiscal year 2026, in this or any
other Act, under the ``Veterans Health Administration--
Medical Services'', ``Veterans Health Administration--Medical
Community Care'', ``Veterans Health Administration--Medical
Support and Compliance'', ``Veterans Health Administration--
Medical Facilities'', and ``Cost of War Toxic Exposures
Fund'', accounts, $1,429,181,000 shall be made available for
gender-specific care and programmatic efforts to deliver care
for women veterans; $697,800,000 shall be made available for
suicide prevention outreach programs; $3,500,000,000 shall be
made available for the Caregivers program; $42,000,000 shall
be made available for the National Center for Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder; $70,000,000 shall be made available for the
Neurology Centers of Excellence; $342,455,000 shall be made
available for rural health care; and, $3,459,121,000 shall be
made available for veterans' homelessness programs.
Sec. 251. Of the unobligated balances available in fiscal
year 2026 in the ``Recurring Expenses Transformational Fund''
established in section 243 of division J of Public Law 114-
113, and in addition to any funds otherwise made available
for such purposes in this, prior, or subsequent fiscal years,
$900,000,000 shall be available for constructing, altering,
extending, and improving medical facilities of the Veterans
Health Administration, including all supporting activities
and required contingencies, during the period of availability
of the Fund: Provided, That prior to obligation of any of
the funds provided in this section, the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs must provide a plan for the execution of the funds
appropriated in this section to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress and such Committees
issue an approval, or absent a response, a period of 30 days
has elapsed.
(including transfer of funds)
Sec. 252. Of the $75,039,000,000 to become available on
October 1, 2025, previously appropriated under the heading
``Veterans Health Administration--Medical Services'' in the
Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025 (division A of
Public Law 119-4), $2,030,000,000 shall be transferred to
``Veterans Health Administration--Medical Facilities''.
Sec. 253. Not later than 30 days after enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress an expenditure plan
for funds made available in this Act and any available
unobligated balances from prior Acts, including the Fiscal
Responsibility Act of 2023 (Public Law 118-5), for the Cost
of War Toxic Exposures Fund: Provided, That the budget
resource categories supporting the Veterans Health
Administration shall be reported by the subcategories
``Medical Services'', ``Medical Community Care'', ``Medical
Support and Compliance'', and ``Medical and Prosthetic
Research'': Provided further, That not later than 30 days
after the end of each fiscal quarter, the Secretary shall
submit a quarterly report on the status of the funds,
including, at a minimum, an update on obligations by program,
project or activity.
Sec. 254. Any amounts transferred to the Secretary and
administered by a corporation referred to in section 7364(b)
of title 38, United States Code, between October 1, 2017 and
September 30, 2018 for purposes of carrying out an order
placed with the Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant to
section 1535 of title 31, United States Code, that are
available for obligation pursuant to section 7364(b)(1) of
title 38, United States Code, are to remain available for the
liquidation of valid obligations incurred by such corporation
during the period of performance of such order, provided that
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs determines that such
amounts need to remain available for such liquidation.
Sec. 255. None of the funds in this or any other Act may
be used to close Department of Veterans Affairs hospitals,
domiciliaries, or clinics, conduct an environmental
assessment, or to diminish healthcare services at existing
Veterans Health Administration medical facilities as part of
a planned realignment of services until the Secretary
provides to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress a report including an analysis of how any such
planned realignment of services will impact access to care
for veterans living in rural or highly rural areas, including
travel distances and transportation costs to access a
Department medical facility and availability of local
specialty and primary care.
Sec. 256. Unobligated balances available under the
headings ``Construction, Major Projects'' and ``Construction,
Minor Projects'' may be obligated by the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs for a facility pursuant to section 2(e)(1)
of the Communities Helping Invest through Property and
Improvements Needed for Veterans Act of 2016 (Public Law 114-
294; 38 U.S.C. 8103 note), as amended, to provide additional
funds or to fund an escalation clause under such section of
such Act: Provided, That before such unobligated balances
are obligated pursuant to this section, the Secretary of
Veterans Affairs shall request from the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress the authority to
obligate such unobligated balances and such Committees issue
an approval, or absent a response, a period of 30 days has
elapsed: Provided further, That the request to obligate such
unobligated balances must provide Congress notice that the
entity described in section 2(a)(2) of Public Law 114-294, as
amended, has exhausted available cost containment approaches
as set forth in the agreement under section 2(c) of such
Public Law.
Sec. 257. (a) None of the funds appropriated by this Act or
otherwise made available for fiscal year 2026 for the
Department of Veterans Affairs may be obligated, awarded, or
expended to procure or purchase covered information
technology equipment in cases where the manufacturer, bidder,
or offeror, or any subsidiary or parent entity of the
manufacturer, bidder, or offeror, of the equipment is an
entity, or parent company of an entity listed on any of the
following:
(1) the Department of Defense's Chinese Military Company
List;
(2) the Department of the Treasury's Non-SDN Chinese
Military Industrial Complex Companies List;
(3) the Department of Commerce's Denied Persons List,
Entity List, or Military End User List, if the entity is--
(A) an agency or instrumentality of the People's Republic
of China;
(B) an entity headquartered in the People's Republic of
China; or
(C) directly or indirectly owned or controlled by an
agency, instrumentality, or entity described in subparagraph
(A) or (B); or
(4) the Department of Homeland Security's Uyghur Forced
Labor Prevention Act Entity List.
(b) Applicability to Third Parties.--The prohibition in
subsection (a) also applies in cases in which the Secretary
has contracted with a third party for the procurement,
purchase, or expenditure of funds on any of the equipment and
software described in such subsection.
(c) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term
``covered information technology equipment'' shall mean the
following equipment used in an office environment: computers,
printers, or interoperable videoconferencing equipment used
in or by the Department of Veterans Affairs directly.
``Covered information technology equipment'' shall not refer
to services that use such equipment, including cloud
services.
Sec. 258. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act may be used to pay award or incentive
fees for contractors whose performance has been judged to be
below satisfactory, behind schedule, over budget, or has
failed to meet the basic requirements of a contract, unless
the Agency determines that any such deviations are due to
unforeseeable events, government-driven scope changes, or are
not significant within the overall scope of the project and/
or program and unless such awards or incentive fees are
consistent with section 16.401(e)(2) of the Federal
Acquisition Regulation.
Sec. 259. The Department is directed to maintain staffing
levels to facilitate the Department's own goals, including
that benefits claims are adjudicated according to the 125 day
goal, and that healthcare appointments and service are
provided in the timeframes required by statute and
regulation.
Sec. 260. The Department is directed to provide quarterly
briefings to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress on the status of implementation of the provisions
in Public Law 118-42 related to veterans in the Freely
Associated States [FAS] in a way that is consistent with
Congressional intent, including engagement with FAS
governments, a projected timeline for veterans in the FAS to
receive hospital care and medical services, and an estimate
of the cost of implementation.
Sec. 261. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available to the Department of Veterans Affairs in this Act
may be used in a manner that would--
(1) interfere with the ability of a veteran to participate
in a medicinal marijuana program approved by a State;
(2) deny any services from the Department to a veteran who
is participating in such a program; or
(3) limit or interfere with the ability of a health care
provider of the Department to make appropriate
recommendations, fill out forms, or take steps to comply with
such a program.
TITLE III
RELATED AGENCIES
American Battle Monuments Commission
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, of the
American Battle Monuments Commission, including the
acquisition of land or interest in land in foreign countries;
purchases and repair of uniforms for caretakers of national
cemeteries and monuments outside of the United States and its
territories and possessions; rent of office and garage space
in foreign countries; purchase
[[Page S5150]]
(one-for-one replacement basis only) and hire of passenger
motor vehicles; not to exceed $15,000 for official reception
and representation expenses; and insurance of official motor
vehicles in foreign countries, when required by law of such
countries, $108,281,000 to remain available until expended.
foreign currency fluctuations account
For necessary expenses, not otherwise provided for, of the
American Battle Monuments Commission, such sums as may be
necessary, to remain available until expended, for purposes
authorized by section 2109 of title 36, United States Code.
United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses for the operation of the United
States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims as authorized by
sections 7251 through 7298 of title 38, United States Code,
$49,000,000, of which $3,000,000 shall be available until
September 30, 2027: Provided, That $4,256,000 shall be
available for the purpose of providing financial assistance
as described and in accordance with the process and reporting
procedures set forth under this heading in Public Law 102-
229.
Department of Defense--Civil
Cemeterial Expenses, Army
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses for maintenance, operation, and
improvement of Arlington National Cemetery and Soldiers' and
Airmen's Home National Cemetery, including the purchase or
lease of passenger motor vehicles for replacement on a one-
for-one basis only, and not to exceed $2,000 for official
reception and representation expenses, $118,780,450, of which
not to exceed $15,000,000 shall remain available until
September 30, 2028. In addition, such sums as may be
necessary for parking maintenance, repairs and replacement,
to be derived from the ``Lease of Department of Defense Real
Property for Defense Agencies'' account.
Armed Forces Retirement Home
trust fund
For expenses necessary for the Armed Forces Retirement Home
to operate and maintain the Armed Forces Retirement Home--
Washington, District of Columbia, and the Armed Forces
Retirement Home--Gulfport, Mississippi, to be paid from funds
available in the Armed Forces Retirement Home Trust Fund,
$79,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2027, of
which $2,072,000 shall remain available until expended for
construction and renovation of the physical plants at the
Armed Forces Retirement Home--Washington, District of
Columbia, and the Armed Forces Retirement Home--Gulfport,
Mississippi: Provided, That of the amounts made available
under this heading from funds available in the Armed Forces
Retirement Home Trust Fund, $27,000,000 shall be paid from
the general fund of the Treasury to the Trust Fund.
Administrative Provision
Sec. 301. Amounts deposited into the special account
established under 10 U.S.C. 7727 are appropriated and shall
be available until expended to support activities at the Army
National Military Cemeteries.
TITLE IV
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 401. No part of any appropriation contained in this
Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current
fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
Sec. 402. None of the funds made available in this Act may
be used for any program, project, or activity, when it is
made known to the Federal entity or official to which the
funds are made available that the program, project, or
activity is not in compliance with any Federal law relating
to risk assessment, the protection of private property
rights, or unfunded mandates.
Sec. 403. All departments and agencies funded under this
Act are encouraged, within the limits of the existing
statutory authorities and funding, to expand their use of
``E-Commerce'' technologies and procedures in the conduct of
their business practices and public service activities.
Sec. 404. Unless stated otherwise, all reports and
notifications required by this Act shall be submitted to the
Subcommittee on Military Construction and Veterans Affairs,
and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations of
the House of Representatives and the Subcommittee on Military
Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies of
the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate.
Sec. 405. None of the funds made available in this Act may
be transferred to any department, agency, or instrumentality
of the United States Government except pursuant to a transfer
made by, or transfer authority provided in, this or any other
appropriations Act.
Sec. 406. (a) Any agency receiving funds made available in
this Act, shall, subject to subsections (b) and (c), post on
the public Web site of that agency any report required to be
submitted by the Congress in this or any other Act, upon the
determination by the head of the agency that it shall serve
the national interest.
(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply to a report if--
(1) the public posting of the report compromises national
security; or
(2) the report contains confidential or proprietary
information.
(c) The head of the agency posting such report shall do so
only after such report has been made available to the
requesting Committee or Committees of Congress for no less
than 45 days.
Sec. 407. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act
may be used to maintain or establish a computer network
unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and
exchanging of pornography.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds
necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law
enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal
investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
Sec. 408. None of the funds made available in this Act may
be used by an agency of the executive branch to pay for
first-class travel by an employee of the agency in
contravention of sections 301-10.122 through 301-10.124 of
title 41, Code of Federal Regulations.
Sec. 409. None of the funds made available in this Act may
be used to execute a contract for goods or services,
including construction services, where the contractor has not
complied with Executive Order No. 12989.
Sec. 410. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used in contravention of section 101(e)(8) of title 10,
United States Code.
Sec. 411. (a) In General.--None of the funds appropriated
or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense in
this Act may be used to construct, renovate, or expand any
facility in the United States, its territories, or
possessions to house any individual detained at United States
Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for the purposes of
detention or imprisonment in the custody or under the control
of the Department of Defense.
(b) The prohibition in subsection (a) shall not apply to
any modification of facilities at United States Naval
Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
(c) An individual described in this subsection is any
individual who, as of June 24, 2009, is located at United
States Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and who--
(1) is not a citizen of the United States or a member of
the Armed Forces of the United States; and
(2) is--
(A) in the custody or under the effective control of the
Department of Defense; or
(B) otherwise under detention at United States Naval
Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Sec. 412. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs under section
5502 of title 38, United States Code, in any case arising out
of the administration by the Secretary of laws and benefits
under such title, to report a person who is deemed mentally
incapacitated, mentally incompetent, or to be experiencing an
extended loss of consciousness as a person who has been
adjudicated as a mental defective under subsection (d)(4) or
(g)(4) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code,
without the order or finding of a judge, magistrate, or other
judicial authority of competent jurisdiction that such person
is a danger to himself or herself or others.
Sec. 413. (a) Each department or agency funded in this or
any other appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026 shall, no
later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, report to the
Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
and the Senate on funds that are allotted and available for
obligation as of the end of the reporting period and on
obligations as of the end of the reporting period: Provided,
That such report shall be delineated by: (1) program,
project, and activity level; (2) public law making such funds
available; and (3) period of availability: Provided further,
That such reports shall be transmitted to the Committees
monthly thereafter, on the fifteenth of each such month,
during the period of availability of the relevant funds.
(b) The term ``reporting period'' as used in this section
means the month that precedes the date on which the
department or agency transmits the report to the Committees.
This division may be cited as the ``Military Construction,
Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act,
2026''.
DIVISION B--AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG
ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
The following sums are appropriated, out of any money in
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for Agriculture,
Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related
Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and
for other purposes, namely:
TITLE I
AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS
Processing, Research, and Marketing
Office of the Secretary
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Secretary,
$51,792,000 of which not to exceed $7,000,000 shall be
available for the immediate Office of the Secretary, of which
$650,000 shall be for the establishment of a Seafood Industry
Liaison; not to exceed $1,896,000 shall be available for the
Office of Homeland Security; not to exceed $5,190,000 shall
be available for the Office of Tribal Relations, of which
$1,000,000 shall be to continue a Tribal Public Health
Resource Center at a land grant university with existing
indigenous public health expertise to expand current
partnerships and collaborative efforts with indigenous groups
to improve the
[[Page S5151]]
delivery of public health services and functions in American
Indian communities focusing on indigenous food sovereignty;
not to exceed $6,000,000 shall be available for the Office of
Partnerships and Public Engagement, of which $1,500,000 shall
be for 7 U.S.C. 2279(c)(5); not to exceed $21,706,000 shall
be available for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Administration, of which $20,000,000 shall be available for
Departmental Administration to provide for necessary expenses
for management support services to offices of the Department
and for general administration, security, repairs and
alterations, and other miscellaneous supplies and expenses
not otherwise provided for and necessary for the practical
and efficient work of the Department: Provided, That funds
made available by this Act to an agency in the Administration
mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund
up to one administrative support staff for the Office; not to
exceed $4,000,000 shall be available for the Office of
Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations and
Intergovernmental Affairs to carry out the programs funded by
this Act, including programs involving intergovernmental
affairs and liaison within the executive branch; and not to
exceed $6,000,000 shall be available for the Office of
Communications: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Agriculture is authorized to transfer funds appropriated for
any office of the Office of the Secretary to any other office
of the Office of the Secretary: Provided further, That no
appropriation for any office shall be increased or decreased
by more than 5 percent: Provided further, That not to exceed
$22,000 of the amount made available under this paragraph for
the immediate Office of the Secretary shall be available for
official reception and representation expenses, not otherwise
provided for, as determined by the Secretary: Provided
further, That the amount made available under this heading
for Departmental Administration shall be reimbursed from
applicable appropriations in this Act for travel expenses
incident to the holding of hearings as required by 5 U.S.C.
551-558: Provided further, That funds made available under
this heading for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for
Congressional Relations and Intergovernmental Affairs shall
be transferred to agencies of the Department of Agriculture
funded by this Act to maintain personnel at the agency level:
Provided further, That no funds made available under this
heading for the Office of Assistant Secretary for
Congressional Relations may be obligated after 30 days from
the date of enactment of this Act, unless the Secretary has
notified the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of
Congress on the allocation of these funds by USDA agency:
Provided further, That during any 30 day notification period
referenced in section 716 of this Act, the Secretary of
Agriculture shall take no action to begin implementation of
the action that is subject to section 716 of this Act or make
any public announcement of such action in any form.
Executive Operations
office of the chief economist
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief
Economist, $30,500,000, of which $10,000,000 shall be for
grants or cooperative agreements for policy research under 7
U.S.C. 3155: Provided, That of the amounts made available
under this heading, $2,450,000 shall be for an
interdisciplinary center based at a land grant university
focused on agricultural policy relevant to the Midwest region
which will provide private entities, policymakers, and the
public with timely insights and targeted economic solutions:
Provided further, That of the amounts made available under
this heading, $500,000 shall be available to carry out
section 224 of subtitle A of the Department of Agriculture
Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6924), as amended by
section 12504 of Public Law 115-334.
office of hearings and appeals
For necessary expenses of the Office of Hearings and
Appeals, $16,000,000.
office of budget and program analysis
For necessary expenses of the Office of Budget and Program
Analysis, $14,967,000.
Office of the Chief Information Officer
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief
Information Officer, $91,000,000, of which not less than
$77,428,000 is for cybersecurity requirements of the
department.
Office of the Chief Financial Officer
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Chief Financial
Officer, $6,867,000.
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Assistant
Secretary for Civil Rights, $1,466,000: Provided, That funds
made available by this Act to an agency in the Civil Rights
mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund
up to one administrative support staff for the Office.
Office of Civil Rights
For necessary expenses of the Office of Civil Rights,
$37,000,000.
Agriculture Buildings and Facilities
(including transfers of funds)
For payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to
Public Law 92-313, including authorities pursuant to the 1984
delegation of authority from the Administrator of General
Services to the Department of Agriculture under 40 U.S.C.
121, for programs and activities of the Department which are
included in this Act, and for alterations and other actions
needed for the Department and its agencies to consolidate
unneeded space into configurations suitable for release to
the Administrator of General Services, and for the operation,
maintenance, improvement, and repair of Agriculture buildings
and facilities, and for related costs, $22,603,000, to remain
available until expended.
Hazardous Materials Management
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Department of Agriculture, to
comply with the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9601 et seq.) and
the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.),
$3,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That appropriations and funds available herein to the
Department for Hazardous Materials Management may be
transferred to any agency of the Department for its use in
meeting all requirements pursuant to the above Acts on
Federal and non-Federal lands.
Office of Safety, Security, and Protection
For necessary expenses of the Office of Safety, Security,
and Protection, $20,800,000.
Office of Inspector General
For necessary expenses of the Office of Inspector General,
including employment pursuant to the Inspector General Act of
1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), $111,561,000,
including such sums as may be necessary for contracting and
other arrangements with public agencies and private persons
pursuant to section 6(a)(9) of the Inspector General Act of
1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C. App.), and including not to
exceed $125,000 for certain confidential operational
expenses, including the payment of informants, to be expended
under the direction of the Inspector General pursuant to the
Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452; 5 U.S.C.
App.) and section 1337 of the Agriculture and Food Act of
1981 (Public Law 97-98).
Office of the General Counsel
For necessary expenses of the Office of the General
Counsel, $60,537,000.
Office of Ethics
For necessary expenses of the Office of Ethics, $4,500,000.
Office of the Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Research, Education, and Economics, $1,884,000:
Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency
in the Research, Education, and Economics mission area for
salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one
administrative support staff for the Office: Provided
further, That of the amounts made available under this
heading, $500,000 shall be made available for the Office of
the Chief Scientist.
Economic Research Service
For necessary expenses of the Economic Research Service,
$90,612,000.
National Agricultural Statistics Service
For necessary expenses of the National Agricultural
Statistics Service, $187,513,000, of which up to $46,000,000
shall be available until expended for the Census of
Agriculture: Provided, That amounts made available for the
Census of Agriculture may be used to conduct Current
Industrial Report surveys subject to 7 U.S.C. 2204g(d) and
(f): Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress in
writing at least 30 days prior to discontinuing data
collection programs and reports.
Agricultural Research Service
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Research Service
and for acquisition of lands by donation, exchange, or
purchase at a nominal cost not to exceed $100,000 and with
prior notification and approval of the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, and for land
exchanges where the lands exchanged shall be of equal value
or shall be equalized by a payment of money to the grantor
which shall not exceed 25 percent of the total value of the
land or interests transferred out of Federal ownership,
$1,826,778,000: Provided, That appropriations hereunder
shall be available for the operation and maintenance of
aircraft and the purchase of not to exceed one for
replacement only: Provided further, That appropriations
hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7 U.S.C. 2250 for
the construction, alteration, and repair of buildings and
improvements, but unless otherwise provided, the cost of
constructing any one building shall not exceed $500,000,
except for headhouses or greenhouses which shall each be
limited to $1,800,000, except for 10 buildings to be
constructed or improved at a cost not to exceed $1,100,000
each, and except for four buildings to be constructed at a
cost not to exceed $5,000,000 each, and the cost of altering
any one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10
percent of the current replacement value of the building or
$500,000, whichever is greater: Provided further, That
appropriations hereunder shall be available for entering into
lease agreements at any Agricultural Research Service
location for the construction of a research facility by a
non-Federal entity for use by the Agricultural Research
Service and a condition of the lease
[[Page S5152]]
shall be that any facility shall be owned, operated, and
maintained by the non-Federal entity and shall be removed
upon the expiration or termination of the lease agreement:
Provided further, That the limitations on alterations
contained in this Act shall not apply to modernization or
replacement of existing facilities at Beltsville, Maryland:
Provided further, That appropriations hereunder shall be
available for granting easements at the Beltsville
Agricultural Research Center: Provided further, That the
foregoing limitations shall not apply to replacement of
buildings needed to carry out the Act of April 24, 1948 (21
U.S.C. 113a): Provided further, That appropriations
hereunder shall be available for granting easements at any
Agricultural Research Service location for the construction
of a research facility by a non-Federal entity for use by,
and acceptable to, the Agricultural Research Service and a
condition of the easements shall be that upon completion the
facility shall be accepted by the Secretary, subject to the
availability of funds herein, if the Secretary finds that
acceptance of the facility is in the interest of the United
States: Provided further, That funds may be received from
any State, other political subdivision, organization, or
individual for the purpose of establishing or operating any
research facility or research project of the Agricultural
Research Service, as authorized by law: Provided further,
That no later than 60 days from the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall provide a report to the Committees
on Appropriations of both House of Congress that outlines the
current staffing levels and hiring plans in fiscal year 2026
for each research unit.
buildings and facilities
For the acquisition of land, construction, repair,
improvement, extension, alteration, and purchase of fixed
equipment or facilities as necessary to carry out the
agricultural research programs of the Department of
Agriculture, where not otherwise provided, $42,650,000, to
remain available until expended, which shall be for the
purposes, and in the amounts, specified for this account in
the table titled ``Congressionally Directed Spending'' in the
report accompanying this Act.
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
research and education activities
For payments to agricultural experiment stations, for
cooperative forestry and other research, for facilities, and
for other expenses, $1,089,510,000, which shall be for the
purposes, in the amounts, and for the periods of availability
specified in the table titled ``National Institute of Food
and Agriculture, Research and Education Activities'' in the
report accompanying this Act, of which $559,760,000 shall
remain available until expended and of which $2,000,000 shall
remain available until September 30, 2027: Provided, That of
the amounts provided under this heading, $13,560,000 shall be
for the purposes, and in the amounts, specified for this
account in the table titled ``Congressionally Directed
Spending'' in the report accompanying this Act, to remain
available until expended, which shall not be subject to
section 6(c) and section 6(d) of the Research Facilities Act
(7 U.S.C. 390d): Provided further, That each institution
eligible to receive funds under the Evans-Allen program
receives no less than $1,000,000: Provided further, That
funds for education grants for Alaska Native and Native
Hawaiian-serving institutions be made available to individual
eligible institutions or consortia of eligible institutions
with funds awarded equally to each of the States of Alaska
and Hawaii: Provided further, That funds for education
grants for 1890 institutions shall be made available to
institutions eligible to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221
and 3222: Provided further, That not more than 5 percent of
the amounts made available by this or any other Act to carry
out the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative under 7
U.S.C. 3157 may be retained by the Secretary of Agriculture
to pay administrative costs incurred by the Secretary in
carrying out that authority.
native american institutions endowment fund
For the Native American Institutions Endowment Fund
authorized by Public Law 103-382 (7 U.S.C. 301 note),
$11,880,000, to remain available until expended.
extension activities
For payments to States, the District of Columbia, Puerto
Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, Micronesia, the Northern
Marianas, and American Samoa, $561,700,000 which shall be for
the purposes, in the amounts, and for the periods of
availability specified in the table titled ``National
Institute of Food and Agriculture, Extension Activities'' in
the report accompanying this Act, of which $32,500,000 shall
remain available until expended: Provided, That institutions
eligible to receive funds under 7 U.S.C. 3221 for cooperative
extension receive no less than $1,000,000: Provided further,
That funds for cooperative extension under sections 3(b) and
(c) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(b) and (c)) and
section 208(c) of Public Law 93-471 shall be available for
retirement and employees' compensation costs for extension
agents.
integrated activities
For the integrated research, education, and extension
grants programs, including necessary administrative expenses,
$41,100,000, which shall be for the purposes, in the amounts,
and for the periods of availability specified in the table
titled ``National Institute of Food and Agriculture,
Integrated Activities'' in the report accompanying this Act,
of which $8,000,000 shall remain available until expended:
Provided, That notwithstanding any other provision of law,
indirect costs shall not be charged against any Extension
Implementation Program Area grant awarded under the Crop
Protection/Pest Management Program (7 U.S.C. 7626).
Office of the Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, $1,617,000: Provided,
That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the
Marketing and Regulatory Programs mission area for salaries
and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative
support staff for the Office.
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, including up to $30,000 for
representation allowances and for expenses pursuant to the
Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4085), $1,167,534,000
which shall be for the purposes, in the amounts, and for the
periods of availability specified in the table titled
``Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service'' in the report
accompanying this Act, of which $601,551,000 shall remain
available until expended, of which $11,384,000 shall be for
the purposes, and in the amounts, specified for this account
in the table titled ``Congressionally Directed Spending'' in
the report accompanying this Act, to remain available until
expended, and of which $8,500,000 shall remain available
until September 30, 2027: Provided, That no funds shall be
used to formulate or administer a brucellosis eradication
program for the current fiscal year that does not require
minimum matching by the States of at least 40 percent:
Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available
for the purchase, replacement, operation, and maintenance of
aircraft: Provided further, That in addition, in emergencies
which threaten any segment of the agricultural production
industry of the United States, the Secretary may transfer
from other appropriations or funds available to the agencies
or corporations of the Department such sums as may be deemed
necessary, to be available only in such emergencies for the
arrest and eradication of contagious or infectious disease or
pests of animals, poultry, or plants, and for expenses in
accordance with sections 10411 and 10417 of the Animal Health
Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8310 and 8316) and sections 431 and
442 of the Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7751 and 7772), and
any unexpended balances of funds transferred for such
emergency purposes in the preceding fiscal year shall be
merged with such transferred amounts: Provided further, That
the Secretary must notify the Committees on Appropriations
about any transfer of funds in the preceding proviso within
15 days after such transfer being made: Provided further,
That appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to
law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the repair and alteration of leased
buildings and improvements, but unless otherwise provided the
cost of altering any one building during the fiscal year
shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement value
of the building.
In fiscal year 2026, the agency is authorized to collect
fees to cover the total costs of providing technical
assistance, goods, or services requested by States, other
political subdivisions, domestic and international
organizations, foreign governments, or individuals, provided
that such fees are structured such that any entity's
liability for such fees is reasonably based on the technical
assistance, goods, or services provided to the entity by the
agency, and such fees shall be reimbursed to this account, to
remain available until expended, without further
appropriation, for providing such assistance, goods, or
services.
buildings and facilities
For plans, construction, repair, preventive maintenance,
environmental support, improvement, extension, alteration,
and purchase of fixed equipment or facilities, as authorized
by 7 U.S.C. 2250, and acquisition of land as authorized by 7
U.S.C. 2268a, $1,000,000, to remain available until expended.
Agricultural Marketing Service
marketing services
For necessary expenses of the Agricultural Marketing
Service, $222,887,000, which shall be for the purposes and in
the amounts specified in the table titled ``Agricultural
Marketing Service--Marketing Services'' in the report
accompanying this Act: Provided, That amounts made available
for Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives to carry out
section 12513 of Public Law 115-334 (7 U.S.C. 1632d) shall
remain available until expended and the Secretary shall take
measures to ensure an equal distribution of funds between the
three regional innovation initiatives that were first
established using funds made available under this heading in
Public Law 116-6: Provided further, That this appropriation
shall be available pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the
alteration and repair of buildings and improvements, but the
cost of altering any one building during the fiscal
[[Page S5153]]
year shall not exceed 10 percent of the current replacement
value of the building.
Fees may be collected for the cost of standardization
activities, as established by regulation pursuant to law (31
U.S.C. 9701), except for the cost of activities relating to
the development or maintenance of grain standards under the
United States Grain Standards Act, 7 U.S.C. 71 et seq.
limitation on administrative expenses
Not to exceed $62,596,000 (from fees collected) shall be
obligated during the current fiscal year for administrative
expenses: Provided, That if crop size is understated and/or
other uncontrollable events occur, the agency may exceed this
limitation by up to 10 percent with notification to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
funds for strengthening markets, income, and supply (section 32)
(including transfers of funds)
Funds available under section 32 of the Act of August 24,
1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c), shall be used only for commodity
program expenses as authorized therein, and other related
operating expenses, except for: (1) transfers to the
Department of Commerce as authorized by the Fish and Wildlife
Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742a et seq.); (2) transfers otherwise
provided in this Act; and (3) not more than $23,880,000 for
formulation and administration of marketing agreements and
orders pursuant to the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act
of 1937 and the Agricultural Act of 1961 (Public Law 87-128).
payments to states and possessions
For payments to departments of agriculture, bureaus and
departments of markets, and similar agencies for marketing
activities under section 204(b) of the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1623(b)), $1,000,000.
limitation on inspection and weighing services expenses
Not to exceed $55,000,000 (from fees collected) shall be
obligated during the current fiscal year for inspection and
weighing services: Provided, That if grain export activities
require additional supervision and oversight, or other
uncontrollable factors occur, this limitation may be exceeded
by up to 10 percent with notification to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
Office of the Under Secretary for Food Safety
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Food Safety, $1,117,000: Provided, That funds made
available by this Act to an agency in the Food Safety mission
area for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to
one administrative support staff for the Office.
Food Safety and Inspection Service
For necessary expenses to carry out services authorized by
the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Poultry Products
Inspection Act, and the Egg Products Inspection Act,
including not to exceed $10,000 for representation allowances
and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act approved
August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $1,226,000,000; and in
addition, $1,000,000 may be credited to this account from
fees collected for the cost of laboratory accreditation as
authorized by section 1327 of the Food, Agriculture,
Conservation and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 138f):
Provided, That funds provided for the Public Health Data
Communication Infrastructure system shall remain available
until expended: Provided further, That no fewer than 148
full-time equivalent positions shall be employed during
fiscal year 2026 for purposes dedicated solely to inspections
and enforcement related to the Humane Methods of Slaughter
Act (7 U.S.C. 1901 et seq.): Provided further, That the Food
Safety and Inspection Service shall continue implementation
of section 11016 of Public Law 110-246 as further clarified
by the amendments made in section 12106 of Public Law 113-79:
Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available
pursuant to law (7 U.S.C. 2250) for the alteration and repair
of buildings and improvements, but the cost of altering any
one building during the fiscal year shall not exceed 10
percent of the current replacement value of the building.
TITLE II
FARM PRODUCTION AND CONSERVATION PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Farm Production and Conservation, $1,527,000: Provided,
That funds made available by this Act to an agency in the
Farm Production and Conservation mission area for salaries
and expenses are available to fund up to one administrative
support staff for the Office.
Farm Production and Conservation Business Center
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Farm Production and
Conservation Business Center, $238,500,000, of which
$1,000,000 shall be for the implementation of section 773 of
Public Law 117-328: Provided, That $70,740,000 of amounts
appropriated for the current fiscal year pursuant to section
1241(a) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 1985
(16 U.S.C. 3841(a)) shall be transferred to and merged with
this account.
Farm Service Agency
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Farm Service Agency,
$1,209,307,000, of which not less than $15,000,000 shall be
for the hiring of new employees to fill vacancies and
anticipated vacancies at Farm Service Agency county offices
and farm loan officers and shall be available until September
30, 2027: Provided, That the agency shall submit a report by
the end of the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2026 to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress that
identifies for each project/investment that is operational
(a) current performance against key indicators of customer
satisfaction, (b) current performance of service level
agreements or other technical metrics, (c) current
performance against a pre-established cost baseline, (d) a
detailed breakdown of current and planned spending on
operational enhancements or upgrades, and (e) an assessment
of whether the investment continues to meet business needs as
intended as well as alternatives to the investment: Provided
further, That the Secretary is authorized to use the
services, facilities, and authorities (but not the funds) of
the Commodity Credit Corporation to make program payments for
all programs administered by the Agency: Provided further,
That other funds made available to the Agency for authorized
activities may be advanced to and merged with this account:
Provided further, That of the amount appropriated under this
heading, $696,594,000 shall be made available to county
offices, to remain available until expended: Provided
further, That, notwithstanding the preceding proviso, any
funds made available to county offices in the current fiscal
year that the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency deems
to exceed or not meet the amount needed for the county
offices may be transferred to or from the Farm Service Agency
for necessary expenses: Provided further, That none of the
funds available for any department or agency in this or any
other appropriations Acts, including prior year Acts, shall
be used to close Farm Service Agency county offices:
Provided further, That none of the funds available to the
Farm Service Agency shall be used to permanently relocate
county based employees that would result in an office with
two or fewer employees without prior notification and
approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress.
state mediation grants
For grants pursuant to section 502(b) of the Agricultural
Credit Act of 1987, as amended (7 U.S.C. 5101-5106),
$6,500,000: Provided, That the Secretary of Agriculture may
determine that United States territories and Federally
recognized Indian tribes are ``States'' for the purposes of
Subtitle A of such Act.
grassroots source water protection program
For necessary expenses to carry out wellhead or groundwater
protection activities under section 1240O of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb-2), $7,000,000, to
remain available until expended.
dairy indemnity program
(including transfer of funds)
For necessary expenses involved in making indemnity
payments to dairy farmers and manufacturers of dairy products
under a dairy indemnity program, such sums as may be
necessary, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such program is carried out by the Secretary in the same
manner as the dairy indemnity program described in the
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration,
and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2001 (Public Law
106-387, 114 Stat. 1549A-12).
geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers
For necessary expenses to carry out direct reimbursement
payments to geographically disadvantaged farmers and ranchers
under section 1621 of the Food Conservation, and Energy Act
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8792), $3,500,000, to remain available
until expended.
agricultural credit insurance fund program account
(including transfers of funds)
For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct
and guaranteed farm ownership (7 U.S.C. 1922 et seq.) and
operating (7 U.S.C. 1941 et seq.) loans, emergency loans (7
U.S.C. 1961 et seq.), Indian tribe land acquisition loans (25
U.S.C. 5136), boll weevil loans (7 U.S.C. 1989), guaranteed
conservation loans (7 U.S.C. 1924 et seq.), and relending
program (7 U.S.C. 1936c), to be available from funds in the
Agricultural Credit Insurance Fund, as follows:
$3,500,000,000 for guaranteed farm ownership loans and
$3,100,000,000 for farm ownership direct loans;
$2,000,000,000 for unsubsidized guaranteed operating loans
and $1,633,000,000 for direct operating loans; emergency
loans, $14,388,000; Indian tribe land acquisition loans,
$20,000,000; guaranteed conservation loans, $150,000,000; and
for boll weevil eradication program loans, $60,000,000:
Provided, That the Secretary shall deem the pink bollworm to
be a boll weevil for the purpose of boll weevil eradication
program loans.
For the cost of direct and guaranteed loans and grants,
including the cost of modifying loans as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows:
$1,000,000 for emergency loans, to remain available until
expended; $39,370,000 for farm ownership direct loans, and
$84,000 for boll weevil eradication program loans.
[[Page S5154]]
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry
out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $326,053,000:
Provided, That of this amount, $305,803,000 shall be paid to
the appropriation for ``Farm Service Agency, Salaries and
Expenses''.
Funds appropriated by this Act to the Agricultural Credit
Insurance Program Account for farm ownership, operating,
conservation, and emergency direct loans and loan guarantees
may be transferred among these programs: Provided, That the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress are
notified at least 15 days in advance of any transfer.
Risk Management Agency
salaries and expenses
For necessary expenses of the Risk Management Agency,
$65,637,000: Provided, That $1,000,000 of the amount
appropriated under this heading in this Act shall be
available for compliance and integrity activities required
under section 516(b)(2)(C) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act
of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1516(b)(2)(C)), and shall be in addition to
amounts otherwise provided for such purpose: Provided
further, That not to exceed $1,000 shall be available for
official reception and representation expenses, as authorized
by 7 U.S.C. 1506(i).
Natural Resources Conservation Service
conservation operations
For necessary expenses for carrying out the provisions of
the Act of April 27, 1935 (16 U.S.C. 590a-f), including
preparation of conservation plans and establishment of
measures to conserve soil and water (including farm
irrigation and land drainage and such special measures for
soil and water management as may be necessary to prevent
floods and the siltation of reservoirs and to control
agricultural related pollutants); operation of conservation
plant materials centers; classification and mapping of soil;
dissemination of information; acquisition of lands, water,
and interests therein for use in the plant materials program
by donation, exchange, or purchase at a nominal cost not to
exceed $100 pursuant to the Act of August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C.
2268a); purchase and erection or alteration or improvement of
permanent and temporary buildings; and operation and
maintenance of aircraft, $895,754,000, which shall be for the
purposes and in the amounts specified in the table titled
``Natural Resources Conservation Service, Conservation
Operations'' in the report accompanying this Act, to remain
available until September 30, 2027: Provided, That
appropriations hereunder shall be available pursuant to 7
U.S.C. 2250 for construction and improvement of buildings and
public improvements at plant materials centers, except that
the cost of alterations and improvements to other buildings
and other public improvements shall not exceed $250,000:
Provided further, That when buildings or other structures are
erected on non-Federal land, that the right to use such land
is obtained as provided in 7 U.S.C. 2250a.
watershed and flood prevention operations
For necessary expenses to carry out preventive measures,
including but not limited to surveys and investigations,
engineering operations, works of improvement, and changes in
use of land, in accordance with the Watershed Protection and
Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001-1005 and 1007-1009) and
in accordance with the provisions of laws relating to the
activities of the Department, $52,360,000, to remain
available until expended, of which $32,360,000 shall be for
the purposes, and in the amounts, specified for this account
in the table titled ``Congressionally Directed Spending'' in
the report accompanying this Act: Provided, That for funds
provided by this Act or any other prior Act, the limitation
regarding the size of the watershed or subwatershed exceeding
two hundred and fifty thousand acres in which such activities
can be undertaken shall only apply for activities undertaken
for the primary purpose of flood prevention (including
structural and land treatment measures): Provided further,
That of the amounts made available under this heading,
$10,000,000 shall be allocated to multi-benefit irrigation
modernization projects and activities that increase fish or
wildlife habitat, reduce drought impact, improve water
quality or instream flow, or provide off-channel renewable
energy production.
watershed rehabilitation program
Under the authorities of section 14 of the Watershed
Protection and Flood Prevention Act, $1,000,000 is provided.
CORPORATIONS
The following corporations and agencies are hereby
authorized to make expenditures, within the limits of funds
and borrowing authority available to each such corporation or
agency and in accord with law, and to make contracts and
commitments without regard to fiscal year limitations as
provided by section 104 of the Government Corporation Control
Act as may be necessary in carrying out the programs set
forth in the budget for the current fiscal year for such
corporation or agency, except as hereinafter provided.
Federal Crop Insurance Corporation Fund
For payments as authorized by section 516 of the Federal
Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1516), such sums as may be
necessary, to remain available until expended.
Commodity Credit Corporation Fund
reimbursement for net realized losses
(including transfers of funds)
For the current fiscal year, such sums as may be necessary
to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for net
realized losses sustained, but not previously reimbursed,
pursuant to section 2 of the Act of August 17, 1961 (15
U.S.C. 713a-11): Provided, That of the funds available to
the Commodity Credit Corporation under section 11 of the
Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i) for
the conduct of its business with the Foreign Agricultural
Service, up to $5,000,000 may be transferred to and used by
the Foreign Agricultural Service for information resource
management activities of the Foreign Agricultural Service
that are not related to Commodity Credit Corporation
business: Provided further, That the Secretary shall notify
the Committees on Appropriations of the House and Senate in
writing 15 days prior to the obligation or commitment of any
emergency funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation or the
transfer or cancellation of any previously obligated
Commodity Credit Corporation funds: Provided further, That
such written notification shall include a detailed spend plan
for the anticipated uses of such funds and an expected
timeline for program execution if such obligation,
commitment, transfer, or cancellation exceeds $100,000,000.
hazardous waste management
(limitation on expenses)
For the current fiscal year, the Commodity Credit
Corporation shall not expend more than $15,000,000 for site
investigation and cleanup expenses, and operations and
maintenance expenses to comply with the requirement of
section 107(g) of the Comprehensive Environmental Response,
Compensation, and Liability Act (42 U.S.C. 9607(g)), and
section 6001 of the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C.
6961).
TITLE III
RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Rural Development
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Rural Development, $1,620,000: Provided, That funds made
available by this Act to an agency in the Rural Development
mission area for salaries and expenses are available to fund
up to one administrative support staff for the Office.
Rural Development
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses for carrying out the administration
and implementation of Rural Development programs, including
activities with institutions concerning the development and
operation of agricultural cooperatives; and for cooperative
agreements; $351,087,000: Provided, That of the amount made
available under this heading, no less than $75,000,000, to
remain available until expended, shall be used for
information technology expenses: Provided further, That
notwithstanding any other provision of law, funds
appropriated under this heading may be used for advertising
and promotional activities that support Rural Development
programs: Provided further, That in addition to any other
funds appropriated for purposes authorized by section 502(i)
of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472(i)), any amounts
collected under such section, as amended by this Act, will
immediately be credited to this account and will remain
available until expended for such purposes: Provided
further, That of the amount made available under this
heading, $2,000,000, to remain available until expended,
shall be for the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a
pilot program that assists rural hospitals to improve long-
term operations and financial health by providing technical
assistance through analysis of current hospital management
practices.
Rural Housing Service
rural housing insurance fund program account
(including transfers of funds)
For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct
and guaranteed loans as authorized by title V of the Housing
Act of 1949, to be available from funds in the rural housing
insurance fund, as follows: $1,000,000,000 shall be for
section 502 direct loans; $5,000,000 shall be for a Single
Family Housing Relending demonstration program for Native
American Tribes; and $25,000,000,000 shall be for section 502
unsubsidized guaranteed loans; $25,000,000 for section 504
housing repair loans; $50,000,000 for section 515 rental
housing; $400,000,000 for section 538 guaranteed multi-family
housing loans; $10,000,000 for credit sales of single family
housing acquired property; $5,000,000 for section 523 self-
help housing land development loans; $5,000,000 for section
524 site development loans; and $15,000,000 for section 514
direct farm labor housing loans.
For the cost of direct loans, guaranteed loans, and grants,
including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, as follows:
section 502 direct loans, $130,600,000, of which $32,650,000
shall remain available until September 30, 2027; Single
Family Housing Relending demonstration program for Native
American Tribes, $2,469,000; section 504 housing repair
loans, $4,333,000; repair, rehabilitation, and new
construction of section 515 rental housing, $15,130,000, to
remain available until expended; section 523 self-help
housing land development loans, $657,000; section 524 site
development loans, $502,000; section 514 farm labor housing
loans,
[[Page S5155]]
$4,761,000, to remain available until expended; and farm
labor housing grants, as authorized by section 516 of the
Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1484, 1486), $7,500,000, to
remain available until expended: Provided, That to support
the loan program level for section 538 guaranteed loans made
available under this heading the Secretary may charge or
adjust any fees to cover the projected cost of such loan
guarantees pursuant to the provisions of the Credit Reform
Act of 1990 (2 U.S.C. 661 et seq.), and the interest on such
loans may not be subsidized: Provided further, That
applicants in communities that have a current rural area
waiver under section 541 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42
U.S.C. 1490q) shall be treated as living in a rural area for
purposes of section 502 guaranteed loans provided under this
heading: Provided further, That of the amounts available
under this paragraph for section 502 direct loans, no less
than $5,000,000 shall be available for direct loans for
individuals whose homes will be built pursuant to a program
funded with a mutual and self-help housing grant authorized
by section 523 of the Housing Act of 1949 until June 1, 2026:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall implement
provisions to provide incentives to nonprofit organizations
and public housing authorities to facilitate the acquisition
of Rural Housing Service (RHS) multifamily housing properties
by such nonprofit organizations and public housing
authorities that commit to keep such properties in the RHS
multifamily housing program for a period of time as
determined by the Secretary, with such incentives to include,
but not be limited to, the following: allow such nonprofit
entities and public housing authorities to earn a Return on
Investment on the owner's initial equity contributions, as
defined by the Secretary, invested in the transaction; and
allow reimbursement of organizational costs associated with
owner's oversight of asset referred to as ``Asset Management
Fee'' of up to $7,500 per property.
In addition, for the cost of direct loans and grants,
including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, $34,000,000, to
remain available until expended, for a demonstration program
for the preservation and revitalization of the sections 514,
515, and 516 multi-family rental housing properties to
restructure existing USDA multi-family housing loans, as the
Secretary deems appropriate, expressly for the purposes of
ensuring the project has sufficient resources to preserve the
project for the purpose of providing safe and affordable
housing for low-income residents and farm laborers including
reducing or eliminating interest; deferring loan payments,
subordinating, reducing or re-amortizing loan debt; and other
financial assistance including advances, payments and
incentives (including the ability of owners to obtain
reasonable returns on investment) required by the Secretary:
Provided, That the Secretary shall, as part of the
preservation and revitalization agreement, obtain a
restrictive use agreement consistent with the terms of the
restructuring.
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry
out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $412,254,000
shall be paid to the appropriation for ``Rural Development,
Salaries and Expenses''.
rental assistance program
For rental assistance agreements entered into or renewed
pursuant to the authority under section 521(a)(2) of the
Housing Act of 1949 or agreements entered into in lieu of
debt forgiveness or payments for eligible households as
authorized by section 502(c)(5)(D) of the Housing Act of
1949, $1,715,000,000, and in addition such sums as may be
necessary, as authorized by section 521(c) of the Act, to
liquidate debt incurred prior to fiscal year 1992 to carry
out the rental assistance program under section 521(a)(2) of
the Act: Provided, That amounts made available under this
heading shall be available for renewal of rental assistance
agreements for a maximum of 5,000 units where the Secretary
determines that a maturing loan for a project cannot
reasonably be restructured with another USDA loan or
modification and the project was operating with rental
assistance under section 521 of the Housing Act of 1949:
Provided further, That the Secretary may enter into rental
assistance contracts in maturing properties with existing
rental assistance agreements notwithstanding any provision of
section 521 of the Housing Act of 1949, for a term of at
least 10 years but not more than 20 years: Provided further,
That any agreement to enter into a rental assistance contract
under section 521 of the Housing Act of 1949 for a maturing
property shall obligate the owner to continue to maintain the
project as decent, safe, and sanitary housing and to operate
the development in accordance with the Housing Act of 1949,
except that rents shall be based on current Fair Market Rents
as established by the Department of Housing and Urban
Development pursuant to 24 CFR 888 Subpart A, 42 U.S.C. 1437f
and 3535d, to determine the maximum initial rent and adjusted
annually by the Operating Cost Adjustment Factor pursuant to
24 CFR 888 Subpart B, unless the Agency determines that the
project's budget-based needs require a higher rent, in which
case the Agency may approve a budget-based rent level:
Provided further, That rental assistance agreements entered
into or renewed during the current fiscal year shall be
funded for a one year period: Provided further, That upon
request by an owner under section 514 or 515 of the Act, the
Secretary may renew the rental assistance agreement for a
period of 20 years or until the term of such loan has
expired, subject to annual appropriations: Provided further,
That any unexpended balances remaining at the end of such
one-year agreements may be transferred and used for purposes
of any debt reduction, maintenance, repair, or rehabilitation
of any existing projects; preservation; and rental assistance
activities authorized under title V of the Act: Provided
further, That rental assistance provided under agreements
entered into prior to fiscal year 2026 for a farm labor
multi-family housing project financed under section 514 or
516 of the Act may not be recaptured for use in another
project until such assistance has remained unused for a
period of twelve consecutive months, if such project has a
waiting list of tenants seeking such assistance or the
project has rental assistance eligible tenants who are not
receiving such assistance: Provided further, That such
recaptured rental assistance shall, to the extent
practicable, be applied to another farm labor multi-family
housing project financed under section 514 or 516 of the Act:
Provided further, That except as provided in the eighth
proviso under this heading and notwithstanding any other
provision of the Act, the Secretary may recapture rental
assistance provided under agreements entered into prior to
fiscal year 2026 for a project that the Secretary determines
no longer needs rental assistance and use such recaptured
funds for current needs: Provided further, That in addition
to any other available funds, the Secretary may expend not
more than $1,000,000 total, from the program funds made
available under this heading, for information technology
improvements under this heading.
rural housing voucher account
For the rural housing voucher program as authorized under
section 542 of the Housing Act of 1949, but notwithstanding
subsection (b) of such section, $48,000,000, to remain
available until expended: Provided, That the funds made
available under this heading shall be available for rural
housing vouchers to any low-income household (including those
not receiving rental assistance) residing in a property
financed with a section 515 loan which has been prepaid or
otherwise paid off after September 30, 2005, and is not
receiving stand-alone section 521 rental assistance:
Provided further, That the amount of such voucher shall be
the difference between comparable market rent for the section
515 unit and the tenant paid rent for such unit: Provided
further, That funds made available for such vouchers shall be
subject to the availability of annual appropriations:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall, to the maximum
extent practicable, administer such vouchers with current
regulations and administrative guidance applicable to section
8 housing vouchers administered by the Secretary of the
Department of Housing and Urban Development: Provided
further, That in addition to any other available funds, the
Secretary may expend not more than $1,000,000 total, from the
program funds made available under this heading, for
administrative expenses for activities funded under this
heading.
mutual and self-help housing grants
For grants and contracts pursuant to section 523(b)(1)(A)
of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490c), $25,000,000, to
remain available until expended.
rural housing assistance grants
For grants for very low-income housing repair and rural
housing preservation made by the Rural Housing Service, as
authorized by 42 U.S.C. 1474, and 1490m, $35,000,000, to
remain available until expended.
rural community facilities program account
(including transfers of funds)
For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct
and guaranteed loans as authorized by section 306 and
described in section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act, $1,250,000,000 for direct loans and
$650,000,000 for guaranteed loans.
For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees and grants,
including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, for rural
community facilities programs as authorized by section 306
and described in section 381E(d)(1) of the Consolidated Farm
and Rural Development Act, $217,436,000, to remain available
until expended, of which $199,436,000 shall be for the
purposes, and in the amounts specified in the table titled
``Congressionally Directed Spending'' in the report
accompanying this Act: Provided, That $5,000,000 of the
amount appropriated under this heading shall be available for
a Rural Community Development Initiative: Provided further,
That such funds shall be used solely to develop the capacity
and ability of private, nonprofit community-based housing and
community development organizations, low-income rural
communities, and Federally Recognized Native American Tribes
to undertake projects to improve housing, community
facilities, community and economic development projects in
rural areas: Provided further, That such funds shall be made
available to qualified private, nonprofit and public
intermediary organizations proposing to carry out a program
of financial and technical assistance: Provided further,
That such intermediary organizations shall provide matching
funds from other sources, including Federal funds for related
activities, in an amount not less than funds provided:
Provided further, That any unobligated
[[Page S5156]]
balances from prior year appropriations under this heading
for the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees and grants,
including amounts deobligated or cancelled, may be made
available to cover the subsidy costs for direct loans, loan
guarantees and or grants under this heading in this fiscal
year: Provided further, That no amounts may be made
available pursuant to the preceding proviso from amounts that
were designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement
pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985:
Provided further, That amounts specified in the tables titled
``Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed
Spending'' in the explanatory statements accompanying prior
year Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Acts, as
described in section 4 in the matter preceding division A of
such Acts, may not be made available pursuant to the fifth
proviso until at least three fiscal years after the fiscal
year in which such funds were originally made available:
Provided further, That no amounts may be made available
pursuant to the preceding proviso without prior notification
and approval of the Committees of Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress: Provided further, That $13,000,000 of
the amount appropriated under this heading shall be available
for community facilities grants, as authorized by section
306(a)(19) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development
Act, of which $8,000,000 shall be for grants to tribal
colleges as authorized by section 306(a)(25) of such Act:
Provided further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act are not
applicable to the funds made available under this heading:
Provided further, That in addition to any other available
funds, the Secretary may expend not more than $1,000,000
total, from the program funds made available under this
heading, for administrative expenses for activities funded
under this heading.
Rural Business--Cooperative Service
rural business program account
For gross obligations for the principal amount of
guaranteed loans as authorized by section 310B of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1932(g)), $1,750,000,000.
For the cost of loan guarantees and grants, for the rural
business development programs authorized by section 310B and
described in subsections (a), (c), (f) and (g) of section
310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act,
$55,575,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That of the amount appropriated under this heading,
$15,575,000 shall be for business and industry guaranteed
loans: Provided further, That of the amount appropriated
under this heading, $26,000,000 shall be for rural business
development grants as authorized by section 310B(c) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, of which not to
exceed $500,000 shall be made available for one grant to a
qualified national organization to provide technical
assistance for rural transportation in order to promote
economic development: Provided further, That of the amount
appropriated under this heading, $10,000,000 shall be for
grants to the Delta Regional Authority (7 U.S.C. 2009aa et
seq.), the Northern Border Regional Commission (40 U.S.C.
15101 et seq.), the Southwest Border Regional Commission (40
U.S.C. 15301 et seq.), and the Appalachian Regional
Commission (40 U.S.C. 14101 et seq.) for any Rural Community
Advancement Program purpose as described in section 381E(d)
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act, of which
not more than 5 percent may be used for administrative
expenses: Provided further, That $4,000,000 of the amount
appropriated under this heading shall be for business grants
to benefit Federally Recognized Native American Tribes,
including $250,000 for a grant to a qualified national
organization to provide technical assistance for rural
transportation in order to promote economic development:
Provided further, That sections 381E-H and 381N of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act are not
applicable to funds made available under this heading.
intermediary relending program fund account
(including transfer of funds)
For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized by
the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C.
1936b), $13,000,000.
For the cost of direct loans, $2,954,000, as authorized by
the Intermediary Relending Program Fund Account (7 U.S.C.
1936b), of which $295,000 shall be available through June 30,
2026, for Federally Recognized Native American Tribes; and of
which $591,000 shall be available through June 30, 2026, for
Mississippi Delta Region counties (as determined in
accordance with Public Law 100-460): Provided, That such
costs, including the cost of modifying such loans, shall be
as defined in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974.
In addition, for administrative expenses to carry out the
direct loan programs, $4,468,000 shall be paid to the
appropriation for ``Rural Development, Salaries and
Expenses''.
rural economic development loans program account
For the principal amount of direct loans, as authorized
under section 313B(a) of the Rural Electrification Act, for
the purpose of promoting rural economic development and job
creation projects, $50,000,000.
The cost of grants authorized under section 313B(a) of the
Rural Electrification Act, for the purpose of promoting rural
economic development and job creation projects shall not
exceed $10,000,000.
rural cooperative development grants
For rural cooperative development grants authorized under
section 310B(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932), $24,800,000, of which
$3,500,000 shall be for cooperative agreements for the
appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program:
Provided, That not to exceed $3,000,000 shall be for grants
for cooperative development centers, individual cooperatives,
or groups of cooperatives that serve socially disadvantaged
groups and a majority of the boards of directors or governing
boards of which are comprised of individuals who are members
of socially disadvantaged groups; and of which $12,500,000,
to remain available until expended, shall be for value-added
agricultural product market development grants, as authorized
by section 210A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, of
which $1,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall
be for Agriculture Innovation Centers authorized pursuant to
section 6402 of Public Law 107-171.
rural microentrepreneur assistance program
For the principal amount of direct loans as authorized by
section 379E of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development
Act (7 U.S.C. 2008s), $19,515,000.
For the cost of loans and grants, $5,000,000 under the same
terms and conditions as authorized by section 379E of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2008s).
rural energy for america program
For the principal amount of loan guarantees, under the same
terms and conditions as authorized by section 9007 of the
Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C.
8107), $100,000,000.
healthy food financing initiative
For the cost of loans and grants that is consistent with
section 243 of subtitle D of title II of the Department of
Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 6953), as
added by section 4206 of the Agricultural Act of 2014, for
necessary expenses of the Secretary to support projects that
provide access to healthy food in underserved areas, to
create and preserve quality jobs, and to revitalize low-
income communities, $500,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That such costs of loans, including the
cost of modifying such loans, shall be as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
Rural Utilities Service
rural water and waste disposal program account
(including transfers of funds)
For gross obligations for the principal amount of direct
and guaranteed loans as authorized by section 306 and
described in section 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and
Rural Development Act, as follows: $1,015,000,000 for direct
loans; and $50,000,000 for guaranteed loans.
For the cost of direct loans, loan guarantees and grants,
including the cost of modifying loans, as defined in section
502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, for rural water,
waste water, waste disposal, and solid waste management
programs authorized by sections 306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E,
and 310B and described in sections 306C(a)(2), 306D, 306E,
and 381E(d)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development
Act, $443,776,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That $51,476,000 of the amount appropriated under
this heading shall be available for direct loans, of which no
less than $3,876,000 shall be available for water and waste
direct one percent loans for distressed communities as the
Secretary deems appropriate: Provided further, That
$1,000,000 shall be available for the rural utilities program
described in section 306(a)(2)(B) of such Act: Provided
further, That $5,000,000 of the amount appropriated under
this heading shall be available for the rural utilities
program described in section 306E of such Act: Provided
further, That $10,000,000 of the amount appropriated under
this heading shall be for grants authorized by section
306A(i)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
in addition to funding authorized by section 306A(i)(1) of
such Act: Provided further, That $65,000,000 of the amount
appropriated under this heading shall be for loans and grants
including water and waste disposal systems grants authorized
by section 306C(a)(2)(B) and section 306D of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act, and Federally Recognized
Native American Tribes authorized by 306C(a)(1) of such Act,
and the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands (of the State of
Hawaii): Provided further, That funding provided for section
306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may
be provided to a consortium formed pursuant to section 325 of
Public Law 105-83: Provided further, That not more than 2
percent of the funding provided for section 306D of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act may be used by
the State of Alaska for training and technical assistance
programs and not more than 2 percent of the funding provided
for section 306D of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act may be used by a consortium formed pursuant
to section 325 of Public Law 105-83 for training and
technical assistance programs: Provided further, That
$35,000,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading
shall be for technical assistance grants for rural water and
[[Page S5157]]
waste systems pursuant to section 306(a)(14) of such Act,
unless the Secretary makes a determination of extreme need,
of which $9,000,000 shall be made available for a grant to a
qualified nonprofit multi-State regional technical assistance
organization, with experience in working with small
communities on water and waste water problems, the principal
purpose of such grant shall be to assist rural communities
with populations of 3,300 or less, in improving the planning,
financing, development, operation, and management of water
and waste water systems, and of which not less than $800,000
shall be for a qualified national Native American
organization to provide technical assistance for rural water
systems for tribal communities: Provided further, That
$23,900,000 of the amount appropriated under this heading
shall be for contracting with qualified national
organizations for a circuit rider program to provide
technical assistance for rural water systems: Provided
further, That $4,000,000 of the amounts made available under
this heading shall be for solid waste management grants:
Provided further, That $240,400,000 of the amounts made
available under this heading shall be for grants pursuant to
section 306(a)(2)(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act: Provided further, That $8,000,000 of the
amount appropriated under this heading shall be transferred
to, and merged with, the Rural Utilities Service, High Energy
Cost Grants Account to provide grants authorized under
section 19 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C.
918a): Provided further, That if any funds made available
for the direct loan subsidy costs under this heading remain
unobligated after July 31, 2026, such unobligated balances
may be used for grant programs funded under this heading:
Provided further, That any unobligated balances from prior
year appropriations under this heading for the cost of direct
loans, loan guarantees and grants, including amounts
deobligated or cancelled, may be made available to cover the
subsidy costs for direct loans, loan guarantees and or grants
under this heading in this fiscal year: Provided further,
That no amounts may be made available pursuant to the two
preceding provisos from amounts that were designated by the
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent
resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985: Provided further, That sections
381E-H and 381N of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act are not applicable to the funds made
available under this heading.
rural electrification and telecommunications loans program account
(including transfer of funds)
The principal amount of loans and loan guarantees as
authorized by sections 4, 305, 306, 313A, and 317 of the
Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 904, 935, 936,
940c-1, and 940g) shall be made as follows: guaranteed rural
electric loans made pursuant to section 306 of that Act,
$2,667,000,000; cost of money direct loans made pursuant to
sections 4, notwithstanding the one-eighth of one percent in
4(c)(2), and 317, notwithstanding 317(c), of that Act,
$4,333,000,000; guaranteed underwriting loans pursuant to
section 313A of that Act, $900,000,000; for cost-of-money
rural telecommunications loans made pursuant to section
305(d)(2) of that Act, $350,000,000; and for guaranteed rural
telecommunications loans made pursuant to section 306 of that
Act, $200,000,000: Provided, That up to $2,000,000,000 shall
be used for the construction, acquisition, design,
engineering or improvement of fossil-fueled electric
generating plants (whether new or existing) that utilize
carbon subsurface utilization and storage systems.
For the cost of direct loans as authorized by section
305(d)(2) of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C.
935(d)(2)), including the cost of modifying loans, as defined
in section 502 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, cost
of money rural telecommunications loans, $3,570,000.
In addition, $4,200,000 to remain available until expended,
to carry out section 6407 of the Farm Security and Rural
Investment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107a): Provided, That the
energy efficiency measures supported by the funding in this
paragraph shall contribute in a demonstrable way to the
reduction of greenhouse gases.
In addition, for administrative expenses necessary to carry
out the direct and guaranteed loan programs, $33,270,000,
which shall be paid to the appropriation for ``Rural
Development, Salaries and Expenses''.
distance learning, telemedicine, and broadband program
For grants for telemedicine and distance learning services
in rural areas, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 950aaa et seq.,
$40,610,000, to remain available until expended, of which
$610,000 shall be for the purposes, and in the amounts,
specified for this account in the table titled
``Congressionally Directed Spending'' in the report
accompanying this Act: Provided, That $3,000,000 shall be
made available for grants authorized by section 379G of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act: Provided
further, That funding provided under this heading for grants
under section 379G of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act may only be provided to entities that meet
all of the eligibility criteria for a consortium as
established by this section.
For the cost to continue a broadband loan and grant pilot
program established by section 779 of division A of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141)
under the Rural Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7
U.S.C. 901 et seq.), $35,000,000, to remain available until
expended: Provided, That the Secretary may award grants
described in section 601(a) of the Rural Electrification Act
of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 950bb(a)) for the purposes of
carrying out such pilot program: Provided further, That the
cost of direct loans shall be defined in section 502 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974: Provided further, That at
least 90 percent of the households to be served by a project
receiving a loan or grant under the pilot program shall be in
a rural area without sufficient access to broadband:
Provided further, That for purposes of such pilot program, a
rural area without sufficient access to broadband shall be
defined as twenty-five megabits per second downstream and
three megabits per second upstream: Provided further, That
to the extent possible, projects receiving funds provided
under the pilot program must build out service to at least
one hundred megabits per second downstream, and twenty
megabits per second upstream: Provided further, That an
entity to which a loan or grant is made under the pilot
program shall not use the loan or grant to overbuild or
duplicate broadband service in a service area by any entity
that has received a broadband loan from the Rural Utilities
Service unless such service is not provided sufficient access
to broadband at the minimum service threshold: Provided
further, That not more than four percent of the funds made
available in this paragraph can be used for administrative
costs to carry out the pilot program and up to three percent
of funds made available in this paragraph may be available
for technical assistance and pre-development planning
activities to support the most rural communities: Provided
further, That the Rural Utilities Service is directed to
expedite program delivery methods that would implement this
paragraph: Provided further, That for purposes of this
paragraph, the Secretary shall adhere to the notice,
reporting and service area assessment requirements set forth
in section 701 of the Rural Electrification Act (7 U.S.C.
950cc).
In addition, $20,000,000, to remain available until
expended, for the Community Connect Grant Program authorized
by 7 U.S.C. 950bb-3.
TITLE IV
DOMESTIC FOOD PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer
Services
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, $1,127,000:
Provided, That funds made available by this Act to an agency
in the Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services mission area for
salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one
administrative support staff for the Office.
Food and Nutrition Service
child nutrition programs
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses to carry out the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.), except
section 21, and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.
1771 et seq.), except sections 17 and 21; $36,285,902,000 to
remain available through September 30, 2027, of which such
sums as are made available under section 14222(b)(1) of the
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-
246), as amended by this Act, shall be merged with and
available for the same time period and purposes as provided
herein: Provided, That of the total amount available,
$18,004,000 shall be available to carry out section 19 of the
Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.):
Provided further, That of the total amount available,
$21,918,000 shall be available to carry out studies and
evaluations and shall remain available until expended:
Provided further, That of the total amount available,
$5,000,000 shall remain available until expended to carry out
section 18(g) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)): Provided further, That
notwithstanding section 18(g)(3)(C) of the Richard B. Russell
National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769(g)(3)(c)), the
total grant amount provided to a farm to school grant
recipient in fiscal year 2026 shall not exceed $500,000:
Provided further, That of the total amount available,
$10,000,000 shall be available to provide competitive grants
to State agencies for subgrants to local educational agencies
and schools to purchase the equipment, with a value of
greater than $1,000, needed to serve healthier meals, improve
food safety, and to help support the establishment,
maintenance, or expansion of the school breakfast program:
Provided further, That of the total amount available,
$1,500,000 shall remain available until expended to carry out
activities authorized under subsections (a)(2) and (e)(2) of
section 21 of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act (42 U.S.C. 1769b-1(a)(2) and (e)(2)): Provided further,
That section 26(d) of the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769g(d)) is amended in the first
sentence by striking ``2010 through 2026'' and inserting
``2010 through 2027'': Provided further, That section
9(h)(3) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act
(42 U.S.C. 1758(h)(3)) is amended in the first sentence by
striking ``For fiscal year 2025'' and inserting ``For fiscal
year 2026'': Provided further, That section 9(h)(4) of the
Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1758(h)(4)) is amended in the first sentence by striking
``For fiscal year 2025'' and inserting ``For fiscal year
2026''.
[[Page S5158]]
special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children
(wic)
For necessary expenses to carry out the special
supplemental nutrition program as authorized by section 17 of
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786),
$8,200,000,000, to remain available through September 30,
2027: Provided, That notwithstanding section 17(h)(10) of
the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(h)(10)), not
less than $90,000,000 shall be used for breastfeeding peer
counselors and other related activities, and $14,000,000
shall be used for infrastructure, including investments to
develop strategies to improve timely program data collection
and reporting: Provided further, That funds made available
under this heading may be used to award grants and
cooperative agreements to State agencies or other entities:
Provided further, That the Secretary shall use funds made
available under this heading to maintain the amount for the
cash-value voucher for women and children participants at an
amount recommended by the National Academies of Science,
Engineering and Medicine and adjusted for inflation:
Provided further, That none of the funds provided in this
account shall be available for the purchase of infant formula
except in accordance with the cost containment and
competitive bidding requirements specified in section 17 of
such Act: Provided further, That none of the funds provided
shall be available for activities that are not fully
reimbursed by other Federal Government departments or
agencies unless authorized by section 17 of such Act:
Provided further, That upon termination of a federally
mandated vendor moratorium and subject to terms and
conditions established by the Secretary, the Secretary may
waive the requirement at 7 CFR 246.12(g)(6) at the request of
a State agency.
supplemental nutrition assistance program
For necessary expenses to carry out the Food and Nutrition
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2011 et seq.), $118,139,341,000, of
which $3,000,000,000, to remain available through September
30, 2027, shall be placed in reserve for use only in such
amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry
out program operations: Provided, That funds provided herein
shall be expended in accordance with section 16 of the Food
and Nutrition Act of 2008: Provided further, That of the
funds made available under this heading, $998,000 may be used
to provide nutrition education services to State agencies and
Federally Recognized Tribes participating in the Food
Distribution Program on Indian Reservations: Provided
further, That of the funds made available under this heading,
$3,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2027,
shall be used to carry out section 4003(b) of Public Law 115-
334 relating to demonstration projects for tribal
organizations: Provided further, That of the funds made
available under this heading, $3,000,000 shall be used to
carry out section 4208 of Public Law 115-334: Provided
further, That this appropriation shall be subject to any work
registration or workfare requirements as may be required by
law: Provided further, That funds made available for
Employment and Training under this heading shall remain
available through September 30, 2027: Provided further, That
funds made available under this heading for section 28(d)(1),
section 4(b), and section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act
of 2008 shall remain available through September 30, 2027:
Provided further, That none of the funds made available under
this heading may be obligated or expended in contravention of
section 213A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C.
1183A): Provided further, That funds made available under
this heading may be used to enter into contracts and employ
staff to conduct studies, evaluations, or to conduct
activities related to program integrity provided that such
activities are authorized by the Food and Nutrition Act of
2008.
commodity assistance program
For necessary expenses to carry out disaster and commodity
assistance, $516,070,000, to remain available through
September 30, 2027, of which $425,000,000 shall be for the
Commodity Supplemental Food Program, as authorized by section
4(a) of the Agriculture and Consumer Protection Act of 1973
(7 U.S.C. 612c note), $80,000,000 shall be for the Emergency
Food Assistance Act of 1983, $1,070,000 shall be for
assistance for the nuclear affected islands, as authorized by
section 103(f)(2) of the Compact of Free Association
Amendments Act of 2003 (Public Law 108-188), and $10,000,000
shall be for the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as
authorized by section 17(m) of the Child Nutrition Act of
1966: Provided, That none of these funds shall be available
to reimburse the Commodity Credit Corporation for commodities
donated to the program: Provided further, That
notwithstanding any other provision of law, effective with
funds made available in fiscal year 2026 to support the
Seniors Farmers' Market Nutrition Program, as authorized by
section 4402 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002, such funds shall remain available through September 30,
2027: Provided further, That of the funds made available
under section 27(a) of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7
U.S.C. 2036(a)), the Secretary may use up to 20 percent for
costs associated with the distribution of commodities.
nutrition programs administration
For necessary administrative expenses of the Food and
Nutrition Service for carrying out any domestic nutrition
assistance program, $177,348,000: Provided, That of the
funds provided herein, $2,000,000 shall be used for the
purposes of section 4404 of Public Law 107-171, as amended by
section 4401 of Public Law 110-246.
TITLE V
FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS
Office of the Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural
Affairs
For necessary expenses of the Office of the Under Secretary
for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs, $932,000:
Provided, That funds made available by this Act to any agency
in the Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs mission area
for salaries and expenses are available to fund up to one
administrative support staff for the Office.
office of codex alimentarius
For necessary expenses of the Office of Codex Alimentarius,
$4,922,000, including not to exceed $40,000 for official
reception and representation expenses.
Foreign Agricultural Service
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Foreign Agricultural Service,
including not to exceed $250,000 for representation
allowances and for expenses pursuant to section 8 of the Act
approved August 3, 1956 (7 U.S.C. 1766), $227,330,000, of
which no more than 6 percent shall remain available until
September 30, 2027, for overseas operations to include the
payment of locally employed staff: Provided, That the
Service may utilize advances of funds, or reimburse this
appropriation for expenditures made on behalf of Federal
agencies, public and private organizations and institutions
under agreements executed pursuant to the agricultural food
production assistance programs (7 U.S.C. 1737) and the
foreign assistance programs of the United States Agency for
International Development: Provided further, That of the
funds made available under this heading, $5,000,000, to
remain available until expended, shall be for the Cochran
Fellowship Program, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 3293,
$4,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be for
the Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology
Fellowship program, as authorized by 7 U.S.C. 3319j, and up
to $2,000,000, to remain available until expended, shall be
for the purpose of offsetting fluctuations in international
currency exchange rates, subject to documentation by the
Foreign Agricultural Service.
food for peace title ii grants
For expenses during the current fiscal year, not otherwise
recoverable, and unrecovered prior years' costs, including
interest thereon, under the Food for Peace Act (Public Law
83-480), for commodities supplied in connection with
dispositions abroad under title II of said Act,
$1,500,000,000, to remain available until expended:
Provided, That of the amount made available under this
heading, $1,000,000, shall be for the Secretary of
Agriculture, in consultation with the Secretary of State and
heads of other relevant Federal departments and agencies as
applicable, to conduct an interagency review and, within 60
days of enactment of this Act, provide a detailed report
outlining the process and agency needs to support a transfer
of the Food for Peace program from the U.S. Agency for
International Development to the Foreign Agricultural Service
within the Department of Agriculture: Provided further, That
such report shall include the requirements outlined in the
section entitled ``Food for Peace Interagency Review and
Report'' in the report accompanying this Act and shall also
address any other needs that the Department of Agriculture
believes will be required to support successful
implementation of such program transfer.
mcgovern-dole international food for education and child nutrition
program grants
For necessary expenses to carry out the provisions of
section 3107 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o-1), $240,000,000, to remain available
until expended: Provided, That the Commodity Credit
Corporation is authorized to provide the services,
facilities, and authorities for the purpose of implementing
such section, subject to reimbursement from amounts provided
herein: Provided further, That of the amount made available
under this heading, not more than 10 percent, but not less
than $24,000,000, shall remain available until expended to
purchase agricultural commodities as described in subsection
3107(a)(2) of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of
2002 (7 U.S.C. 1736o-1(a)(2)).
commodity credit corporation export (loans) credit guarantee program
account
(including transfers of funds)
For administrative expenses to carry out the Commodity
Credit Corporation's Export Guarantee Program, GSM 102 and
GSM 103, $6,063,000, to cover common overhead expenses as
permitted by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation
Charter Act and in conformity with the Federal Credit Reform
Act of 1990, which shall be paid to the appropriation for
``Foreign Agricultural Service, Salaries and Expenses''.
[[Page S5159]]
TITLE VI
RELATED AGENCIES AND FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION
Department of Health and Human Services
food and drug administration
salaries and expenses
(including transfers of funds)
For necessary expenses of the Food and Drug Administration,
including hire and purchase of passenger motor vehicles; for
payment of space rental and related costs pursuant to Public
Law 92-313 for programs and activities of the Food and Drug
Administration which are included in this Act; for rental of
special purpose space in the District of Columbia or
elsewhere; for miscellaneous and emergency expenses of
enforcement activities, authorized and approved by the
Secretary and to be accounted for solely on the Secretary's
certificate, not to exceed $25,000; and notwithstanding
section 521 of Public Law 107-188; $7,015,038,000: Provided,
That of the amount provided under this heading,
$1,543,226,000 shall be derived from prescription drug user
fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379h, and shall be credited to
this account and remain available until expended;
$445,808,000 shall be derived from medical device user fees
authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j, and shall be credited to this
account and remain available until expended; $665,438,000
shall be derived from human generic drug user fees authorized
by 21 U.S.C. 379j-42, and shall be credited to this account
and remain available until expended; $55,731,000 shall be
derived from biosimilar biological product user fees
authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-52, and shall be credited to
this account and remain available until expended; $34,142,000
shall be derived from animal drug user fees authorized by 21
U.S.C. 379j-12, and shall be credited to this account and
remain available until expended; $26,503,000 shall be derived
from generic new animal drug user fees authorized by 21
U.S.C. 379j-21, and shall be credited to this account and
remain available until expended; $712,000,000 shall be
derived from tobacco product user fees authorized by 21
U.S.C. 387s, and shall be credited to this account and remain
available until expended: Provided further, That in addition
to and notwithstanding any other provision under this
heading, amounts collected for prescription drug user fees,
medical device user fees, human generic drug user fees,
biosimilar biological product user fees, animal drug user
fees, and generic new animal drug user fees that exceed the
respective fiscal year 2026 limitations are appropriated and
shall be credited to this account and remain available until
expended: Provided further, That fees derived from
prescription drug, medical device, human generic drug,
biosimilar biological product, animal drug, and generic new
animal drug assessments for fiscal year 2026, including any
such fees collected prior to fiscal year 2026 but credited
for fiscal year 2026, shall be subject to the fiscal year
2026 limitations: Provided further, That the Secretary may
accept payment during fiscal year 2026 of user fees specified
under this heading and authorized for fiscal year 2027, prior
to the due date for such fees, and that amounts of such fees
assessed for fiscal year 2027 for which the Secretary accepts
payment in fiscal year 2026 shall not be included in amounts
under this heading: Provided further, That none of these
funds shall be used to develop, establish, or operate any
program of user fees authorized by 31 U.S.C. 9701: Provided
further, That of the total amount appropriated: (1)
$1,171,319,000 shall be for the Human Foods Program and for
related field activities, including inspections,
investigations, and import operations, conducted by the Human
Foods Program, the Office of Inspections and Investigations,
or the Office of the Chief Scientist, of which no less than
$15,000,000 shall be used for inspections of foreign seafood
manufacturers and field examinations of imported seafood; (2)
$2,497,463,000 shall be for the Center for Drug Evaluation
and Research and for related field activities, including
inspections, investigations, and import operations, conducted
by the Center, the Office of Inspections and Investigations,
or the Office of the Chief Scientist, of which no less than
$10,000,000 shall be for pilots to increase unannounced
foreign inspections and shall remain available until
expended; (3) $625,756,000 shall be for the Center for
Biologics Evaluation and Research and for related field
activities, including inspections, investigations, and import
operations, conducted by the Center, the Office of
Inspections and Investigations, or the Office of the Chief
Scientist; (4) $286,442,000 shall be for the Center for
Veterinary Medicine and for related field activities,
including inspections, investigations, and import operations,
conducted by the Center, the Office of Inspections and
Investigations, or the Office of the Chief Scientist; (5)
$863,358,000 shall be for the Center for Devices and
Radiological Health and for related field activities,
including inspections, investigations, and import operations,
conducted by the Center, the Office of Inspections and
Investigations, or the Office of the Chief Scientist; (6)
$77,740,000 shall be for the National Center for
Toxicological Research; (7) $689,258,000 shall be for the
Center for Tobacco Products and for related field activities,
including inspections, investigations, and import operations,
conducted by the Center, the Office of Inspections and
Investigations, or the Office of the Chief Scientist; (8)
$434,455,000 shall be for Rent and Related activities, of
which $55,112,000 is for White Oak Consolidation, other than
the amounts paid to the General Services Administration for
rent; (9) $219,639,000 shall be for payments to the General
Services Administration for rent; and (10) $369,267,000 shall
be for other activities, including the Office of the
Commissioner of Food and Drugs, the Office of the Chief
Scientist, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, and
central services for these offices: Provided further, That
not to exceed $25,000 of this amount shall be for official
reception and representation expenses, not otherwise provided
for, as determined by the Commissioner: Provided further,
That any transfer of funds pursuant to, and for the
administration of, section 770(n) of the Federal Food, Drug,
and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 379dd(n)) shall only be from
amounts made available under this heading for other
activities and shall not exceed $2,000,000: Provided
further, That of the amounts that are made available under
this heading for ``other activities'', and that are not
derived from user fees, $1,500,000 shall be transferred to
and merged with the appropriation for ``Department of Health
and Human Services--Office of Inspector General'' for
oversight of the programs and operations of the Food and Drug
Administration and shall be in addition to funds otherwise
made available for oversight of the Food and Drug
Administration: Provided further, That funds may be
transferred from one specified activity to another with the
prior approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress.
In addition, mammography user fees authorized by 42 U.S.C.
263b, export certification user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C.
381, priority review user fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360n
and 360ff, food and feed recall fees, food reinspection fees,
and voluntary qualified importer program fees authorized by
21 U.S.C. 379j-31, outsourcing facility fees authorized by 21
U.S.C. 379j-62, prescription drug wholesale distributor
licensing and inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C.
353(e)(3), third-party logistics provider licensing and
inspection fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360eee-3(c)(1),
third-party auditor fees authorized by 21 U.S.C. 384d(c)(8),
medical countermeasure priority review voucher user fees
authorized by 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-4a, and fees relating to over-
the-counter monograph drugs authorized by 21 U.S.C. 379j-72
shall be credited to this account, to remain available until
expended.
buildings and facilities
For plans, construction, repair, improvement, extension,
alteration, demolition, and purchase of fixed equipment or
facilities of or used by the Food and Drug Administration,
where not otherwise provided, $5,000,000, to remain available
until expended.
INDEPENDENT AGENCY
Farm Credit Administration
limitation on administrative expenses
Not to exceed $106,500,000 (from assessments collected from
farm credit institutions, including the Federal Agricultural
Mortgage Corporation) shall be obligated during the current
fiscal year for administrative expenses as authorized under
12 U.S.C. 2249: Provided, That this limitation shall not
apply to expenses associated with receiverships: Provided
further, That the agency may exceed this limitation by up to
10 percent with notification to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further,
That the purposes of section 3.7(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Farm
Credit Act of 1971 (12 U.S.C. 2128(b)(2)(A)(i)), the Farm
Credit Administration may exempt, an amount in its sole
discretion, from the application of the limitation provided
in that clause of export loans described in the clause
guaranteed or insured in a manner other than described in
subclause (II) of the clause.
TITLE VII
GENERAL PROVISIONS
(including rescissions and transfers of funds)
Sec. 701. The Secretary may use any appropriations made
available to the Department of Agriculture in this Act to
purchase new passenger motor vehicles, in addition to
specific appropriations for this purpose, so long as the
total number of vehicles purchased in fiscal year 2026 does
not exceed the number of vehicles owned or leased in fiscal
year 2018: Provided, That, prior to purchasing additional
motor vehicles, the Secretary must determine that such
vehicles are necessary for transportation safety, to reduce
operational costs, and for the protection of life, property,
and public safety: Provided further, That the Secretary may
not increase the Department of Agriculture's fleet above the
2018 level unless the Secretary notifies in writing, and
receives approval from, the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress within 30 days of the notification.
Sec. 702. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act,
the Secretary of Agriculture may transfer unobligated
balances of discretionary funds appropriated by this Act or
any other available unobligated discretionary balances that
are remaining available of the Department of Agriculture to
the Working Capital Fund for the acquisition of property,
plant and equipment and for the improvement, delivery, and
implementation of Department financial, and administrative
information technology services, and other support systems
necessary for the delivery of financial, administrative, and
information technology services, including cloud adoption and
migration, of primary benefit to the
[[Page S5160]]
agencies of the Department of Agriculture, such transferred
funds to remain available until expended: Provided, That
none of the funds made available by this Act or any other Act
shall be transferred to the Working Capital Fund without the
prior approval of the agency administrator: Provided
further, That none of the funds transferred to the Working
Capital Fund pursuant to this section shall be available for
obligation without written notification to and the prior
approval of the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress: Provided further, That none of the funds
appropriated by this Act or made available to the
Department's Working Capital Fund shall be available for
obligation or expenditure to make any changes to the
Department's National Finance Center without written
notification to and prior approval of the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress as required by
section 716 of this Act: Provided further, That none of the
funds appropriated by this Act or made available to the
Department's Working Capital Fund shall be available for
obligation or expenditure to initiate, plan, develop,
implement, or make any changes to remove or relocate any
systems, missions, personnel, or functions of the offices of
the Chief Financial Officer and the Chief Information
Officer, co-located with or from the National Finance Center
prior to written notification to and prior approval of the
Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress and in
accordance with the requirements of section 716 of this Act:
Provided further, That the National Finance Center
Information Technology Services Division personnel and data
center management responsibilities, and control of any
functions, missions, and systems for current and future human
resources management and integrated personnel and payroll
systems (PPS) and functions provided by the Chief Financial
Officer and the Chief Information Officer shall remain in the
National Finance Center and under the management
responsibility and administrative control of the National
Finance Center: Provided further, That the Secretary of
Agriculture and the offices of the Chief Financial Officer
shall actively market to existing and new Departments and
other government agencies National Finance Center shared
services including, but not limited to, payroll, financial
management, and human capital shared services and allow the
National Finance Center to perform technology upgrades:
Provided further, That of annual income amounts in the
Working Capital Fund of the Department of Agriculture
attributable to the amounts in excess of the true costs of
the shared services provided by the National Finance Center
and budgeted for the National Finance Center, the Secretary
shall reserve not more than 4 percent for the replacement or
acquisition of capital equipment, including equipment for the
improvement, delivery, and implementation of financial,
administrative, and information technology services, and
other systems of the National Finance Center or to pay any
unforeseen, extraordinary cost of the National Finance
Center: Provided further, That none of the amounts reserved
shall be available for obligation unless the Secretary
submits written notification of the obligation to the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress:
Provided further, That the limitations on the obligation of
funds pending notification to Congressional Committees shall
not apply to any obligation that, as determined by the
Secretary, is necessary to respond to a declared state of
emergency that significantly impacts the operations of the
National Finance Center; or to evacuate employees of the
National Finance Center to a safe haven to continue
operations of the National Finance Center.
Sec. 703. No part of any appropriation contained in this
Act shall remain available for obligation beyond the current
fiscal year unless expressly so provided herein.
Sec. 704. No funds appropriated by this Act may be used to
pay negotiated indirect cost rates on cooperative agreements
or similar arrangements between the United States Department
of Agriculture and nonprofit institutions in excess of 10
percent of the total direct cost of the agreement when the
purpose of such cooperative arrangements is to carry out
programs of mutual interest between the two parties. This
does not preclude appropriate payment of indirect costs on
grants and contracts with such institutions when such
indirect costs are computed on a similar basis for all
agencies for which appropriations are provided in this Act.
Sec. 705. Appropriations to the Department of Agriculture
for the cost of direct and guaranteed loans made available in
the current fiscal year shall remain available until expended
to disburse obligations made in the current fiscal year for
the following accounts: The Rural Development Loan Fund
program account, the Rural Electrification and
Telecommunication Loans program account, and the Rural
Housing Insurance Fund program account.
Sec. 706. None of the funds made available to the
Department of Agriculture by this Act may be used to acquire
new information technology systems or significant upgrades,
as determined by the Office of the Chief Information Officer,
without the approval of the Chief Information Officer and the
concurrence of the Executive Information Technology
Investment Review Board: Provided, That notwithstanding any
other provision of law, none of the funds appropriated or
otherwise made available by this Act may be transferred to
the Office of the Chief Information Officer without written
notification to and the prior approval of the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress: Provided further,
That notwithstanding section 11319 of title 40, United States
Code, none of the funds available to the Department of
Agriculture for information technology shall be obligated for
projects, contracts, or other agreements over $25,000 prior
to receipt of written approval by the Chief Information
Officer: Provided further, That the Chief Information
Officer may authorize an agency to obligate funds without
written approval from the Chief Information Officer for
projects, contracts, or other agreements up to $250,000 based
upon the performance of an agency measured against the
performance plan requirements described in the explanatory
statement accompanying Public Law 113-235.
Sec. 707. Funds made available under section 524(b) of the
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)) in the current
fiscal year shall remain available until expended to disburse
obligations made in the current fiscal year.
Sec. 708. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any
former Rural Utilities Service borrower that has repaid or
prepaid an insured, direct or guaranteed loan under the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936, or any not-for-profit utility
that is eligible to receive an insured or direct loan under
such Act, shall be eligible for assistance under section
313B(a) of such Act in the same manner as a borrower under
such Act.
Sec. 709. Except as otherwise specifically provided by
law, not more than $20,000,000 in unobligated balances from
appropriations made available for salaries and expenses in
this Act for the Farm Service Agency shall remain available
through September 30, 2027, for information technology
expenses.
Sec. 710. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act may be used for first-class travel by
the employees of agencies funded by this Act in contravention
of sections 301-10.122 through 301-10.124 of title 41, Code
of Federal Regulations.
Sec. 711. In the case of each program established or
amended by the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79)
or by a successor to that Act, other than by title I or
subtitle A of title III of such Act, or programs for which
indefinite amounts were provided in that Act, that is
authorized or required to be carried out using funds of the
Commodity Credit Corporation--
(1) such funds shall be available for salaries and related
administrative expenses, including technical assistance,
associated with the implementation of the program, without
regard to the limitation on the total amount of allotments
and fund transfers contained in section 11 of the Commodity
Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i); and
(2) the use of such funds for such purpose shall not be
considered to be a fund transfer or allotment for purposes of
applying the limitation on the total amount of allotments and
fund transfers contained in such section.
Sec. 712. Of the funds made available by this Act, not
more than $2,900,000 shall be used to cover necessary
expenses of activities related to all advisory committees,
panels, commissions, and task forces of the Department of
Agriculture, except for panels used to comply with negotiated
rule makings and panels used to evaluate competitively
awarded grants.
Sec. 713. (a) None of the funds made available in this Act
may be used to maintain or establish a computer network
unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and
exchanging of pornography.
(b) Nothing in subsection (a) shall limit the use of funds
necessary for any Federal, State, tribal, or local law
enforcement agency or any other entity carrying out criminal
investigations, prosecution, or adjudication activities.
Sec. 714. Notwithstanding subsection (b) of section 14222
of Public Law 110-246 (7 U.S.C. 612c-6; in this section
referred to as ``section 14222''), none of the funds
appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any other
Act shall be used to pay the salaries and expenses of
personnel to carry out a program under section 32 of the Act
of August 24, 1935 (7 U.S.C. 612c; in this section referred
to as ``section 32'') in excess of $1,574,028,000 (exclusive
of carryover appropriations from prior fiscal years), as
follows: Child Nutrition Programs Entitlement Commodities--
$485,000,000; State Option Contracts--$5,000,000; Removal of
Defective Commodities--$1,660,000; Administration of section
32 Commodity Purchases--$37,178,000: Provided, That, of the
total funds made available in the matter preceding this
proviso that remain unobligated on October 1, 2026, such
unobligated balances shall carryover into fiscal year 2027
and shall remain available until expended for any of the
purposes of section 32, except that any such carryover funds
used in accordance with clause (3) of section 32 may not
exceed $350,000,000 and may not be obligated until the
Secretary of Agriculture provides written notification of the
expenditures to the Committees on Appropriations of both
Houses of Congress at least two weeks in advance: Provided
further, That, with the exception of any available carryover
funds authorized in any prior appropriations Act to be used
for the purposes of clause (3) of section 32, none of the
funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this or any
other Act shall be used to pay the salaries or expenses of
any employee of the Department of Agriculture to carry out
clause (3) of section 32.
Sec. 715. None of the funds appropriated by this or any
other Act shall be used to pay the
[[Page S5161]]
salaries and expenses of personnel who prepare or submit
appropriations language as part of the President's budget
submission to the Congress for programs under the
jurisdiction of the Appropriations Subcommittees on
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration,
and Related Agencies that assumes revenues or reflects a
reduction from the previous year due to user fees proposals
that have not been enacted into law prior to the submission
of the budget unless such budget submission identifies which
additional spending reductions should occur in the event the
user fees proposals are not enacted prior to the date of the
convening of a committee of conference for the fiscal year
2026 appropriations Act.
Sec. 716. (a) None of the funds provided by this Act, or
provided by previous appropriations Acts to the agencies
funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or
expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any
accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees
available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be
available for obligation or expenditure through a
reprogramming, transfer of funds, or reimbursements as
authorized by the Economy Act, or in the case of the
Department of Agriculture, through use of the authority
provided by section 702(b) of the Department of Agriculture
Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257) or section 8 of Public
Law 89-106 (7 U.S.C. 2263), that--
(1) creates new programs;
(2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;
(3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any
project or activity for which funds have been denied or
restricted;
(4) relocates an office or employees;
(5) reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or
(6) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities
presently performed by Federal employees;
unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of
Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in
writing and receives approval from the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in
advance of the reprogramming of such funds or the use of such
authority.
(b) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by
previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this
Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in
the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the
Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the
agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for
obligation or expenditure for activities, programs, or
projects through a reprogramming or use of the authorities
referred to in subsection (a) involving funds in excess of
$500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, that--
(1) augments existing programs, projects, or activities;
(2) reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program,
project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent
as approved by Congress; or
(3) results from any general savings from a reduction in
personnel which would result in a change in existing
programs, activities, or projects as approved by Congress;
unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of
Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in
writing and receives approval from the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in
advance of the reprogramming or transfer of such funds or the
use of such authority.
(c) The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health
and Human Services shall notify in writing and receive
approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress before implementing any program or activity not
carried out during the previous fiscal year unless the
program or activity is funded by this Act or specifically
funded by any other Act.
(d) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by
previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this
Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in
the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the
Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the
agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for--
(1) modifying major capital investments funding levels,
including information technology systems, that involves
increasing or decreasing funds in the current fiscal year for
the individual investment in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent
of the total cost, whichever is less;
(2) realigning or reorganizing new, current, or vacant
positions or agency activities or functions to establish a
center, office, branch, or similar entity with five or more
personnel; or
(3) carrying out activities or functions that were not
described in the budget request;
unless the agencies funded by this Act notify, in writing,
the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress
at least 30 days in advance of using the funds for these
purposes.
(e) As described in this section, no funds may be used for
any activities unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the
Secretary of Health and Human Services receives from the
Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress
written or electronic mail confirmation of receipt of the
notification as required in this section.
Sec. 717. Notwithstanding section 310B(g)(5) of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1932(g)(5)), the Secretary may assess a one-time fee for any
guaranteed business and industry loan in an amount that does
not exceed 3 percent of the guaranteed principal portion of
the loan.
Sec. 718. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available to the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug
Administration, or the Farm Credit Administration shall be
used to transmit or otherwise make available reports,
questions, or responses to questions that are a result of
information requested for the appropriations hearing process
to any non-Department of Agriculture, non-Department of
Health and Human Services, or non-Farm Credit Administration
employee.
Sec. 719. Unless otherwise authorized by existing law,
none of the funds provided in this Act, may be used by an
executive branch agency to produce any prepackaged news story
intended for broadcast or distribution in the United States
unless the story includes a clear notification within the
text or audio of the prepackaged news story that the
prepackaged news story was prepared or funded by that
executive branch agency.
Sec. 720. No employee of the Department of Agriculture may
be detailed or assigned from an agency or office funded by
this Act or any other Act to any other agency or office of
the Department for more than 60 days in a fiscal year unless
the individual's employing agency or office is fully
reimbursed by the receiving agency or office for the salary
and expenses of the employee for the period of assignment.
Sec. 721. Not later than 30 days after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture, the
Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, and the
Chairman of the Farm Credit Administration shall submit to
the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a detailed obligation plan
delineated by program, project, and activity, as defined in
the report accompanying this Act, for all amounts made
available by this Act and prior appropriations Acts that
remain available for obligation, including appropriated user
fees and loan authorizations: Provided, That such obligation
plan shall include breakdowns of estimated obligations for
each such program, project, or activity by fiscal quarter,
source appropriation, and the number of full-time equivalent
positions supported: Provided further, That such obligation
plan shall serve as the baseline for reprogramming
notifications for the purposes of section 716 of this Act.
Sec. 722. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to propose, promulgate, or implement any rule, or
take any other action with respect to, allowing or requiring
information intended for a prescribing health care
professional, in the case of a drug or biological product
subject to section 503(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 353(b)(1)), to be distributed to such
professional electronically (in lieu of in paper form) unless
and until a Federal law is enacted to allow or require such
distribution.
Sec. 723. For the purposes of determining eligibility or
level of program assistance for Rural Housing Service
programs the Secretary shall not include incarcerated prison
populations.
Sec. 724. For loans and loan guarantees that do not
require budget authority and the program level has been
established in this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture may
increase the program level for such loans and loan guarantees
by not more than 25 percent: Provided, That prior to the
Secretary implementing such an increase, the Secretary
notifies, in writing, the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress at least 15 days in advance.
Sec. 725. None of the credit card refunds or rebates
transferred to the Working Capital Fund pursuant to section
729 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2002
(7 U.S.C. 2235a; Public Law 107-76) shall be available for
obligation without written notification to, and the prior
approval of, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses
of Congress: Provided, That the refunds or rebates so
transferred shall be available for obligation only for the
acquisition of property, plant and equipment, including
equipment for the improvement, delivery, and implementation
of Departmental financial management, information technology,
and other support systems necessary for the delivery of
financial, administrative, and information technology
services, including cloud adoption and migration, of primary
benefit to the agencies of the Department of Agriculture.
Sec. 726. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to implement, administer, or enforce the ``variety''
requirements of the final rule entitled ``Enhancing Retailer
Standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP)'' published by the Department of Agriculture in the
Federal Register on December 15, 2016 (81 Fed. Reg. 90675)
until the Secretary of Agriculture amends the definition of
the term ``variety'' as defined in section 278.1(b)(1)(ii)(C)
of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, and ``variety'' as
applied in the definition of the term ``staple food'' as
defined in section 271.2 of title 7, Code of Federal
Regulations, to increase the number of items that qualify as
acceptable varieties in each staple food category so that the
total number of such items in each staple food category
exceeds the number of such items in
[[Page S5162]]
each staple food category included in the final rule as
published on December 15, 2016: Provided, That until the
Secretary promulgates such regulatory amendments, the
Secretary shall apply the requirements regarding acceptable
varieties and breadth of stock to Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program retailers that were in effect on the day
before the date of the enactment of the Agricultural Act of
2014 (Public Law 113-79).
Sec. 727. In carrying out subsection (h) of section 502 of
the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1472), the Secretary of
Agriculture shall have the same authority with respect to
loans guaranteed under such section and eligible lenders for
such loans as the Secretary has under subsections (h) and (j)
of section 538 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1490p-2) with respect
to loans guaranteed under such section 538 and eligible
lenders for such loans.
Sec. 728. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act shall be available for the United
States Department of Agriculture to propose, finalize or
implement any regulation that would promulgate new user fees
pursuant to 31 U.S.C. 9701 after the date of the enactment of
this Act.
Sec. 729. Notwithstanding any provision of law that
regulates the calculation and payment of overtime and holiday
pay for FSIS inspectors, the Secretary may charge
establishments subject to the inspection requirements of the
Poultry Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 451 et seq., the
Federal Meat Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 601 et seq., and the
Egg Products Inspection Act, 21 U.S.C. 1031 et seq., for the
cost of inspection services provided outside of an
establishment's approved inspection shifts, and for
inspection services provided on Federal holidays: Provided,
That any sums charged pursuant to this paragraph shall be
deemed as overtime pay or holiday pay under section 1001(d)
of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2,
135 Stat. 242): Provided further, That sums received by the
Secretary under this paragraph shall, in addition to other
available funds, remain available until expended to the
Secretary without further appropriation for the purpose of
funding all costs associated with FSIS inspections.
Sec. 730. (a) The Secretary of Agriculture shall--
(1) conduct audits in a manner that evaluates the following
factors in the country or region being audited, as
applicable--
(A) veterinary control and oversight;
(B) disease history and vaccination practices;
(C) livestock demographics and traceability;
(D) epidemiological separation from potential sources of
infection;
(E) surveillance practices;
(F) diagnostic laboratory capabilities; and
(G) emergency preparedness and response; and
(2) promptly make publicly available the final reports of
any audits or reviews conducted pursuant to paragraph (1).
(b) This section shall be applied in a manner consistent
with United States obligations under its international trade
agreements.
Sec. 731. (a)(1) No Federal funds made available for this
fiscal year for the rural water, waste water, waste disposal,
and solid waste management programs authorized by sections
306, 306A, 306C, 306D, 306E, and 310B of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1926 et seq.) shall
be used for a project for the construction, alteration,
maintenance, or repair of a public water or wastewater system
unless all of the iron and steel products used in the project
are produced in the United States.
(2) In this section, the term ``iron and steel products''
means the following products made primarily of iron or steel:
lined or unlined pipes and fittings, manhole covers and other
municipal castings, hydrants, tanks, flanges, pipe clamps and
restraints, valves, structural steel, reinforced precast
concrete, and construction materials.
(b) Subsection (a) shall not apply in any case or category
of cases in which the Secretary of Agriculture (in this
section referred to as the ``Secretary'') or the designee of
the Secretary finds that--
(1) applying subsection (a) would be inconsistent with the
public interest;
(2) iron and steel products are not produced in the United
States in sufficient and reasonably available quantities or
of a satisfactory quality; or
(3) inclusion of iron and steel products produced in the
United States will increase the cost of the overall project
by more than 25 percent.
(c) If the Secretary or the designee receives a request for
a waiver under this section, the Secretary or the designee
shall make available to the public on an informal basis a
copy of the request and information available to the
Secretary or the designee concerning the request, and shall
allow for informal public input on the request for at least
15 days prior to making a finding based on the request. The
Secretary or the designee shall make the request and
accompanying information available by electronic means,
including on the official public Internet Web site of the
Department.
(d) This section shall be applied in a manner consistent
with United States obligations under international
agreements.
(e) The Secretary may retain up to 0.25 percent of the
funds appropriated in this Act for ``Rural Utilities
Service--Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account'' for
carrying out the provisions described in subsection (a)(1)
for management and oversight of the requirements of this
section.
(f) Subsection (a) shall not apply with respect to a
project for which the engineering plans and specifications
include use of iron and steel products otherwise prohibited
by such subsection if the plans and specifications have
received required approvals from State agencies prior to the
date of enactment of this Act.
(g) For purposes of this section, the terms ``United
States'' and ``State'' shall include each of the several
States, the District of Columbia, and each Federally
recognized Indian Tribe.
Sec. 732. None of the funds appropriated by this Act may
be used in any way, directly or indirectly, to influence
congressional action on any legislation or appropriation
matters pending before Congress, other than to communicate to
Members of Congress as described in 18 U.S.C. 1913.
Sec. 733. Of the total amounts made available by this Act
for direct loans and grants under the following headings:
``Rural Housing Service--Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program
Account''; ``Rural Housing Service--Mutual and Self-Help
Housing Grants''; ``Rural Housing Service--Rural Housing
Assistance Grants''; ``Rural Housing Service--Rural Community
Facilities Program Account''; ``Rural Business--Cooperative
Service--Rural Business Program Account''; ``Rural Business--
Cooperative Service--Rural Economic Development Loans Program
Account''; ``Rural Business--Cooperative Service--Rural
Cooperative Development Grants''; ``Rural Business--
Cooperative Service--Rural Microentrepreneur Assistance
Program''; ``Rural Utilities Service--Rural Water and Waste
Disposal Program Account''; ``Rural Utilities Service--Rural
Electrification and Telecommunications Loans Program
Account''; and ``Rural Utilities Service--Distance Learning,
Telemedicine, and Broadband Program'', to the maximum extent
feasible, at least 10 percent of the funds shall be allocated
for assistance in persistent poverty counties under this
section, including, notwithstanding any other provision
regarding population limits, any county seat of such a
persistent poverty county that has a population that does not
exceed the authorized population limit by more than 10
percent: Provided, That for purposes of this section, the
term ``persistent poverty counties'' means any county that
has had 20 percent or more of its population living in
poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the Economic
Research Service, or any territory or possession of the
United States: Provided further, That with respect to
specific activities for which program levels have been made
available by this Act that are not supported by budget
authority, the requirements of this section shall be applied
to such program level.
Sec. 734. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to notify a sponsor or otherwise acknowledge receipt
of a submission for an exemption for investigational use of a
drug or biological product under section 505(i) of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 355(i)) or
section 351(a)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C.
262(a)(3)) in research in which a human embryo is
intentionally created or modified to include a heritable
genetic modification. Any such submission shall be deemed to
have not been received by the Secretary, and the exemption
may not go into effect.
Sec. 735. None of the funds made available by this or any
other Act may be used to enforce the final rule promulgated
by the Food and Drug Administration entitled ``Standards for
the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for
Human Consumption'', and published on November 27, 2015, with
respect to the regulation of entities that grow, harvest,
pack, or hold wine grapes, hops, pulse crops, or almonds.
Sec. 736. For school years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027, none
of the funds made available by this Act may be used to
restrict or limit the substitution of any vegetable subgroup
for fruits under the school breakfast program established
under section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C.
1773).
Sec. 737. None of the funds made available by this Act or
any other Act may be used--
(1) in contravention of section 7606 of the Agricultural
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 5940), subtitle G of the Agricultural
Marketing Act of 1946, or section 10114 of the Agriculture
Improvement Act of 2018; or
(2) to prohibit the transportation, processing, sale, or
use of hemp, or seeds of such plant, that is grown or
cultivated in accordance with section 7606 of the
Agricultural Act of 2014 or subtitle G of the Agricultural
Marketing Act of 1946, within or outside the State in which
the hemp is grown or cultivated.
Sec. 738. The Secretary of Agriculture may waive the
matching funds requirement under section 412(g) of the
Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of
1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632(g)).
Sec. 739. The Secretary of Agriculture shall be included
as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the
United States (CFIUS) on a case by case basis pursuant to the
authorities in section 721(k)(2)(J) of the Defense Production
Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565(k)(2)(J)) with respect to each
covered transaction (as defined in section 721(a)(4) of the
Defense Production Act of 1950 (50 U.S.C. 4565(a)(4)))
involving agricultural land, agriculture biotechnology, or
the agriculture industry (including agricultural
[[Page S5163]]
transportation, agricultural storage, and agricultural
processing), as determined by the CFIUS Chairperson in
coordination with the Secretary of Agriculture. The Secretary
of Agriculture shall, to the maximum extent practicable,
notify the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United
States of any agricultural land transaction that the
Secretary of Agriculture has reason to believe, based on
information from or in cooperation with the Intelligence
Community, is a covered transaction (A) that may pose a risk
to the national security of the United States, with
particular emphasis on covered transactions of an interest in
agricultural land by foreign governments or entities of
concern, as defined in 42 U.S.C. 19221(a), including the
People's Republic of China, the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the Islamic Republic of
Iran; and (B) with respect to which a person is required to
submit a report to the Secretary of Agriculture under section
2(a) of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of
1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501(a)).
Sec. 740. There is hereby appropriated $2,000,000, to
remain available until expended, for a pilot program for the
Secretary to provide grants to qualified non-profit
organizations and public housing authorities to provide
technical assistance, including financial and legal services,
to RHS multi-family housing borrowers to facilitate property
preservation through the acquisition of RHS multi-family
housing properties in areas where the Secretary determines a
risk of loss of affordable housing, by non-profit housing
organizations and public housing authorities as authorized by
law that commit to keep such properties in the RHS multi-
family housing program for a period of time as determined by
the Secretary: Provided, That such funds may also be used
for technical assistance for non-profit organizations, public
housing authorities, and private owners for the decoupling of
rental assistance.
Sec. 741. Funds made available under title II of the Food
for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.) may only be used to
provide assistance to recipient nations if adequate
monitoring and controls, as determined by the Administrator,
are in place to ensure that emergency food aid is received by
the intended beneficiaries in areas affected by food
shortages and not diverted for unauthorized or inappropriate
purposes.
Sec. 742. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to procure raw or processed poultry products or
seafood imported into the United States from the People's
Republic of China for use in the school lunch program under
the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C.
1751 et seq.), the Child and Adult Care Food Program under
section 17 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1766), the Summer Food
Service Program for Children under section 13 of such Act (42
U.S.C. 1761), or the school breakfast program under the Child
Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.).
Sec. 743. For school year 2025-2026, only a school food
authority that had a negative balance in the nonprofit school
food service account as of June 30, 2025, shall be required
to establish a price for paid lunches in accordance with
section 12(p) of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch
Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(p)).
Sec. 744. Any funds made available by this or any other
Act that the Secretary withholds pursuant to section
1668(g)(2) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade
Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5921(g)(2)), as amended, shall be
available for grants for biotechnology risk assessment
research: Provided, That the Secretary may transfer such
funds among appropriations of the Department of Agriculture
for purposes of making such grants.
Sec. 745. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no
funds available to the Department of Agriculture may be used
to move any staff office or any agency from the mission area
in which it was located on August 1, 2018, to any other
mission area or office within the Department in the absence
of the enactment of specific legislation affirming such move.
Sec. 746. The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the
Natural Resources Conservation Service, may use funds
appropriated under this Act or any other Act for the
Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations Program and the
Watershed Rehabilitation Program carried out pursuant to the
Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1001
et seq.), and for the Emergency Watershed Protection Program
carried out pursuant to section 403 of the Agricultural
Credit Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2203) to provide technical
services for such programs pursuant to section 1252(a)(1) of
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3851(a)(1)),
notwithstanding subsection (c) of such section.
Sec. 747. In administering the pilot program established
by section 779 of division A of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141), the Secretary
of Agriculture may, for purposes of determining entities
eligible to receive assistance, consider those communities
which are ``Areas Rural in Character'': Provided, That not
more than 10 percent of the funds made available under the
heading ``Distance Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband
Program'' for the purposes of the pilot program established
by section 779 of Public Law 115-141 may be used for this
purpose.
Sec. 748. In addition to amounts otherwise made available
by this Act and notwithstanding the last sentence of 16
U.S.C. 1310, there is appropriated $2,000,000, to remain
available until expended, to implement non-renewable
agreements on eligible lands, including flooded agricultural
lands, as determined by the Secretary, under the Water Bank
Act (16 U.S.C. 1301-1311).
Sec. 749. Out of amounts appropriated to the Food and Drug
Administration under title VI, the Secretary of Health and
Human Services, acting through the Commissioner of Food and
Drugs, shall, not later than September 30, 2026, and
following the review required under Executive Order No. 12866
(5 U.S.C. 601 note; relating to regulatory planning and
review), issue advice revising the advice provided in the
notice of availability entitled ``Advice About Eating Fish,
From the Environmental Protection Agency and Food and Drug
Administration; Revised Fish Advice; Availability'' (82 Fed.
Reg. 6571 (January 19, 2017)), in a manner that is consistent
with nutrition science recognized by the Food and Drug
Administration on the net effects of seafood consumption.
Sec. 750. The Secretary shall set aside for Rural Economic
Area Partnership (REAP) Zones, until August 15, 2026, an
amount of funds made available in title III under the
headings of Rural Housing Insurance Fund Program Account,
Mutual and Self-Help Housing Grants, Rural Housing Assistance
Grants, Rural Community Facilities Program Account, Rural
Business Program Account, Rural Development Loan Fund Program
Account, and Rural Water and Waste Disposal Program Account,
equal to the amount obligated in REAP Zones with respect to
funds provided under such headings in the most recent fiscal
year any such funds were obligated under such headings for
REAP Zones, excluding the funding provided through any
Community Project Funding/Congressionally Directed Spending.
Sec. 751. (a) For an additional amount for the Office of
the Secretary, $2,000,000, to remain available until
expended, for the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out no
more than 10 pilot projects, under the terms and conditions
determined by the Secretary for a period not to exceed 2
years, that award grants to an Indian tribe; a tribal
organization approved by an Indian tribe; a tribal
educational agency; a consortium of Indian tribes; or a
partnership between an Indian tribe and either a State
educational agency, a local educational agency, a tribal
educational agency, or the Bureau of Indian Education to
operate and implement the school lunch program as authorized
by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42
U.S.C. 1769), the summer food service program as established
under section 13 of the Richard B. Russell National School
Lunch Act, the child and adult care food program as
established by section 17 of the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act, or the school breakfast program established
by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773) in either
a Bureau-funded school (as defined in section 1141 of the
Education Amendments of 1978 (25 U.S.C. 2021)); a school (as
defined in section 12(d) of the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1760(d)) on or near an Indian
reservation; or an early child care and education facility:
Provided, That to carry out this pilot program each grant
awarded shall be no less than $10,000 and no more than
$100,000 for each school year and shall not increase state
administrative costs or the amount of benefits provided in
any program: Provided further, That the term ``Indian
tribe'' has the meaning given the term in section 4 of the
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25
U.S.C. 5304).
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a pilot
project grant recipient shall be reimbursed for meals served
under the school lunch program, the summer food service
program, and the child and adult care food program as if the
recipient were a State under the Richard B. Russell National
School Lunch Act; and under the school breakfast program as
if the recipient were a State educational agency.
(c) Not later than 1 year after the conclusion of the pilot
program, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on
the outcomes of the pilot program.
Sec. 752. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act may be used by the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) to issue or promote any new guidelines
or regulations applicable to food manufacturers of low risk
ready-to-eat (RTE) foods for Listeria monocytogenes (Lm)
until the FDA considers the available new science in
developing guidance regarding Lm in low-risk foods, meaning
foods that do not support the growth of Lm.
Sec. 753. There is hereby appropriated $2,000,000, to
remain available until September 30, 2027, for a Bison
Production and Marketing Grant Program that the Agricultural
Marketing Service shall develop and maintain: Provided, That
this program shall be similar, as determined by the
Secretary, to the Sheep Production and Marketing Grant
Program the Department of Agriculture currently maintains
pursuant to section 209(c) of the Agricultural Marketing Act
of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627a(c)), and shall prioritize grants to
national non-profits and federally chartered Tribal
organizations that have expertise in bison production or
marketing.
Sec. 754. For an additional amount for the Office of the
Secretary, $700,000, for the Office of Tribal Relations to
cover costs incurred for the slaughtering, processing, and
voluntary meat inspection fees, notwithstanding the
Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1622 et seq.)
and 9 CFR part 352, for bison owned by Tribal governments (as
[[Page S5164]]
defined by the List Act of 1994 (25 U.S.C. 5131)), Tribal
entities (including Tribal organizations and corporations),
and Tribal members that slaughter and process bison at
establishments that receive USDA voluntary inspection or
state inspection.
Sec. 755. If services performed by APHIS employees are
determined by the Administrator of the Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service to be in response to an animal
disease or plant health emergency outbreak, any premium pay
that is funded, either directly or through reimbursement,
shall be exempted from the aggregate of basic pay and premium
pay calculated under section 5547(b)(1) and (2) of title 5,
United States Code, and any other provision of law limiting
the aggregate amount of premium pay payable on a biweekly or
calendar year basis.
Sec. 756. None of the funds made available by this Act may
be used to pay the salaries or expenses of personnel--
(1) to inspect horses under section 3 of the Federal Meat
Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 603);
(2) to inspect horses under section 903 of the Federal
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 1901
note; Public Law 104-127); or
(3) to implement or enforce section 352.19 of title 9, Code
of Federal Regulations (or a successor regulation).
Sec. 757. There is hereby appropriated $2,000,000, to
remain available until expended, to carry out section 2103 of
Public Law 115-334: Provided, That the Secretary shall
prioritize the wetland compliance needs of areas with
significant numbers of individual wetlands, wetland acres,
and conservation compliance requests.
Sec. 758. There is appropriated $3,000,000 for the
emergency and transitional pet shelter and housing assistance
grant program established under section 12502(b) of the
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (34 U.S.C. 20127).
Sec. 759. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering
and Medicine (NASEM) were tasked with providing findings and
recommendations on alcohol consumption for the purposes of
inclusion in the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans as
required by section 772 of division A of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328): Provided,
That the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the
Secretary of Agriculture shall only consider the findings and
recommendations of the NASEM report in the development of the
2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and further, both
Secretaries shall ensure that the alcohol consumption
recommendations in the 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans
shall be based on the preponderance of scientific and medical
knowledge consistent with section 5341 of title 7 of United
States Code.
Sec. 760. (a) Section 313B(a) of the Rural Electrification
Act of 1936 (7 U.S.C. 940c-2(a)), shall be applied for fiscal
year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter until the specified
funding has been expended as if the following were inserted
after the final period: ``In addition, the Secretary shall
use $9,465,000 of the funds available to carry out this
section in fiscal year 2024 for an additional amount for the
same purpose and under the same terms and conditions as the
Rural Business Development Grants authorized by section 310B
of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C.
1932(c)) and shall use $9,953,000 of the funds available to
carry out this section in fiscal year 2026 for an additional
amount for the same purpose and under the same terms and
conditions as the Rural Business Development Grants
authorized by section 310B of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(c)).''.
(b) Section 780 of division B of Public Law 118-42 and such
section as continued in effect as an authority and condition
under section 1101(a)(1) of Public Law 119-4 shall no longer
apply.
Sec. 761. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
acceptable market name of any engineered animal approved
prior to the effective date of the National Bioengineered
Food Disclosure Standard (February 19, 2019) shall include
the words ``genetically engineered'' prior to the existing
acceptable market name.
Sec. 762. For an additional amount for the Office of the
Secretary, $6,000,000, to remain available until expended, to
continue the Institute for Rural Partnerships as established
in section 778 of Public Law 117-103: Provided, That the
Institute for Rural Partnerships shall continue to dedicate
resources to researching the causes and conditions of
challenges facing rural areas, and develop community
partnerships to address such challenges: Provided further,
That administrative or other fees shall not exceed one
percent: Provided further, That such partnership shall
coordinate and publish an annual report.
Sec. 763. There is hereby appropriated $500,000 to carry
out the duties of the working group established under section
770 of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug
Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019
(Public Law 116-6; 133 Stat. 89).
Sec. 764. The agencies and offices of the Department of
Agriculture may reimburse the Office of the General Counsel
(OGC), out of the funds provided in this Act, for costs
incurred by OGC in providing services to such agencies or
offices under time-limited agreements entered into with such
agencies and offices: Provided, That such transfer authority
is in addition to any other transfer authority provided by
law.
Sec. 765. Section 363 of the Multifamily Mortgage
Foreclosure Act of 1981 (12 U.S.C. 3702) is amended at
paragraph (2)--
(1) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``and'';
(2) in subparagraph (E), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
``(F) section 514 or 515 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42
U.S.C. 1484, 1485).''.
Sec. 766. The last proviso in the second paragraph under
the heading ``Rural Community Facilities Program Account'' in
division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
(Public Law 118-42) shall be amended to read as follows:
``Provided further, That in addition to any other available
funds, the Secretary may expend not more than $1,000,000
total, from the program funds made available under this
heading, for administrative expenses for activities funded
under this heading and in section 778(1).''.
Sec. 767. Of the unobligated balances from prior year
appropriations made available for conservation activities
under the heading ``Natural Resources Conservation Service--
Conservation Operations'', $30,000,000 are hereby rescinded:
Provided, That no amounts may be rescinded from amounts that
were designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement
pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 768. Of the unobligated balances from prior year
appropriations made available for the ``National Institute of
Food and Agriculture--Research and Education Activities'',
$22,000,000 are hereby rescinded: Provided, That no amounts
may be rescinded from amounts that were designated by the
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent
resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 769. Of the unobligated balances from prior year
appropriations made available for ``Food For Peace Title II
Grants'', $200,000,000 are hereby rescinded: Provided, That
no amounts may be rescinded from amounts that were designated
by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a
concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 770. Of the unobligated balances from prior year
appropriations made available under the heading ``Distance
Learning, Telemedicine, and Broadband Program'' for the cost
to continue a broadband loan and grant pilot program
established by section 779 of division A of the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141) under the Rural
Electrification Act of 1936, as amended (7 U.S.C. 901 et
seq.), $20,000,000 are hereby rescinded: Provided, That no
amounts may be rescinded from amounts that were designated by
the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a
concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 771. Of the unobligated balances from prior year
appropriations made available in the ``Working Capital
Fund'', $78,000,000 are hereby permanently rescinded:
Provided, That no amounts may be rescinded from amounts that
were designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement
pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
Sec. 772. None of the funds made available to the
Department of Agriculture in this or any other Act may be
used to close or consolidate the resources or locations of
any existing Agricultural Research Service laboratories and
facilities without prior notification and approval of the
Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress.
Sec. 773. (a) Of the amounts made available in this Act
under the heading ``Department of Health and Human Services--
Food and Drug Administration--Salaries and Expenses'' that
are derived from tobacco product user fees authorized by 21
U.S.C. 387s, not less than $200,000,000 shall be used by the
Commissioner of Food and Drugs for enforcement activities
related to e-cigarettes, vapes, and other electronic nicotine
delivery systems (in this section referred to as ``ENDS''),
including activities under section 801(a) of the Federal
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 381(a)): Provided,
That not less than $2,000,000 of such amount shall be used to
continue the activities of the Federal multi-agency task
force led by the Department of Justice, Department of
Homeland Security, and the FDA to further work to bring all
available criminal and civil tools to bear against the
illegal manufacture, importation, distribution, and sale of
e-cigarettes, vapes, and other ENDS products from the
Republic of China and other foreign countries.
(b) Not later than 365 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Commissioner of Food and Drugs shall update the
FDA document titled ``Guidance for Industry on its
Enforcement Priorities,'' published in January 2020 and
updated in April 2020, to expand FDA's prioritized
enforcement to flavored disposable ENDS products in addition
to cartridge-based products and to define the term
``disposable ENDS product.''
(c) The Commissioner of Food and Drugs shall submit a semi-
annual written report to the Committees on Appropriations of
both Houses of Congress on the progress that the Center for
Tobacco Products is making in removing all illegal nicotine
products from the market: Provided, That the initial report
shall be submitted not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this Act.
[[Page S5165]]
(d) Section 801(a) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (21 U.S.C. 381(a)) is amended by striking ``drug or
device'' each place it appears in the seventh, eighth, ninth,
and tenth sentences and inserting ``drug, device, or tobacco
product''.
Sec. 774. (a) Fees derived from amounts assessed and
collected for fiscal year 2026, credited under the heading
``Department of Health and Human Services--Food and Drug
Administration--Salaries and Expenses'', and made available
for expenditure under such heading must comply with each
provision contained in current user fee authorizations,
appropriations Acts, and commitment letters, as transmitted
from the Secretary of Health and Human Services to the chair
and ranking member of the Committee on Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions of the Senate and the chair and ranking
member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House
of Representatives regarding reauthorization of such current
user fee authorizations: Provided, That the term current
user fee authorizations means those user fees authorized at
21 U.S.C. 379h, 21 U.S.C. 379j, 21 U.S.C. 379j-42, 21 U.S.C.
379j-52, 21 U.S.C. 379j-12, 21 U.S.C. 379j-21, 21 U.S.C.
387s, 42 U.S.C. 263b, 21 U.S.C. 381, 21 U.S.C. 360n and
360ff, 21 U.S.C. 379-j31, 21 U.S.C. 379j-62 , 21 U.S.C.
353(e)(3), 21 U.S.C. 360eee-3(c)(1), 21 U.S.C. 384d(c)(8), 21
U.S.C. 360bbb-4a, and 21 U.S.C. 379j-72.
(b)(1) Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment
of this Act, the Food and Drug Administration shall submit to
the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate a report that includes
obligation and outlay estimates and full-time equivalent
(FTE) personnel staffing estimates for fiscal year 2026 for
each Food and Drug Administration program that uses both
general fund appropriations and funds derived from user fees:
Provided, That such report shall include a table with
separate columns for general fund appropriations and funds
derived from user fees for such obligations, outlays and FTE
personnel staffing: Provided further, That such report shall
be certified by the Ombudsman of the Food and Drug
Administration.
(2) The report in paragraph (1) shall be updated, certified
by the Ombudsman of the Food and Drug Administration, and
submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of
Representatives and the Senate not later than 45 days after
each fiscal quarter until all such funds are expended:
Provided, That a plan for such ongoing quarterly reporting
shall be submitted with the report required by subsection
(b)(1).
(c) Of the amounts provided in this Act in paragraph (10)
under the heading ``Department of Health and Human Services--
Food and Drug Administration--Salaries and Expenses'' and
made available by the Food and Drug Administration for Office
of the Commissioner of Food and Drugs, 50 percent shall be
withheld from obligation until the reporting requirements
outlined in subsection (b) are met: Provided, That an
additional 25 percent of the amounts withheld from obligation
shall be available when the report required by subsection
(b)(1) is submitted and the remaining 25 percent shall be
available when the plan for satisfying the ongoing quarterly
reporting requirements outlined in the proviso in subsection
(b)(2) is submitted.
Sec. 775. (a) Section 260 of the Agricultural Marketing Act
of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1636i) is amended by striking ``2025'' and
inserting ``2026''.
(b) Section 942 of the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act of
1999 (7 U.S.C. 1635 note; Public Law 106-78) is amended by
striking ``2025'' and inserting ``2026''.
Sec. 776. None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made
available by this Act may be used by FDA to develop, issue,
promote, or advance any new guidelines or regulations
applicable to food manufacturers for population-wide sodium
reduction actions until the publication of the 2025-26
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
What We Eat In America survey, which will begin to reflect
the impact on population intake of Phase 1 reduction.
Sec. 777. The Secretary of Agriculture shall provide
written notification to the House and Senate Committees on
Appropriations no fewer than 3 business days in advance of
termination of any grant, cooperative agreement, or contract
award totaling $1,000,000 or more issued from funds made
available in this Act or any previous Act: Provided, That
such notification shall include the recipient of the award,
the amount of the award, the fiscal year for which the funds
for the award were appropriated, the account and program,
project, or activity from which the funds are being drawn,
the title of the award, and a detailed justification for the
termination.
Sec. 778. There is hereby appropriated $4,000,000, to
remain available until expended, for the Secretary of
Agriculture to conduct a new pilot program to support on-the-
ground local Energy Circuit Riders who provide professional
support to rural communities for the purpose of undertaking
projects that save energy and reduce emissions: Provided,
That for the purpose of the new pilot program, the Secretary,
acting through the Under Secretary for Rural Development,
shall have the authority to provide amounts, including in the
form of grants, cooperative agreements, and other financial
assistance, to States, Indian Tribes, cooperative extension
services, institutions of higher education, cooperatives and
cooperative organizations, regional planning commissions or
other public entities serving two or more rural areas:
Provided further, That the period of performance under this
pilot program shall be more than 3 but not more than 6 years:
Provided further, That the Federal share shall not be more
than 75 percent: Provided further, That an eligible entity
using funds provided under the pilot program shall offer
assistance with energy planning, energy audits, applicable
Federal funding opportunities, tax incentives, project
financing, grant writing, community-based capacity building,
or applicable State, local, and utility-based incentives,
including, as appropriate, coordinating with relevant State
energy offices.
Sec. 779. For purposes of applying the Federal Food Drug,
and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), ``Pacific Snapper''
is an acceptable market name for each of the following food
fishes: Sebastes alutus, Sebastes borealisn, Sebastes
ciliatus, Sebastes crameri, Sebastes entomelas, Sebastes
flavidus, Sebastes goodei, Sebastes levis, Sebastes melanops,
Sebastes miniatus, Sebastes ovalis, Sebastes paucispinis,
Sebastes pinniger, Sebastes proriger, Sebastes reedi,
Sebastes ruberrimus, Sebastes rufus, and Sebastes
serranoides.
Sec. 780. For purposes of applying the Federal Food Drug,
and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 301 et seq.), Hawaii grown or
produced coffee shall contain at least 51 percent of coffee
grown in Kona, Kau, Maui, Oahu, Kauai, or other areas of the
State of Hawaii. Based on the region it is produced or grown,
the common or usual names shall be Kona Coffee, Kau Coffee,
Maui Coffee, Oahu Coffee, Kauai Coffee, or Hawaii Coffee.
Sec. 781. (a) No sooner than 1 year after the enactment of
this Act, section 297A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of
1946 (7 U.S.C. 1639o) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (2) through (6) as
paragraphs (4) through (8), respectively; and--
(2) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following:
``(1) Hemp.--
``(A) In general.--The term `hemp' means the plant Cannabis
sativa L. and any part of that plant, including the seeds
thereof and all derivatives, extracts, cannabinoids, isomers,
acids, salts, and salts of isomers, whether growing or not,
with a total tetrahydrocannabinol concentration (including
tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) of not more than 0.3 percent in
the plant on a dry weight basis.
``(B) Inclusion.--Such term includes industrial hemp.
``(C) Exclusions.--Such term does not include--
``(i) any viable seeds from a Cannabis sativa L. plant that
exceeds a total tetrahydrocannabinol concentration (including
tetrahydrocannabinolic acid) of 0.3 percent in the plant on a
dry weight basis; or
``(ii) any hemp-derived cannabinoid products containing--
``(I) cannabinoids that are not capable of being naturally
produced by a Cannabis sativa L. plant;
``(II) cannabinoids that--
``(aa) are capable of being naturally produced by a
Cannabis sativa L. plant; and
``(bb) were synthesized or manufactured outside the plant;
or
``(III) quantifiable amounts based on substance, form,
manufacture, or article (as determined by the Secretary of
Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretary
of Agriculture) of--
``(aa) tetrahydrocannabinol (including
tetrahydrocannabinolic acid); or
``(bb) any other cannabinoids that have similar effects (or
are marketed to have similar effects) on humans or animals as
tetrahydrocannabinol (as determined by the Secretary of
Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretary
Agriculture).
``(2) Industrial hemp.--The term `industrial hemp' means
hemp--
``(A) grown for the use of the stalk of the plant, fiber
produced from such a stalk, or any other non-cannabinoid
derivative, mixture, preparation, or manufacture of such a
stalk;
``(B) grown for the use of the whole grain, oil, cake, nut,
hull, or any other noncannabinoid compound, derivative,
mixture, preparation, or manufacture of the seeds of such
plant;
``(C) grown for purposes of producing microgreens or other
edible hemp leaf products intended for human consumption that
are harvested from an immature hemp plant that is grown from
seeds that do not exceed the threshold for total
tetrahydrocannabinol concentration specified in paragraph
(1)(C)(i);
``(D) that is a plant that does not enter the stream of
commerce and is intended to support hemp research at an
institution of higher education (as defined in section 101 of
the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001)) or an
independent research institute; or
``(E) grown for the use of a viable seed of the plant
produced solely for the production or manufacture of any
material described in subparagraphs (A) through (D).
``(3) Hemp-derived cannabinoid product.--
``(A) In general.--The term `hemp-derived cannabinoid
product' means any intermediate or final product derived from
hemp (other than industrial hemp), that--
``(i) contains cannabinoids in any form; and
``(ii) is intended for human or animal use through any
means of application or administration, such as inhalation,
ingestion, or topical application.
[[Page S5166]]
``(B) Exclusion.--Such term does not include a drug that is
the subject of an application approved under subsection (c)
or (j) of section 505 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic
Act (21 U.S.C. 355).''.
(b) The Commissioner of Food and Drugs and the Secretary of
Agriculture shall provide a report to the Committees on
Appropriations of both Houses of Congress within 180 days of
enactment of this Act on implementation of this section
including the projected impacts to the established
cannabinoid marketplace, engagement with industry
stakeholders, and shall include information about uniform
packaging, labeling, testing, and adverse event reporting
requirements.
Sec. 782. None of the funds made available for any
department or agency in this or any other appropriations
Acts, including prior year Acts, shall be used to close
Natural Resources Conservation Service or Rural Development
mission area field offices or to permanently relocate any
field-based employees of those agencies that would result in
an office with two or fewer employees without prior
notification and approval of the Committees on Appropriations
of both Houses of Congress.
This division may be cited as the ``Agriculture, Rural
Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related
Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026''.
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