Lawmakers in both the House and Senate are advancing fiscal 2026 spending bills, largely rejecting President Trump’s drastic budget cut proposals while incorporating some federal workforce reductions. House Republicans have proposed bills with significant cuts, lacking Democratic support, but these are less severe than Trump’s requests. Senate bills, advancing with bipartisan support, maintain flat funding or slight increases. Both chambers have passed bills for the legislative branch and Agriculture Department, with the House also approving bills for Defense, Homeland Security, and Veterans Affairs along party lines. House proposals include workforce cuts, such as a 26% reduction for HUD and 5% for most Transportation offices, though FAA hiring for air traffic controllers is prioritized. Other House bills cut FBI funding by 3%, ATF by 26%, NASA science programs, NSF by 23%, NOAA by 5%, and EPA by 23%, all less severe than Trump’s proposals. The Interior Department faces flat funding with a 6% cut to the National Park Service, while the State Department sees a 22% reduction. The Senate’s USDA bill, passed unanimously, funds food aid programs Trump targeted and slightly increases FDA funding. Sen. Patty Murray emphasized the need for bipartisan, full-year spending bills to avoid stopgap measures and protect against the Trump administration’s attempts to withhold funds, including a potential $9.4 billion rescission from fiscal 2025.
From Gov Exec:
https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/07/congress-advancing-fy26-spending-bills-including-some-dramatic-staffing-cuts/406733/
