Appropriations Update: Where Things Stand in Congress

As Congress works through the annual appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2026, the pace and priorities are beginning to take shape—though progress remains uneven across both chambers. Both chambers’ Appropriations Committees create their own version of each bill, laying out their funding priorities for all sectors of government. At Concord Action, we’re tracking each bill’s movement through both chambers of Congress and highlighting the fiscal implications. Here’s where things stand as of mid-August:

House: Committee Momentum, Floor Bottlenecks

The House Appropriations Committee has advanced the bulk of its bills, with 7 out of 12 reaching full committee approval. However, only two bills—Defense and Military Construction & Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA)—have passed the full House. Two additional bills have cleared subcommittee but not yet reached full committee, and one bill (Labor, Health and Human Services, Education) has seen no action to date.

House Status Summary:

• Passed House: 2 bills (Defense; MilCon-VA)
• Full Committee Approved: 7 bills
• Subcommittee Approved: 2 bills
• No Action: 1 bill (Labor-HHS-Education)

Senate: Committee Work Progressing, Floor Action Sparse

The Senate has passed only one bill so far—MilCon-VA—but has moved seven others through full committee. Four bills remain untouched, including major accounts like Energy & Water and State-Foreign Operations.

Senate Status Summary:

• Passed Senate: 1 bill (MilCon-VA)
• Full Committee Approved: 7 bills
• No Action: 4 bills

Funding Differences: Where the Chambers Diverge

Several bills show significant funding gaps between House and Senate versions:

• Defense: Senate proposes $20.50 billion more than the House
• Transportation, HUD: Senate proposes $100.23B, a full $10.32B more than the House.

Year-over-Year Increases: Where the Money’s Growing

Compared to FY 2025, several bills show substantial increases:

• Defense: Senate Appropriations Committee adds $20.50B (House final level unchanged).
• Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS): House Subcommittee +$9.00B; Senate Appropriations Committee +$11.90B.
• MilCon-VA: House final +$5.60B; Senate final +$6.60B.
• Transportation, HUD: Senate Appropriations Committee +$13.83B; House Appropriations Committee +$3.51B.
• Overall the eight Senate bills that have moved are $53.09 billion above FY 2025 compared to a $3.70 billion increase among the eleven House bills that have moved.

What to Watch

• The House has made strong committee progress but has significant floor action to tackle in September.
• The Senate is moving more slowly, with four bills still awaiting first action.
• Major funding increases and inter-chamber gaps are emerging in Defense, CJS, MilCon-VA, and Transportation/HUD.