Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

HR5304, the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, was placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 227, on September 11, 2025. This action followed its reporting by the House Committee on Appropriations, led by Rep. Aderholt. The bill appropriates $2,594,412,000 for workforce development programs for the fiscal year 2026. The funding mechanism involves direct appropriations to various agencies within the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. These funds are allocated for specific programs related to employment and training, veterans' employment, employee benefits, occupational safety, and disability employment policy. The primary beneficiaries of this funding are government contractors and non-profit organizations that specialize in delivering these services. The bill does not authorize new programs but rather funds existing ones. There are no direct structural winners or losers among publicly traded companies identified from this appropriation. The nature of workforce development programs typically involves grants and contracts to specialized service providers, often smaller, privately held firms, or non-profit entities. Large, publicly traded companies generally do not have a primary business segment directly focused on the types of employment and training services funded by this bill. The related bill, HR7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, has already become Public Law No: 119-75, indicating that the funding outlined in HR5304 is likely to be enacted as part of broader appropriations legislation. The legislative process for HR5304 shows active momentum, having been reported out of committee and placed on the Union Calendar. The next steps would typically involve a vote in the House, followed by consideration in the Senate, or its inclusion in a larger appropriations package. Given that a related consolidated appropriations act has already become law, the specific provisions of HR5304 are likely to be incorporated into that or similar legislation. The recent Executive Order on Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness, issued on April 18, 2026, is not directly relevant to HR5304. While HR5304 funds the Department of Health and Human Services, its focus is on workforce development, not medical treatment acceleration or psychedelic-based therapies. Therefore, this executive action does not amplify or conflict with the legislative activity of HR5304.