Increasing transportation funding to $86.2 billion while decreasing defense funding to $838 billion for FY2026?
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, seeks fiscal year 2026 appropriations to fund the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and other related government agencies. In particular, the bill dedicates $86.2 billion to aviation and highways, up from $76.4 billion in fiscal year 2025, and appropriates $838 billion to the Department of Defense. While this defense allocation is lower than last year’s $849.8 billion, it still exceeds the president’s proposed $830 billion. If passed, this bill would also extend expiring programs and authorities, including, but not limited to, the U.S. Parole Commission and the National Flood Insurance Program.
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Cole (Republican, Oklahoma, District 4)
View full bill text ➔
How do you feel?
Oppose
Support
Opponents say
• "Today, I voted against the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which combines the funding bills for the Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. As Republicans refuse to address the affordability crisis and state that we don’t have enough money to fund healthcare for Americans, they are handing $838 billion to the Pentagon. That’s $8 billion more than was even requested by the President for a department that has never successfully passed an audit. Even a small portion of these funds could sustain health care subsidies for years, reinstate Medicaid funding for roughly 17 million people, eliminate homelessness, provide universal pre-K, or support proven anti-poverty measures like an expanded Child Tax Credit. Thanks to the work of Democratic negotiators, this bill provides critical funding directly to our communities through Community Project Funding and preserves many programs that the Republicans tried to eliminate… However, like previous funding bills this Congress, it still lacks critical guardrails necessary to protect against this Administration’s illegal impoundments – or their refusal to spend money as directed by Congress – and therefore much of this funding may not reach the communities it is intended for." Source: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, Washington, District 7)
Proponents say
• "ALPA strongly supports H.R. 7148, which will provide significant resources for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to upgrade aging technology and increase air traffic controller hiring. The bill also includes important directives to enhance air safety and improve the piloting profession including: directing the FAA to ensure a minimum of two qualified, fully rested pilots on commercial airline flight decks at all times; including additional resources to improve the FAA's aeromedical process, reduce the backlog of pilot and controller medical certificates, and provide new flexibility to hire and retain skilled medical professionals; providing critical funding for the National Mediation Board, which promotes collective bargaining in the airline and rail industries; urging the Department of Transportation to review its outdated Statement of International Air Transportation Policy, internal guidance that in the past has been used to justify detrimental labor policy for international aviation, including air service agreements, joint ventures, and licensing cases. ALPA urges Congress to swiftly pass this bipartisan, bicameral legislation that will advance aviation safety, strengthen our national airspace system, and improve the pilot profession." Source: Captain Jason Ambrosi, President of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA)
• "As Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, I was honored to lead the effort to rein in spending and secure an America First future, while also ensuring these bills provide funding for critical projects that support jobs and growth in our districts. I would like to thank Chairman Cole, for his longstanding leadership on the Labor-HHS bill and express my appreciation for Ranking Member DeLauro, who tirelessly champions her priorities for this bill. The bill on the floor today balances the need for responsible fiscal stewardship while maintaining key investments in biomedical research, schools, and public health. Thanks to negotiations on a bicameral, bipartisan level, funding decisions have moved through a deliberate, member-driven process that emphasizes transparency, accountability, and timely consideration. Labor–HHS priorities support the American people by demanding greater accountability while focusing resources where they matter most, including priorities to "Make America Healthy Again" and "Make America Skilled Again." These measures are part of an agreement that keeps total FY26 spending below the level projected under the current continuing resolution, delivering real savings for American taxpayers. Enactment and passage of full-year appropriations is vital to implementing provisions that keep our nation strong, secure, and competitive." Source: Rep. Robert B. Aderholt (Republican, Alabama, District 4), Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee
• "With this legislation, we are a step closer to completing full-year appropriations that right-size our priorities with updated funding levels… The THUD division is a deliberate shift away from bloated bureaucracy and unfocused spending, and back toward the core responsibilities of the federal government. This agreement supports the President's America First agenda by cutting waste, eliminating unnecessary and underperforming programs, and codifying reforms that significantly reduce the size and scope of the federal bureaucracy across THUD agencies. This bill refocuses taxpayer dollars on priorities that matter to the American people-safety, mobility, economic growth, and housing affordability. We make aviation safety a top priority by providing $22.2 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration… We invest more than $64 billion in highways, with the overwhelming majority sent directly to states by formula… This bill also addresses long-standing safety challenges, including truck parking and motor carrier enforcement. At the same time, we preserve housing assistance for the most vulnerable while promoting affordability through flexible, locally driven programs that allow communities to expand housing supply without federal micromanagement…This bill does what Congress should have been doing all along: prioritizing our national security and the men and women who defend it." Source: Rep. Steve Womack (Republican, Arkansas, District 3), Chairman of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Subcommittee
- Cole Floor Remarks on H.R. 7148, The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (Press Release)
- Basic Federal Budgeting Terminology (Congress)
- The Federal Budget Process (USAGov)
- Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time (Pew Research Center)
- The President’s FY 2026 Discretionary Budget Request (The White House)
- H.R. 7148 Cost Estimate (Congressional Budget Office)
- Rep. Tom Cole’s Largest Donors (OpenSecrets)
