Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026

Purpose & Problem

Is the problem real and worth federal action?

The bill funds the federal government for fiscal year 2026 after a shutdown began on October 1, 2025. It provides full-year spending for agriculture, military construction, veterans affairs, and the legislative branch, while giving most other agencies temporary funding through January 30, 2026.

Scope & Related Provisions

Does it stay focused, or carry unrelated add-ons?

The bill's core purpose is to fund government operations, but it also includes additions not tied to that core. These additions include a new definition of hemp products, new rules for labeling Hawaii coffee, changes to Senate data privacy notification rules, and reauthorization of over-the-counter drug user fees through 2030.

Who Is Affected

Who benefits, and who bears the cost?

Federal employees across all agencies are directly affected, including those who were subject to workforce reductions between October 1, 2025, and enactment, who must be reinstated with back pay. Veterans, farmers, rural communities, low-income households receiving food benefits, and small businesses relying on federal loan programs are among those served by the funded programs.

Cost & Funding

Is it affordable and responsibly funded?

The bill appropriates full-year amounts for several divisions, including $107.5 billion authorized for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, $8.2 billion authorized for WIC, and $52.7 billion authorized for the Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund. Most other agencies receive continuing appropriations at fiscal year 2025 spending rates through January 30, 2026. The bill also rescinds a combined $150 million in prior unobligated USDA balances.

Risks & Implementation

What could go wrong in practice?

Because most agencies are funded only through January 30, 2026, another lapse in funding is possible if full-year bills are not enacted by that date. The bill also requires federal agencies to reinstate and pay back wages to employees who received reduction-in-force notices, which agencies must carry out within five days of enactment.

DIVISION A--CONTINUING APPROPRIATONS ACT, 2026

Division A sets up the overall structure of the act, which keeps the federal government funded for fiscal year 2026. It establishes that each division of the bill operates on its own, so references within one division only apply to that division. It also gives official weight to an explanatory statement from the Senate Appropriations Committee to guide how funds in Divisions B through D are allocated.

DIVISION A--CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

This division keeps the federal government funded through January 30, 2026, by continuing spending at roughly the same levels as fiscal year 2025. It sets rules on how money can be spent, including limits on new Defense Department programs and production increases. It also includes specific funding amounts for certain agencies and programs, such as $30 million for U.S. Marshals protective operations and $28 million for Supreme Court Justice security.

DIVISION B--AGRICULTURE, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, AND RELATED AGENCY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

This division funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture and related agencies for fiscal year 2026. It sets specific dollar amounts for programs covering farm loans, crop insurance, food safety inspections, agricultural research, rural housing, and rural development. It also includes rules about how agencies can spend or transfer funds and requires agencies to report certain information to Congress.

DIVISION C--LEGISLATIVE BRANCH APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

This division funds the day-to-day operations of Congress for fiscal year 2026, including salaries and expenses for the Senate, House of Representatives, Capitol Police, Library of Congress, Government Accountability Office, and other legislative branch offices. It sets specific dollar amounts for staff pay, office expenses, building maintenance, and intern compensation. It also includes rules about how leftover funds must be returned to the Treasury for deficit reduction, and bans the use of technology from certain Chinese companies.

DIVISION D--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION, VETERANS AFFAIRS, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026

This division funds the construction and upkeep of military bases, housing for military families, and facilities used by the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and National Guard. It also funds the Department of Veterans Affairs, including disability payments, health care, education benefits, cemetery operations, and construction of VA facilities. Specific rules limit how money can be spent, such as requiring congressional notice before starting new overseas bases or closing Guantanamo Bay.

DIVISION E--EXTENSION OF AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS

This division extends farm programs from the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act through September 30, 2026, keeping existing rules and funding levels in place. It also pushes back expiration dates for related programs, including grain standards, a dairy forward pricing program, humanitarian food aid, grazing research, and renewable energy programs. Some specific mandatory funding provisions are excluded from the extension and are handled separately.

DIVISION F--HEALTH EXTENDERS

Division F extends funding and program authority for many health programs through January 30, 2026. It continues money for community health centers, Medicare payment rules, Medicaid hospital payments, diabetes programs, and telehealth flexibilities. It also reauthorizes user fees for over-the-counter drug regulation by the FDA through 2030.

DIVISION G--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS EXTENDERS

This division extends many Department of Veterans Affairs programs through September 30, 2026, that would otherwise have expired on September 30, 2025. It continues programs covering veteran health care, mental health grants, homeless veteran housing, disability benefits, and educational assistance. It also updates rules for the VA Partial Claim Program, which helps veterans avoid foreclosure, and requires the Government Accountability Office to report on how that program is working.

DIVISION H--MISCELLANEOUS

This division says that the spending in several parts of this bill will not be counted on the official budget scorecards that track whether Congress is adding to the deficit. It also resets those scorecard balances to zero at the end of the first session of the 119th Congress. This prevents automatic spending cuts, called a sequester, that would otherwise be triggered by the added costs.