Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2027
Sponsored By: Representative Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4]
In Committee
Summary
Appropriates funding across Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education while attaching a wide set of policy riders that limit certain research, public health actions, and diversity initiatives. This bill sets specific dollar targets for workforce, health, and education programs and ties many program rules to new reporting and eligibility restrictions.
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- Families and students see big education and child supports. Head Start is funded at about $12.4 billion and the Child Care and Development Block Grant at about $8.8 billion. The bill also sets the Pell maximum at $6,385 and changes Federal student loan eligibility rules for some undergraduates beginning July 1, 2027.
- Workers get workforce and training investments plus program rules. Employment and Training Administration programs receive roughly $2.6 billion and $290 million is targeted to expand registered apprenticeships. The law also funds Job Corps and unemployment program operations and includes changes to H-2B/H-2A wage and visa rules and a temporary FLSA carve-out for disaster adjusters.
- Health care and research programs are heavily funded but regulated. Medicaid receives about $468.7 billion in appropriations while NIH and ARPA-H get large research accounts and new limits on fetal tissue research, foreign collaborations with certain countries, and a ban on finalizing OSHA’s heat standard.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
45 provisions identified: 13 benefits, 16 costs, 16 mixed.
Caps PBGC admin funds for FY2027
If enacted, this bill would limit PBGC administrative obligations for FY2027 to $484,264,000. If plan terminations create more than 100,000 new participants, an extra $9.2 million would be available for each additional 20,000 terminated participants through Sept. 30, 2031. PBGC may also get extra money for credit/identity monitoring after a breach beyond the first $250,000, up to $100 per affected person.
Keeps traditional Medicare paperwork
If enacted, this bill would stop the government from using these funds to implement the WISeR prior-authorization model in traditional Medicare. That means CMS would be barred from spending money to require prior authorizations for select services in fee-for-service Medicare. This would take effect upon enactment and preserve current access and paperwork rules for traditional Medicare enrollees.
Employment training administration funds
If enacted, the bill would appropriate $109,527,000 to run federal employment and training administration in fiscal year 2027. Up to $43,906,000 more could come from the Employment Security Administration Account in the Unemployment Trust Fund. These funds would support administration of job and training services.
Job Corps funding and property
If enacted, the bill would provide $880,078,000 for Job Corps. About $801,663,000 would fund operations for July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028, $61,500,000 would go to construction through June 30, 2030, and $16,915,000 would cover necessary expenses. The Secretary could transfer up to 15 percent of construction funds to operations, but transferred funds could not be obligated after June 30, 2028. The Secretary could also sell or otherwise dispose of the Treasure Island and Gary Job Corps real property without some federal procurement and property rules to enable new center construction or partnerships.
Bars federal funding for sex-change interventions
If enacted, this bill would bar use of funds in this Act for social, psychological, behavioral, or medical interventions intended to change an individual's biological sex. The prohibition would apply when the funds come from this Act and would take effect upon enactment. This would reduce federal support for those services and affect people and providers who rely on the funding.
Changes to student loans and borrower rules
If enacted, the bill would end authority to make subsidized Federal Direct Stafford loans for undergraduate periods of instruction beginning on or after July 1, 2027. Undergraduates would instead have higher unsubsidized limits equal to prior subsidized amounts added to the unsubsidized cap, and a limited transition preserves prior limits for some students who met conditions by June 30, 2027. The bill would let Student Aid Administration funds pay institutions that service outstanding Perkins loans. It would bar using these funds to implement or enforce specific late‑2022 Department of Education borrower defense and 90/10 rule changes.
Large rescissions of education and funds
If enacted, this bill would rescind or cancel large unobligated balances across several accounts. It would rescind $712 million of WIOA funds, $250 million from the Department of Education Nonrecurring Expenses Fund (except emergency‑designated amounts), $213 million in unused immigration-related funds, and $2.0 billion from the Nonrecurring Expenses Fund. These rescissions must be executed by September 30, 2027 and reduce funds available for workforce, education, immigration, and other programs.
Social Security child funds and claims limits
If enacted, this bill would make $12.33 billion in the Child Enrollment Contingency Fund and its investment income unavailable for obligation in FY2027. It would also bar Social Security from processing certain claims for quarters of coverage when the work was done under another Social Security number and that work led to a specific conviction. Both changes would take effect upon enactment or during fiscal year 2027 and reduce contingency resources and some claim processing rights.
Cuts to exchange, ARP, and PCORI funds
If enacted, this bill would rescind $1.9 billion in fee collections from qualified health plans that sell on ACA Exchanges for FY2027. It would also rescind $162 million in unused ARP balances and cancel FY2027 funding for the PCORI trust fund. The HHS Secretary must report ARP rescissions to the Appropriations Committees within 60 days. These cuts reduce federal funds for Exchange operations, ARP programs, and patient‑centered research.
Higher education funding conditions
If enacted, the bill would condition eligibility for funds on college and university policies and actions. Schools would need to adopt prohibitions on antisemitic conduct that creates a hostile environment to receive Act funds. Institutions that recognize or support student groups that back designated foreign terrorist organizations could lose funds. Libraries covered by law must make Children's Internet Protection Act certifications to get funding. For FY2027, colleges could not use these funds for formal STEM partnerships with entities controlled by the Chinese Communist Party or the PRC.
Higher education funding and protections
If enacted, the bill would set Higher Education Act funding at $16.27 billion for FY2027 and specify $1.236 billion for FY2028 and later years. The bill would require each TRIO program to get at least its FY2026 allocation and set application and award notice dates to keep grants on schedule. Colleges that got HEA title III or V funds in 2027 would be allowed to use endowment income for scholarships until those titles are reauthorized. The bill would require Title IV administration to treat advanced nursing (APRN) programs as professional degrees. It would also require trainees to opt in before receiving induced‑abortion training and bar discrimination for trainees who do not opt in. The bill protects religious student organizations' access and recognition at public colleges.
Ban on COVID‑19 mask or vaccine mandates
If enacted, the bill would prohibit using funds in this Act to establish, implement, administer, or enforce any COVID‑19 mask or vaccine mandate. Recipients of Act funding could not impose such mandates using those funds.
More funding for job training and apprenticeships
If enacted, the bill would provide major increases for workforce programs, including $290 million to expand registered apprenticeships (available July 1, 2027–June 30, 2028), about $1.81 billion for WIOA adult and dislocated worker grants for FY2027 with specified availability dates, and $325.859 million for a Dislocated Workers National Reserve (with $135 million set aside for training and regional allocations). The bill would also provide $65 million for Native American programs and $6 million for workforce data quality. It would allow the Secretary to furnish up to $450,000 in excess property to apprenticeships and let outlying areas apply for one consolidated subtitle B grant. The bill would restrict certain ACWIA section 414(c) grants to training for jobs where employers use H‑1B visas, and it allows small internal ETA transfers (0.5%) for technical assistance and program integrity.
State formula grants and education transfers
If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary to award each State the amounts required by law for formula grants under ESEA, McKinney‑Vento, IDEA, Perkins, and adult education when funds become available. The bill would let the Department of Education transfer up to 1% of any discretionary appropriation between accounts, but no single account could be increased by more than 3% and transfers could not create new programs; Appropriations Committees must get 15 days' notice. The bill would let the Secretary reserve up to 0.5% of HEA program funds for rigorous, independent evaluations, with those reserved funds available through September 30, 2029.
Trade Adjustment Act benefits funding
If enacted, the bill would provide $28.8 million for Trade Adjustment Act payments and allowances, training, employment and case management services, job search and relocation allowances, and related State administrative expenses in FY2027. Parts of the appropriation may be charged to later fiscal year funds and may remain available beyond FY2027 under the Trade Act.
Unemployment admin and reemployment funding
If enacted, the bill would provide $64,306,000 plus up to $4,055,584,000 from the Unemployment Trust Fund for UI administration in FY2027. Of the Trust Fund amounts, $3,276,635,000 is for State UI administration and at least $517,000,000 is to carry out reemployment services and eligibility assessments. Funds would be available to obligate through December 31, 2027, with some outcome payments available through March 31, 2028. The Secretary may recapture unexpended State funds after the expenditure period and reobligate them for automation after submitting a plan and waiting 60 days.
Veterans job help and homeless assistance
If enacted, the bill would allow up to $269,841,000 from the Employment Security Administration account and $65,500,000 from the General Fund to support veterans' employment programs and homeless‑veteran assistance. The package includes $185,000,000 for Jobs for Veterans State Grants and award authority for homeless veteran grants through September 30, 2027. Some grant funds may be used for necessary federal data system and contract support.
YouthBuild funding for young workers
If enacted, the bill would provide $107.5 million for YouthBuild activities under WIOA, with funds available April 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028. The funding would support YouthBuild program operators and participants, who are often young people working toward training and employment.
More EBSA enforcement funds
If enacted, this bill would provide $181.1 million for the Employee Benefits Security Administration for FY2027. Up to $3 million of that could be used through September 30, 2028 to hire expert witnesses for enforcement litigation. This would support EBSA's work enforcing employee benefit plan rules under ERISA.
Advances to unemployment and Black Lung funds
If enacted, this bill would authorize repayable advances to the Unemployment Trust Fund and the Black Lung Disability Trust Fund and nonrepayable advances to certain revolving funds and accounts. Such sums as may be necessary would be available for obligation through September 30, 2028. The change is intended to help keep benefit payments flowing and maintain fund liquidity.
New private lawsuits over PHS funding
If enacted, this bill would add a private civil right to sue over certain violations of Public Health Service funding rules. The U.S. Attorney General, any State attorney general, or any person harmed could seek money damages, injunctions, and attorneys' fees without using administrative steps first. The change would remove some state immunity for these cases and take effect upon enactment.
Title X provider funding limits
If enacted, the bill would bar Title X funds to certain large providers that performed abortions (except in rape, incest, or life‑endangering cases) and that received more than $23 million in Title X grants in FY2016. An entity can avoid the ban by certifying it will not perform or fund those abortions, and HHS must seek repayment if an entity violates that certification.
No new H-2A wage rulings
If enacted, the bill would bar using funds made available by this Act to issue new H‑2A prevailing wage determinations under 20 C.F.R. 655.120. That would prevent agencies from issuing new wage rulings under that regulation while the restriction applies.
Schools lose funds over sports policy
If enacted, the bill would bar use of funds made available by this Act to provide financial assistance to any educational institution that allows an individual whose sex is male to participate in athletic programs designated for women or girls. The bill defines 'sex' as the reproductive biology and genetics determined solely at birth.
Temporary overtime exemption for adjusters
If enacted, the bill would create a temporary exemption from FLSA overtime for employees who adjust or evaluate claims after a declared major disaster. The exemption could last up to two years after the disaster. It would apply only to employees who work for employers not engaged in underwriting/selling insurance and who average at least $591.00 per week (or a higher Secretary‑set amount). Covered duties include inspecting damage, evaluating claims, negotiating settlements, and related tasks.
Limits on certain federally funded research
If enacted, the bill would bar several categories of federally funded research. It would stop CDC, NIH, and SAMHSA funds from supporting research that treats firearm crimes as a public‑health epidemic or that advocates gun restrictions. It would bar creating human embryos for research or research that destroys embryos beyond federal limits. It would prohibit animal research studying sex‑altering interventions and stop NIH funding painful Category D or E research on dogs or cats except in narrow cases. It would also prohibit funding certain foreign labs (including the Wuhan Institute of Virology) and restrict an underage drinking coordinating committee from carrying out activities beyond its statutory duties.
Ban on certain diversity trainings
If enacted, the bill would bar using funds in this Act or any other Act for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, trainings, programs, offices, or policies that promote specified concepts, including Critical Race Theory and related ideas. Agencies and grantees could lose federal support for trainings or offices that teach the banned concepts.
Tighter procurement and supplier rules
If enacted, the bill would bar using FY2027 funds to buy office computers, printers, or interoperable videoconferencing services from firms with any People's Republic of China ownership stake. It would also bar procurement of goods or services mined or produced with forced or indentured child labor in industries and countries already identified by the Department of Labor.
Job Corps centers, meals, and donations
If enacted, the bill would let Job Corps operators accept grants, donations, materials, and equipment in fiscal year 2027 to carry out WIOA subtitle C activities, so long as those resources do not satisfy existing contract obligations. It would bar using Job Corps funds to pay any salary or bonus above the Executive Level II rate. The bill would block closing Job Corps and Civilian Conservation Centers except for student safety and when capacity is retained, require written notice before pausing a campus, and bar using other appropriations to pay for Job Corps meals.
K-12 school funding and rules
If enacted, the bill would provide about $16.8 billion for Title I for the 2027–2028 school year and about $1.64 billion for Impact Aid in FY2027. For school year 2026–2027, some military‑connected students who lost eligibility because of deployment, custody changes, or a military parent's death would still count for Impact Aid if they remain in the same district. The bill would require schools using these funds to let parents opt children under 16 out of student‑involved active shooter drills. It would require prompt parental notification about a minor's gender‑identity matters, with limited legal exceptions. The bill would bar using funds to stop voluntary prayer programs. ESEA evaluation funds would be available July 1, 2027 through September 30, 2028.
National service awards and AmeriCorps rules
If enacted, AmeriCorps programs that get National Service Trust grants would need a minimum 24% non‑Federal share for their first three years and then follow existing matching rules. Donations must supplement, not supplant, program operations. The CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service could award pro‑rated education awards when CNCS requires a participant to exit early for reasons beyond the participant's control. Completing at least 1,200 hours of service within one year would earn 70% of a full national service education award. The bill also limits certain award uses to veterans and requires public rulemaking for major program changes.
Agency spending, evaluation, and transparency rules
If enacted, this bill would let labor, HHS, and education agencies move unspent balances into current accounts for the same purposes. It would let some ACF and BLS research funds be obligated through September 30, 2031 and allow immediate reobligation of unspent contract amounts. The Secretary of Labor could reserve up to 0.75% of many Labor accounts for evaluations after sending a plan 15 days to Appropriations. Grantees must disclose what share of projects is federally funded. Agencies must also send quarterly reports on non‑competitive awards over $500,000 during FY2027.
Limits on federal abortion funding
If enacted, the bill would bar using funds in this Act or in trust funds covered by it to pay for any abortion or for health plan packages that include abortion. Exceptions would allow abortions in cases of rape or incest and when a physician certifies the woman's life would be endangered. The bill would also make clear States and private parties may spend non‑Federal funds for abortions and would protect providers from Federal funding discrimination if they decline to provide abortions.
NIH multiyear and indirect cost limits
If enacted, the bill would let NIH obligate certain multiyear award amounts in fiscal year 2027 up to the amount that was obligated for multiyear awards in FY2025. The bill would also bar NIH from using funds to pay facilities and administration costs above 30 percent of an award for institutions subject to section 4968 taxation.
Stricter rules on moving federal money
If enacted, the bill would restrict agencies' ability to reprogram or transfer funds. Agencies must consult Appropriations Committees 15 days and notify 10 days before many reprogrammings. Reprogramming that exceeds $500,000 or 10 percent (whichever is less) would need the same notice. The bill would prohibit transfers except where this or another Act authorizes them, bar keeping appropriations available beyond the current fiscal year unless stated, and limit Department of Labor transfers to 1 percent of discretionary funds with no single program increased more than 3 percent. The Institute of Education Sciences could receive and return calculated support service transfers with 14 days' notice.
Protect marriage belief from penalties
If enacted, the bill would bar use of funds in this or any Act to take discriminatory action against someone for sincerely held beliefs that marriage is between one man and one woman. Agencies could not change tax treatment, deny deductions, withhold grants or benefits, or deny access to federal property for that reason. The Government would also have to treat people as accredited or licensed for federal purposes if denial would be based on that belief.
Sponsor limits for unaccompanied children
If enacted, the bill would bar placing an unaccompanied alien child with a sponsor who is not lawfully admitted or who is deportable. It would also bar placement with a sponsor convicted of, or with a pending charge for, certain gang‑related crimes. The restriction would apply to funds in this Act.
Stops Title X abortion referrals and funding
If enacted, this bill would bar using funds in this Act to require any Title X project to refer for abortions. It would also bar HHS funds from being used to run programs that provide information promoting or facilitating abortion access. Providers could follow state laws that limit abortion referrals. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
No new electronic union voting
If enacted, the bill would prohibit the National Labor Relations Board from issuing any new directive or regulation that would allow employees to vote electronically in a representation (union) election. The ban would apply to funds in this Act and prior appropriations Acts.
Veteran employment report requirement
If enacted, the bill would bar the government from awarding or renewing a federal contract to a firm subject to the annual veterans employment report requirement if the firm failed to file that annual report for the most recent year. Contracting officials would enforce the rule upon enactment.
Block unique health identifier standard
If enacted, the bill would prohibit using Act funds to finalize a rule that assigns a unique health identifier to individuals under section 1173(b) of the Social Security Act, except for an individual acting as an employer or health care provider. Such a rule could not go forward without new legislation approving it.
Changes to H‑2B worker rules
If enacted, the bill would change several H‑2B temporary worker rules. Prevailing wages would be set at the higher of the employer's actual wage or the local prevailing wage, and private wage surveys must generally be accepted. Seafood employers with approved petitions could bring workers anytime in a 120-day start window but after day 90 must run a local job test and offer jobs to equally or better qualified U.S. workers. Employers convicted or found liable for certain human trafficking offenses would be permanently barred from H‑2B certifications. The bill would also bar using funds to enforce certain H‑2B regulatory definitions and direct use of a specific temporary‑need definition for admission.
Limits on agency advocacy and speech
If enacted, the bill would bar using funds in this Act for publicity or propaganda that supports or opposes legislation or regulations outside normal executive‑legislative relationships. It would bar paying grants or contracts to influence legislation or regulation. The bill would also prohibit asking scientific advisory candidates about unrelated political views and would bar using funds to promote legalization of Schedule I drugs, with narrow exceptions for medical evidence and federal trials.
Rules for flags at federal facilities
If enacted, the bill would bar agencies funded by this Act from flying or displaying any flag over a federal facility other than a short list (U.S. flag, state flag, Tribal flag, official agency flag, POW/MIA flag, Public Health Service flag, or Surgeon General flag).
Limits syringe and consumption funding
If enacted, this bill would bar use of these funds to buy sterile needles or syringes for injecting illegal drugs and would ban funding for supervised consumption sites for Schedule I drugs. There is a narrow exception for syringe purchases if a State or local health department, with CDC consultation, finds an HIV or hepatitis outbreak risk and the program follows state and local law. These rules would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Aderholt, Robert B. [R-AL-4]
AL • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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