Congressional negotiators have reached agreement on funding measures that would fund “food is medicine” policy and extend funding and authority for telehealth services.
The package of fiscal 2026 measures also would continue for another year a prohibition on enforcement of an electronic logging device requirement for livestock haulers.
The package includes the Transportation-HUD measure and the Labor-HHS bill that funds the Labor Department and most of the Department of Health and Human Services, excluding the Food and Drug Administration.
Together with the Homeland Security and Defense bills, which negotiators also completed this week, these are the last remaining spending measures for FY26. They need to be enacted by Jan. 30 to prevent a lapse in funding for affected operations.
It’s easy to be “in the know” about what’s happening in Washington, D.C. Sign up for a FREE month of Agri-Pulse news! Simply click here
The package includes $2 million earmarked for the office of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for “food is medicine,” a broad term addressing health concerns with dietary improvements.
The American Telemedicine Association applauded the bill for including an extension of Medicare telehealth flexibility through Dec. 31, 2027. The bill also includes a provision to provide telehealth services to individuals with limited English proficiency.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Tuesday that the House will take up the bills this week. The Senate is on break this week but will return Jan. 26.
“After years of Washington abandoning regular order, this Congress under Republican leadership has proven it can work as intended," Johnson said. "Together, all 12 individual appropriations bills will provide full-year government funding without unrelated policy provisions, spend less than another continuing resolution, and continue to advance President Trump’s America First agenda.”
