Press Releases

Valentine’s Day may come once a year, but for House Appropriators, commitment is a full-year endeavor. Just like any relationship, we are still working on it! We won’t romanticize the trials and tribulations – but our devotion to Article I and the nation is steadfast. In that spirit, Chairman Cole and our Subcommittee Chairs are sharing our “cardinal rules” for love before cupid arrives tomorrow – because lawmaking is serious, but sharing a smile is always in order:

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Homeland Security Subcommittee held a hearing on the impacts of a potential shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). As it stands, funding is set to run out for DHS by the end of the week, and Democrats seem prepared to shut the government down, even though the bipartisan FY26 Homeland Security Appropriations Act already passed the House several weeks ago. 

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, chaired by Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL), held a hearing on childhood literacy and the reading skills foundational to lifelong success for America’s next generation. Members received testimony and asked questions on research-based approaches to instruction, including Science of Reading strategies, which emphasize phonics and high-quality coursework shown to improve achievement and literacy outcomes among the nation’s youth.

Washington, D.C. – This week, the House Appropriations Committee convened its first hearing of the year, with Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Subcommittee Chairman Andy Harris (R-MD) and members receiving testimony from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Office of Inspector General (OIG) on efforts to support the Trump Administration’s priority of rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse. The proceeding highlighted issues with fraudulent and improper payments, national security concerns, including the smuggling of biological hazards and illicit agricultural products, the buying of farmland by China, and vulnerabilities in agricultural data and research labs. 

Washington, D.C. – Today, the House Appropriations Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee announced the Fiscal Year 2027 American Indian and Alaska Native public witness hearing dates and instructions for providing a written public testimony. The subcommittee will host American Indian and Alaska Native public witness hearings on Tuesday, March 17, and Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Washington, D.C. – The FY26 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill – led by NSRP Subcommittee Chairman Mario Díaz-Balart – has been signed into law by President Trump – advancing an America First, peace through strength agenda while eliminating $9.3 billion in wasteful spending. The legislation refocuses U.S. foreign policy resources on core national security priorities, including deterrence, countering narcotics and human trafficking, confronting the malign influence of the Chinese Communist Party, and combating terrorism. An outside and international perspective from political commentator and Caribbean-focused analyst Ravi Balgobin Maharaj examines how this approach will reshape U.S. power and leadership in the Western Hemisphere.