H.R. 3944

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

Sponsor: John R. Carter · 0 cosponsors

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Official summary

Written by the Congressional Research Service.

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

This bill provides FY2026 appropriations to several federal departments and agencies for activities and programs related to military construction, veterans, agriculture, and the legislative branch.

Specifically, the bill includes 3 of the 12 regular FY2026 appropriations bills:

  • the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026;
  • the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026; and
  • the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026.

The departments, agencies, and activities funded in the bill include

  • Department of Defense military construction and family housing activities,
  • the Department of Veterans Affairs,
  • the Department of Agriculture,
  • the Food and Drug Administration,
  • the Senate,
  • various agencies that support Congress, and
  • several related and independent agencies.

(Pursuant to the longstanding practice of each chamber of Congress determining its own requirements, funds for the House of Representatives are not included in the Senate bill.)

The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.

Text of the bill

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A Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

I DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

II

III

IV

B Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

I AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMS

II

III RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS

IV

V FOREIGN ASSISTANCE AND RELATED PROGRAMS

VI

VII GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 716. Added Aug 1

Where this section came from

Not in the first version (Reported in House, Jun 12).

  1. Aug 1, 2025 · Engrossed Amendment Senate S.Amdt. 3433: To limit the availability of funds for canceling large contracts without prior notice and explanation to Congress. Official page › S.Amdt. 3432: To prohibit the use of funds to reduce services under the Veterans Crisis Line. Official page › S.Amdt. 3431: To allocate amounts for the Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Program. Official page › S.Amdt. 3430: To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit to Congress a report on the use of third-party contractors to conduct medical disability examinations of veterans for purposes of obtaining disability compensation. Official page › S.Amdt. 3418: To provide appropriations to expedite fiber research on industrial hemp and expand cereal research into mycotoxin risk mitigation. Official page › S.Amdt. 3416: To allocate amounts for opioid prevention and treatment programs. Official page › S.Amdt. 3413: To require the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to submit a report on the efforts of the Secretary to review and implement staffing models at the Department of Veterans Affairs that will ensure timely, high quality delivery of health care, benefits, and other services furnished by the Department. Official page › S.Amdt. 3412: To improve the bill. Official page › S.Amdt. 3411: In the nature of a substitute. Official page › S.Amdt. 3409: To allocate amounts for telehealth for veterans. Official page › S.Amdt. 3220: To require a report on funding for State homes for veterans. Official page › S.Amdt. 3208: To require a briefing on the current status, path forward, and timeline to construct a new medical center of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Reno, Nevada. Official page › S.Amdt. 3200: To increase funding for rural decentralized water systems. Official page › S.Amdt. 3190: To increase funding for the Healthy Fluid Milk Incentives Program, with an offset. Official page › S.Amdt. 3163: To fund activities relating to the suppression and control of Mormon crickets and grasshoppers. Official page › S.Amdt. 3110: To require an assessment of the feasibility of expanding the agricultural quarantine and inspection program to products entering Hawaii. Official page › S.Amdt. 3082: To address interment schedule availability at cemeteries under the control of the National Cemetery Administration. Official page › S.Amdt. 3081: To provide for the continuation of National Cemetery Administration surveys. Official page › S.Amdt. 3080: To require reports on facilities at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. Official page › S.Amdt. 3073: To require a report on New World screwworm readiness and response. Official page › S.Amdt. 3070: To strike a provision relating to hemp. Official page › S.Amdt. 3025: To require a report on veterans participating in the housing choice voucher program. Official page › On the Motion to Proceed — Motion to Proceed Agreed to, 50–48 · Roll Call 422On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed — Cloture on the Motion to Proceed Agreed to, 91–7 · Roll Call 423On the Motion to Proceed — Motion to Proceed Agreed to, 90–8 · Roll Call 428On the Motion — Motion Rejected, 44–51 · Roll Call 472On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 44–51 · Roll Call 473On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 42–53 · Roll Call 474On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 45–50 · Roll Call 475On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 14–81 · Roll Call 476On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 15–81 · Roll Call 477On the Amendment — Amendment Rejected, 21–75 · Roll Call 478On the Amendment — Amendment Agreed to, 87–9 · Roll Call 479On Passage of the Bill — Bill Passed, 87–9 · Roll Call 480On the Amendment — Amendment Agreed to, 81–15 · Roll Call 481

(a) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure through a reprogramming, transfer of funds, or reimbursements as authorized by the Economy Act, or in the case of the Department of Agriculture, through use of the authority provided by section 702(b) of the Department of Agriculture Organic Act of 1944 (7 U.S.C. 2257) or section 8 of Public Law 89–106 (7 U.S.C. 2263), that— unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in writing and receives approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of the reprogramming of such funds or the use of such authority.

(1) creates new programs;

(2) eliminates a program, project, or activity;

(3) increases funds or personnel by any means for any project or activity for which funds have been denied or restricted;

(4) relocates an office or employees;

(5) reorganizes offices, programs, or activities; or

(6) contracts out or privatizes any functions or activities presently performed by Federal employees;

(b) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for obligation or expenditure for activities, programs, or projects through a reprogramming or use of the authorities referred to in subsection (a) involving funds in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent, whichever is less, that— unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services (as the case may be) notifies in writing and receives approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of the reprogramming or transfer of such funds or the use of such authority.

(1) augments existing programs, projects, or activities;

(2) reduces by 10 percent funding for any existing program, project, or activity, or numbers of personnel by 10 percent as approved by Congress; or

(3) results from any general savings from a reduction in personnel which would result in a change in existing programs, activities, or projects as approved by Congress;

(c) The Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall notify in writing and receive approval from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress before implementing any program or activity not carried out during the previous fiscal year unless the program or activity is funded by this Act or specifically funded by any other Act.

(d) None of the funds provided by this Act, or provided by previous Appropriations Acts to the agencies funded by this Act that remain available for obligation or expenditure in the current fiscal year, or provided from any accounts in the Treasury derived by the collection of fees available to the agencies funded by this Act, shall be available for— unless the agencies funded by this Act notify, in writing, the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days in advance of using the funds for these purposes.

(1) modifying major capital investments funding levels, including information technology systems, that involves increasing or decreasing funds in the current fiscal year for the individual investment in excess of $500,000 or 10 percent of the total cost, whichever is less;

(2) realigning or reorganizing new, current, or vacant positions or agency activities or functions to establish a center, office, branch, or similar entity with five or more personnel; or

(3) carrying out activities or functions that were not described in the budget request;

(e) As described in this section, no funds may be used for any activities unless the Secretary of Agriculture or the Secretary of Health and Human Services receives from the Committee on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress written or electronic mail confirmation of receipt of the notification as required in this section.

C Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026

I LEGISLATIVE BRANCH

II GENERAL PROVISIONS