Congress Advances Final FY 2026 Spending Package With Small Boost for NIH
The House has passed the final six fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills ahead of the January 30 deadline to avert a partial government shutdown. On January 23, lawmakers approved the remaining four measures--Defense; Labor-Health and Human Services-Education (L-HHS); Transportation-Housing and Urban Development; and Homeland Security--following earlier passage of the Financial Services-General Government and State-Foreign Operations bills. The combined package now requires Senate passage.
Earlier this month, Congress approved a separate three-bill minibus covering Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, and Interior-Environment, which the President signed into law last Friday. Together, these measures would complete all twelve FY 2026 appropriations bills, marking a rare bipartisan achievement after months of negotiations.
However, progress in the Senate has stalled after a fatal shooting by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis. Senate Democrats have announced they will block consideration of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill unless changes are made, complicating passage of the broader six-bill package. With government funding expiring at the end of the week and the House in recess, the impasse has raised the risk of a partial shutdown.
A key component of the L-HHS bill is a $415 million (+0.89%) increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), bringing its base budget to $47.2 billion and rejecting the Administration's proposed 40% cut. The bill includes targeted increases for cancer research ($128 million) and Alzheimer's disease ($100 million), maintains funding for ARPA-H at $1.5 billion, and provides near-level funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at $9.2 billion (-0.2%).
The package also includes several policy provisions affecting NIH. It blocks proposed cuts to indirect cost reimbursements, preserves the agency's current institute and center structure, strengthens oversight of sexual harassment investigations, and requires NIH to notify Congress before terminating grants. In addition, it limits the share of NIH funding that can be awarded as multiyear grants to FY 2025 levels, blocking NIH from committing half of its new grant funding to multiyear awards.
Notably, the bill excludes provisions from an earlier House proposal that would have barred NIH funding for fetal tissue and gain-of-function research. It also directs NIH to consult external scientists and stakeholders in the process of filling vacant institute and center directorships. Currently, 15 of NIH's 27 institutes and centers lack permanent leadership.
The Defense appropriations bill restores funding for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, providing $620 million--a 95% increase over FY 2025--reversing most of last year's cuts.
Senate leaders had planned to move quickly on the six-bill package this week, but the dispute over DHS funding now threatens to derail the timeline.
NIH Halts Funding for Human Fetal Tissue Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reinstated a ban on federal funding for research using human fetal tissue from elective abortions, ending support for all related grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, and intramural research projects. The prohibition reverses a policy change made under President Biden in 2021, which had restored funding after a similar ban during President Trump's first term.
NIH-funded fetal tissue research has played a critical role in advancing treatments and vaccines for diseases including cancer, HIV, Parkinson's disease, and COVID-19. In fiscal year 2024, NIH supported 77 projects totaling $53 million, down from a peak of $115 million in 2018. While NIH will continue to fund research using tissue from miscarriages and stillbirths, scientists warn the restrictions will significantly slow progress in biomedical research.
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said the agency will make additional investments in alternative technologies, such as computational models and lab-grown organoids, "to reduce or potentially replace reliance on human embryonic stem cells." However, many researchers argue that fetal tissue remains the scientific gold standard for understanding human development and disease, and that eliminating federal support will hinder therapeutic innovation and delay new treatments.
EPA to Stop Monetizing Health Benefits in Air Pollution Rules
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reversing decades of policy by no longer assigning a dollar value to the public health benefits of air pollution regulations, instead focusing its formal cost-benefit analyses on compliance costs to industry.
The shift applies to rules governing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone--two widespread and deadly pollutants--and is already reflected in new regulations weakening pollution limits for fossil fuel-fired power plant turbines. Agency officials cite uncertainty in estimating economic health benefits as the reason. Critics warn the change will make it easier to roll back clean-air protections, potentially resulting in higher pollution and increased risks of asthma, heart and lung disease, and premature death.
Legal and public health experts argue the move undermines EPA's core mission and could face significant legal challenges. "If you're only considering the costs to industry and you're ignoring the benefits, then you can't justify any regulations that protect public health, which is the very reason that EPA was set up," said Richard Revesz, who led the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs under President Biden.
High Seas Treaty Becomes Law
After nearly two decades of negotiations, the world's first legally binding agreement to protect marine life in international waters--the High Seas Treaty--has officially entered into force. The treaty establishes a global framework to conserve biodiversity across nearly half the planet's surface, covering ocean areas beyond any nation's jurisdiction that face growing threats from overfishing, pollution, shipping, climate change, and potential deep-sea mining.
With ratification by 83 countries, including China and Japan, the treaty enables the creation of marine protected areas on the high seas, where currently only about 1% is safeguarded. It requires environmental impact assessments for potentially harmful activities, promotes international scientific cooperation, and establishes rules for access to and benefit-sharing of marine genetic resources. Countries may now begin proposing protected zones, including biodiversity hotspots such as the Sargasso Sea and the Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount Chain.
The agreement also advances global efforts to conserve 30% of Earth's land and oceans by 2030, a target scientists say is essential for ocean health. While enforcement mechanisms are still under development, conservation groups are urging rapid implementation. The United States has signed but not yet ratified the treaty, allowing participation as an observer but without voting rights.
NSF Soliciting Input on NCAR Restructuring
As part of its effort to restructure critical weather and space weather science infrastructure at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting input from agency partners and the research community on new, efficient, and cost-effective models for operating atmospheric observational platforms, cyberinfrastructure and computing capabilities, and training programs for weather and space weather modeling and forecasting. The agency says the effort aims to ensure continued world-class capabilities while realigning resources to meet evolving national priorities.
NSF is requesting concepts for managing space weather activities, atmospheric observing systems, and weather modeling, either as stand-alone operations or integrated with other NSF investments, as well as proposals for private or public ownership of the NCAR Mesa Lab facility in Boulder, Colorado. Community input is also requested on potential duplication with other entities, unexplored opportunities for transformative advances in observational platforms and data use, alternative management models, and performance metrics for a restructured atmospheric research center.
Expressions of interest, concept papers, and comments addressing the listed questions are due by March 13, 2026.
NIH Seeks Input on Draft Controlled-Access Data, Genomic Data Sharing Policies
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on proposed updates to its data-sharing policies aimed at strengthening protections for human research participant data while reducing regulatory burden.
The proposal includes a new Controlled-Access Data Policy to clarify which data types require restricted access, as well as revisions to the Genomic Data Sharing Policy to streamline requirements and improve consistency.
NIH is seeking feedback on the adequacy of existing data repositories, the appropriateness of designated protected data types, and proposed updates to maintain privacy and security for emerging data-sharing tools. Public comments must be submitted electronically by March 18, 2026.
AIBS Endorses Letter Urging HHS to Reconvene Antibiotic Resistance Advisory Council
AIBS joined the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), and 62 other organizations in sending a letter urging Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to convene the President's Advisory Council on Combatting Antibiotic Resistance (PACCARB) as soon as possible, warning that delays are undermining the national response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The groups highlight that antibiotic-resistant infections affect more than 2.8 million people and contribute to over 160,000 deaths annually in the U.S., threatening the safety of routine and advanced medical procedures. Established in 2014, PACCARB provides critical guidance to federal agencies and private-sector stakeholders.
A scheduled January 2025 meeting to develop recommendations for the 2025-2030 National Action Plan was canceled during the Administration transition and has not been rescheduled. The letter calls for swift action to restore coordination and momentum in combating AMR.
Read the letter.
Participate in the 2026 Congressional Visits Day
Join the American Institute of Biological Sciences on April 20-22, 2026 for our annual Congressional Visits Day in Washington, DC.
Meet with your members of Congress to help them understand the important role the federal government plays in supporting the biological sciences. Advocate for federal investments in biological sciences research supported by the National Science Foundation and other federal agencies.
Participants will complete a communications and advocacy training program provided by AIBS that prepares them to be effective advocates for their science. AIBS will provide participants with background information and materials, as well as arrange meetings with lawmakers on April 22.
Who should participate?
Scientists, graduate students, educators, or other biological science community members who are interested in advocating for scientific research and education are encouraged to participate in this important event.
The ideal participant will:
- Have an interest in science policy.
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Work in a scientific profession or be enrolled in graduate school.
- Be able to speak about the importance of biological research funded by federal agencies (e.g. NSF, NIH, USDA).
- Provide compelling examples from their own experiences.
Training
The event includes a free, half-day training session on how to be an effective advocate for science policy. This training session will be held on April 21, 2026 and is mandatory for everyone who will be participating in congressional meetings.
Additionally, participants have the option to attend the highly acclaimed AIBS Communications Boot Camp for Scientists. This training course will be held in Washington, DC on April 20-21, 2026. This professional development program provides practical instruction and interactive exercises designed to help scientists (e.g. researchers, graduate students, administrators, educators) translate scientific information for non-technical audiences and to effectively engage with decision-makers and the news media. All participants who complete this optional training will receive priority access to the Congressional Visits Day and a certificate of completion indicating that they have successfully completed 16 hours of communications training.
Registration
Express your interest in participating in the event by registering. Registration closes on February 23, 2026. Space is limited and we encourage you to register early. If registrations exceed program capacity, AIBS may prioritize registrants based on participation in the boot camp training, geographic diversity, and other factors. Register now.
Deadline Approaching: AIBS & SURA Public Policy Fellowship
The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) and the Southeastern Universities Research Association (SURA) are jointly offering a paid Public Policy Fellowship in the spring-summer of 2026 for current and recent graduate students in the life sciences or a closely related field.
This unique training opportunity provides young scientists with valuable first-hand experience in science policy. The Fellow will have the opportunity to work on a range of science policy projects that could include planning a Capitol Hill science policy briefing, preparing science policy documents, conducting research on science and science education policy initiatives, and attending Congressional and executive branch meetings. The Fellow will work closely with AIBS and SURA policy staff to gain practical experience with science policy and advocacy efforts that inform federal decision-making.
Applicant must be a current graduate (M.S. or Ph.D.) student or within two years of completing a graduate degree in the life sciences or a closely related field, who has a strong interest in science policy. The Fellow will have the option to choose between a 10-week remote or a month-long in-person engagement in the spring-summer of 2026. The Fellow will receive a stipend, contingent on active participation, of a minimum of $3,000 for remote participation and a maximum of $6,000 for in-person participation.
Applications are due no later than 05:00 PM Eastern Time on Wednesday, January 28, 2026. Learn more about the opportunity and how to apply: https://io.aibs.org/policy-fellow
Short Takes
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The National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting public comments on its draft fiscal year (FY) 2026-2030 strategic plan, which describes the agency's vision, core values, and the challenges and opportunities it seeks to address over the next five years. NSF will use this feedback to inform the plan's implementation. Responses are due no later than January 27, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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NSF is seeking reviewers with expertise in ecology for the Graduate Research Fellowship Program competition. Learn more and express your interest.
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will end funding for eight long-standing planetary science advisory groups covering areas such as Mars, Venus, and asteroids, citing Executive Orders and budget pressures. The move eliminates support for meetings, travel, and websites, limiting NASA's access to independent scientific input and reducing public transparency into agency operation.
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A New York Times analysis details how the Trump Administration reduced the federal workforce by approximately 220,000 employees in 2025, a 10% decline that reversed a decade of growth and returned staffing levels to those of Trump's first term. While cuts were widespread, some agencies experienced especially deep reductions, including a 92% loss at the U.S. Agency for International Development, significantly hollowing out long-standing government functions. The National Science Foundation lost 29% of its workforce, while the National Institutes of Health saw reductions of roughly 18%.
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House Republicans have released draft legislation proposing major changes to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) that would significantly limit the Environmental Protection Agency's authority to review and regulate chemicals. The proposal aims to speed approvals for new chemicals, narrow EPA's ability to restrict risky uses, and ease requirements for industry, citing concerns about innovation, supply chains, and national security.
