Congressman Bishop Protects Health Care, Job training, Education, National Security, Housing, & Community Development Programs in FY 2026 Funding Bill

WASHINGTON – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA02), a senior member of the U.S. House Appropriations Committee, supported the passage of H.R. 7148, a bipartisan bill which provides Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding for several federal departments, agencies and programs. As the final bill was negotiated, he helped block harmful policy provisions and funding cuts which would have decimated much needed investments in medical research into cures or treatments for cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease; public health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta; childcare access for working Georgia families; highway and transit improvements; and affordable housing.

Congressman Bishop also was instrumental in the bipartisan effort to restore funding for the Job Corps program, which is one of the few national programs that specifically targets the 16 to 24-year-old population that is neither working or in school and provides a direct pathway into employment, including construction and manufacturing industries, apprenticeships, higher education, or the military.

Last year, President Trump sought to eliminate the program in its entirety and close nearly 100 Job Corps campuses across the country, including the Turner Job Corps Center in Albany, Georgia. The final legislation, however, includes $1.8 billion for the Job Corps program, which is the same funding level as FY 2025 and $800 million more than the FY 2026 Republican House bill. The measure also includes statutory language to restrict the arbitrary closure of Job Corps campuses.

Congressman Bishop also secured more than $6 million for projects in both rural and urban communities in Middle and Southwest Georgia that will create jobs, make housing more affordable, revitalize neighborhoods, and provide clean water. 

“The funding that I have secured for Georgia’s Second Congressional District will strengthen our communities and improve the quality of life for my constituents,” said Congressman Bishop. “I am especially pleased that Democrats and Republicans were able to come together in a bipartisan fashion to reverse many of the harmful cuts proposed by the Trump Administration. These funding bills should have been finalized last September. I am hopeful that, this year, Congress will put partisanship aside to enact policies that will reduce the high cost of healthcare, housing, groceries, utilities, and other everyday expenses hard-working families are facing.”

Last year, President Trump and House Republicans proposed eliminating the following programs. Congressman Bishop as well as Democrats on the House and Senate Appropriations Committee successfully fought to restore them in H.R. 7148: 

• Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Adult Job Training and Youth Job Training, which are designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with employees. WIOA Adult Job Training is funded at $876 million and WIOA Youth Job Training is funded at $948 million.
• Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which helps older Americans get back into or remain active in the workforce. SCSEP is funded at $395 million.
• Healthy Start, which is a program in over 100 communities throughout the United States to reduce infant and maternal mortality. Healthy Start is funded at $145 million.
• Supporting Effective Instruction State Grants, which are federal funds distributed by the U.S. Department of Education to states to improve teacher, principal, and leader quality, ultimately boosting student achievement, especially for low-income and minority students. The program is funded at $2.2 billion.
• Community Development Block Grants (CDBG), which provides annual funding to states, cities, and counties for community development, focusing on low- to moderate-income individuals by supporting housing, public services, infrastructure, and economic development to create viable communities. CDBG is funded at $3.3 billion.
• HOME Investment Partnerships, which provides grants to state and local governments to create affordable housing for low-income households. The program is funded at $1.25 billion.
• Lead Hazard Reduction Grant Program, which helps communities reduce lead and other housing related health hazards in homes built before 1978. The program is funded at $156 million.

Some of the funding highlights in the bill include:

• $400 million increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop cures and treatments for diseases.
• $170 million increase for Child Care and Head Start, helping provide American families access to early childhood education and childcare.
• $66.7 billion for rental assistance, which reverses President Trump’s efforts to slash funding for these programs by 50%.
• $366 million increase for the Homeless Assistance Grant program to combat homelessness.
• $1.6 billion for the Federal Aviation Administration to hire more than 2,500 air traffic controllers and bolster aviation safety.
• $1.7 billion increase for medical research funded by the United States Department of Defense.
• Fully funds the 3.8% pay raise for military personnel.

The specific funding which Congressman Bishop secured for Georgia’s Second Congressional District includes:

• $1,700,000 to the City of Americus for the Downtown Americus Streetscape Project, which aims to revitalize the community by enhancing the aesthetic appeal and functionality of the central business district. The funding will implement vital improvements such as upgraded sidewalks for accessibility, additional lighting for safety, and green spaces.
• $1,129,036 to theCity of Albany for neighborhood revitalization to restore historic homes and build new affordable workforce housing surrounding Phoebe Putney hospital to increase housing accessibility, promote social equity, stimulate economic growth, and attract the workforce to the medical and downtown community.
• $1,000,000 toMacon County to construct a community building to house a gymnasium and athletic facility that will also serve as a county-wide disaster relief shelter
• $1,000,000 to theCity of Whigham to build a municipal wastewater treatment plant to serve residents and businesses.
• $1,000,000 toCrawford County for the construction of a Youth Center, which will include a gymnasium and space to support a variety of recreational and extracurricular activities.
• $302,000 to theCity of Plains for the renovation of the exteriors of the public buildings for a one-mile stretch of SR-280, including paving and lighting of the parking lot for the recently constructed multipurpose community center.

Following House passage today by a 341 to 88 vote, the legislation moves to the United States Senate for its consideration.

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