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Legislative bills

FY2026 Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Bill Approved by Senate Appropriations Committee

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has made significant strides in advancing maternal health, education, and job training in Mississippi by working with the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee to develop the FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bill. The bill, which was approved 26-3 by the Senate Appropriations Committee, includes various initiatives aimed at improving health outcomes, educational achievements, and job growth in the state. As chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, Hyde-Smith has prioritized supporting expecting families, and the bill reflects this commitment with funding for projects such as optimizing maternal outcomes and improving hearing health care access.

Key Takeaways:

  • The FY2026 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill recommends funding to advance maternal health, education, and job training in Mississippi, with a focus on supporting expecting families.
  • Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has promoted legislation to support expecting families and has worked to direct federal resources to projects in the bill that can help improve health outcomes, educational achievements, and job growth in the state.
  • The bill includes funding for various initiatives, such as the Advancements in Manufacturing Upskilling Program at Mississippi State University, the Digital Workforce Education program at Mississippi Coding Academies, and the Workforce Training Field School at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
  • The Senate bill continues to provide $5.0 million for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Office of Rural Health, which was established through Hyde-Smith's efforts during the FY2023 appropriations process.
  • The committee approved a Hyde-Smith amendment to require more transparency by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) before terminating Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designations.
  • The Senate Appropriations Committee has now approved eight of 12 annual spending bills for the 2026 fiscal year.

Sources:

  • [Senate Appropriations Committee Press Release](https://senate.gov/committee/committee-home/committee=06/committee_details), June 2024.
  • [U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith Press Release](https://www.hyde-smith.senate.gov/press-releases/fy2026-labor-hhs-and-education-appropriations-bill-approved-by-senate-appropriations-committee), June 2024.

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