Congress Examines Federal Health and Education Priorities in FY27 President’s Budget Request
Published May 04, 2026
By AACOM Government Relations
Federal Policy Financial Aid OME Advocate Rural Medicine
- Five congressional committees recently reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) FY27 budget request during a series of hearings with HHS Secretary Kennedy and ED Secretary McMahon highlighting areas of agreement and disagreement with federal health spending and agency priorities. Key topics included the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda covering chronic disease prevention, nutrition education initiatives, proposals to lower prescription drug costs and expanded access to care in rural communities.
- The Senate HELP Committee and Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (LHHS) focused on HHS agency restructuring, including proposed program consolidation of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). Secretary Kennedy defended these changes as efforts to streamline operations and reduce duplication across HHS programs.
- The Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee hearing with Secretary McMahon included a brief discussion on the rulemaking that would determine how graduate and professional programs are classified under the new loan structure, which Democrats argued would push students into costlier private loans. Secretary McMahon explained the rule as a cost-reduction tool.
- View AACOM’s summary of each hearing in our action center.