Senate passes FY 2026 interior spending package
Advances IHS dental care, workforce support
A Senate-approved appropriations package includes increased funding for Indian Health Service, or IHS, dental programs. Specifically, it provides $260 million for the IHS Dental Program, a $6 million increase over fiscal year 2025.
The Senate passed Jan. 15 a package of three fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills by an 82-15 vote, advancing funding for the Commerce, Justice, Energy and Interior departments through the end of September.
Included within the $260 million allocated for the IHS Dental Program, the legislation provides $6.5 million to expand Dental Support Centers and strengthen the electronic dental records system. This funding supports continued technical assistance, training and specialty expertise for IHS dentists serving underserved and remote communities, and directs ongoing improvements to IHS electronic dental records, including expanded data sharing and interoperability with the broader IHS electronic health records system.
The package includes an advance appropriation for IHS totaling $5.3 billion for fiscal year 2027. Lawmakers also fully funded staffing for newly constructed facilities and included support to increase provider capacity to meet growing patient demand.
With passage of this measure, Congress has cleared six of the 12 annual appropriations bills. Six remain outstanding for the current fiscal year, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, or LHHS, bill.
Negotiations over the LHHS bill have raised concerns about National Institutes of Health grant funding. Senate appropriators oppose the administration’s proposal to shift NIH grants to a forward funding model that would provide multi-year funding upfront. While the approach could offer researchers more flexibility, critics argue it would reduce the total number of grants awarded. Senate appropriators included a rider in the fiscal year 2026 LHHS bill to block the change, but the House did not adopt the provision. The Office of Management and Budget is working to keep the Senate rider out of the final conference agreement.
Since the House already approved the measure Jan. 8, it will now be sent to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature. It must be signed by Jan. 30 in order to avert a government shutdown.
