When Congress returns next week, lawmakers will have less than a month to pass the remaining nine appropriations bills funding federal agencies for fiscal year 2026.
Early signs point to further delays. Two Republican senators, Mike Lee of Utah and Rand Paul of Kentucky, have pledged to vote against the Labor and Health and Human Services funding bill because it includes $5.69 billion for refugee assistance services.
While the proposed amount is slightly below the $6.3 billion allocated in fiscal years 2024 and 2025, it remains roughly three times higher than pre–Joe Biden funding levels. The Administration for Children and Families, which oversees Refugee and Entrant Assistance programs, received $1.91 billion in fiscal year 2021.
Funding surged after Biden took office. Congress approved $4.8 billion for refugee assistance in fiscal year 2022, followed by $6.42 billion the next year. That level was largely maintained in fiscal year 2024. Because Congress never passed a full fiscal year 2025 budget, continuing resolutions have kept annual refugee assistance funding above $6 billion.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota plans to bring a five-bill appropriations minibus to the floor as soon as lawmakers return. The package includes the Labor-HHS bill along with funding for Transportation and Housing and Urban Development, Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Interior.
If Congress fails to pass the bills or another continuing resolution by February 1, when the current stopgap expires, the federal government faces the prospect of a partial shutdown.
