Senate Reviews NIH FY 2027 Budget Request
On May 21, 2026, the Senate Committee on Appropriations held a hearing titled, “A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request for the National Institutes of Health.” The session outlined federal research priorities, funding allocations, and public health initiatives.
The witness panel included key NIH leadership:
- Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director, NIH
- Dr. Richard Hodes, Director, National Institute on Aging (NIA)
- Dr. Anthony Letai, Director, National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Dr. Griffin Rodgers, Director, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- Dr. Joni Rutter, Director, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
- Dr. Nora Volkow, Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
The hearing highlighted several research sectors that intersect with sports medicine and exercise science:
- Chronic Disease and Obesity: Dr. Rodgers (NIDDK) discussed ongoing research into type 2 diabetes and obesity. This remains a critical area for ACSM members focused on lifestyle interventions and exercise prescription.
- Aging and Physical Function: Dr. Hodes (NIA) addressed cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease, and mobility maintenance in older populations, emphasizing the role of physical activity in healthy aging.
- Cancer Research and Survivorship: Dr. Letai (NCI) outlined new oncology treatments and survivorship strategies. ACSM continues to track how exercise oncology can improve patient recovery and tolerate therapies.
- Translational Research and Mental Health: Updates from NCATS and NIDA focused on accelerating lab discoveries into clinical practice and addressing substance use disorders, where physical activity is increasingly utilized as a supportive treatment.
This hearing is an early step in the Senate federal appropriations process for fiscal year 2027. ACSM will continue to advocate on behalf of members for research funding – securing robust NIH funding is essential to support the research and clinical advancements led by our members.
House Appropriations Committee Marks Up FY 2027 Labor-HHS Bill
On June 9, 2026, the House Committee on Appropriations held a full committee markup and approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The bill passed the committee by a vote of 34 to 28, establishing the House’s initial funding allocations and structural guidelines for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The bill provides a total discretionary allocation of $189.3 billion for the departments of Labor, HHS, and Education. This is a $5.6 billion (3%) decrease from the FY 2026 enacted level. Within this total, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is allocated $110.8 billion, a reduction from the prior fiscal year.
The bill provides $48.8 billion for biomedical research across the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The FY 2027 proposal represents a $200 million decrease from the $49.0 billion enacted for the NIH in the FY 2026 Consolidated Appropriations Act.
The bill introduces structural funding changes for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), incorporating a targeted increase of $184 million for core public health readiness and response initiatives over specific base program levels. However, the proposed baseline for the entire agency faces broader cuts. The House bill allocates $8.1 billion in base funding for the CDC, a roughly $1.1 billion decrease from the total enacted funding level from FY 2026.
While the House has advanced its draft out of full committee, the Senate has not yet released its version of the FY 2027 Labor-HHS appropriations bill. The Senate Appropriations Committee is currently evaluating its own 302(b) spending allocations.
Once the Senate committee introduces and marks up its counterpart legislation, the differences between the House and Senate versions will have to be reconciled through a conference committee or leadership negotiations before a final compromise can be brought to both chambers for a vote and sent to the President.
An Action Alert articulating concern will be forthcoming regarding the above reductions, and all members are encouraged to respond.
ACSM’s Health and Science Policy Committee will continue to track both the upcoming House floor schedule and the release of the Senate draft to monitor how final negotiations impact exercise science, chronic disease prevention, and sports medicine research lines.
