Aderholt Remarks at FY27 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Bill Subcommittee Markup (As Prepared for Delivery)

The bill before you today balances the need for responsible fiscal stewardship, while maintaining key investments in biomedical research, America’s schools, and core public health. 

Following the President’s direction, we have taken a close line by line look at every program funded in this bill.  And in several cases had to make difficult decisions on so called “nice to have” programs. 

We in Congress must prioritize resources to the greatest needs of the nation – not to programs that, while well intentioned, have shown limited long term impact or sustained benefit. 

While the bill reduces several programs and proposes many for elimination it also increases support for America's biodefense infrastructure, provides long needed lifelines for rural hospitals, and funds necessary basic science. The bill also responsibly addresses a shortfall in Pell grants, while providing a modest increase to students who receive Pell grants. 

The bill includes provisions to end senseless diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and builds on the success of the big, beautiful bill, by eliminating funding for Planned Parenthood. 

It also protects the rights of women and girls to play sports and prohibits federal funding for sex-rejecting procedures and services. 

The bill maintains the longstanding Hyde amendment to ensure that taxpayer funds are not used for abortion-on-demand, and that no one is forced to participate in an abortion or refer for one under federal programs. This isn’t right wing extremism – this is mainstream public opinion. 

The bill also once again includes community project funding for numerous health care facilities. I want to thank all members of the committee for working on making this change and I am proud of the effort to bring back this source of support for hospitals, health centers, and other safety net providers. 

In addition to thanking Chairman Cole, I also want to thank the committee staff on both sides of the aisle, as well as my fellow subcommittee members and their personal office staff for their hard work and input in crafting this bill.  It has taken several weeks to get here, and I appreciate all of the work that has gone into making this bill.   

We will all have different opinions about the policies in this bill, both as they relate to spending on federal programs and the legislative provisions – and ample opportunity to address those differences in full committee markup.  I want to remind everyone; we are all elected to represent the views of our constituents and can do so in a manner that is respectful.  I look forward to our continued discussion on these issues in the full committee’s markup.