Washington, D.C. – The Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU) is grateful to Congress for passing bipartisan legislation that keeps key health programs running and supports care teams in rural and underserved communities.
This legislation extends funding for essential workforce and access programs and provides some stability for underserved communities. It includes funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) through the end of this calendar year and increases funding through FY 2029 for the Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education (THCGME) Program. The package also maintains funding for HRSA Title VII health professions and Title VIII nursing workforce development programs.
ACU appreciates lawmakers’ continued recognition of the essential role clinicians in underserved areas play. At the same time, communities are still under heavy pressure from ongoing workforce shortages and years of underinvestment.
Nevertheless, this package provides stability. ACU looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to strengthen the health workforce and secure full, multi-year reauthorizations of core programs by the end of this year.
How We Got Here: The Federal Landscape
Many steps led to the passage of yesterday’s bill:
- On Jan. 21, the House passed a bipartisan FY2026 “minibus” (341–88) package including funding for key health programs. Following the vote, they left Washington, D.C., for a district work period.
- On Jan. 30, the Senate voted (71-29) to approve five of the bills, plus a two-week stopgap measure that gives lawmakers more time to work out disputes over funding for the Department of Homeland Security.
- For procedural reasons, the House of Representatives had to vote again to approve the final version of the legislation. They did so (217-214) on Tuesday, Feb. 3, narrowly passing the legislation. Shortly thereafter, President Donald Trump signed the bill into law, ending a short, three-day partial shutdown.
Breakdown of Key Provisions in The Funding Package
- The package rejects proposed public health cuts and agency restructuring and includes new guardrails requiring the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide advance notice and transparency before terminating grants, delaying disbursements, or reorganizing programs.
- HRSA workforce programs largely saw flat funding, though the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) received modest short-term increases. Funding for Title VII and Title VIII workforce programs remain despite authorizations expiring in fall 2025.
- Teaching Health Center GME funding increases through FY2029 — a major win, though still insufficient to cover all conditionally approved programs.
- Mandatory funding extensions included Medicare, Medicaid, and public health extenders, COVID-era telehealth flexibilities through 2027, and reauthorization of Dr. Lorna Breen Act programs through FY2030.
Community Health Center Fund: Yearly Breakdown
| FISCAL PERIOD | AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| FY 2024 | $4,236,712,328 |
| FY 2025 | $4,295,287,671 |
| FY 2026 | $4,600,000,000 |
| Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2026 | $1,159,452,055 |
National Health Service Corps Yearly Breakdown
| FISCAL PERIOD | AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| FY 2024 | $341,208,605 |
| FY 2025 | $349,736,600 |
| FY 2026 | $350,000,000 |
| Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2026 | $88,219,178 |
Teaching Health Center Graduate Medical Education Program Yearly Breakdown
| FISCAL PERIOD | AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| FY 2024 | $168,915,878 |
| FY 2025 | $181,563,574 |
| FY 2026 | $225,000,000 |
| FY 2027 | $250,000,000 |
| FY 2028 | $275,000,000 |
| FY 2029 | $300,000,000 |
What Comes Next: How ACU Is Advocating for Our Network
This newly passed legislation provides much-needed stability for our community, and ACU now looks forward to continuing to work with Congress and the Administration to secure sustainable, multi-year funding for the National Health Service Corps and other key public health extender programs. This advocacy will build on our recent initiatives, two of which include:
- Engaging with HRSA: In December, ACU met with Dr. Candice Chen, MD, MPH, Acting Associate Administrator of HRSA’s Bureau of Health Workforce, to discuss opportunities to strengthen support, education, and awareness of the NHSC, share insights from a recent survey of NHSC participants and alumni, and discuss ways to partner to advance a more comprehensive, strategically funded approach to the health workforce.
- Reaching Out to Congress: ACU has also had very productive meetings with staff from Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) to discuss NHSC reauthorization legislation and the importance of long-term, stable investment in the program to address health care workforce shortages.
As ACU finalizes our 2026 federal policy priorities, we are simultaneously planning to circulate a comprehensive letter to Congress, and we hope to share both with our community soon. In the meantime, please stay tuned for further updates and calls to action as ACU and our network continue our vigorous advocacy: now, as ever, your voice is powerful.
