Congress Passes the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026

On February 3, 2026, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026 (H.R. 7148) was signed into law, locking in full-year funding for a large portion of the federal government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.

What the law does

“Appropriations” laws are how Congress actually funds the government’s agencies and programs. This package bundled five of the twelve regular annual funding bills:

The Department of Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Transportation and Housing and Urban Development; Financial Services and General Government; and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs.

What it means for you

Appropriations decide how much money agencies like the Department of Labor, OSHA, and the Department of Education have to operate — which shapes everything from workplace-safety enforcement to federal services. This bill kept those parts of the government funded and running for the fiscal year. You can read the full bill and its history at the official Congress.gov link below.

Educational only — not legal advice.