Senate Appropriations Committee Takes Action on FY 2026 Funding

Now it’s time to visit with House Members in their home districts this month. Schedule a meeting today!

Thank you for your continued advocacy for funding for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and the National Family Caregiver Support Program, OAA Title III-E (NFCSP).

Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2026 Labor, HHS, and Education Appropriations bill. I’m happy to share our collective advocacy was successful!

Bill Highlights

Family Caregiver Programs. The bill includes $11 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program, a $1 million increase over FY 2025, and $209 million for the National Family Caregiver Support Program, and $12 million to carry out the Native American Caregiver Support Program.

National Family Caregiver Strategy. The Committee provides $3,000,000, an increase of $1,000,000, to support demonstration grants that develop, test, and scale models that implement commitments and recommended actions from the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers.

Disability Programs. The Committee provides funding for important programs proposed for elimination by the Administration: Paralysis Resource Center, Limb Loss program, and University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities.

Read more in the Senate Committee Report and Press Release.

With millions of people, including family caregivers, expected to lose Medicaid HCBS services in the near future, these programs are more important than ever!

House Action Needed. Now, House Members who are in their home districts until early September need to be contacted to support these funding levels in the House FY 2026 appropriations bill. The National Respite Coalition (NRC), and more than 100 national, state, and local organizations, are still advocating for $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program, the amount requested by our bipartisan House champions, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and 7 other Members of the House, in their recent letter to the House Appropriations Committee. The NRC is also calling for meaningful increases for the NFCSP.

TAKE ACTION: Grassroots action is the most important way to ensure increased funding for Lifespan Respite and other critical programs.

Visit with House Member. The U.S. House of Representatives is in recess in their home districts until early September. Now is an ideal time to visit in person — a highly effective advocacy strategy!

Call your Representative’s local office to schedule an appointment. You can find your Representative’s local address and phone number by visiting their website, which you can link to from Congress.gov. Need more help? See this tip sheet.

At the end of the visit, feel free to leave the NRC alert behind with your Representative and staff. Take a photo with your Representative, post it on social media, and tag them!! Social media pages can be found by visiting your Member’s website.

Can’t Visit in Person? Call! Call 202-225-3121 and ask for your Representative’s office or provide your zip code. When connected to the office, ask for health, disability or appropriations staff. If you don’t reach them, leave a message!

MESSAGE:

Include $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and meaningful increases for the NFCSP in the FY 2026 Labor, HHS, and Educations Appropriations bill.

Lifespan Respite and family caregiver support programs may be the only safety nets for the millions of family caregivers who are likely to lose Medicaid coverage in the near future. Among the nation’s 63 million family caregivers, more than 1 in 3 rank respite care as their top service need.

Strengthening the Lifespan Respite Care Program and NFCSP perfectly align with the Administration for Community Living’s National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers that calls for a range of respite options to meet family caregivers’ unique needs.

Make it personal! Share your personal caregiving or respite story about why respite is important to you or why family caregivers in your state need respite care.

Post your message on social media and be sure to tag your House member and Senators! Find official X handles of House Members. Social media pages can be found by visiting your Member’s website.

NRC Actions Taken to Advocate for Increased Funding

Congressional Letter. Letter to the House Appropriations Committee was sent from Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), and 7 other Members of the House, requesting $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program.

NRC Testimony. The NRC submitted testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee in support of this vital increase for the Lifespan Respite Care Program in the next fiscal year.

National and State Organization Letter. The NRC organized a letter from 40 national organizations and 64 state and local organizations in 23 States to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees in support of $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and increased funding for the NFCSP in the FY 2026 Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill.

CCD Letter. The Developmental Disabilities, Autism, and Family Supports Task Force of the Consortium for Constituents with Disabilities sent a letter of support from 21 national organizations, including the National Respite Coalition, requesting $20 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program, and funding for other vital disability programs.

For more action steps and talking points, see the most recent National Respite Coalition Alert and share with your networks.