Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026

This bill, titled the "Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, 2026," primarily provides temporary funding for federal government operations. It appropriates necessary amounts for fiscal year 2026 at the fiscal year 2025 rate of operations, under the same authorities and conditions, for continuing projects and activities not otherwise specified. This interim funding is set to expire on October 31, 2025, or upon the enactment of full-year appropriations for fiscal year 2026. The legislation includes several general restrictions on spending under the continuing resolution. For instance, it prohibits the Department of Defense from initiating new production, increasing production rates, or starting new projects not funded in fiscal year 2025. Similarly, other agencies are generally prevented from initiating or resuming projects for which funds were not available in the previous fiscal year, ensuring a continuation of existing services rather than expansion. Beyond general appropriations, the bill makes specific funding adjustments and provisions for various entities. It provides dedicated funding for programs like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Judiciary's Defender Services. Additional emergency funds are allocated for the U.S. Marshals Service for protective operations and courthouse security, and for the legislative branch for enhanced Member security programs. The bill also addresses the treatment of emergency and disaster designations under budget rules, modifying how certain amounts are categorized. It extends the availability of specific unobligated balances from prior acts until September 30, 2026, and mandates reports from the Office of Management and Budget and audits by the Government Accountability Office regarding these extensions. A significant provision establishes an Office of Inspector General for the Office of Management and Budget , appropriating $20 million for its necessary expenses and outlining its jurisdiction. Furthermore, it prohibits cost-of-living adjustments for Members of Congress during the period covered by the Act. Division B of the bill focuses on extending numerous federal programs across various sectors. In health, it extends funding for Community Health Centers , the National Health Service Corps , and Special Diabetes Programs until October 31, 2025. It also extends several Medicare provisions, including increased payments for low-volume hospitals, the Medicare-Dependent Hospital program, and certain telehealth flexibilities, generally until November 1, 2025. Crucially, the bill includes a permanent extension of enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act . This is achieved by removing the 400 percent income cap for eligibility and adjusting the applicable percentages for premium assistance, making coverage more affordable for a wider range of individuals, effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2025. For veterans, the legislation extends various Department of Veterans Affairs authorities and funding until October 31, 2025. These extensions cover critical services such as nursing home care for service-connected disabilities, transportation to VA facilities, financial assistance for low-income veteran families, and suicide prevention grant programs. Miscellaneous extensions in the bill prolong the authorization for programs like the Commodity Futures Trading Commission whistleblower program , the Defense Production Act of 1950 , and several cybersecurity initiatives. These extensions generally maintain current program operations until October 31, 2025, ensuring continuity of essential government functions and services. Finally, the bill includes provisions regarding its budgetary effects, stipulating that the budgetary impacts of Division B will not be recorded on statutory or Senate PAYGO scorecards, nor estimated for certain other budget enforcement purposes.