Congress has passed the final fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, successfully blocking proposed cuts that would have devastated the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget, and securing a 1% funding increase to sustain critical research progress. 

The bill provides $47.216 billion for NIH, rejects President Trump’s proposal to significantly restructure the agency, and specifically prohibits federal agencies from changing how negotiated indirect cost rates are applied — protecting research institutions from abrupt and destabilizing funding disruptions. This bipartisan agreement represents a critical win for the scientific and medical research ecosystem that supports people living with cystic fibrosis and other serious conditions.

“Protecting NIH funding is about more than furthering research and innovation. It's about safeguarding the lives of patients waiting for their next breakthrough,” said Mary Dwight, senior vice president and chief policy and advocacy officer of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “The cystic fibrosis community now has transformative therapies because of research supported by the NIH. The incredible progress we've seen is only possible because of the decades of investments in basic, translational, and clinical research — investments that cannot be taken for granted, especially with so much more to accomplish in our search for a cure.”

The funding comes after a year of threats to the nation’s biomedical research infrastructure. The President proposed cutting NIH funding by 40% and significantly restructuring the agency, actions that would have triggered widespread reductions in force, disrupted clinical research, and slowed scientific progress across diseases. In addition, the NIH announced it would cut indirect costs — a move that would weaken research institutions’ ability to maintain labs and conduct scientific research. The CF community rallied in response, sending more than 10,000 messages urging Congress to reject these proposals and protect funding for the NIH.

The legislative package also includes several provisions that strengthen access to care for the CF community, including: 

• Pharmacy benefit manager reforms that reduce confusing practices that can drive up the costs of important CF therapies
• Extended key telehealth flexibilities that allow people with CF to continue accessing specialized CF care regardless of where they live
• Strengthened investment research incentives through the reauthorization of the rare pediatric disease priority review voucher program and finalized rules that protect rare disease drugs
• Simplified Medicaid access across state lines so that children with CF who rely on Medicaid can access the specialists they need without unnecessary delays

This outcome is a testament to the power of the CF community's advocacy. Sharing personal stories of real-world impact helped ensure policymakers prioritized federal support that keeps pace with both scientific opportunity and patient need. We remain focused on making continued progress through our advocacy efforts, pushing for research, specialized care delivery, and affordable health coverage to meet the evolving needs of people living with CF.

Learn more about our advocacy efforts and how to get involved by visiting cff.org.