The federal budget process directly shapes which resources are available to support students, classrooms, and schools. Federal funding streams, including Workforce Pell Grants and Title VII grant programs, are all determined through annual budget decisions made by Congress. Funding increases can expand services and access, while cuts can force programs to make tough trade-offs or lead to program elimination altogether.
Policies tied to federal spending signal national education priorities and can influence everything from teacher training programs to student financial aid. At NHA, we’re closely watching the budget process and advocating for funding to expand opportunities for allied health education and certification.
The “regular order” federal budget process ordinarily begins in February each year when the President submits a proposed budget to Congress, outlining the administration’s spending, revenue, and policy priorities. In the spring, Congress develops its own proposal (sometimes influenced by, or sometimes ignoring, the administration’s proposal) through a budget resolution drafted by the Budget Committees in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate. This resolution sets overall spending and revenue targets to guide the development of appropriations legislation.
Assuming regular order, Congress will pass 12 annual spending bills, each focused on the discretionary federal spending for operations of most federal agencies and the programs, projects, and activities they carry out. Ideally, the House and Senate reach an agreement on these bills and send them to the President for signature before the end of the fiscal year (FY) on September 30. However, in recent years, this has rarely been the case. If a budget has not passed by that date, Congress can either pass a continuing resolution (CR) to maintain funding at current levels while an agreement is worked out, or the federal government will shut down.
Right now, members of Congress are developing a proposed budget for FY 2027, and NHA is closely monitoring what will be included and what will be cut.
Due to its strong relevance to healthcare and healthcare education, NHA is paying close attention to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) appropriations bill in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate.
The President’s FY 2027 budget request outlines several proposals with significant implications for allied health education and workforce development. Most notably, the Administration proposes eliminating the Job Corps program, which received $1.76 billion in FY 2026. Job Corps has long served as a critical pathway into healthcare and allied health careers for young adults, particularly those facing economic barriers. Its elimination would remove a key on‑ramp into workforce training programs that support entry‑level and mid-skilled healthcare roles.
The budget also proposes a substantial restructuring of the Department of Health and Human Services’ federal health professions training support programs. One change eliminates most Title VII Health Professions Education and Training programs under the Public Health Service Act, reducing overall funding from $518 million in FY 2026 to $170 million in FY 2027. These programs play an essential role in supporting education and training for the healthcare workforce, including allied health occupations, and have historically helped address shortages and improve access to care. Additionally, the proposal would move Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor while maintaining funding for middle and high school CTE programs at $1.45 billion. However, it would prohibit postsecondary institutions from participating in CTE and eliminate adult education programs entirely, which were funded at $729.2 million in FY 2026.
With many communities, particularly rural areas, continuing to experience allied health workforce shortages and pipeline challenges, these cuts would be devastating to efforts to provide access to quality care. NHA is calling on Congress to reject the President’s proposal and fully fund Jobs Corps, Title VII, and adult education programs, ensure community colleges are eligible for CTE programs, and keep administration of CTE programs at the Department of Education.
NHA also champions the Educating Medical Professionals and Optimizing Workforce Efficiency and Readiness (EMPOWER) for Health Act, which would fund health profession workforce programs and help alleviate nationwide workforce shortages.
Does your program benefit from Title VII, Perkins, WIOA, Job Corps, or Workforce Pell funding? How closely are you following the Congressional budget process? Have you been impacted by federal funding cuts or government shutdowns? How so? We want to know!
Your real‑world experiences help set our priorities and strengthen our advocacy, and your perspective matters! NHA invites you to engage with our Government Relations and Public Affairs team to share your real-world perspective. Your experiences help us deepen policymakers' understanding of and support for allied health roles. Our voices are stronger when we advocate together.
If you have questions on the impact of federal funding and the budget process, would like to support our advocacy, or can share your real-world experience and perspective on these issues, please contact Kurt Burkum, NHA Senior Director of Government Relations, at kurt.burkum@ascendlearning.com.