Children's Hospital Association's End of the Year Appropriations Letter

In order to secure America’s future, children’s health must be a national priority.

In a letter to the Committee on Appropriations, Children's Hospital Association (CHA) asks that as the committee finalizes their Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations legislation, they include our top funding requests for key programs to children's hospitals. The letter reemphasizes children's hospitals' most urgent priorities, which were outlined in CHA's original FY 2026 Appropriations Request Letter in May.

CHA’s top priorities for FY 2026 funding include:

  • At least $395 million for the Children’s Hospital Graduate Medical Education Program (CHGME)
  • $10 million for the Pediatric Specialty Loan Repayment Program (PSLRP) and supporting report language
  • $47.2 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Report language on reimbursement for essential components of medical research and indirect cost rates
  • $23.33 million for the Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) program
  • $7 million for the Pediatric Disaster Care Program (PDCP)
  • $31 million for Pediatric Mental Health Care Access (PMHCA)

Related Content

CHA Applauds Inclusion of Vital Children’s Health Policies in FY26 Funding Package

The package includes policies and funding that will increase access to care for children and support pediatric workforce resilience.

Feb. 03, 2026

Protecting Children’s Access to Care: H.R. 1 Mitigation-Related Resources

H.R. 1 makes significant changes to the Medicaid program and includes policies that will limit children’s access to care.

Feb. 03, 2026

Kids Can’t Wait: Why the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act Matters

How the bipartisan bill improves children’s access to critical out-of-state care.

Jan. 20, 2026