Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force Outlines Priorities for FY 2026

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Dear Chair Collins, Chair Cole, Vice Chair Murray and Ranking Member DeLauro:

As co-chairs of the National Governors Association’s Public Health and Disaster Response Task Force, we welcome the opportunity to provide input that reflects our priorities as your committees develop the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) appropriations bills.

We recognize the need for Congress to address our growing national debt and, as such, prioritize the needs of our nation. Therefore, we respectfully write on behalf of the NGA to request the following disaster response, homeland security, and health and human services appropriations be prioritized. Our highest priorities are:

Disaster Response & Homeland Security

• Consider flexibility in all programs to ensure states can respond to disasters in the most efficient, effective manner for their communities.
• Adequately fund the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) and maintain the existing federal-state cost-sharing for FEMA’s core programs, such as for FEMA Individual Assistance (IA), Public Assistance (PA) and hazard mitigation assistance such as the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).
• Sustain funding of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), a mutual aid system which is utilized by all states.
• Return funding for Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) and Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP) to at least FY23 levels.
• Continue funding for programs like the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) Program to promote resilience and recovery costs related to future events.

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Health and Human Services

• Provide funding clarity while maintaining state discretion and flexibility in the administration of programs like Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

Additionally, our Task Force also requests you consider funding the following in FY26, grouped by topic alphabetically below. Governors support programs with versatility to meet the diverse needs of their populations consistent with their unique governance and administration landscapes. 

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Behavioral Health

Federal programs that seek to improve mental health, prevent and combat substance use disorder, and address behavioral health in a community driven way through programs such as:

• Community Mental Health Services Block Grants (MHBG)
• Children’s Mental Health Initiative grants
• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) grants
• Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Block Grant (SUPTR)
• State Opioid Response (SOR)
• CDC Injury Centers which administer Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)

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Children and Families Programs

• Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) to help kids receive quality care while their families work, improve their skills, or engage in education.
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to support families in harsh climates manage heating and cooling costs.
• Preschool Development Grants (PDG) to improve supply, quality, and coordination across the multiple child care and early learning programs in state.

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Homeland Defense and Cybersecurity

• Strengthen CISA’s support and funding and continue to provide technical assistance and direction to bolster cybersecurity locally through programs such as the State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program.
• Maintain robust support for National Guard recruitment and retention
• Match Army National Guard Full-Time Support staffing levels to other reserve components.
• Ensure the National Guard receives a proportional share of military construction funding
• Assist in the full implementation of Nationwide Integration of Time Resiliency for Operations (NITRO) to provide necessary timing redundance to operations and create stronger resilience for states and critical infrastructure domestically.
• Support the State Partnership Program.

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Maternal Health

Strengthen federal programs including assisting the perinatal workforce, supporting access to care, and advancing evidence-based strategies to improve outcomes for mothers and infants:

• Maternal and Child Health Services Block Grant
• Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers and Babies Network (SET-NET)
• Vaccines for Children Program to ensure all parents are able access immunizations for their kids to increase access to care and improve outcomes for mothers and infants.

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Public Health Infrastructure and Healthcare Workforce

• Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity (ELC) Cooperative Agreement and Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP) Program to support state and territorial readiness to detect, prevent, and respond to infectious disease threats and illnesses along with public health emergencies.
• National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, along with chronic disease programs such as the National and State Tobacco Prevention and Control Program, National Comprehensive Cancer Program, Cardiovascular Health Program, and Diabetes Prevention Program to support prevention, improve health outcomes, and reduce long-term healthcare costs.
• Hospital Preparedness Program to help hospitals prepare for and respond to healthcare crises.
• Public Health Workforce Loan Repayment Program and the National Health Service Corps to improve access to care and address workforce shortages in underserved communities.
• Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) to help states support citizens across the spectrum of social services including those needing adult protective services.

Thank you for your continued support of these NGA priorities for Fiscal Year 2026 and focusing on funding our nation’s critical needs.

Sincerely,