U.S. Congress Approves $50 Billion Foreign Aid Package for 2026
The U.S. Congress has approved a $50 billion foreign aid bill for the 2026 fiscal year, which President Trump has signed into law. This funding package is designed to support various government operations through September 30.
The allocation represents a 16% reduction compared to 2025 funding levels, though it is higher than the amount the administration had proposed for foreign aid in its budget. This legislation follows a period in 2025 during which the administration implemented significant reductions in foreign assistance.
Funding Breakdown for 2026
The $50 billion foreign aid package includes funding for several categories:
- Military assistance for nations including Egypt, Israel, and Taiwan.
- Financial support for initiatives promoting democracy.
- International scholarship programs.
- Operations of U.S. embassies worldwide.
- Global health and humanitarian programs.
Within the package, $9.4 billion is allocated for global health programs, targeting diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria, as well as maternal and child health initiatives.
The bill also includes reduced funding for United Nations agencies and notably does not include programs supporting gender equality, LGBTQ issues, or climate change initiatives.
Policy Context and Evolution
The approval of this bill occurs after the Trump administration implemented reductions in U.S. foreign aid systems in 2025. These actions included the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the return of billions of dollars earmarked by Congress for foreign aid. Administration officials at the time described USAID as inefficient and politically biased. These earlier decisions had largely been supported by a Republican-led Congress.
Jonathan Katz, a fellow at the Brookings Institution and a former USAID official, indicated that the current bill suggests a shift in congressional sentiment.
He noted a bipartisan desire within Congress to fund foreign assistance, including global health, food security, and democracy support, areas that had previously been subjects of administration criticism.
Diverse Perspectives on the Bill
Stakeholders and officials have offered varied views on the new foreign aid package:
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Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated that the bill "advances American priorities and aims to enhance U.S. safety and strength globally through a fiscally responsible realignment of foreign assistance."
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Aid organizations generally welcomed the package, though some noted a decrease in humanitarian assistance funding compared to previous years. Christy Gleason, Chief Policy Officer for Save the Children, commented that aid "contributes to saving lives, preventing conflict and displacement, and fostering conditions for safer and healthier futures for children and families."
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Representative Tom Cole (R-Okla.) explained that the foreign aid funding aims to "counter adversaries, support allies, reinforce democracy and human rights efforts, and maintain the U.S.'s global position through focused security and economic investments."
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Max Primorac, an analyst with the Heritage Foundation and a former senior USAID official, expressed concerns that Congress had allocated an excessive amount of funding. He suggested the package included some aspects favorable to the administration's foreign aid views, such as reduced funding for United Nations agencies and the exclusion of programs supporting gender equality, LGBTQ issues, and climate change initiatives. Primorac voiced surprise at the $9.4 billion allocated for global health programs, which he stated "sustains an industry reliant on taxpayer money." He also articulated concerns that this package "could undermine the administration's reforms by potentially discouraging low-income countries from taking greater financial ownership and responsibility."
Concerns and Future Outlook
Concerns from both political parties were cited regarding the impact of last year's funding reductions on global health and humanitarian aid, which reportedly led to decreased access to clinics, medicine, and food for many people globally. There is also a view among some observers that reduced American aid could diminish U.S. global influence, potentially allowing other nations to expand their own influence.
Both Jonathan Katz and Max Primorac anticipate ongoing debate between Congress and the White House concerning foreign aid policy.
Katz suggested that the administration might again request that Congress reclaim allocated funds, similar to previous actions.