Trump 2026 Budget Proposes HHS Spending Cuts, But Not for Adoption Programs
On May 2, the White House submitted a partial discretionary spending request to Congress, a precursor to this year’s annual appropriations process. Although the administration recommended substantial spending reductions for HHS programs overall, it left most adoption-related programs unscathed.
Overall, the administration has requested reducing discretionary spending at the Department of Health and Human Services by 26.2 percent, from $127 billion in 2025 to $93.8 billion in 2026. It proposed cutting spending at the newly renamed Administration for Children, Families, and Communities (ACFC) by 21 percent, from $34.025 billion in 2025 to $26.888 billion in 2026.
ACFC programs targeted for major cuts include the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which was zeroed out, refugee assistance programs, and the Community Services Block Grant.
Most adoption-related programs, however, escaped these cuts (the following list includes both proposed discretionary and mandatory spending).
Adoption Opportunities Program: The president’s budget proposes flat-funding this program at $53 million.
Adoption and Legal Guardianship Incentive Payments: The president’s budget proposes flat-funding this program at $75 million.
Adoption Assistance: The president’s budget proposes increasing funding for this program to $4.397 billion, up from $4.142 billion in 2025.
Guardianship Assistance: The president’s budget proposes increasing funding for this program to $386 million, up from $382 million in 2025.
Promoting Safe and Stable Families Program (Title IV-B, subpart 2): The president’s budget proposes increasing funding for this program to $420 million, up from $345 million in 2025.
The House Appropriations Committee is expected to begin consideration of FY 2026 appropriations bills, including the Labor-HHS-Education bill that funds these programs, later in July.
