In mid-November, Congress passed, and President Trump signed into law, a spending package ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The bill included three final appropriations bills and short-term funding for the other nine bills, including the HHS and temporary funding for Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act (MIPPA) programs through January 30. For more information about the recent shutdown, please read our recent Legislative Update.

The January 30 deadline sets the stage for a new round of spending negotiations, which may come down to the wire. While some of the remaining nine bills may move soon, it’s unlikely that the bill USAging follows most closely will, which may mean another continuing resolution (CR), or a year-long CR, will need to be passed to avert another shutdown.

As Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week, we need all aging advocates to take action to push for a proper final spending bill and to ensure OAA programs are protected and the highest funding levels possible are secured in any final spending bill.

While our collective advocacy secured good levels in House and Senate appropriations bills, we need to make sure the best recommendations legislators made survive in any final bill and that nothing is cut because other advocates are more successful!

Specifically, please urge your lawmakers to retain the appropriations levels set out in the House Labor/HHS bill, which proposes millions of dollars in increases for Title III B Supportive Services. For Title V of the OAA, the Senior Community Service Employment Program, we want Congress to ultimately take the Senate’s recommendation to fund the program, because the House did not provide any funding for FY 2026 for Title V.

We also are asking Congress to provide at least full-year authorization for MIPPA in any final spending bill and to adopt the highest recommended funding levels for other aging programs, including the OAA Title III E National Family Caregiver Support Program, the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, the Community Services Block Grant and AmeriCorps Seniors.

Read on for guidance on how to contact your Representatives and Senators and urge them to protect and increase OAA and aging funding, as well as provide funding for other aging programs like MIPPA, in any final spending bill for FY 2026. Use our template letters below to get started!