Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies is one of twelve subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Appropriations. As a subcommittee, it plays a specialized role in the appropriations process by holding initial hearings and reviewing legislation related to federal spending for three major departments and related agencies. The full committee ultimately decides which bills move to the Senate floor, but this subcommittee prepares the groundwork through detailed examination of budget requests and agency priorities.

This subcommittee has jurisdiction over funding for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. It also oversees appropriations for related agencies including the Corporation for National and Community Service, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Mine Safety and Health Administration, and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The scope of its work is substantial, as these departments manage programs affecting workers, public health, education, and social services across the nation.

The subcommittee is chaired by Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), with Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) serving as ranking member. In 2025, the subcommittee held a series of budget hearings examining the fiscal year 2026 appropriations requests from the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. These hearings allowed members to question agency leadership about budget priorities, program changes, and funding allocations before the subcommittee and full committee moved forward with drafting appropriations legislation.

The subcommittee's work is essential to the congressional appropriations process. After receiving spending ceilings from the full committee's budget allocation, the subcommittee develops detailed appropriations bills that specify funding levels for hundreds of programs. Members from both parties use these hearings to advocate for programs important to their states and to scrutinize how federal dollars are spent on education, workforce development, health research, and social services.