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Tom Cole

Tom Cole

Chairman, House Appropriations Committee

Appears in 3 stories

Notable Quotes

"Even after the longest government shutdown in history, partisan obstruction, and tough deadlines, we remained resolute and took responsible steps forward to restore regular order." — January 2026

"Difficulty is what separates serious legislating from political convenience." — Floor remarks on H.R. 6938

This agreement provides a strong fiscal framework to complete FY26 and reflects our commitment to governing with clarity, effectiveness, and purpose.

Stories

Congress rejects Trump's historic science cuts

Rule Changes

Led House passage of FY2026 appropriations bills

For 80 years, federal science funding enjoyed bipartisan protection. Trump's fiscal year 2026 budget proposed ending that consensus, calling for cuts of 57% to the National Science Foundation (NSF), 47% to NASA's science programs, and 40% to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Updated 6 days ago

Congress races to complete FY2026 funding after record shutdown

Rule Changes

Completed House passage of FY2026 appropriations; 11 of 12 bills now law

Congress hasn't completed all twelve annual spending bills on time since 1996. Fiscal Year 2026 saw a 43-day shutdown from October to November 2025, the longest in U.S. history, that furloughed 900,000 workers and cost $15 billion weekly.

Updated 7 days ago

The FY2026 budget battle: from 43-day shutdown to bipartisan breakthrough

Money Moves

Completed House passage of all twelve FY2026 appropriations bills; awaiting Senate action

The House passed H.R. 7148 on February 3 by a narrow 217-214 vote, ending a brief weekend partial shutdown and funding Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, Transportation-HUD, State, and Financial Services through September 30, 2026. DHS funding lapsed February 13 after talks over immigration enforcement reforms collapsed, triggering a second partial shutdown covering only DHS agencies: TSA, Coast Guard, and FEMA.

Updated May 20