HYDE-SMITH SAYS SENATE-PASSED BILL INCLUDES BOOST FOR MISS. HEALTH, EDUCATION & JOB TRAINING PROJECTS
FY2026 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill Takes Step Toward Final Passage with Help for Franklin County Hospital
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today outlined resources in the FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Bill that will promote maternal health, education, and job training in Mississippi.
Hyde-Smith serves on the Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee that developed the FY2026 funding measure that the Senate passed (71-29) as part of a five-bill package (HR.7148). The legislation will be returned to the House of Representatives for final passage. From there, it would be sent to President Trump to be signed into law.
“This is an important appropriations bill to the country and our state. I appreciate the work we put into it to redirect funding away from some of the previous administration’s fringe policies and toward improving health outcomes, educational achievement, and job growth. This was my focus in advocating for Mississippi in this bill,” Hyde-Smith said. “I look forward to it becoming law.”
Significantly, the bill includes language requested by Hyde-Smith, U.S. Representative Michael Guest (R-Miss.), and others that is vital to the future of the Franklin County Hospital. The language reinstates the Meadville facility’s Critical Access Hospital (CAH) designation, which the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) rescinded on January 15.
“I am extremely appreciative of the committee leadership for recognizing the importance of keeping essential rural hospitals like the Franklin County Hospital and others from closing without the vital Critical Access Hospital designation. This is a sensible solution to ensure continued access to quality rural healthcare,” said Hyde-Smith, who introduced legislation (S.3047) last October to protect the Mississippi hospital and others in the same situation.
The following are additional examples of projects Hyde-Smith worked on for Mississippi in the FY2026 Labor-HHS Appropriations Bill:
Labor
• $5.3 million for Advancements in Manufacturing Upskilling Program, Mississippi State University
• $700,000 for Digital Workforce Education, Mississippi Coding Academies
• $500,000 for Workforce Training Field School, Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Health and Human Services
• $4.5 million for the Cancer Research Lab, University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC)
• $2.5 million for Optimizing Maternal Outcomes, Mississippi Public Health Institute
• $1.7 million for Labor and Delivery Project, Memorial Health System, Gulfport
• $396,00 for Improving Hearing Health Care Access, University of Southern Mississippi
• $250,000 for Perinatal Training for Medical Residents, Mississippi Department of Health
• $305,000 for Telehealth-Based Mental Health, Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Education
• $5 Million for Excellence in Nursing Education, Mississippi Community College Board
• $1.75 million for Aerial Applicator Operations Career Pathway, Delta State University
• $1.5 Million for Aviation Training Expansion, Hinds Community College (HCC)
• $800,000 for Sunflower Promise, Delta Health Alliance
• $236,000 for Agriculture Instruction Technology Equipment, HCC
The Senate bill provides $5.0 million to continue the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Office of Rural Health, which was established through Hyde-Smith’s efforts during the FY2023 appropriations process. The CDC Office of Rural Health is charged with coordinating rural health efforts across CDC programs and developing a strategic plan for rural health.
With the passage of HR.7148, the Senate will have approved 11 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, a stark departure from the refusal of former Democratic leaders to bring annual appropriations bills to the Senate floor in the previous Congresses.
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