Díaz-Balart Delivers Stronger National Security, Less Waste with Passage of FY26 Appropriations Minibus

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations and Chairman of the Subcommittee on National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP), celebrated the House passage of his Fiscal Year 2026 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Act, which was passed a key component of a legislative minibus that also included the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act. The NSRP legislation delivers a historic16% spending reduction - the largest of any appropriations bill this fiscal year.

"I commend Chairman Tom Cole's leadership in restoring regular order to the appropriations process and protecting hard-earned U.S. taxpayer dollars and thank my colleagues for advancing this third tranche of full-year appropriations bills that deliver real solutions for the American people. These bills cut waste, fraud, and abuse, ensure accountability and efficiency, combat drug trafficking, and strengthen U.S. national security, all while advancing President Trump's America First agenda.

As chairman of the subcommittee responsible for funding America's foreign policy and national security priorities, I am proud that my NSRP Fiscal Year 2026 bill delivers the largest spending reduction of any appropriations bill this year, reducing spending by 16%, while strengthening U.S. national security and prioritizing American interests.

Under President Trump's leadership, American strength and credibility on the world stage are back. This legislation advances the President's Peace Through Strength vision by strengthening mutually beneficial partnerships that lead to economic prosperity for the United States and our hemisphere, standing firmly with our allies, confronting malign actors that threaten our security, combating drug trafficking, and controlling irresponsible and dangerous migration."

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

FISCAL YEAR 2026 NATIONAL SECURITY, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, AND RELATED PROGRAMS APPROPRIATIONS BILL

The National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) Appropriations Act provides a total discretionary allocation of $50.014 billion, a nearly $9.3 billion cut (16%) below the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted level. The unprecedented reduction of spending in this measure codifies the FY25 rescissions and cuts even more, while reflecting the priorities of the America First agenda.

Even with the cuts, the NSRP bill maintains robust funding for our allies like Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Taiwan, and counters adversaries like the Communist People's Republic of China (PRC), Iran, Cuba, and drug cartels - including those designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The bill removes woke Biden-era poison pills and supports President Trump's vision to refocus and realign foreign policy to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.

Champions America First Foreign Policy by:

• Reprioritizing funding in support of United States national security.
• Creating the America First Opportunity Fund to ensure the Secretary of State has the flexibility to quickly respond to unforeseen opportunities in an effort to advance the America First foreign policy agenda.
• Supporting President Trump's America First foreign policy by eliminating wasteful spending on DEI or woke programming, climate change mandates, and divisive gender ideologies.
• Prioritizing funding and policies to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States to help save American lives.
• Putting American businesses first by prioritizing diplomatic engagement to favorably resolve commercial disputes abroad and to promote American business interests overseas.
• Refocusing attention on critical diplomatic functions, such as addressing passport applications and ensuring the safety and security of our embassies.

Protects life, supports American values, and enhances our standing in the world by:

• Protecting long-standing pro-life provisions as well as enhancing oversight and transparency over program implementation to ensure American taxpayer dollars will not fund abortions.
• Increasing support for religious freedom programs and demanding religious freedom protections for faith-based organizations.
• Holding foreign governments and bad actors accountable for their persecution of people of faith, including restricting assistance to Nigeria until measurable actions are taken to protect Christian communities suffering from violence due to their beliefs.
• Confronting human trafficking by prohibiting funding for countries and organizations that continue benefiting from the human trafficking of Cuban medical doctors, while directing the Secretary of State to pull visas for officials involved in Cuban doctors' trafficking.
• Advancing free speech and prohibiting censorship by banning programs that violate the free speech rights of American citizens.

Bolsters U.S. national security and border protections by:

• Providing unwavering support for Israel by including no less than $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing Program funds.
• Upholding longstanding partnerships with our key security allies in the Middle East, Israel, Egypt, and Jordan.
• Including $300 million for the Foreign Military Financing Program for Taiwan to strengthen deterrence across the Taiwan Strait, and up to $2 billion in loans and loan guarantees for such purpose.
• Fully funding the Countering PRC Influence Fund at $400 million.
• Providing $1.8 billion for United States national security interests in the Indo-Pacific and to counter the PRC's malign influence.
• Denying the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) access to U.S.-backed resources:
  • Requires opposition to multilateral development bank lending for China.
  • Requires opposition to increased shareholding for China within the multilateral development banks.
  • Prohibits funds from being used to repay loans to China.
  • Furthers cooperation between the Department of State and War in countering foreign talent programs posing a threat to national security.
• Prohibiting funding for programs that facilitate and encourage migration toward the United States border.

Safeguards American taxpayer dollars and preserves core functions by:

• Prioritizing fiscal sanity with over $9 billion in cuts.
• Enhancing oversight and transparency requirements to ensure American taxpayer funds are not used by ineffective or fraudulent organizations.
• Supporting efforts to reduce duplication, eliminate bureaucracy and silos, and streamline foreign policy under the direction of the Secretary of State to support a nimble and effective Department.
• Eliminating funding for Biden-era executive orders on climate, gender, DEI, and extraneous or irrelevant programs that run contrary to an America First foreign policy agenda.
• Including a new directive to the Secretary of State to establish a responsible strategy for transitioning PEPFAR programs off United States assistance.
• Consolidating and reducing the number of accounts to facilitate efficient, strategic allocation of funds for programs that support United States national security interests.

Standing with our friend and ally, Israel by:

• Providing unwavering support for Israel by fully funding security assistance for Israel at $3.3 billion, consistent with the United States-Israel Memorandum of Understanding.
• Prohibiting U.S. funding for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
• Prohibiting funding for the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel.
• Prohibiting any funding from being used to move the U.S. Embassy to the State of Israel to a location other than Jerusalem.
• Continuing conditions and restrictions to ensure taxpayer funds are not getting into the hands of terrorists or paying prisoners for acts of terrorism (pay-to-slay).
• Including language to ensure full compliance with the Taylor Force Act.
• Prohibiting funding from being used to revoke the designation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
• Extending Israel's access to defense articles in the War Reserves Stockpile and loan guarantees for Israel.

Promotes freedom and democracy while safeguarding U.S. taxpayer dollars by:

• Requiring that foreign assistance be directed to countries in the Western Hemisphere that act as allies and execute foreign and domestic policies which are consistent with United States values and security interests, including Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, and Peru.
• Promoting freedom in the Western Hemisphere:
  • $25 million for democracy programs for Cuba;
  • $50 million for democracy programs for Venezuela;
  • $15 million for democracy and religious freedom programs for Nicaragua.
• $30 million for the operations of the Office of Cuba Broadcasting (Radio and TV Marti).
• Prohibiting funds to prevent the removal of entities from the Cuba Restricted List.
• Including limitations on funding for countries and organizations that benefit from the continued trafficking of Cuban medical doctors, and directing the Secretary of State to revoke visas for officials involved in the human trafficking of Cuban doctors.
• Prohibiting assistance to individuals or entities that support, finance, or facilitate the operations or commercial activities of the Cuban Ministry of the Revolutionary Armed Forces or Ministry of the Interior, or their affiliates.
• Placing strict conditions on funding and requiring a pre-obligation report for Colombia, due to the Petro Administration's failure to align with United States interests and worsening security conditions, including the assassination of a political opposition leader.
• Requiring a report from the Administration about efforts in Haiti and encouraging the incorporation of locally led organizations in their approach to the multi-layered crisis.

A summary of the bill is available here.

Bill text is available here.

Floor Remarks can be watched here.

Joint Explanatory Statement is available here.