AIDS United welcomes the HIV-focused investments included in the conference agreement covering the FY 2026 Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-HUD (THUD) appropriations bills. At a moment when communities are working to sustain hard-won momentum, these bills reflect the enduring, bipartisan understanding that ending the HIV epidemic is achievable, and that Congress has a responsibility to support and uphold the programs that make that goal real.

This agreement maintains critical federal commitments across prevention, treatment, and housing stability, all cornerstones of HIV outcomes. It underscores why the U.S. Senate must continue to serve as a firewall against efforts that would undermine care and prevention infrastructure.

Key HIV/AIDS investments in the conference agreement include:

• Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program: The agreement includes $2.571 billion for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, including the restoration of $525 million in funding for core medical and supportive services and for the Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic Initiative within Ryan White that was cut in the original FY26 House Labor-HHS bill.
• HRSA Health Centers—Ending the HIV Epidemic: The agreement includes $157.25 million for “Ending the HIV Epidemic” within HRSA’s Health Centers program—supporting frontline providers and access to testing, prevention, and linkage to care.
• CDC Domestic HIV Prevention and Research: The agreement restores $1 billion for Domestic HIV/AIDS Prevention and Research, which had been zeroed out by the initial House proposal.
• Minority AIDS Initiative Funding: The agreement included $56 million for the Minority HIV/AIDS Fund and $119.3 million for SAMHSA’s Minority AIDS Initiative program, restoring more than $150 million in funding that was cut in the initial House proposal.
• CDC Global HIV/AIDS Program: The agreement includes $128.9 million for the Global HIV/AIDS Program.
• Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA): The agreement provides $529 million for HOPWA, a $24 million increase from FY25 levels, recognizing that housing is health and that stable housing is essential to viral suppression and long-term wellbeing.

“Congress is demonstrating once more that there is bipartisan agreement on the basics: HIV prevention works, treatment saves lives, and stable housing and strong public health systems are non-negotiable if we’re serious about ending the HIV epidemic,” said Carl Baloney, Jr., President and CEO of AIDS United. “This conference agreement supports and upholds the core programs communities rely on every day, from Ryan White and CDC prevention to HOPWA. The work ahead is to protect these investments from political attacks, move these bills across the finish line, and make sure the funding is implemented rapidly and equitably so every community can share in the progress.”

AIDS United urges Congress to advance this agreement without delay and to continue building on these investments in future packages, because maintaining momentum is how we finish the job and end the HIV epidemic in the United States.