Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Committee on Homeland Security, I rise today in support of the rule providing for consideration of H.R. 7744. As America faces heightened threats on U.S. soil and abroad, DHS is in the midst of its second major shutdown in 6 months because of Democrats' political games. This lapse in appropriations means a disruption in our Nation's disaster preparedness, transportation security, and critical infrastructure resilience when we need it most. As a lifelong New Yorker, I find it outrageous that DHS continues to be undermined by Washington's dysfunction.
H.R. 7148: Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026
Introduced Jan 20, 20260 cosponsors
Sponsor
Tom Cole
Republican · OK-4
This is the bill that keeps Washington funded
3 min readLast updated July 29, 2026
Why it matters
$174,000 for a lawmaker's widow is the most visible line item in a bill that otherwise keeps federal agencies funded through September 30, 2026. **If this package had failed, you could have been looking at shutdown fights instead of funded agencies, contracts, grants, and services.**
H.R. 7148 is Congress's all-in-one spending law for fiscal year 2026. It provides the money federal agencies can spend through September 30, 2026, covering everything from defense to education, transportation, housing, financial services, diplomacy, and health care extenders.
The short text does not spell out every program-level choice on its own. Instead, the law says House explanatory statements will guide how money is allocated and implemented across multiple divisions — which means some of the real spending directions live outside the bill text most people read.
In plain English: Congress passed the money, then pointed agencies to separate explanatory documents for many of the details.
The bill also includes a separate payment of $174,000 to Jill Marie LaMalfa, the widow of late Rep. Douglas LaMalfa of California. That kind of provision is longstanding congressional practice after a member dies, but it is the sort of line item that can draw attention because it sits inside a must-pass funding package.
Now that H.R. 7148 is law, the main fight is no longer whether government stays open — it's how agencies carry out the spending instructions tucked into those explanatory statements.
Bill Progress
IntroducedJan 20
Committee
Pass HouseJan 22
Pass SenateJan 30
SignedFeb 3
LawFeb 3
Latest Action · Feb 3, 2026
1/2
Became Public Law No: 119-75.
H.R. 7148 Bill Summary
What H.R. 7148 actually does.
1
Federal agencies stay funded through fiscal 2026
The law appropriates money for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, allowing covered agencies and programs to keep operating without another shutdown deadline during that period.
2
House explanatory statements guide the real spending details
For multiple divisions, the bill gives House explanatory statements the same effect they would normally have in a conference agreement, shaping how funds are allocated and carried out.
3
One package covers defense, education, housing, diplomacy, and more
The law combines several appropriations divisions into one vehicle, including Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Transportation and Housing; Financial Services; State and related programs; other matters; extenders; and health care extenders.
4
A deceased member's widow receives a one-time payment
The bill provides $174,000 to Jill Marie LaMalfa, widow of late Rep. Douglas LaMalfa of California.
Who benefits from H.R. 7148?
People who rely on federally funded services
If your community depends on federal education, transportation, housing, health, or safety-net funding, this law helps keep that money moving through fiscal 2026 instead of leaving it tied up in a shutdown fight.
Federal workers, contractors, and grant recipients
Agencies, businesses, nonprofits, and state and local partners get more certainty because Congress enacted full-year funding rather than leaving them on short-term patches.
Military personnel and defense programs
Division A covers Defense appropriations, affecting service members, civilian defense workers, and companies tied to military operations, procurement, and research.
Jill Marie LaMalfa
The law provides her a $174,000 payment as the widow of late Rep. Douglas LaMalfa.
Who is affected by H.R. 7148?
Federal agencies
Agencies have to implement the spending law and follow the explanatory statements that Congress says should guide fund allocation across several divisions.
Taxpayers and transparency watchdogs
You are affected because this is the law that authorizes large-scale federal spending for the year, while some of the practical details are embedded in explanatory documents rather than spelled out in the statutory text.
Lawmakers in the next funding cycle
Congress will have to defend how this package was assembled and whether relying on explanatory statements gave the public enough visibility into spending choices.
Cost & Funding
Authorization
The bill appropriates fiscal year 2026 funding across multiple divisions, but the excerpt provided does not include the total dollar amount for the full package. It also includes a specific $174,000 payment to Jill Marie LaMalfa.
- The money is appropriated from the Treasury for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026.
- Because the provided bill text excerpt does not list division-by-division totals, a full package price tag cannot be calculated from this excerpt alone.
- One clear hard number in the text is the $174,000 payment to the widow of late Rep. Douglas LaMalfa.
On the Record
What Congress Said
H.R. 7148 was signed into law on Feb 4, 2026.
Madam Speaker, I thank my good friend from Oklahoma, Chairman Tom Cole, for a job well done. Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the Senate amendment to H.R. 7148, which includes my bill, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026. This legislation was a true bipartisan effort by all four corners of the Defense Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations. The world is more dangerous than ever. China continues its rapid military expansion. Russia and Iran remain persistent threats. Illicit drugs continue to harm Americans here at home. This bill answers that challenge.
The Clerk will designate the motion. The text of the motion is as follows: Mr. Cole of Oklahoma moves to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 7148.
The Speaker pro tempore··House
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7148 because for rural communities like mine in Hawaii, this bill isn't abstract policy. It is about whether people can get care and whether caregivers can keep going. I have met grandparents caring for grandchildren, parents caring for children with disabilities, and adult children caring for aging loved ones, often with no backup and no break. That is why the 5-year reauthorization of the Lifespan Respite Care Program in this bill, which I was proud to co-lead with Representative Langworthy, matters so deeply. Respite care isn't a luxury.
I rise today in support of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The legislation before us is part of the final chapter of the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process. This is where months of hard work turn into results. You see, we aren't here for just another stopgap, temporary fix. We are here to finish the job by providing full-year funding. Specifically, this package addresses core areas of national consequence: Defense, Labor-Health-Education, and Transportation- Housing and Urban Development. These aren't abstract concepts on a page.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Scott Franklin), my very good friend and the vice chair of the Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies of the Committee on Appropriations. Mr. SCOTT FRANKLIN of Florida. Mr. Chair, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 7148 and the Defense appropriations bill as part of this broader spending package. Last year, Congress failed our military by relying on a full-year continuing resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule. The appropriations bills need to be passed for fiscal year 2026 Defense; Homeland Security; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development. For the first time in years, Congress is approaching the finish line of passing all 12 appropriations bills in a transparent and timely manner, reclaiming our constitutional power of the purse.
H.R. 7148 also appeared in 5 more House floor references, 72 more Senate floor references, 1 in the Extensions of Remarks, and 20 routine cosponsor filings.
HR7148 Legislative Journey
Signed into Law
Feb 3, 2026
Became Public Law No: 119-75.
+12 more actions this day
Passed 71-29
Jan 30, 2026
Passed Senate, under the order of 1/30/2026, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 71 - 29. Record Vote Number: 20.
+6 more actions this day
Floor Action
Jan 29, 2026
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S357)
Floor Action
Jan 28, 2026
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S301)
Action Taken
Jan 27, 2026
Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S287)
Sent to Senate
Jan 26, 2026
Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. (Legislative Day January 15, 2026).
+1 more action this day
House: Passed 341-88
Jan 22, 2026
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 341 - 88 (Roll No. 45). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H1193-1297)
+19 more actions this day
House: Committee Action
Jan 20, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
About the Sponsor
Tom Cole
Republican, Oklahoma's 4th congressional district · 23 years in Congress
Committees: Appropriations
View full profile →
Committee Sponsors
Ways and Means Committee
19D26R
|0 signed45 others0 of 45 committee members cosponsored at the time
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
Budget Committee
16D21R
|0 signed37 others0 of 37 committee members cosponsored at the time
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
Appropriations Committee
28D35R
|0 signed63 others0 of 63 committee members cosponsored at the time
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
What laws does H.R. 7148 change?
22 changes
Sections Amended
Section 1319 of National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4026)
striking ``September 30, 2023'' and inserting ``September 30, 2026''
Section 227(a) of Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. 1525(a))
striking ``September 30, 2025'' and inserting ``September 30, 2026''
Section 111(a) of Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 (6 U.S.C. 1510(a))
striking ``September 30, 2025'' and inserting ``September 30, 2026''
Section 506B of Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2466b)
striking ``September 30, 2025'' and inserting ``December 31, 2026''
Section 112(g) of African Growth and Opportunity Act (19 U.S.C. 3721(g))
striking ``September 30, 2025'' and inserting ``December 31, 2026''
Section 503 of United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (Public Law 112-41;19 U.S.C. 3805 note)
striking ``September 30, 2031'' and inserting ``December 31, 2031''
H.R. 7148 Quick Facts
Cosponsors
0
- Committee
- Ways and Means
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Economics and Public Finance
- Introduced
- Jan 20, 2026
Became Public Law No: 119-75.
Feb 3, 2026
About Legisletter
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H.R. 7148 Common Questions
What does H.R. 7148 actually do?
It funds large parts of the federal government for fiscal year 2026, through September 30, 2026, in one giant package covering defense, education, housing, transportation, and more.
Is H.R. 7148 already law?
Yes. H.R. 7148 cleared Congress and became Public Law 119-75 on February 3, 2026.
How long does the funding in H.R. 7148 last?
Through the end of fiscal year 2026. The bill says the appropriations run through September 30, 2026.
Why are people talking about a $174,000 payment in H.R. 7148?
Because the bill includes a specific $174,000 payment to Jill Marie LaMalfa, the widow of late Rep. Douglas LaMalfa of California.
Does the bill text contain all the real spending details?
Not by itself. H.R. 7148 says House explanatory statements should guide fund allocation and implementation across several divisions, so some details sit outside the short statutory text.
Which parts of government are covered by H.R. 7148?
The package includes funding divisions for Defense; Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; Transportation and Housing; Financial Services; State programs; and health care extenders.
Could there still be fights over how this money gets spent?
Yes. Even though the bill is law, agencies still have to carry it out, and lawmakers can still dispute how closely agencies follow the explanatory statements tied to the package.
Based on H.R. 7148 bill text
H.R. 7148 Bill Text
“Making further consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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