MAJOR VICTORY: Bipartisan FY26 Bills Reject Nearly $2B in Proposed HIV Funding Cuts

Washington D.C., – Tuesday, January 20th, 2026  – Today, the Save HIV Funding Campaign is celebrating a major victory following the release of two bipartisan FY26 congressional appropriations bills that reject nearly $2 billion in proposed federal funding cuts to HIV and related programs. 

The bills are a result of hundreds of meetings with policymakers, millions of media impressions, and thousands of calls mobilized by the Save HIV Funding campaign and its partners. As of now, the critical FY26 appropriations bills appear to be on track to pass before the end of the month. Save HIV Funding co-implementing organizations PrEP4All, AVAC, and HIVMA are grateful for the significant advocacy of people living with and vulnerable to HIV, HIV/AIDS services and medical providers, researchers, and advocates – as well as bipartisan leaders in Congress – whose collective efforts resulted in robust resources for effective, cost-efficient, and life-saving HIV programs.  

This result is a dramatic conclusion to a year of unprecedented attacks on vital funds for people living with or vulnerable to HIV. In May of last year, President Trump appeared to turn away from his 2019 pledge to end HIV as an epidemic, instead calling for the elimination of HIV prevention at CDC and housing services as part of his budget request to Congress. House appropriators, led by the House majority, followed suit calling for an even larger $2 billion cut, including $525m in funds for medical and support services for people living with HIV. While Senate appropriators chose to maintain level funding in their version of the spending bills, advocates had feared that final funding could result in cuts that would dramatically reduce services, drive up new HIV cases, and lead to more AIDS-related deaths. The final bill represents a best-case scenario with funding allocations mirroring the Senate’s proposed FY26 spending levels.

As Congress looks toward the start of the FY27 appropriations process, the Save HIV Funding Campaign will turn its attention to maintaining federal funding and programs and advocating for increases that keep up with healthcare inflation, which has increased by over 6% since 2023. Advocates will also remain vigilant to ensure that FY26 HIV spending is implemented as intended by Congress. 

Statement by Maxx Boykin, Manager, Save HIV Funding Campaign: “Every advocate who showed up to one of our #CutsKill Quilt events, who called, wrote, and met with their members of Congress, who took their story to the media– should feel incredibly proud of this victory. But HIV advocacy isn’t just one funding battle, it’s a movement, and we are ready to track these funds as they are implemented and fight for an FY27 budget that gets us back on track to ending the HIV epidemic and supporting those living with HIV. The Save HIV Funding Campaign stands firmly behind our community members who continue to fight for their lives nationwide.”

Despite the victory, the threat of FY26 funding cuts has already had negative downstream effects, as advocates staged a rally in Tallahassee, Florida, today to oppose proposed changes to the state’s federally funded AIDS Drug Assistance Program. The modifications would remove at least 16,000 people living with HIV from an HIV program that provides access to life-saving medication and coverage. The Save HIV Funding Campaign stands with the HIV community and its advocates in Florida who are fighting to restore access to essential medication and services. 

Statement by Jeremiah Johnson, Executive Director, PrEP4All and Co-Founder, Save HIV Funding Campaign: “These victories don’t just happen. They are the result of affected communities coming together week after week to raise their voices in opposition to those who would take away lifesaving funding that keeps us and our loved ones safe and healthy. Over the past year, I have been asked repeatedly by stakeholders in our movement what advocates can possibly do in the face of such drastic attacks. Today’s victory is proof of the ongoing power of this intersectional advocacy community. Shed your doubts, quit holding back, and join us as we drive onward to a day where this epidemic is ended for every community in America.”

Statement from Suraj Madoori, Director of Policy Advocacy, AVAC and Co-Founder, Save HIV Funding Campaign:“By counteracting deep proposed cuts by the administration to global HIV funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in last week’s National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs (NSRP) conference agreement and winning increases across major domestic HIV priorities including research – the Save HIV Funding campaign has proven that the history of our movement brings the community energy, advocacy strategy, and bold tactics needed to win a vision to end the epidemic everywhere. These crucial wins for global and domestic HIV now require us to not hold back, and urge Congress to swiftly approve all the FY26 bills, push the President to sign them, and for us to ensure accountability in the administration to spend and implement this lifesaving funding as instructed by the people and those who represent us in Washington D.C..”