BREAKING: FY 2026 White House Budget Proposal: What Emergency Managers Need to Know

On May 2, 2025, the White House released its proposed discretionary budget for FY 2026, signaling major shifts that could reshape the landscape for emergency management and public health preparedness. Though this proposal is just a starting point for congressional negotiations, it offers a clear preview of federal priorities and the potential consequences if those priorities become policy. You can read the full proposal here: Fiscal Year 2026 Discretionary Budget Request

Key Changes That Could Impact Emergency Response

1. Elimination of the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP)

The Administration is calling to eliminate the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), arguing it's inefficient and lacks focus. HPP is currently the only dedicated federal funding stream for hospital readiness, supporting healthcare coalitions, disaster planning, interoperable communications, and staff training.

Responsibility would shift to the states-potentially allowing for more local control, but also risking a fragmented system. In large-scale or cross-state disasters, that fragmentation could lead to dangerous coordination gaps.

For a deeper dive, read: Breakdown: The Hospital Preparedness Program and the FY2026 Budget Threat

Potential Impacts:

• Preparedness levels could differ widely across states.

• Regional coordination could weaken.

• Hospitals may struggle to scale during major crises.

2. Major Cuts to CDC Programs

The proposal includes a $3.6 billion cut to CDC funding and consolidates multiple disease-specific and preparedness programs into a single grant. It also mentions eliminating the "Public Health Preparedness and Response" division- though that entity no longer exists.

Today, its responsibilities are handled by the CDC’s Office of Readiness and Response (ORR), which oversees:

• PHEP cooperative agreements, which fund the infrastructure state and local public health departments need to detect, respond to, and recover from public health threats. This includes surveillance, laboratory testing, emergency communications, countermeasure distribution, and exercises.

• The Emergency Operations Center (EOC), CDC’s central hub for coordinating national public health emergencies.

The vague language in the budget makes it unclear whether these active programs are at risk. But the implications for public health capacity could be serious.

Potential Impacts:

• Gaps in national and state-level coordination.

• Weaker detection and communication systems.

• Loss of systems built after decades of investment in public health emergencies.

What Public Health and Emergency Leaders Can Do

• Speak Up: Make sure policymakers understand what these programs enable on the ground, and what cuts will

• Plan Proactively: Consider how responsibilities may shift if federal support is reduced.

• Build Coalitions: Strengthen ties with nonprofits, healthcare systems, and private partners that may need to step up.

Final Takeaways

This budget proposal doesn’t just cut dollars—it raises questions about the federal role in emergency preparedness. Whether these proposals are adopted or not, now is the time for health and emergency leaders to prepare, engage, and make their voices heard.

Click here to see how Health Response Alliance can support your readiness efforts.