Federal Policy (November 2025)
Congress Funds Federal Government; Temporarily Restores Federal Workers
Congress has passed an agreement to reopen the federal government, fund key programs like SNAP, WIC, and Head Start through FY2026, and temporarily reinstate U.S. Department of Education staff supporting homeless and foster youth. Learn what’s included and what comes next.
What Happened:
On November 12, the U.S. House of Representatives approved an agreement to reopen the federal government. President Trump signed it into law shortly after passage.
What’s in the Agreement:
- Provides full-year funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as military construction and legislative branch programs. This means that:
- SNAP and WIC programs are funded for the remainder of the fiscal year (through September 30, 2026).
- Funding will flow to the Head Start programs that were supposed to receive their funding on October 1. Collectively, these Head Start programs serve an estimated 4,800 children experiencing homelessness and 2,800 children in foster care.
- Continues current funding levels for most other federal programs through January 30, 2026.
- As a reminder, most federal education programs are forward-funded, so funding levels for McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth program, Title I, and other education programs for the 2026-2027 school year have yet to be finalized.
- Temporarily reverses the reductions in force (RIFs) issued during the shutdown. U.S. Department of Education staff, including those administering the Education for Homeless Children and Youth (EHCY) program and those overseeing foster care, will be reinstated until at least the end of the continuing resolution (January 30, 2026).
- The final compromise does not extend HUD Continuum of Care programs that are set to expire at the end of FY2025.
What’s Next:
- The House and Senate must pass their remaining spending bills, resolve the differences between the bills, and pass these reconciled bills by January 30, or pass another continuing resolution; failure to do either will result in another government shutdown.
- Within five days, the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies must notify employees affected by the RIFs, as well as House and Senate Appropriations Committee leaders, of the withdrawal of RIF notices and the reinstatement of affected employees, “if applicable.”
- Litigation to stop the RIFs permanently is ongoing; a federal judge has already halted the RIFs while the case proceeds.
What You Can Do:
SHC will continue to closely monitor legislative activity on FY2026 appropriations and provide updates on strategic advocacy actions. Please contact TJ for assistance in arranging a virtual meeting with legislative offices to educate on the importance of EHCY protections and funding.