Date: Thursday, February 26, 2026
Category: Member News
Greetings from Washington, D.C., where tariffs and a mini-government shutdown are the talk of the town.
But there is good news. Congress finally passed most of the FY 2026 appropriations bills. Not only that, but Congress rejected the President’s proposed cuts and kept level funding for disability and rehabilitation research, including the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).
With the start of the new year and Congress back in session, we are working with our coalition partners to set priorities for the Congressional term. RESNA is a member of 3 coalitions:
• Coalition to Preserve Rehabilitation (CPR) – advocates for policies that ensure access to rehabilitative care so that individuals with disabilities, injuries or chronic conditions may regain and/or maintain their maximum level of independent function. See www.preserverehab.org for more information.
• Disability and Rehabilitation Research Coalition (DRRC) – dedicated to improving the science of medical rehabilitation, disability, and independent living by protecting and enhancing federal resources. Visit www.drrc-coalition.org to learn more.
• Independence Through Enhancement of Medicare and Medicaid Coalition (ITEM) - devoted to raising awareness and building support for policies that will enhance access to assistive devices, technologies, and related services for people with disabilities and chronic conditions. Check out www.itemcoalition.org for the 2026 priorities.
Interested in learning more? See our updated Government Relations webpage for what was accomplished last year and the 2026 priorities. Consider joining the Government Affairs Committee and getting more involved. All you need is an email address and an Internet connection! Contact execoffice@resna.org to sign up.