NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya has promised a House subcommittee that the agency will spend its entire budget by the end of fiscal year 2026.[1] The President's FY 2026 budget requests $27.9 billion in discretionary and mandatory resources for NIH.[1] These funds are intended to support scientific efforts to improve the health and life expectancy of Americans, including personalized gene editing to treat rare diseases and initiatives to elucidate the causes of autism.[1] NIH focuses on academic freedom, a culture of respectful scholarly dissent, and research informed by the experiences of American communities.[1] The agency will not renew DEI-related grants in 2026 because they have not improved minority health and no longer align with NIH priorities.[2] Previously, NIH canceled $783 million in grants due to DEI efforts, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in August 2025.[2] Bhattacharya emphasized that NIH's mission is to improve the health and longevity of Americans through research that produces real results.[1][2] The budget supports the integration of AI and emerging technologies into biomedical, behavioral and social research.[1]