Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Bill Number: H.R. 5342
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Economics and Public Finance
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-09-12: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 228.
Last Updated: 2026-02-24T09:05:48Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

H.R. 5342, the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, provides funding for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, to support operations, programs, and activities of the Departments of Commerce and Justice, science agencies (including NASA and the National Science Foundation), and related entities. It authorizes appropriations from the U.S. Treasury for economic development, law enforcement, scientific research, space exploration, and judicial support, while imposing restrictions on fund usage to align with congressional priorities.

Key Provisions

The bill allocates approximately $70 billion across titles, with detailed funding for specific programs. Key allocations include:

Title I: Department of Commerce ($10.5 billion total)
International Trade Administration: $440 million for trade promotion, export activities, and enforcement against unfair trade practices (e.g., $16.4 million for China-related antidumping).
Bureau of Industry and Security: $303 million for export controls and national security.
Economic Development Administration: $256.5 million for grants to support business investment and innovation, plus $68 million for administration.
Bureau of the Census: $1.677 billion for surveys and periodic censuses.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): $5.741 billion for operations, research, procurement, and fisheries programs, including $65 million for Pacific salmon recovery.
United States Patent and Trademark Office: Nearly $5 billion, fully offset by fees.
National Institute of Standards and Technology: $1.28 billion for research, industrial services, and facilities construction.

Title II: Department of Justice ($38.5 billion total)
General legal activities and U.S. Attorneys: $3.677 billion for prosecutions and litigation.
Federal Bureau of Investigation: $10.13 billion for investigations and $30 million for construction.
Drug Enforcement Administration: $2.814 billion for drug enforcement.
Bureau of Prisons: $9.085 billion for operations and $306 million for facilities.
Office on Violence Against Women: $640.5 million for grants to prevent domestic violence and support victims.
Office of Justice Programs: $2.628 billion for state/local law enforcement, juvenile justice, and reentry programs, including $420 million for opioid reduction.
Community Oriented Policing Services: $654 million for hiring officers and technology grants.

Title III: Science ($18.5 billion total)
NASA: $15.8 billion across science ($6 billion), aeronautics ($775 million), space technology ($913 million), exploration ($9.716 billion), operations ($4.15 billion), and safety/mission services ($3.044 billion), with $200 million for construction.
National Science Foundation: $6.982 billion for research, facilities, and operations.

Title IV: Related Agencies ($935 million total)
Funding for the Commission on Civil Rights ($13 million), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ($435 million), International Trade Commission ($134 million), Legal Services Corporation ($300 million), and others like the Marine Mammal Commission and State Justice Institute.

Titles V and VI: General and Other Provisions
Rescinds $698 million in prior unobligated balances (e.g., from census and justice programs).
Imposes restrictions on fund use, including prohibitions on abortion funding (except in cases of life endangerment, rape, or incest), gun control measures, DEI initiatives, climate-related programs, and collaborations with China.
Requires spending plans, quarterly reports, and reprogramming notifications.
Amends the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act to clarify successor-in-interest claims for expropriated property.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Rescissions and Fund Limitations: Permanently rescinds $698 million from prior-year balances, reducing available funds for programs like violence against women grants and community policing.
Amendments to Cuban Liberty Act (Sec. 613): Clarifies that successors-in-interest to pre-1996 property claims are protected from discrimination in U.S. dealings with Cuba, repeals a related section, and applies retroactively to pending cases.
New Restrictions: Prohibits funding for DEI training/programs (Sec. 551), critical race theory education (Sec. 559), ESG investments (Sec. 560), and certain ATF rules on firearms (e.g., Secs. 543, 547-548, 591). Bans enforcement of specific immigration rules (Secs. 545-546) and vessel speed restrictions for whales (Secs. 542, 604).
CHIPS Act Allocations (Sec. 541): Mandates specific distributions from semiconductor funds to NIST and NSF programs.
Firearms and Hemp Provisions: Exempts certain firearms from National Firearms Act taxes (Sec. 618) and protects industrial hemp research (Sec. 530).

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Enhances funding for trade enforcement, law enforcement (e.g., FBI, DEA), space exploration, and scientific research, but rescissions and restrictions may limit administrative flexibility, delay projects (e.g., NOAA fisheries), and increase oversight burdens. Prohibitions on DEI/climate programs could reduce related initiatives.
Citizens: Supports economic development grants for businesses/minorities, victim services for violence/trafficking, and reentry programs for ex-offenders. Gun rights protections (e.g., against registries or buybacks) benefit firearm owners, while immigration limits may affect asylum processes and alien legal aid. Restrictions on abortion/DEI could influence federal employee training and healthcare access.
International Relations: Bolsters export controls and trade promotion, potentially straining ties with China (bans on collaborations). Fisheries/salmon funding aids U.S. coastal communities; Cuban Act changes may facilitate claims against foreign entities, impacting U.S.-Cuba relations.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies: Commerce (e.g., NOAA, NIST), Justice (e.g., FBI, Prisons, ATF), NASA, NSF, and related bodies like the EEOC and Legal Services Corporation.
Businesses and Economy: Exporters, manufacturers (via trade/patent funding), minority enterprises, and tech/semiconductor firms (CHIPS allocations).
Law Enforcement and Justice System: State/local police, prosecutors, victims of crime/violence, immigrants, and prisoners (through grants and restrictions).
Citizens and Communities: Taxpayers (via rescissions/savings), gun owners, women/victims of violence, rural/fishing communities, and higher education institutions (STEM collaborations limited).
International Actors: China (research/travel bans), Cuba (property claims), and trade partners (enforcement priorities).

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Legal: Reinforces congressional spending power under Article I, Section 9 by imposing detailed restrictions (e.g., on ATF rules, potentially challenging executive actions). Amendments to the Cuban Act may invite litigation over retroactive claims, testing due process. Prohibitions on certain rules (e.g., immigration, firearms) could lead to court challenges on separation of powers.
Constitutional: Protects Second Amendment rights via gun-related bans; First Amendment implications in speech/censorship restrictions (Secs. 224, 586). Equal protection concerns arise from DEI/abortion limits, potentially conflicting with prior court rulings (e.g., on religious freedoms, Sec. 577).
Political: Reflects partisan priorities, emphasizing law enforcement, space/national security, and conservative social issues (e.g., anti-DEI, pro-gun, anti-abortion) while cutting "woke" programs. Could polarize debates on immigration, climate, and China policy; rescissions promote fiscal restraint but may hinder ongoing initiatives.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Rogers, Harold [R-KY-5]

Recent Actions

2025-09-12: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 228.
2025-09-12: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-272, by Mr. Rogers (KY).
2025-09-12: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-272, by Mr. Rogers (KY).

Bill Versions

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2025-09-12 — PDF (154 pages)