Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026

Bill Number: H.R. 6938
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 2
Policy Area: Economics and Public Finance
Status: Became Law
Became Law: Public Law 119-74
Latest Action: 2026-01-23: Became Public Law No: 119-74.
Last Updated: 2026-06-19T10:56:28Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026

Purpose

This Act provides consolidated appropriations for fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2026) to fund operations, programs, and activities across multiple federal departments and agencies. It supports key areas including commerce and trade promotion, justice administration and law enforcement, scientific research and space exploration, energy production and water infrastructure, environmental protection, natural resource management, and tribal services. The legislation ensures continuity of essential government functions while advancing priorities like economic development, public safety, environmental stewardship, and tribal self-determination.

Key Provisions

The Act is structured into three divisions, allocating funds across various agencies and programs. Major funding categories include:

Division A: Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies ($XX billion total):
Department of Commerce: $582 million for International Trade Administration operations; $235 million for Bureau of Industry and Security; $400 million for Economic Development Administration assistance; $50 million for Minority Business Development; $118 million for Economic and Statistical Analysis; $1.17 billion for Bureau of the Census periodic programs; $50 million for National Telecommunications and Information Administration; $4.96 billion for United States Patent and Trademark Office (offset by fees); $1.25 billion for National Institute of Standards and Technology research; $4.54 billion for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration operations.
Department of Justice: $140 million for operations and management; $800 million for Executive Office for Immigration Review; $139 million for Office of Inspector General; $900 million for general legal activities; $245 million for antitrust enforcement; $2.62 billion for United States Attorneys; $205 million for United States Trustee Program; $1.70 billion for United States Marshals Service; $10.61 billion for Federal Bureau of Investigation; $2.58 billion for Drug Enforcement Administration; $1.59 billion for Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; $8.10 billion for Federal Prison System; $720 million for Office on Violence Against Women; $2.40 billion for state and local law enforcement assistance; $375 million for juvenile justice programs; $800 million for Community Oriented Policing Services.
Science: $7.97 million for Office of Science and Technology Policy; $7.25 billion for NASA science; $935 million for NASA aeronautics; $920.5 million for NASA space technology; $7.78 billion for NASA exploration; $4.18 billion for NASA space operations; $143 million for NASA STEM engagement; $3 billion for NASA safety, security, and mission services; $185 million for NASA construction; $46.5 million for NASA Office of Inspector General.
Related Agencies: Funding for Commission on Civil Rights ($14.35 million), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ($435 million), International Trade Commission ($122 million), Legal Services Corporation ($540 million), Marine Mammal Commission ($4.3 million), Office of the United States Trade Representative ($65 million), and State Justice Institute ($7.64 million).
General Provisions: Includes transfer authorities, restrictions on use of funds (e.g., no funding for abortions except in specific cases), and rescissions of prior unobligated balances.

Division B: Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies ($XX billion total):
Corps of Engineers--Civil: $150 million for investigations; $3.17 billion for construction; $532 million for Mississippi River and Tributaries; $6.01 billion for operation and maintenance; $221 million for regulatory program; $75 million for Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program; $40 million for flood control emergencies; $220 million for general expenses; $7 million for Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Works; $2.2 million for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program.
Department of the Interior: $23 million for Central Utah Project; $1.47 billion for Bureau of Reclamation water and related resources; $32 million for California Bay-Delta Restoration; $64 million for policy and administration.
Department of Energy: $3.1 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy; $190 million for cybersecurity and emergency response; $235 million for electricity; $25 million for grid deployment; $1.79 billion for nuclear energy; $720 million for fossil energy; $98 million for energy projects; $13 million for naval petroleum reserves; $206 million for Strategic Petroleum Reserve; $7.15 million for Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve; $135 million for Energy Information Administration; $322 million for non-defense environmental cleanup; $865 million for uranium enrichment decontamination; $8.4 billion for science; $12 million for nuclear waste disposal; $350 million for Advanced Research Projects Agency--Energy; $35 million for Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program administrative expenses; $150 million for advanced nuclear reactor loan guarantees; $9.5 million for Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program; $6.3 million for Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program; $75 million for Indian Energy Policy and Programs; $301 million for Departmental Administration; $90 million for Office of Inspector General.
National Nuclear Security Administration: $20.38 billion for weapons activities; $2.37 billion for defense nuclear nonproliferation; $2.13 billion for naval reactors; $525 million for Federal Salaries and Expenses.
Environmental and Other Defense Activities: $7.38 billion for defense environmental cleanup; $1.17 billion for other defense activities.
Power Marketing Administrations: Funding for Bonneville ($0 direct, from fund), Southeastern ($9.29 million), Southwestern ($59.77 million), Western ($311 million), and Falcon and Amistad ($6.51 million).
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: $520 million (offset by fees).
Independent Agencies: Funding for Appalachian Regional Commission ($200 million), Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board ($42 million), Delta Regional Authority ($32 million), Denali Commission ($18 million), Northern Border Regional Commission ($42 million), Northwest Regional Commission ($1 million), Southeast Crescent Regional Commission ($20 million), Southwest Border Regional Commission ($5.5 million), Great Lakes Authority ($5 million), and Nuclear Regulatory Commission ($952.7 million, offset by fees).

Division C: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies ($XX billion total):
Department of the Interior: $1.26 billion for Bureau of Land Management management; $116 million for Oregon and California Grant Lands; $10 million minimum for Range Improvements; variable for Service Charges, Deposits, and Forfeitures; $1.45 billion for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service resource management; $15 million for construction; $22 million for Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund; $13 million for National Wildlife Refuge Fund; $49 million for North American Wetlands Conservation Fund; $5 million for Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation; $21 million for Multinational Species Conservation Fund; $74 million for State and Tribal Wildlife Grants; $2.88 billion for National Park Service operation; $92 million for national recreation and preservation; $205 million for Historic Preservation Fund; $88 million for construction; $5 million for Centennial Challenge; $1.42 billion for U.S. Geological Survey surveys; $191 million for Bureau of Ocean Energy Management; $161 million for Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement; $15 million for Oil Spill Research; $118 million for Office of Surface Mining Regulation; $33 million for Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund; $1.93 billion for Bureau of Indian Affairs operation; $4 million for Indian Land Consolidation; variable for Contract Support Costs; variable for Payments for Tribal Leases; $136 million for construction; $1 million for Indian Land and Water Claim Settlements; $13 million for Indian Guaranteed Loan Program; $1.13 billion for Bureau of Indian Education operation; $235 million for education construction; $100 million for Bureau of Trust Funds Administration; $131 million for Office of the Secretary departmental operations; $117 million for Assistance to Territories; $813,000 for Compact of Free Association; $84 million for Office of the Solicitor; $65 million for Office of Inspector General; $1.15 billion for Wildland Fire Management; $370 million for Wildfire Suppression Operations Reserve Fund; $9 million for Central Hazardous Materials Fund; $4.7 million for Energy Community Revitalization Program; $6.5 million for Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund; $91 million for Working Capital Fund; $160 million for Office of Natural Resources Revenue.
Environmental Protection Agency: $744 million for Science and Technology; $3.11 billion for Environmental Programs and Management; $43 million for Office of Inspector General; $41 million for Buildings and Facilities; $283 million for Hazardous Substance Superfund; $89 million for Leaking Underground Storage Tank Trust Fund Program; $21 million for Inland Oil Spill Programs; $4.41 billion for State and Tribal Assistance Grants; $65 million for Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program.
Related Agencies: Funding for various entities including Department of Agriculture's Office of Under Secretary ($780,000), Forest Service operations ($1.09 billion), research ($309 million), state/private/tribal forestry ($311 million), national forest system ($1.86 billion), capital improvement ($153 million), land acquisitions (variable), range betterment (50% of fees), gifts for research ($45,000), subsistence uses ($1.1 million), wildland fire management ($2.43 billion), communications site administration (variable), Indian Health Service ($5.83 billion total), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ($77 million), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry ($80 million), Council on Environmental Quality ($4.6 million), Chemical Safety Board ($14 million), Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development ($13.5 million), Smithsonian Institution ($928 million salaries/expenses, $152 million facilities capital), National Gallery of Art ($185 million salaries/expenses, $19 million repair), John F. Kennedy Center ($32 million operations, $4.9 million capital), Woodrow Wilson Center ($5 million), National Endowment for the Arts ($207 million), National Endowment for the Humanities ($207 million), Commission of Fine Arts ($3.6 million), National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs ($5 million), Advisory Council on Historic Preservation ($8.3 million), National Capital Planning Commission ($8.8 million), United States Holocaust Memorial Museum ($65 million), and United States Semiquincentennial Commission ($15 million).
General Provisions: Includes transfer authorities, emergency funding, restrictions (e.g., no promotion of legislation, no funding for certain contracts), and extensions of authorities (e.g., grazing permits, timber sales).

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Rescissions: Permanently rescinds $XX million in unobligated balances from prior years (e.g., Economic Development Administration, Census Working Capital Fund, DOJ accounts).
Extensions and Amendments: Extends authorities for programs like the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Program, tribal leases, and grazing permits through FY 2026 or later. Amends laws for Indian Health Service payments, historic preservation fund deposits, and National Park Service grant administration.
New Allocations: Introduces specific funding for community projects (e.g., $XX million in congressionally directed spending across agencies) and repurposes infrastructure funds for wildfire management and inspections.
Loan and Grant Adjustments: Modifies loan guarantee programs (e.g., Title 17 for nuclear reactors) and state revolving funds to include more flexibility for subsidies and non-federal matching.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Provides operational budgets to sustain core functions, enabling agencies like DOJ, EPA, and Forest Service to maintain staffing, enforce laws, and respond to emergencies (e.g., wildfires, oil spills). Enhances capabilities in trade enforcement, scientific research, and tribal health services.
Citizens: Supports public safety (e.g., FBI, prisons), environmental protection (e.g., clean water grants benefiting communities), economic development (e.g., minority business support, rural infrastructure), and access to services (e.g., national parks, wildlife conservation). Tribal communities gain from health, education, and land management funding.
International Relations: Funds trade promotion, export controls, and international conservation efforts (e.g., multinational species grants, NOAA activities), potentially strengthening U.S. economic and environmental diplomacy.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Federal Agencies: Departments of Commerce, Justice, Interior, Energy, EPA, and related entities (e.g., NASA, NSF, Forest Service, Indian Health Service) receive primary funding.
States, Tribes, and Local Governments: Benefit from grants for infrastructure, wildlife conservation, law enforcement, and environmental programs; tribes particularly from self-determination contracts and health services.
Businesses and Industries: Supported through economic development, patent/trademark fees, energy loans, and regulatory relief (e.g., mining, oil/gas leasing).
Citizens and Communities: Impacted via public services, environmental safeguards, cultural preservation, and disaster response; underserved areas (e.g., persistent poverty counties, rural/tribal lands) prioritized in grants.
Non-Profits and Educational Institutions: Eligible for grants in arts, humanities, science, and conservation.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Tribal Sovereignty: Reinforces self-determination through contract support costs and lease payments, aligning with constitutional trust responsibilities to tribes.
Environmental and Energy Policy: Balances conservation (e.g., national monuments, endangered species) with resource development (e.g., oil/gas leasing, nuclear loans), potentially influencing debates on climate and energy independence.
Fiscal Accountability: Includes reprogramming restrictions, rescissions, and reporting requirements to ensure congressional oversight, promoting transparency in spending.
Equity and Access: Prioritizes underserved populations (e.g., minorities, rural areas, tribes) in funding, addressing historical inequities without mandating new entitlements.
Emergency Powers: Grants flexibility for disaster response (e.g., wildfires, floods) but requires replenishment, upholding separation of powers by tying to appropriations.

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

Sponsor

Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4]

Recent Actions

2026-01-23: Became Public Law No: 119-74.
2026-01-23: Became Public Law No: 119-74.
2026-01-23: Signed by President.
2026-01-23: Signed by President.
2026-01-22: Presented to President.
2026-01-22: Presented to President.
2026-01-15: Message on Senate action sent to the House.
2026-01-15: Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 82 - 15. Record Vote Number: 11. (Roll call 11)
2026-01-15: Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 82 - 15. Record Vote Number: 11. (Roll call 11)
2026-01-15: Motion by Senator Thune to commit to Senate Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 4210) fell when cloture on the measure was invoked in Senate.
2026-01-15: Cloture on the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 85 - 14. Record Vote Number: 10. (CR S230) (Roll call 10)
2026-01-15: Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S227-249)
2026-01-14: Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S185-218)
2026-01-13: Cloture motion on the measure presented in Senate.
2026-01-13: Motion by Senator Thune to commit to Senate Committee on Appropriations with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 4210) made in Senate.

Bill Versions

Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2026-01-08 — PDF (408 pages)
Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2026-01-21 — PDF (168 pages)
Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2026-01-06 — PDF (407 pages)
Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2026-01-08 — PDF (408 pages)