S 2354 · 119th Congress

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

federal appropriationslaw enforcement fundingspace explorationscience researchcrime victims assistance

Last action 2025-07-17

Sponsored by Sen. Moran, Jerry [R-KS] (R) — KS

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Would provide FY2026 appropriations for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and more than a dozen related agencies, funding programs from the FBI and federal prisons to weather satellites, civil rights enforcement, and legal aid for low-income Americans.

The bill covers hundreds of billions of dollars in federal spending and includes binding policy riders — among them restrictions on NASA cooperation with China, limits on DOJ investigations of school-board protesters and religious institutions, and requirements that the Attorney General preserve and report on records related to Jeffrey Epstein.

What this bill would do

What it would do

The bill would appropriate funds for fiscal year 2026 to the Department of Commerce (including NOAA, the Census Bureau, NIST, the Patent and Trademark Office, and the Economic Development Administration), the Department of Justice (including the FBI, DEA, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, federal prison system, U.S. Attorneys, and state and local law enforcement grant programs), the science agencies (NASA and the National Science Foundation), and related agencies such as the EEOC, Legal Services Corporation, Commission on Civil Rights, and the U.S. Trade Representative. It also sets forth a wide range of conditions, restrictions, and reporting requirements governing how funds may be used.

Beyond pure appropriations, the bill would rescind certain prior-year unobligated balances across Commerce and Justice accounts; prohibit NASA, OSTP, and the National Space Council from bilateral cooperation with China absent FBI certification; restrict DOJ from interfering with state medical marijuana laws; require the Attorney General to preserve and report on Epstein-related records; and amend the governing-board attorney-composition requirement for Legal Services Corporation recipients from 60 percent to 33 percent.

Key provisions

1Would appropriate approximately $14.6 billion for the Department of Commerce, including $4.5 billion for NOAA operations and $4.9 billion for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, funded primarily from offsetting fee collections.Title I
2Would appropriate roughly $40 billion for the Department of Justice, including $10.6 billion for the FBI, $8.4 billion for the Federal Prison System, $2.6 billion for U.S. Attorneys, and $2.2 billion for U.S. Marshals Service prisoner detention.Title II
3Would appropriate $720 million for violence against women prevention and prosecution grant programs, allocated across 27 specific program categories including $255 million for STOP grants and $80 million from the Crime Victims Fund.Title II
4Would appropriate approximately $24.5 billion for NASA across science, exploration, space operations, aeronautics, and space technology accounts, and $9 billion for the National Science Foundation.Title III
5Would prohibit NASA, OSTP, and the National Space Council from any bilateral activity with China or Chinese-owned companies unless FBI-certified to pose no national security or economic security risk, with 30-day advance notice to Congress.Sec. 526
6Would rescind $305 million in prior-year unobligated balances across Commerce and Justice accounts, including $125 million from Office of Justice Programs and $100 million from the DOJ Working Capital Fund.Sec. 521
7Would require the Attorney General to preserve all records related to the Epstein case and submit a detailed report within 60 days of enactment covering investigations, co-conspirators, misconduct findings, and foreign financial ties.Sec. 224

Who would be affected

Federal agencies across the Commerce, Justice, and science portfolios — and the millions of Americans they serve. State and local law enforcement agencies, crime victims, domestic violence survivors, juvenile justice programs, scientific researchers, universities, minority-owned businesses, Pacific salmon fisheries stakeholders, public defenders and legal-aid clients, and communities dependent on NOAA weather forecasting and Census data collection would all be directly reached by the bill's grant programs and funding levels.

Why it matters

The funding levels set here govern how robustly the FBI investigates crime, how many federal prosecutors operate, how quickly immigration courts process cases, whether NASA's deep-space exploration programs stay on schedule, and whether legal aid organizations can serve low-income clients. The policy riders — on China, medical marijuana, Epstein records, and school-board meetings — carry immediate operational force from the day of enactment, constraining or directing executive-branch conduct regardless of agency preference.

What would change

Changes to existing law

Amends Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105-119), Sec. 501 (Title IV)

Adds a new subsection reducing the required attorney share of Legal Services Corporation recipient governing boards from 60 percent to 33 percent.

Amends Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1996 (Public Law 104-134), Sec. 502(2) (Title IV)

Replaces subparagraph (B) to lower the attorney-bar-member governing board requirement for LSC grantees from 60 percent to 33 percent.

Agencies directed to act

Department of CommerceNational Oceanic and Atmospheric AdministrationBureau of the CensusNational Institute of Standards and TechnologyU.S. Patent and Trademark OfficeEconomic Development AdministrationMinority Business Development AgencyNational Telecommunications and Information AdministrationDepartment of JusticeFederal Bureau of InvestigationDrug Enforcement AdministrationBureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and ExplosivesU.S. Marshals ServiceFederal Prison SystemExecutive Office for Immigration ReviewOffice on Violence Against WomenOffice of Justice ProgramsCommunity Oriented Policing ServicesNational Aeronautics and Space AdministrationNational Science FoundationOffice of Science and Technology PolicyNational Space CouncilEqual Employment Opportunity CommissionCommission on Civil RightsU.S. International Trade CommissionLegal Services CorporationMarine Mammal CommissionOffice of the U.S. Trade RepresentativeState Justice Institute

Effective dates

Spending plans due from all funded departments and agenciesSec. 528Within 45 days of enactment
CHIPS Act FY2026 fund allocations by Commerce and NSFSec. 541Within 45 days of enactment
Attorney General report on Jeffrey Epstein records and investigationsSec. 224Within 60 days of enactment
Notices of funding opportunities for State and Local Law Enforcement grants posted publiclySec. 223Within 90 days of enactment
State and Local Law Enforcement grant awards madeSec. 223By September 30, 2026
Rescissions of prior-year unobligated balances completedSec. 521By September 30, 2026
All appropriations cover fiscal year ending2026-09-30

Funding and costs

$10,643,713,000FY2026
Federal Bureau of Investigation salaries and expensesTitle II
$8,392,588,000FY2026
Federal Prison System administration and operationsTitle II
$7,783,000,000FY2026
NASA exploration research and development activitiesTitle III
$7,300,000,000FY2026
NASA science research and development activitiesTitle III
$7,176,500,000FY2026
National Science Foundation research and related activitiesTitle III
$4,996,100,000FY2026
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office salaries and expenses, funded primarily from fee collectionsTitle I
$4,477,642,000FY2026
NOAA operations, research, and facilitiesTitle I
$4,314,000,000FY2026
NASA space operations research and developmentTitle III
$2,611,000,000FY2026
U.S. Attorneys offices salaries and expensesTitle II
$2,567,000,000FY2026
Drug Enforcement Administration salaries and expensesTitle II
$2,236,000,000FY2026
Federal prisoner detention costs under U.S. Marshals ServiceTitle II
$1,878,146,000FY2026
State and local law enforcement assistance grants across multiple programsTitle II
$1,712,000,000FY2026
U.S. Marshals Service salaries and expensesTitle II
$1,625,000,000FY2026
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives salaries and expensesTitle II
$1,610,000,000FY2026
NOAA procurement, acquisition, and construction of capital assets including satellites and vesselsTitle I
$1,191,849,000FY2026
Census Bureau periodic censuses and programsTitle I
$1,006,628,000FY2026
NIST scientific and technical research and servicesTitle I
$1,000,000,000FY2026
National Science Foundation STEM education programsTitle III
$720,000,000FY2026
Violence against women prevention and prosecution grant programsTitle II
$566,000,000FY2026
Legal Services Corporation basic field programs and operationsTitle IV
$500,167,000FY2026
Community Oriented Policing Services grant programsTitle II
$455,000,000FY2026
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission salaries and expensesTitle IV
$380,000,000FY2026
Juvenile justice programs including mentoring, missing children, and delinquency preventionTitle II
$360,000,000FY2026
Economic Development Administration economic development assistance programsTitle I
$350,000,000FY2026
National Science Foundation major research equipment and facilities constructionTitle III

How implementation would work

Each funded agency would be required to submit a signed spending plan to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees within 45 days of enactment. Reprogramming of funds in excess of $500,000 or 5 percent requires 30 days' advance notice to those committees. Agencies must submit quarterly balance reports. Grant funding opportunity notices for state and local law enforcement programs must be posted within 90 days and awards made by September 30, 2026. Inspectors General for Commerce, Justice, NASA, NSF, and the Legal Services Corporation must audit grants and contracts and report to Congress every 180 days during active audits.

Legislative status & sources

Latest action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 122.

2025-07-17

Official CRS summary

Show the CRS summary

This bill provides FY2026 appropriations to the Department of Commerce, the Department of Justice (DOJ), the science agencies, and several related agencies.

The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Commerce for

the International Trade Administration,
the Bureau of Industry and Security,
the Economic Development Administration,
the Minority Business Development Agency,
Economic and Statistical Analysis,
the Bureau of the Census,
the National Telecommunications and Information Administration,
the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office,
the National Institute of Standards and Technology,
the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and
Departmental Management.

The bill provides appropriations to DOJ for

Justice Operations, Management, and Accountability;
the Executive Office for Immigration Review;
the Office of Inspector General;
the U.S. Parole Commission;
Legal Activities;
the U.S. Marshals Service;
the National Security Division;
Interagency Law Enforcement;
the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
the Drug Enforcement Administration;
the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and
the Federal Prison System.

The bill also provides appropriations to DOJ for state and local law enforcement activities, including

the Office on Violence Against Women,
the Office of Justice Programs, and
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

The bill provides appropriations for science agencies, including

the Office of Science and Technology Policy,
the National Space Council,
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and
the National Science Foundation.

The bill provides appropriations to related agencies, including

the Commission on Civil Rights,
the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission,
the U.S. International Trade Commission,
the Legal Services Corporation,
the Marine Mammal Commission,
the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and
the State Justice Institute.

The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.

From the Congressional Research Service.

Legislative subjects

Alaska; Appropriations; Asia; Assault and harassment offenses; Aviation and airports; Building construction; Business investment and capital; Buy American requirements; California; Census and government statistics; China; Commission on Civil Rights; Community life and organization; Competition and antitrust; Computers and information technology; Congressional oversight; Correctional facilities and imprisonment; Crime prevention; Crime victims; Crimes against women; Criminal investigation, prosecution, interrogation; Criminal justice information and records; Criminal procedure and sentencing; Cultural exchanges and relations; Department of Commerce; Department of Justice; Detention of persons; Diplomacy, foreign officials, Americans abroad; Disability assistance; Disaster relief and insurance; Domestic violence and child abuse; Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Drug trafficking and controlled substances; Drug, alcohol, tobacco use; Economic development; Economics and Public Finance; Education programs funding; Employment and training programs; Employment discrimination and employee rights; Endangered and threatened species; Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC); Europe; Evidence and witnesses; Executive agency funding and structure; Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Federal Prison Industries, Inc.; Firearms and explosives; Fishes; Fraud offenses and financial crimes; Genetics; Government buildings, facilities, and property; Government employee pay, benefits, personnel management; Government information and archives; Government trust funds; Hate crimes; Higher education; Human trafficking; Idaho; Immigration status and procedures; Immunology and vaccination; Indian social and development programs; Intellectual property; Intergovernmental relations; Internet, web applications, social media; Iran; Juvenile crime and gang violence; Law enforcement administration and funding; Law enforcement officers; Lawyers and legal services; Legal Services Corporation; Legal fees and court costs; Mammals; Marine Mammal Commission; Marine and coastal resources, fisheries; Mental health; Middle East; Minority and disadvantaged businesses; Missing persons; Motor vehicles; National Aeronautics and Space Administration; National Science Foundation; Nevada; North Korea; Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; Oregon; Organized crime; Pollution liability; Public contracts and procurement; Research administration and funding; Research and development; Rural conditions and development; Russia; Science and engineering education; Sex offenses; Smuggling and trafficking; Space flight and exploration; Spacecraft and satellites; Specialized courts; State and local courts; State and local government operations; Supply chain; U.S. International Trade Commission; U.S. and foreign investments; User charges and fees; Washington State

Committee report

S. Rept. 119-44

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