Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Jerry Moran
In Committee
Summary
Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, and science agencies for FY2026 would set funding levels across federal economic, law enforcement, and research programs and add tight rules on transfers, reporting, and project oversight.
Show full summary
- Families, victims, and communities would see increased support for safety and recovery. The bill designates $720 million for the Office on Violence Against Women and about $1.9 billion for state and local law enforcement grants.
- Scientists, students, and space workers would get research and program funding. NASA would receive about $7.8 billion and the National Science Foundation would get roughly $7.2 billion plus $1.0 billion for STEM education.
- Businesses, manufacturers, and local economies would gain direct and technical support. The Economic Development Administration is funded at $360 million and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office would operate with roughly $5.0 billion in fee-funded resources.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
20 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 6 costs, 4 mixed.
Big increases for local police and victims
If enacted, the bill would provide large grant packages for victims and state and local law enforcement. It would fund $720 million for violence-against-women programs (including $80 million transferred from a named Fund) and about $1.88 billion for state and local law enforcement programs with many suballocations. If enacted, the Attorney General could use up to 2% of certain grant funds for training and transfer up to 2% for research. If enacted, $60 million would be available for criminal justice research and statistics. If enacted, Notices of Funding Opportunities must post within 90 days and awards must be made by Sept 30, 2026, subject to limited waivers for justification.
Stronger NOAA and weather support
If enacted, the bill would direct the National Weather Service to keep staffing up to protect life and property. It would let the Commerce Secretary waive up to 50% of cost shares for certain NOAA coastal construction grants. NOAA could also set alternate fixed relocation rates for eligible employees after consulting staff and experts.
Cancel $305M in prior-year funds
If enacted, the bill would permanently rescind $305,000,000 in unspent prior-year balances across several Commerce and Justice accounts by September 30, 2026. Agencies must report exact amounts by September 1, 2026. Money marked for emergency or disaster relief and certain excluded sources would not be taken.
Limits on DOJ surveillance and prosecutions
If enacted, the bill would stop agencies from issuing national security letters in ways that break the laws that allow them, keeping NSL use inside the listed statutes. If enacted, the Department of Justice could not use these funds to try to block the named states and territories from running their medical marijuana laws. If enacted, DOJ could not use these funds to target or investigate parents who peacefully protest at school board meetings if there is no suspicion of illegal acts, nor prosecute religious institutions based on their beliefs.
More grant money for poor counties
If enacted, at least 10% of each dollar for Public Works grants and specified Stevenson-Wydler grants would go to persistent poverty counties. Persistent poverty counties are those with 20% or more of people in poverty over the past 30 years. This applies to amounts in this Act.
New DOJ spending and review limits
If enacted, the bill would limit transfers among Department of Justice appropriations so no more than 3% of any appropriation may move and no appropriation may be increased by more than 6% by transfers except where the bill allows. If enacted, working capital fund income would generally not be available in FY2026 except for up to $12 million for a unified DOJ financial system and limited transfers treated as reprogrammings. If enacted, DOJ could not spend money on new or enhanced IT programs over $100 million unless the Deputy Attorney General and review board certify management controls. If enacted, up to $50,000 of DOJ funds in this title may be used for the Attorney General's reception and representation expenses.
New rules for Commerce contractors
If enacted, businesses seeking large Commerce contracts or grants would face new tax-certification rules for awards over $5,000,000. The bill would bar paying incentive fees for contractors judged unsatisfactory. Commerce could make advanced payments when officials say it is in the public interest. Commerce could also accept up to $200,000 in tenant reimbursements for building services back to the account that paid those costs.
Tighter tech security and CHIPS rules
If enacted, NASA, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and the National Space Council could not use these funds to do bilateral programs with China or host official Chinese visitors unless a new law allows it or an FBI-reviewed certification is provided. If enacted, Commerce, Justice, NASA, and NSF could not buy high- or moderate-impact IT systems with this money unless supply-chain and cyber-risk reviews are done with NIST and the FBI and the acquisition is certified as in the national interest. If enacted, Commerce and NSF would have 45 days to allocate CHIPS FY2026 funds per the bill's report tables and must send quarterly CHIPS balance reports.
Free online Legislative reports
If enacted, NTIS could not charge you for a Legislative Branch report unless it first tells you how to get a free electronic copy. If you still want a printed copy, any charge could only cover NTIS's actual processing, reproduction, and delivery costs.
Protect industrial hemp research
If enacted, the bill would stop the Department of Justice or DEA from using this money to act against industrial hemp research in ways that conflict with the 2014 Farm Bill's hemp research rules. This would protect hemp researchers and related producers from certain enforcement actions.
Easier firearm import and export rules
If enacted, agencies could not use this bill's money to deny shotgun import applications that meet legal rules and that had no prior sporting-purpose denial before Jan 1, 2011. If enacted, agencies could not use funds to deny qualified permits to import U.S.-origin curios or relics when the application meets the cited rules. If enacted, small-value shipments of many firearm parts to Canada would not need a U.S. export license when the total wholesale value is $500 or less, with some exclusions. If enacted, federal officers could not hand an operable firearm to a suspected cartel agent using these funds unless U.S. officers continuously monitor the firearm.
No funds to force abortion services
If enacted, the bill would prohibit using funds in this title to require any person to perform or to facilitate the performance of an abortion. This restriction would be effective upon enactment.
NOAA and ESA cooperative authority
If enacted, NOAA could accept and use land, services, equipment, staff, and money provided by other governments or groups for NOAA purposes, and certain permitting funds would be available until Sept 30, 2027. If enacted, the Economics and Statistics Administration could use available funds to make cooperative agreements with governments or colleges for statistics, research, and methods work.
Keep FY2024 college overhead rules
If enacted, Commerce, NASA, and NSF would keep using the negotiated indirect cost rates for colleges and universities that applied in fiscal year 2024. The bill would bar using funds to change those FY2024 negotiated rates. This preserves current indirect rate treatment for institutions getting federal support from those agencies.
Caps on special Commerce and Justice payments
If enacted, payments under 22 U.S.C. 2680b(i)(2) using funds in this Act would be capped at $5,000,000 for the Department of Commerce and $10,000,000 for the Department of Justice. Emergency-designated amounts and certain witness fee funds are excluded.
Limits on DOJ-funded abortions
If enacted, funds in this title could not be used to pay for an abortion except to save the mother's life or in cases of rape or incest. The restriction would not apply if a court declares it unconstitutional.
Limits on travel and network rules for staff
If enacted, agencies could not use these funds to send more than 50 U.S.-based employees to any single foreign conference, with narrow law-enforcement and scientific exceptions and required 15-day notice for science exceptions. If enacted, agencies could not buy first-class or premium airline travel with these funds. If enacted, networks paid for with this money must block viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography, with exceptions for law enforcement and victim-assistance work.
No funds to implement Arms Trade Treaty
If enacted, agencies could not use funds in this Act to implement the Arms Trade Treaty until the Senate approves a resolution to ratify it. This restriction would be effective upon enactment and remain until ratification.
Prisoner transport, services, and limits
If enacted, the bill would bar building or changing U.S. facilities to hold certain people who were at Guantanamo Bay on June 24, 2009 and are not U.S. citizens or service members. If enacted, agencies could not transfer Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or other detainees who meet the listed criteria into the United States using these funds. If enacted, federal prisons could not use these funds to buy cable TV or recreational media, but could buy media for training, religion, or education. If enacted, the Bureau of Prisons must provide escorts when a female inmate needs an outside service. If enacted, live tissue training paid by this Act would need a written Attorney General waiver. If enacted, high-security prisoner transports are allowed only to suitably certified facilities. If enacted, Federal Prison Industries would be limited to $2,700,000 for administrative expenses.
Stronger buy-American and audit rules
If enacted, companies found by a court or agency to have intentionally lied about "Made in America" could be barred from contracts paid by this bill. If enacted, agencies would be asked to buy promotional items made in the U.S. when practicable and prefer Energy Star light bulbs for federal purchases. If enacted, inspectors general must audit grants and contracts paid by this Act and recipients must certify they will not pass funds to someone with a financial interest in the recipient.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Jerry Moran
KS • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in