H.R. 6938 — Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026

This section makes applicable appropriations and funds available to the Department of Commerce during the current fiscal year for activities specified in the Act of October 26, 1949 (15 U.S.C. 1514), to the extent and in the manner prescribed by that Act. The section also authorizes advance payments not otherwise permitted under 31 U.S.C. 3324 upon certification by officials designated by the Secretary of Commerce that such payments are in the public interest.

This section authorizes the Department of Commerce to use salaries and expenses appropriations during the current fiscal year for hiring passenger motor vehicles (as authorized by 31 U.S.C. 1343 and 1344), services (as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 3109), and uniforms or allowances therefor (as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5901–5902).

This section authorizes transfers of up to 5% of any appropriation for the Department of Commerce for the current fiscal year between such appropriations, provided no such appropriation is increased by more than 10% by any such transfers. Such transfers are treated as reprogrammings under section 505 of this Act and are not available for obligation or expenditure except in compliance with that section's procedures. The section further requires the Secretary of Commerce to notify the Committees on Appropriations at least 15 days in advance of acquiring or disposing of any capital asset (including land, structures, and equipment) not specifically provided for in this Act or any other law appropriating funds for the department.

This section adopts by reference, and applies to FY2026, the requirements of section 105 of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2012 (P.L. 112-55), as amended by section 105 of title I of division B of P.L. 113-6—concerning life cycle cost reporting and congressional notifications for NOAA weather satellite acquisition programs—and sets the following life cycle costs: (1) Joint Polar Satellite System, $11,322,125,000; (2) Polar Follow On Program, $6,837,900,000; (3) Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series Program, $11,700,100,000; and (4) Space Weather Follow On Program, $692,800,000.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to furnish services (e.g., utilities, telecommunications, security) necessary to support authorized occupants of space in the Herbert C. Hoover Building, Washington, DC, or other buildings whose maintenance has been delegated by the Administrator of General Services, on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis. Amounts received as reimbursement for such services, up to $200,000, are credited to the appropriation or fund that initially bore the costs.

This section authorizes the NOAA Administrator to use, with consent and reimbursement and subject to available appropriations, land, services, equipment, personnel, and facilities of any U.S. federal department, agency, or instrumentality; state, local, or tribal government; U.S. territory, possession, or political subdivision; or foreign government or international organization to carry out responsibilities under statutes administered by NOAA.

This section prohibits the National Technical Information Service from charging customers for copies of Legislative Branch-generated reports or documents unless the Service informs the customer how to access and download an electronic copy for free online. If a customer still requests a printed or digital copy, any charge is limited to the Service's costs of processing, reproducing, and delivering it.

This section authorizes the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to (1) enter into grants and cooperative agreements with, (2) use on a non-reimbursable basis land, services, equipment, personnel, and facilities provided by, and (3) receive and expend funds made available on a consensual basis from a federal agency, state or subdivision thereof, local government, Tribal government, territory, possession, or subdivision thereof. Funds received for permitting and related regulatory activities must be deposited under the heading “National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—Operations, Research, and Facilities” and remain available until September 30, 2027, with all funds and uses subject to section 505 of this Act.

This section makes amounts appropriated by this Act or prior Acts that remain available for obligation for necessary expenses of the Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) of the Department of Commerce—including for the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and Bureau of the Census—available for expenses of cooperative agreements with federal, state, or local governmental units or institutions of higher education to aid and promote statistical, research, and methodology activities that further the purposes of those amounts.

This section authorizes the Secretary of Commerce to waive up to 50% of the cost-sharing requirements under section 315 of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 (i.e., grants to states and local governments for acquiring coastal lands or waters, or constructing facilities to enhance public access for recreation) for amounts appropriated under this Act to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction account, at a grant applicant's request as necessary.

This section requires advance notification to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 30 days before obligating any unobligated balances of expired discretionary funds transferred to the Department of Commerce Nonrecurring Expenses Fund, as authorized by section 111 of title I of division B of Public Law 116-93. (The fund supports Commerce Department capital, IT, and facilities projects.)

This section authorizes the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), in consultation with National Weather Service (NWS) employees and nongovernmental personnel management experts, to establish alternative or fixed rates for relocation allowances—including permanent change of station (PCS) allowances—notwithstanding federal requirements under 5 U.S.C. 5724 and regulations under 5 U.S.C. 5738.

This section makes available up to $50,000 from funds appropriated to the Department of Justice in this title, in addition to other amounts provided in the title, for the Attorney General's official reception and representation expenses.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this title to pay for an abortion, except where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term or in the case of rape or incest, and provides that the prohibition is null and void if declared unconstitutional by a court of competent jurisdiction.

This section preserves the Bureau of Prisons Director's obligation to provide escort services for female inmates to receive services outside federal facilities notwithstanding the preceding section. The section states that it does not diminish the effect of section 203 addressing the philosophical beliefs of Bureau of Prisons employees.

This section authorizes transfers of up to 5% of any Department of Justice appropriation for the current fiscal year between such appropriations, provided no such appropriation (except as otherwise specifically provided) is increased by more than 10% by any such transfers. Any such transfer is treated as a reprogramming of funds under section 505 of this Act and is not available for obligation except in compliance with the procedures set forth in that section. This section does not apply to (1) paragraph 1(O) under the heading “State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance”; or (2) paragraph (7) under the heading “Community Oriented Policing Services Programs.”

This section prohibits the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the United States Marshals Service from using funds provided under this title to transport maximum- or high-security prisoners convicted under state or federal law except to a prison or other facility certified by the Federal Bureau of Prisons as appropriately secure for housing such prisoners.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act by federal prisons to purchase cable television services or to rent or purchase audiovisual or electronic media or equipment used primarily for recreational purposes. Subsection (b) excepts such rental, maintenance, or purchase for inmate training, religious, or educational programs.

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds under this title for any new or enhanced information technology program with total estimated development costs exceeding $100,000,000 unless the Deputy Attorney General and the investment review board certify to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations that the program has appropriate program management controls and contractor oversight mechanisms in place and is compatible with the Department of Justice enterprise architecture.

This section applies the notification thresholds and procedures in Sec. 505 to deviations from amounts designated for specific activities in this Act and the explanatory statement described in Sec. 4 (in the matter preceding division A), and to any use of deobligated balances of funds provided under this title in previous years.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to plan for, begin, continue, finish, process, or approve a public-private competition under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 (i.e., the federal competitive sourcing policy)—or any successor regulation, directive, or policy—for work performed by employees of the Bureau of Prisons or Federal Prison Industries, Incorporated.

This section prohibits funding for the salary, benefits, or expenses of any U.S. Attorney assigned dual or additional responsibilities by the Attorney General or designee that exempt the attorney from the residency requirements of 28 U.S.C. § 545 (i.e., residing within the judicial district served).

This section authorizes the Attorney General, at his discretion and in addition to other available funds, with respect to appropriations under the headings “Research, Evaluation and Statistics,” “State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance,” and “Juvenile Justice Programs” (excluding paragraph 1(O) under the latter heading), to (1) use up to 2% of funds made available to the Office of Justice Programs for grant or reimbursement programs to provide training and technical assistance; and (2) transfer up to 2% of funds made available for such grant or reimbursement programs (except amounts specifically for research, evaluation, or statistical programs administered by the National Institute of Justice [NIJ] or Bureau of Justice Statistics [BJS]) to NIJ and BJS for research, evaluation, or statistical purposes, without regard to the original program authorizations.

This section authorizes the Attorney General, upon request by a grantee determined to face fiscal hardship, to waive matching or maintenance-of-effort requirements for funds appropriated in FY2023 through FY2026 for (1) adult and juvenile offender state and local reentry demonstration projects under the Second Chance Act of 2007 (i.e., section 2976(g)(1) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968); and (2) grants to protect inmates and safeguard communities under the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (i.e., section 6(c)(3)).

This section renders inapplicable the restriction in 34 U.S.C. 12109(a)—which prohibits using funds authorized under subtitle A of title II of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to provide equipment, training, or technical assistance to local law enforcement agencies found by a federal court to have engaged in a pattern or practice of constitutional violations or that have entered DOJ consent decrees—to amounts made available by this or any other Act.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the Act, except for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) established under the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, by a federal law enforcement officer to facilitate the transfer of an operable firearm to an individual known or suspected to be a drug cartel agent unless U.S. law enforcement personnel continuously monitor or control the firearm.

This section limits the availability for obligation during FY2026 of funds in the Department of Justice Working Capital Fund as follows: (1) none of the income retained in the fund pursuant to title I of P.L. 102-140 (105 Stat. 784) may be obligated, except up to $12 million for implementation of a unified Department of Justice financial management system; (2) up to $30 million of unobligated balances transferred to the fund's capital account pursuant to that law may be obligated, with any use, obligation, transfer, or allocation treated as a reprogramming of funds under section 505 of this Act; and (3) up to $10 million of excess unobligated balances available under 28 U.S.C. 524(c)(8)(E) may be obligated, with any use, obligation, transfer, or allocation treated as a reprogramming of funds under section 505.

This section authorizes discretionary funds appropriated in this Act for the Office of Justice Programs to participate in Performance Partnership Pilots (P3s), as authorized in prior and current fiscal year appropriations acts. P3s enable federal agencies to blend and braid funds across programs and waive certain requirements to test innovative strategies improving outcomes for targeted populations (e.g., at-risk youth).

This section requires the Attorney General to submit quarterly reports on the Crime Victims Fund, Working Capital Fund, Three Percent Fund, and Assets Forfeiture Fund to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, with at least the same level of information and detail as provided in FY2024.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the Act to conduct, contract for, or otherwise support live tissue training unless the Attorney General issues a written, non-delegable determination that such training is medically necessary and cannot be replicated by alternatives. (Live tissue training involves the use of live animal tissue for medical or tactical trauma simulations.)

This section prohibits the Department of Justice from using funds provided by this Act to target or investigate parents peacefully protesting at school board meetings unless they are suspected of unlawful activity.

This section prohibits further obligation of remaining unobligated balances—originally made available for Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) construction under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2016 (title II of division B of P.L. 114-113), or the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2017 (title II of division B of P.L. 115-31), for the FBI's new consolidated headquarters facility in the National Capital Region, and subsequently reprogrammed pursuant to a July 1, 2025, notification from the Assistant Attorney General for Administration—until the FBI submits to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees a contracted and completed architectural and engineering plan for the new headquarters building. Classified portions of the plan must be submitted through a classified annex.

This section permanently rescinds $709.2 million in specified unobligated balances, not later than September 30, 2026, from accounts at the Departments of Commerce ($75 million) and Justice ($634.2 million), excluding amounts designated as emergency or disaster relief and certain appropriations provided by P.L. 117-103, P.L. 117-328, and P.L. 118-42. Specifically, it rescinds (1) from Commerce, $60 million from Economic Development Administration—Economic Development Assistance Programs (prior-year appropriations available until expended) and $15 million from Census Working Capital Fund; and (2) from Justice, $36 million from State and Local Law Enforcement Activities—Office on Violence Against Women—Violence Against Women Prevention and Prosecution Programs, $250 million from State and Local Law Enforcement Activities—Office of Justice Programs, $25 million from State and Local Law Enforcement Activities—Community Oriented Policing Services, $210 million from Working Capital Fund, and $113.2 million from Legal Activities—Assets Forfeiture Fund (all from prior-year appropriations where specified). The departments must report to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees by September 1, 2026, on the amounts rescinded pursuant to these provisions.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to purchase first class or premium airline travel in contravention of 41 CFR 301-10.122 through 301-10.124. (These Federal Travel Regulation provisions generally require federal travelers to use coach-class seating absent specified exceptions such as medical necessity or lack of coach availability.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to send or pay for the attendance of more than 50 employees from a federal department or agency who are stationed in the United States at any single conference outside the United States, unless (1) the conference is a law enforcement training or operational conference for law enforcement personnel and the majority of federal employees in attendance are law enforcement personnel stationed outside the United States; or (2) the conference is a scientific conference and the department or agency head determines such attendance is in the national interest and notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within at least 15 days of that determination and the basis for it.

This section directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to instruct federal departments, agencies, and instrumentalities receiving funds appropriated under this Act to track undisbursed balances in expired grant accounts and to include the following details in their annual performance plans and performance and accountability reports: (1) future actions to resolve such balances; (2) the method used to track them; (3) identification of balances that may be returned to the Treasury; and (4) for each of the preceding three fiscal years, the total number of expired grant accounts with undisbursed balances (as of the first day of the fiscal year) and the total unobligated funds remaining in those accounts.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) or the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to develop, design, plan, promulgate, implement, or execute any bilateral policy, program, order, or contract with China or a Chinese-owned company—unless specifically authorized by a law enacted after this Act's enactment—or to host official Chinese visitors at NASA facilities. The prohibitions do not apply to activities that NASA or OSTP, after consultation with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, certify (1) pose no risk of transferring technology, data, or other information with national security or economic security implications to China or a Chinese-owned company and (2) will not involve knowing interactions with officials determined by the United States to have direct involvement in human rights violations. Certifications must be submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the Federal Bureau of Investigation at least 30 days before the activity, including its purpose, agenda, major participants, location, and timing.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to maintain or establish a computer network unless the network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. An exception applies to funds necessary for federal, state, tribal, or local law enforcement agencies or other entities carrying out criminal investigations, prosecutions, adjudications, or victim assistance activities.

This section directs the Departments of Commerce and Justice, NASA, NSF, Commission on Civil Rights, EEOC, International Trade Commission, Legal Services Corporation, Marine Mammal Commission, Office of Science and Technology Policy, Office of the United States Trade Representative, and State Justice Institute to submit spending plans—signed by the respective agency head and detailing spending at least as granularly as plans submitted pursuant to this section in FY2024—to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees not later than 45 days after enactment of this Act.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the Act to pay award or incentive fees for contractor performance judged below satisfactory or that fails to meet basic contract requirements.

This section prohibits the Department of Justice (DOJ) and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from using funds provided by this Act to contravention of section 7606 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (P.L. 113-79). (As background, section 7606 authorizes states to carry out research programs for industrial hemp—defined as cannabis with not more than 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis—and prohibits DOJ or DEA interference with such state programs.)

This section prohibits the Department of Justice from using funds appropriated by this Act to prevent 47 specified states (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming), the District of Columbia, or certain U.S. territories (the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the United States Virgin Islands, Guam, and Puerto Rico) from implementing state or local laws authorizing medical marijuana use, distribution, possession, or cultivation.

This section directs the Department of Commerce, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to submit quarterly reports to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations detailing any official travel to China by employees of such agencies, including the purpose of such travel.

This section requires not less than 10% of funds provided by this Act for (1) public works grants authorized by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 (i.e., Economic Development Administration infrastructure grants to promote job growth in distressed areas) and (2) grants authorized by section 27 of the Stevenson-Wydler Technology Innovation Act of 1980 (i.e., Regional Innovation Strategies Program grants to support regional innovation clusters) to be allocated for assistance in persistent poverty counties. Persistent poverty counties are defined as any county with 20% or more of its population living in poverty over the past 30 years, as measured by the 1993 Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, the 2000 decennial census, and the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, or any U.S. territory or possession.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to require an export license—or to pay related administrative expenses or compensation—for the export to Canada of components, parts, accessories, or attachments for firearms listed in Category I, section 121.1 of title 22, Code of Federal Regulations (International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), part 121, as in effect on April 1, 2005), if the total wholesale value does not exceed $500 per transaction and specified conditions are met. The exemption does not apply to (1) fully automatic firearms and components or parts for such firearms (except for end use by the U.S. federal government or a Canadian provincial or municipal government); (2) barrels, cylinders, receivers (frames), or complete breech mechanisms for Category I firearms (except for the same governmental end uses); or (3) articles for export from Canada to a third country; nor does it relieve exporters from other requirements such as filing a Shipper’s Export Declaration. This section further directs District Directors of Customs and postmasters to permit the permanent or temporary export without a license of any unclassified articles specified above to Canada for end use in Canada or return to the U.S., or the temporary import of Canadian-origin items from Canada for end use in the U.S. or return to Canada by a Canadian citizen. (Thus, the provision effectively creates a de minimis exemption from ITAR licensing for low-value firearm parts between the U.S. and Canada to facilitate personal, sporting, or other non-prohibited uses.) Finally, this section authorizes the President to temporarily require export licenses via Federal Register notice if Canada implements or maintains inadequate import controls on such articles resulting in significant diversion for international terrorism or escalation of foreign conflicts, with the requirement to terminate once the conditions cease.

This section prohibits federal departments, agencies, or instrumentalities from using appropriated funds to pay administrative expenses or employee compensation for denying any application—submitted under the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2778(b)(1)(B)) and qualified under ATF regulations (27 CFR 478.112 or .113)—for a permit to import U.S.-origin curios or relics firearms, parts, or ammunition. (Thus, such qualified applications effectively must be approved.)

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to pay salaries or expenses of personnel who deny or fail to act on an application to import a shotgun model if (1) all other legal requirements are met and (2) no prior application for that model, in the same configuration, was denied by the Attorney General before January 1, 2011, for not being particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. (Thus, the provision limits ATF's ability to block such imports based on the sporting purposes test established under the Gun Control Act of 1968.)

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to transfer, release, or assist in the transfer or release to or within the United States, its territories, or possessions, of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed or any other detainee who (1) is not a U.S. citizen or member of the U.S. Armed Forces and (2) is or was held on or after June 24, 2009, at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by the Department of Defense.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to construct, acquire, or modify any facility in the United States, its territories, or possessions to house or detain Guantanamo Bay detainees who were located at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as of June 24, 2009, and who are not U.S. citizens or members of the U.S. Armed Forces. The prohibition does not apply to modifications of facilities at U.S. Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

This section makes funds appropriated to the Departments of Commerce and Justice in this Act, as well as remaining unobligated balances from prior-year acts (excluding Congress-designated emergency amounts and DOJ witness fees and expenses), available for payments pursuant to 22 U.S.C. 2680b(i)(2) of the Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund statute. Such payments may not exceed $5 million for Commerce and $10 million for Justice.

This section directs the Secretary of Commerce and Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), within 45 days of enactment, to allocate specified fiscal year (FY) 2026 amounts from the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) for America Fund—pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of section 102(a) of the CHIPS Act of 2022 (division A of P.L. 117-167)—and from the CHIPS for America Workforce and Education Fund—pursuant to section 102(d)(1) of that Act—to the accounts, amounts, projects, and activities specified in tables in the explanatory statement described in section 4 of this Act. The section further (1) prohibits the President or designee from allocating amounts available under sections 102(a)(2)(A) or 102(d)(2) of the CHIPS Act if a partial appropriations act is in effect for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies, except for continuing administration of programs funded under subsection (a) in amounts not exceeding those allocations; (2) authorizes the Secretary and NSF Director to reallocate such funds subject to prior consultation with, and regular notification procedures of, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and terms of section 505; (3) requires the NSF Director to submit proposed FY2027 allocations under section 102(d)(2) of the CHIPS Act, by account and program, project, or activity with justifications, concurrent with the President's annual budget; and (4) requires quarterly reports from the Department of Commerce and NSF to the Appropriations Committees on the status of balances (uncommitted, committed, and unobligated) for specified CHIPS-funded projects and activities, including prior allocations.

This section requires the Department of Commerce, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF) to continue applying negotiated indirect cost rates under 2 CFR 200.414—including for deviations—to the same extent and manner as in FY2024. It prohibits these agencies from using funds appropriated in this or prior Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations acts, or otherwise available, to develop, modify, or implement changes to such FY2024 rates. (As background, negotiated indirect cost rates allow recipients of federal research grants, such as universities and nonprofits, to recover overhead expenses like facilities and administration.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to relocate the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Canine Training Center or the ATF National Canine Division from Front Royal, Virginia.

This section directs transfers from unobligated balances to fund specified Department of Commerce accounts as follows: (1) $507 million to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Operations, Research, and Facilities from amounts previously appropriated for FY2026 under that heading in division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58), with transferred amounts continuing to be treated as specified in section 103(b) of division A of P.L. 118-5; (2) $50 million to National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Salaries and Expenses from prior NTIA amounts in division J of P.L. 117-58 ($25 million from amounts repurposed pursuant to section 542 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42) and $25 million from Middle Mile Deployment), with transferred amounts continuing to be treated as specified in section 103(b) of division A of P.L. 118-5; (3) $16.276 million to Economic Development Administration (EDA) Economic Development Assistance Programs from prior NTIA amounts in division J of P.L. 117-58 that were repurposed pursuant to section 542 of P.L. 118-42, with transferred amounts continuing to be treated as specified in section 103(b) of division A of P.L. 118-5; and (4) $44 million to NOAA Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction from the Department of Commerce Nonrecurring Expenses Fund.

This section restricts reprogramming of funds provided in title II of this Act for Water and Related Resources, or remaining available from prior or subsequent appropriations acts into FY2026, by prohibiting obligation or expenditure through actions that—(1) initiate or create a new program, project, or activity; (2) eliminate a program, project, or activity; (3) increase funds for any program, project, or activity denied or restricted by this Act; (4) restart or resume any program, project, or activity for which funds are not provided; (5) transfer funds exceeding 15% of any program, project, or activity with $2 million or more available at fiscal year start, or $400,000 for any with less than $2 million; (6) transfer more than $500,000 between the Facilities Operation, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation category and the Resources Management and Development category; or (7) transfer more than $5 million to address Bureau of Reclamation legal obligations such as contractor claims—unless prior approval is received from the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress. It exempts transfers within the Facilities Operation, Maintenance, and Rehabilitation category from the limits in (a)(5); defines "transfer" as any movement of funds into or out of a program, project, or activity; requires Bureau of Reclamation—Water and Related Resources funds to be expended as specified in the "Final Bill" columns of the relevant table in the explanatory statement; and directs the Bureau of Reclamation to submit quarterly reprogramming reports to the Committees on Appropriations, with the first due not later than 60 days after enactment.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to determine the final point of discharge for the San Luis Unit interceptor drain until the Secretary of the Interior and California develop a plan conforming to state water quality standards, as approved by the EPA, to minimize detrimental effects of the drainage waters. (As background, the San Luis Unit, part of the Bureau of Reclamation's Central Valley Project, manages agricultural drainage in California's San Joaquin Valley to address selenium contamination issues stemming from the 1980s Kesterson Reservoir crisis.) It further directs the Secretary to classify costs of the Kesterson Reservoir Cleanup Program and San Joaquin Valley Drainage Program as reimbursable or nonreimbursable and to collect them until fully repaid under the "Cleanup Program—Alternative Repayment Plan" and "SJVDP—Alternative Repayment Plan" in the Department of the Interior's February 1995 Repayment Report, and requires future federal obligations for San Luis Unit drainage service or studies to be fully reimbursable by beneficiaries under federal reclamation law.

This section (1) extends Title I of the CALFED Bay-Delta Authorization Act by substituting “2026” for “2022” each place it appears, and (2) increases the amount specified in Section 103(f)(4)(A) to $32.6 million (from $30 million).

This section directs that, notwithstanding the Act of May 9, 1938 (43 U.S.C. 392a), all repayments and reimbursements received by the United States for projects—including power projects—financed in whole or in part from the Aging Infrastructure Account be deposited into that account in this fiscal year and each fiscal year thereafter. (As background, the account, created by the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, funds repairs to aging water storage and conveyance facilities managed by the Bureau of Reclamation; thus, this change makes the account revolving by crediting it with project cost recoveries previously directed elsewhere.)

This section increases the authorization of federal funds for water projects in northwestern New Mexico (i.e., the Navajo-Gallup, San Juan, and Four Corners Water Projects serving tribes and municipalities including the City of Farmington) to $1.815 billion (from $870 million) and extends the availability of those funds through 2026 (from 2024). It further caps the repayment obligation of the City of Farmington at $76 million.

This section authorizes to be appropriated $50 million, in addition to amounts available under existing subparagraphs, to carry out section 7(a) of Public Law 89-108 (i.e., furnishing agricultural commodities to foreign governments and entities for nonemergency food assistance programs). It also applies the cost-indexing mechanism in subsection (e) to this amount for costs incurred after the date of enactment.

This section imposes restrictions on the use of funds appropriated for the Department of Energy, including (1) prohibiting initiation or resumption of any unfunded program, project, or activity or preparation of related solicitations; (2) requiring at least 3 full business days' advance notice to the Appropriations Committees of both Houses of Congress for specified awards or actions totaling $1 million or more (or $25 million or more directly to a national laboratory), public announcements of such intentions, or terminations thereof, along with quarterly reports on smaller grant awards; (3) limiting multiyear contracts, grants, or cooperative agreements unless fully funded or conditioned on future appropriations with 3 days' advance notice; (4) directing expenditures as specified in the explanatory statement's "Final Bill" column, subject to reprogramming with 30 days' prior approval for changes exceeding $5 million or 10% (whichever is less) and prohibiting reprogrammings that create or eliminate programs, augment denied or restricted activities, or reduce directed funding; (5) authorizing waivers for substantial risks to health, environment, welfare, or national security with notification within 3 days; and (6) making prior unexpended balances available to the same accounts.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided in this title for constructing high-hazard nuclear facilities under 10 CFR Part 830 unless the Department of Energy's Office of Enterprise Assessments conducts independent oversight to ensure compliance with nuclear safety requirements.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided in this title to approve critical decision-2 (CD-2, i.e., performance baseline) or critical decision-3 (CD-3, i.e., start of construction) under Department of Energy Order 413.3B—or successor guidance—for construction projects with total costs exceeding $100 million until a separate independent cost estimate has been developed for the project.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided in this title for grant allocation awards, discretionary grant awards, or cooperative agreements exceeding $100 million in federal funding unless the project is carried out through internal independent project management procedures.

This section prohibits the direct transfer of funds from the Department of Energy—Power Marketing Administration—Colorado River Basins Power Marketing Fund, Western Area Power Administration, to the general fund of the Treasury in the current fiscal year.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act to draw down and sell petroleum products from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR)—the U.S. emergency stockpile of crude oil—(1) to any entity under the ownership, control, or influence of the Chinese Communist Party; or (2) except on condition that such products will not be exported to the People's Republic of China.

This section prohibits the Secretary of Energy from using funds provided by this Act to award any grant, contract, cooperative agreement, or loan of $10 million or more to an entity of concern, as defined in section 10114 of division B of P.L. 117-167 (i.e., certain foreign entities owned, controlled by, or headquartered in the People's Republic of China). It further (1) directs the Secretary to implement the prohibition using a risk-based approach and analytical tools to aggregate and analyze information reported by entities seeking or receiving such funds; (2) authorizes the Secretary to require relevant documentation from those entities; (3) exempts implementation from the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. ch. 35); (4) requires coordination with other federal agencies to share relevant information; and (5) specifies that the prohibition applies consistent with U.S. obligations under applicable international agreements.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to admit any non-U.S. citizen from Russia or China to any nuclear weapons production facility—other than areas accessible to the general public—unless the Department of Energy notifies the Committees on Appropriations and Armed Services of both Houses of Congress at least 30 days prior to admittance.

This section permits reprogramming, within each account, of funds under the headings “Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy”, “Electricity”, “Fossil Energy”, “Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response”, and “Science” that are allocated for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) activities under section 9 of the Small Business Act or for Technology Commercialization Fund activities under section 1001 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, without regard to restrictions in section 301 of this title. (Administration and selection of such awards must be coordinated with offices overseeing the original appropriations accounts.)

This section expands small business subcontracting plan requirements (i.e., plans to maximize subcontracting opportunities for small businesses) to include site support prime contractors at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, in addition to the Department of Energy.

This section transfers approximately $5.165 billion in specified unobligated balances, as of enactment, from prior Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA, P.L. 117-58) appropriations to Department of Energy (DOE) accounts and programs, as follows: (1) $3,100,000,000 to the Nuclear Energy account for not more than two competitive awards for Generation 3+ small modular reactor deployment projects (as described in sec. 311(a)(1)(A) of div. D of P.L. 118-42), two prior awards under the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (sec. 959A of the Energy Policy Act of 2005), and Risk Reduction for Future Demonstrations (as described in the explanatory statement for div. C of P.L. 116-94); (2) $375,000,000 to the Grid Deployment Office to enhance the domestic supply chain for distribution and power transformers, components, materials, and electric grid components through financial assistance, technical assistance, and competitive awards; and (3) $1,690,000,000 total to fund specified amounts in this title ($1,150,000,000 for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy; $100,000,000 for Nuclear Energy; $140,000,000 for Fossil Energy; $150,000,000 for Science; and $150,000,000 for the Title 17 Innovative Technology Loan Guarantee Program). This section also directs DOE to submit a detailed report on these transfers to the appropriations committees within 15 days of enactment and provides that transferred amounts continue to be treated as specified in sec. 103(b) of div. A of P.L. 118-5.

This section indexes for inflation the $337.5 million cap on the Bonneville Power Administration's (BPA) annual fish and wildlife budget under the Northwest Power Act (previously fixed at $337.5 million). (BPA's fish and wildlife budget funds protection, mitigation, and enhancement measures for species affected by Federal Columbia River Power System hydroelectric projects.)

This section requires the Department of Energy to continue applying indirect cost rates—including negotiated indirect cost rates and deviations therefrom under 2 CFR 200.414—in federal financial assistance to the same extent and manner as in FY2024. (Thus, recipients of DOE grants and cooperative agreements may continue recovering indirect costs such as administrative overhead using pre-FY2025 rates.) It further prohibits using appropriated or other available funds to develop, modify, or implement changes to such rates.

This section directs the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to comply with the July 5, 2011, version of Chapter VI of its Internal Commission Procedures when responding to congressional requests for information, consistent with Department of Justice guidance for all federal agencies.

This section authorizes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to reprogram funds appropriated by this title for any program, project, or activity, subject to the following conditions: (1) 30-day prior notification to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for any change exceeding $500,000 or 10% (whichever is less); (2) waiver of notification if compliance poses substantial risk to human health, environment, welfare, or national security, with notification and detailed report to the committees within 3 days; (3) Salaries and Expenses funds expended as directed in the explanatory statement (except as provided in the reprogramming provisions); (4) prohibition on reprogramming to increase funds or personnel for any program, project, or activity denied or restricted by this Act; and (5) monthly reports to the committees on total budget authority, unobligated balances, and unliquidated obligations for each program, project, or activity (including prior-year appropriations).

This section authorizes intra-bureau transfers of appropriations in this title, with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, for emergency reconstruction, replacement, or repair of aircraft, buildings, utilities, or other facilities or equipment damaged or destroyed by fire, flood, storm, or other unavoidable causes after exhaustion of funds specifically appropriated for Department of the Interior emergencies. Funds used pursuant to this authority must be replenished by a supplemental appropriation requested as promptly as possible.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to expend or transfer any no-year appropriation in this title, in addition to budgeted agency amounts, for (1) suppression or emergency prevention of wildland fires on or threatening Interior lands; (2) emergency rehabilitation of burned-over Interior lands; (3) emergency actions related to earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, storms, or other unavoidable causes; (4) contingency planning after oil spills; (5) response and natural resource damage assessment for oil spills or hazardous substance releases; (6) prevention, suppression, and control of grasshopper and Mormon cricket outbreaks on Interior lands under 7 U.S.C. 7717(b); and (7) emergency reclamation under section 410 of Public Law 95-87 or transfer of Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement no-year funds to assume regulatory authority if a primacy state fails to comply with the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of 1977. Wildland fire operations appropriations are available for obligations incurred in the prior fiscal year and to reimburse other federal agencies for destroyed equipment used in such operations (with credits to current appropriations). No funds may be transferred for wildland fire operations until the Secretary determines that "wildland fire suppression" funds will be exhausted within 30 days, and all funds transferred under this authority must be replenished by a supplemental appropriation requested as promptly as possible, with replenishment reimbursing source accounts on a pro rata basis.

This section authorizes appropriations to the Department of the Interior in this title for services under 5 U.S.C. §3109 (i.e., temporary employment of experts and consultants) up to $500,000 when approved by the Secretary; purchase and replacement of motor vehicles, including specially equipped law enforcement vehicles; hire, maintenance, and operation of aircraft; hire of passenger motor vehicles; purchase of reprints; telephone service in private residences in the field when authorized under Secretary-approved regulations; and payment of dues for library memberships in societies or associations that provide publications to members only or at discounted rates.

This section authorizes appropriations made available to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Bureau of Trust Funds Administration—plus any unobligated balances from prior appropriations acts under those headings—for expenditure or transfer to conduct Indian trust management and reform activities. It limits total funding for settlement support activities to amounts specifically designated in the Act and requires the Secretary to notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations within 60 days of any such expenditure or transfer, specifying the amount and purpose.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to redistribute any Tribal Priority Allocation (TPA) funds—including tribal base funds—to alleviate tribal funding inequities by addressing identified unmet needs, dual enrollment, overlapping service areas, or inaccurate distribution methodologies. (TPA funds are the primary mechanism for distributing Bureau of Indian Affairs funds to tribes for priority programs such as education and public safety.) No tribe may receive a reduction in TPA funds exceeding 10% in FY2026, except in cases of dual enrollment, overlapping service areas, or inaccurate distribution methodologies.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to acquire by donation, appropriated funds (including franchise fees), or exchange lands, waters, or interests therein—including piers, docks, or landings—in New York and New Jersey to operate and maintain facilities supporting transportation, visitor accommodations, and other activities for Ellis, Governors, and Liberty Islands (part of Statue of Liberty National Monument and Governors Island National Monument). The section also authorizes the Secretary to enter into leases, subleases, concession contracts, or other agreements for such facilities and deems those acquisitions within the exterior boundary of a National Park System unit for purposes of Land and Water Conservation Fund eligibility (54 U.S.C. 200306(a)).

This section requires the Secretary of the Interior to collect nonrefundable inspection fees for FY2026 from designated operators of outer continental shelf facilities subject to inspection under 43 U.S.C. 1348(c), depositing fees into the Offshore Safety and Environmental Enforcement account. (1) Annual fees apply to above-waterline facilities (excluding drilling rigs) in place at the start of FY2026: $10,500 for facilities with no wells but with processing equipment or gathering lines; $17,000 for facilities with 1-10 wells (active or inactive); and $31,500 for facilities with more than 10 wells (active or inactive). (2) Per-inspection fees for drilling rigs in FY2026 are $30,500 for rigs in water depths of 500 feet or more and $16,700 for rigs in water depths of less than 500 feet. (3) Per-inspection fees for well operations via non-rig units (per 30 C.F.R. pt. 250, subpts. D, E, F, and Q) in FY2026 are $13,260 for units in water depths of 2,500 feet or more; $11,530 for units in water depths of 500-2,499 feet; and $4,470 for units in water depths of less than 500 feet. The Secretary must bill operators quarterly for annual fees (payment due within 30 days), within 30 days after the inspection month for drilling rigs (payment due within 30 days), and by the end of the following quarter for non-rig units (payment due by quarter end).

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to enter into multiyear cooperative agreements with nonprofit organizations and other entities, and multiyear contracts under 41 U.S.C. §3903 (without the 5-year term limit of subsection (a)), for long-term care and maintenance of excess wild free-roaming horses and burros on private land. Such agreements and contracts may not exceed 10 years, subject to renewal at the Secretary's discretion. (As background, the Bureau of Land Management holds excess animals removed from public lands in off-range facilities, which comprise over 80% of program costs.)

This section directs the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, in carrying out its responsibilities to protect threatened and endangered salmon species, to implement a mass marking system for salmonid stocks (e.g., coho, chinook, and steelhead) intended for harvest that are released from federally operated or federally financed hatcheries. Marked fish must have a visible mark readily identifiable by commercial and recreational fishers. (As background, mass marking—typically via fin clips or tags—distinguishes hatchery-reared fish from wild stocks, enabling selective harvest to reduce impacts on protected wild populations.)

This section authorizes Indian Affairs, during FY2026, to record obligations against accounts receivable from state, local, and tribal governments or their political subdivisions for cooperative work, notwithstanding other law. Total obligations at fiscal year-end may not exceed total budgetary resources available at that time.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, notwithstanding other laws governing federal grants and cooperative agreements, to make grants to or enter into cooperative agreements with private nonprofit organizations designated by the Secretary of Labor under title V of the Older Americans Act of 1965 (i.e., Community Service Employment for Older Americans) to utilize older Americans in programs administered by the department and consistent with those programs' laws. Prior to any such award, the Secretary must ensure the agreement or grant would not (1) displace current department employees (including partial displacement through reduced non-overtime hours, wages, or benefits); (2) assign a program participant to a job or function equivalent to one from which a federal employee is in layoff status; or (3) affect existing service contracts.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to transfer funds among and between the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Indian Education (BIE), and successor offices affected by the reorganization to implement an orderly transition to separate accounts for the BIA and BIE, subject to the reprogramming guidelines specified in this Act.

This section requires the heads of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to post descriptions of any prescribed or approved departures or alternate procedures or equipment—in connection with plans or permits under 30 CFR 585.103, 550.141, 550.142, 250.141, or 250.142—on their publicly available websites not more than 15 business days after issuance. The heads of such bureaus may exclude confidential business information.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, acting through the National Park Service director, to convey upon request approximately 4.4 acres of National Park Service land—depicted as “Permanent Impact to NPS Land” on a map dated May 15, 2020—to the State of Virginia or the District of Columbia for rail and other infrastructure related to the Long Bridge Project (i.e., the rail project from Rosslyn Interlocking in Arlington, Virginia, to L’Enfant Interlocking in Washington, DC, including a bicycle and pedestrian bridge). The conveyance is subject to terms and conditions set by the Secretary, including reversion to the National Park Service if the land ceases to be used for the project following restoration or remediation; allows mutual minor boundary adjustments or map corrections; and expires upon completion of the conveyance.

This section authorizes federally recognized Indian tribes and authorized tribal organizations receiving Tribally Controlled School grants under P.L. 100-297 to obtain interagency motor pool vehicles and related services (i.e., federal government-shared fleet vehicles managed by the General Services Administration) for grant-funded activities to the same extent as tribal contractors under the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to use FY2026 funds available to the Department of the Interior's Appraisal and Valuation Services Office to establish higher minimum rates of basic pay for Appraiser (GS-1171 series) employees at grades 11 through 15 who conduct real property appraisals and appraisal reviews in support of the department's realty programs, at rates no greater than 15% above the normally scheduled minimum rates and consistent with 5 U.S.C. §5305(e)-(h). (Thus, the authority enables the department to offer increased starting salaries to attract and retain appraisers for federal land transactions.)

This section prohibits the Secretary of the Interior from using appropriated funds to prepare or issue, under §4 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, (1) a proposed rule for greater sage-grouse (*Centrocercus urophasianus*) or (2) a proposed rule for the Columbia Basin distinct population segment of greater sage-grouse.

This section authorizes the National Park Service to retain up to 7% of State Conservation Grants program funds for matching grants to states, the District of Columbia, and insular areas to cover administrative costs. (The State Conservation Grants program provides federal funding to states for land and water conservation projects, including acquisition, development, and recreation resources.)

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior, in FY2026 and FY2027, to execute agreements among component bureaus and offices for operating efficiencies through (1) co-locating in leased or owned offices and facilities and sharing utilities and equipment; (2) non-reimbursable staff details or assignments for up to five business days; and (3) sharing staff and equipment to meet mission requirements in areas of mission alignment or geographic proximity. Bureaus and offices entering agreements under (1) and (3) must bear costs proportional to their benefits and share of total costs (potentially including indirect costs), with the Secretary authorized to transfer funds in advance or on a reimbursable basis.

This section directs the Bureau of Land Management, upon request by the claimant of a mining claim located within the area covered by Public Land Order 7921, to prioritize completion of a validity determination for such claim (i.e., a mineral examination to confirm discovery of a valuable mineral deposit under the General Mining Law of 1872) and to strive to complete it not later than three years after receipt of the request.

This section authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to recruit and directly appoint qualified individuals certified as maintaining a permanent and exclusive residence in the vicinity of a field unit into competitive service positions at or below GS-9 or WG-15 or equivalent within that field unit, consistent with merit system principles, public notice requirements, and applicable competitive examination and selection provisions.

This section revises grant application requirements under Section 1521 of the American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Culture and Art Development Act (20 U.S.C. 4441) as follows: (1) in subsection (a), strikes "private" from the matter preceding paragraph (1), thereby broadening applicant eligibility beyond private entities; and (2) in subsection (c)(2), revises governing board composition requirements by requiring boards to include Native Hawaiians (previously, to "be Native Hawaiians or" certain others), strikes subparagraphs (B) through (D), strikes "of office" from former subparagraph (E), and redesignates it as subparagraph (B). (Thus, the changes simplify and broaden criteria for organizations applying for federal grants to support Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian arts and culture programs.)