H.R. 7481 — Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit to the Department of Homeland Security Inspector General, by October 15, 2026, a report listing all grants and contracts awarded without full and open competition during FY2025 or FY2026. The Inspector General must review the report for compliance with applicable laws and regulations and report the results to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations by February 15, 2027.

This section requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Chief Financial Officer to submit to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, not later than 30 days after the last day of each month, a budget and staffing report that includes total obligations for that month and the fiscal year to date at the appropriation and program, project, and activity levels, by source year of the appropriation. (2) The initial such staffing report establishes the baseline for DHS staffing level increases or decreases for any program, project, or activity pursuant to section 503(a)(4) of this Act.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury, to notify the House and Senate Appropriations Committees of any proposed transfers from the Department of the Treasury Forfeiture Fund (i.e., the fund holding proceeds from asset forfeitures in criminal and civil proceedings) to DHS agencies under 31 U.S.C. 9705(g)(4)(B). No such funds may be obligated until the committees are notified.

This section requires that all official costs associated with the use of Government aircraft by Department of Homeland Security personnel to support official travel of the Secretary and the Deputy Secretary be paid from amounts made available for the Office of the Secretary.

This section directs the Under Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to brief the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations not later than 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter on all Level 1 and Level 2 acquisition programs on DHS's Master Acquisition Oversight List (i.e., high-risk programs) between Acquisition Decision Event and Full Operational Capability, including programs removed from the list during the preceding quarter. For each program, the briefing must include (1) a description of its purpose, capabilities acquired, and sponsoring component(s); (2) the total annual units to be acquired until procurement completion under the current baseline; (3) Acquisition Review Board status, including current phase, most recent review date, and any pause or breach; (4) a comparison of initial and current cost, schedule, and performance baselines; (5) the lifecycle cost estimate (adjusted for the Future Years Homeland Security Program), including confidence level, fiscal years covered, prior five years/current/budget year breakout, appropriation breakout, and changes from prior baseline; (6) findings of any independent verification and validation or an explanation for its absence; (7) a table of obligations by prior fiscal year, current-year estimate, and planned carryover; (8) prime contractors and major subcontractors; and (9) risks to cost, schedule, or performance that could cause a breach. This section also requires submission of each approved Acquisition Decision Memorandum for such programs to the committees not later than five business days after approval.

This section prohibits the obligation of funds appropriated to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in this Act or prior Acts for any new pilot or demonstration—defined as a small-scale, short-term experiment to evaluate feasibility, duration, costs, or adverse events that uses more than 10 full-time equivalents (FTEs) or obligates (or proposes to obligate) $5 million or more—unless the responsible component or office documents (1) well-defined and measurable objectives, (2) an assessment methodology detailing data types/sources, collection methods/frequency, and analysis, and (3) an implementation plan with milestones, cost estimates, schedules, and projected end date. Prior to obligating operations and support funds for such a pilot or demonstration, the Under Secretary for Management must report this information to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Not later than 90 days after completion, the Under Secretary must report to the Committees on lessons learned, actual costs, planned expansion or continuation, and any transition to an enduring program or operation. (Exclusions apply to congressionally directed programs or enhancements, programs operating as of enactment, IT procurement testing/evaluation/initial deployment, and pilots by non-Federal recipients under financial assistance agreements.)

This section prohibits the Office of Intelligence and Analysis (I&A) of the Department of Homeland Security from using funds appropriated by this Act to conduct a covered activity, as defined by section 6303 of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159, division F). The prohibition does not limit or supersede DHS officials' authority to conduct legal, privacy, civil rights, or civil liberties oversight of I&A intelligence activities, nor does it restrict I&A personnel from sharing or receiving intelligence information with or from foreign, state, local, tribal, or territorial governments (or their agencies or subdivisions); the private sector; or other federal government elements, including DHS components.

This section directs the Inspector General to submit quarterly reports to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations on oversight of funding provided to the Department under Public Law 119-21, including (1) reviews of spend plans for every program, project, or activity funded thereunder—comparing obligated funds to projections—and (2) summaries of audits on the Department's contracting, procurement, and acquisition activities resulting from such funding. Beginning one year after enactment and annually thereafter, the Inspector General must submit a comprehensive report to the same committees on audits, inspections, and evaluations of those funds and activities, including recommendations to improve effectiveness and efficiency and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.

This section requires Members of the House of Representatives and Senate (including leadership); heads of federal agencies and commissions (including the Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Under Secretaries, and Assistant Secretaries of Homeland Security); the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, Assistant Attorneys General, and U.S. Attorneys; and senior Executive Office of the President staff (including the Director of the Office of Management and Budget) to undergo federal passenger and baggage screening without exemption. The section further prohibits use of funds appropriated in this or any Act—or derived from fee collections available to components funded by this Act—to implement legislation altering these screening requirements.

This section authorizes, for FY2026 and notwithstanding 49 U.S.C. 44923, the use of any funds in the Aviation Security Capital Fund (established under 49 U.S.C. 44923(h)) to procure and install explosives detection systems or to issue other transaction agreements funding airport security capital improvement projects listed in section 44923(a) (i.e., baggage conveyor replacements, terminal baggage reconfigurations for explosives detection systems, explosives detection system deployments behind ticket counters or in baggage areas, and other such projects).

This section directs the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to submit to the Committees on Appropriations and Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Appropriations and Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate, not later than 45 days after the President's budget proposal, a single report that includes (1) a Capital Investment Plan, both constrained and unconstrained, for continuous and sustained capital investment in new and replacement transportation security equipment; (2) the 5-year technology investment plan required by Section 1611 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002, as amended by the Transportation Security Acquisition Reform Act (P.L. 113-245); and (3) the Advanced Integrated Passenger Screening Technologies report required by Senate Report 115-283 accompanying the FY2019 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act.

This section revises Section 515(b) of P.L. 108-334 (49 U.S.C. 44945 note)—which addresses Transportation Security Administration procedures for unclaimed money and clothing at airport security checkpoints—by striking "report" each place it appears (including the subsection heading) and inserting "briefing," and by striking "transmit to" and inserting "provide."

This section (1) prohibits use of funds appropriated to Coast Guard—Operations and Support for expenses incurred in documenting recreational vessels (i.e., issuing recreational endorsements under 46 U.S.C. 12114) except to the extent fees collected from owners of yachts are credited to that appropriation, and (2) authorizes personnel performing non-recreational vessel documentation under 46 U.S.C. ch. 121, subch. II, to perform recreational vessel documentation if such fees are insufficient and there is a backlog of recreational vessel applications.

This section directs the Commandant of the Coast Guard to submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations a future-years capital investment plan for the Coast Guard—Acquisition, Construction, and Improvements account (i.e., a multi-year plan for major acquisitions such as cutters, aircraft, and shore infrastructure), as described in specified provisos of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 114-4).

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to conduct or implement a competition under Office of Management and Budget Circular A-76 (i.e., the federal policy for public-private competitions of commercial activities) for Coast Guard National Vessel Documentation Center activities.

This section authorizes the use of funds provided in this Act to alter operations within the Coast Guard's Civil Engineering Program nationwide—including civil engineering units, facilities design and construction centers, maintenance and logistics commands, and the Coast Guard Academy—but prohibits using such funds to reduce operations within any civil engineering unit unless specifically authorized by a statute enacted after this Act.

This section makes amounts deposited into the Coast Guard Housing Fund in FY2026 available until expended to carry out military family housing and unaccompanied housing activities under 14 U.S.C. 2946 (i.e., planning, environmental compliance, and conveyance of real property), in addition to funds otherwise available for such purposes.

This section provides $98 million, to remain available until September 30, 2030, for the Coast Guard—Procurement, Construction, and Improvements account for procuring and acquiring MQ-9 aircraft, associated base stations and related equipment, and program management activities. It prohibits the use of any Department of Homeland Security funds appropriated in this or any prior Act to procure or acquire long-range unmanned aircraft with kinetic capabilities or to equip any such aircraft with kinetic capabilities.

This section prohibits the Coast Guard from using funds provided by this Act to implement Force Design 2028 (i.e., the service's long-term fleet modernization and force structure plan) until it provides detailed briefings to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on initiatives related to organization, people, technology, and contracting and acquisitions.

This section authorizes the United States Secret Service to obligate funds in anticipation of reimbursements from executive agencies (as defined in 5 U.S.C. §105, i.e., executive departments, government corporations, and independent establishments) for personnel receiving training sponsored by the James J. Rowley Training Center (the Secret Service's federal law enforcement training facility), provided that total obligations at the end of the fiscal year do not exceed total budgetary resources available under the "United States Secret Service—Operations and Support" heading. (Thus, the Secret Service may provide training services to other agencies on a reimbursable basis without waiting for payment, subject to its overall appropriations limit.)

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated to the United States Secret Service for the protection of the head of any federal agency other than the Secretary of Homeland Security. The Director of the Secret Service may enter into fully reimbursable agreements to provide such protection.

This section authorizes United States Secret Service—Operations and Support funding provided in this Act for employee travel on protective missions without regard to expenditure limitations in this or any other Act, if the Director or designee notifies the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations at least 10 days in advance or as early as practicable.

This section provides $2 million, to remain available until expended, from amounts appropriated under the United States Secret Service—Operations and Support heading as a grant or cooperative agreement for existing National Computer Forensics Institute facilities used by the U.S. Secret Service to carry out activities authorized under 6 U.S.C. 383. (As background, the National Computer Forensics Institute educates, trains, and equips state, local, territorial, and tribal law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, and certain federal personnel on investigating and preventing cybersecurity incidents and electronic crimes.)

This section amends the premium pay limitation under Section 118 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001 (5 U.S.C. 5547 note), to allow United States Secret Service personnel aggregate annual pay up to the Vice President's salary rate under 3 U.S.C. 104 for 2024 (effective as of December 31, 2023). The section further requires the Secret Service Director to submit to specified congressional committees, within 180 days of enactment and annually through 2028, reports analyzing current operational demands and staffing levels and recommending overtime reduction strategies (e.g., hiring additional personnel, ensuring year-round resources without premium pay waivers, workload redistribution, and efficiency improvements). The section also directs inclusion of specified overtime hours data for affected Secret Service personnel in reports required under the Overtime Pay for Protective Services Act of 2023 (P.L. 118-38) and the Overtime Pay Protection Act of 2016 (5 U.S.C. 5547 note); and increases the funding limitation under the heading "United States Secret Service—Operations and Support" in division C of P.L. 118-47, as applied to funds appropriated by this Act, to $40 million for 2024 (from $24 million for 2023).

This section permits funds appropriated to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) for Operations and Support to procure or provide access to cybersecurity threat feeds for federal government entities (i.e., branches, agencies, independent agencies, corporations, establishments, and instrumentalities), state, local, tribal, and territorial entities, fusion centers as described in section 210A of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 124h), and Information Sharing and Analysis Organizations (ISACs). (Fusion centers, under current law, are state, local, and regional partnerships supported by DHS to integrate and analyze homeland security-related information.)

This section increases to 5% (from 3%) the maximum share of grants made available in paragraphs (1) through (5) under "Federal Emergency Management Agency—Federal Assistance" that recipients may use for administrative expenses, notwithstanding current law limiting such expenses. Subsection (b) applies this authority to state recipients administering grants under paragraph (3).

This section establishes deadlines for grant applications under the Federal Emergency Management Agency—Federal Assistance heading for paragraphs (1) through (5): applications must be made available to eligible applicants not later than 60 days after enactment of this Act, eligible applicants must submit applications not later than 80 days after the grant announcement, and the FEMA Administrator must act on applications within 65 days of receipt. It further reduces appropriations for Federal Emergency Management Agency—Operations and Support by $100,000 for each day past the 60-day requirement for making applications available, with a corresponding reduction to Mission Support funding specified in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026 table.

This section directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator to brief the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations five full business days in advance of publicly announcing the intention to award grants under paragraphs (1) through (5), (9), and (10) of the FEMA Federal Assistance heading. It rescinds $1 million from the FEMA Operations and Support appropriation—and correspondingly reduces Mission Support funding specified in the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026 table—if any such announcement occurs beforehand.

This section specifies that, for grants under paragraphs (1) and (2) under the Federal Emergency Management Agency–Federal Assistance heading, the installation of communications towers does not constitute construction of a building or other physical facility.

This section applies in FY2026 the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) reporting requirements from the FY2015 DHS Appropriations Act—(1) for budget year 2027 (substituting "fiscal year 2027" for "fiscal year 2016") in paragraph (1), and (2) for current FY2026 (inserting "business" after "fifth") in paragraph (2). (The DRF, administered by FEMA, funds disaster response and recovery, including public and individual assistance grants.)

This section authorizes the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to waive specified requirements applicable to Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants to fire departments for hiring and retaining firefighters. The waivable requirements include (1) the purpose of increasing firefighters for 24-hour staffing and traditional missions under subsection (a)(1)(A); (2) the three-year grant term and use for new hires or converting part-time firefighters to full-time under subsection (a)(1)(B); (3) the cost-sharing percentages of 75 percent in years one and two and 35 percent in year three under subsection (a)(1)(E); and (4) requirements under subsections (c)(1), (c)(2), and (c)(4).

This section revises the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program fee requirements under 42 U.S.C. 5196e for fiscal year 2026 (from fiscal year 1999 and thereafter). (As background, the program funds offsite radiological emergency planning, preparedness, and response activities related to nuclear facilities through fees assessed on regulated persons, such as nuclear power plant licensees.) Specifically, it (1) requires aggregate fees assessed during FY2026 by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to equal at least 100% of anticipated program costs for FY2027 (previously, for FY1999 by the Federal Emergency Management Agency); (2) requires the fee assessment methodology to be fair and equitable and to reflect service costs, including administrative costs; and (3) directs fees to be deposited in the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program account as offsetting collections available October 1, 2026, until expended (previously, the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Fund available October 1, 1999).

This section authorizes the Administrator of FEMA to waive subsection (k) of section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229) when awarding Assistance to Firefighters Grants under the Federal Emergency Management Agency—Federal Assistance heading.

This section transfers any unobligated balances from prior appropriations to the National Predisaster Mitigation Fund under section 203 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5133), as in effect before enactment of section 1234 of division D of P.L. 115-254, to funds set aside under subsection (i)(1) of that section, as in effect on the date of enactment of this section. (Thus, the transferred funds support the predisaster hazard mitigation program, which provides technical and financial assistance to states and local governments—or, in limited cases, small impoverished communities—for cost-effective measures to reduce injuries, loss of life, and property damage from natural disasters.)

This section transfers any unobligated balances from prior appropriations under the heading “Federal Emergency Management Agency—Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Analysis Program” to funds appropriated under the heading “Federal Emergency Management Agency—Federal Assistance” for flood hazard mapping and risk analysis expenses. The transferred funds supplement amounts available under the National Flood Insurance Fund and cost-shared mapping activities by states or localities under section 1360(f)(2) of the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 4101(f)(2)) and remain available until expended.

This section requires each award for grants under the Federal Emergency Management Agency—Federal Assistance heading for paragraphs (1) through (10) and (12) to have a period of performance, as defined in 2 CFR 200.1, of not less than three years and not more than five years.

This section directs the FEMA Administrator to post on FEMA's public-facing website an interactive dashboard displaying reimbursement requests for covered expenses related to emergency (42 U.S.C. 5122(1)) or major disaster (42 U.S.C. 5122(2)) declarations under the Stafford Act, delineated by state and amounts for individual or public assistance—(1) no more than 90 days after receipt by FEMA and (2) no more than 60 days after final review by DHS. The dashboard must include at minimum the information listed in subparagraphs (1) through (7) under the heading "Public and Individual Assistance" in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this consolidated Act).

This section prohibits using funds appropriated by this Act to pause any training or grant funded under the Federal Emergency Management Agency—Federal Assistance heading (i.e., grants to state, local, and tribal governments for emergency preparedness activities). It permits such pauses upon notification to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees no more than 10 business days in advance—including an explanation, plans to reschedule missed classes, and budgetary impact—or waiver by the Secretary of Homeland Security in extraordinary circumstances imminently threatening human life or property.

This section authorizes U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to use appropriated funds to acquire, operate, equip, and dispose of up to 5 replacement vehicles in areas where the General Services Administration does not provide vehicles for lease. It further permits the USCIS director to authorize employees assigned to those areas to use such vehicles to travel between their residences and places of employment.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to process or approve a competition under Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A-76 for services provided by certain U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) employees, including Immigration Information Officers, Immigration Service Analysts, Contact Representatives, Investigative Assistants, and Immigration Services Officers. (OMB Circular A-76 requires federal agencies to compete commercial activities against private sector providers to promote efficiency.)

This section authorizes U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to use any federal funds available to it for the collection and use of biometrics (i.e., fingerprints, photos) at USCIS Application Support Centers overseen virtually by USCIS personnel using appropriate technology, notwithstanding any other provision of law.

This section directs the Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation Board (FLETA), including representatives from the Federal law enforcement community and non-Federal accreditation experts, to lead the Federal law enforcement training accreditation process to continue measuring and assessing the quality and effectiveness of Federal law enforcement training programs, facilities, and instructors.

This section authorizes the Director of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) to accept transfers to its “Procurement, Construction, and Improvements” account from other government agencies for constructing special use facilities, as authorized by the Economy Act (31 U.S.C. 1535(b)). FLETC must retain administrative control and ownership of such facilities upon completion. (Thus, other agencies may fund specialized training facilities at FLETC—a DHS component that trains federal law enforcement personnel—via reimbursable transfers while FLETC owns the assets.)

This section classifies the functions of Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers instructor staff as inherently governmental for purposes of the Federal Activities Inventory Reform Act of 1998 (i.e., FAIR Act, which requires agencies to prepare annual inventories of commercial activities eligible for private-sector performance). (Thus, these training functions cannot be outsourced to contractors.)

This section authorizes the transfer of unexpended balances from prior appropriations for activities authorized by this Act to new appropriation accounts established pursuant to this Act, where such balances may be merged with funds in those accounts and accounted for as one fund for the original period of availability, subject to section 503 of this Act.

This section restricts the reprogramming of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funds available in FY2026—including prior-year carryover and fee collections—prohibiting obligations or expenditures that (1) create or eliminate a program, project, or activity or increase funding denied or restricted by Congress; (2) contract out functions currently or proposed to be performed by federal employees; (3) augment existing programs, projects, or activities by more than $5 million or 10%, whichever is less; (4) reduce funding for any program, project, activity, or personnel by 10% or more; or (5) result from general personnel savings altering congressional funding levels. Such restrictions do not apply if the House and Senate Appropriations Committees are notified at least 30 days in advance. This section further permits transfers of up to 5% between DHS appropriations (excluding U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement accounts) with 30-day committee notice, provided no appropriation increases by more than 10%. Notwithstanding prior provisions, no reprogrammings or transfers are allowed after June 15 except in emergencies imminently threatening life or property; to alter grant funding; or to create new programs, projects, activities, functions, or requirements; and these rules apply to deobligated prior-year balances. This section separately authorizes the DHS Secretary to transfer up to $20 million from available DHS appropriations to the Immigration Examinations Fee Account (established under 8 U.S.C. 1101 note, which funds certain immigration processing costs) with 5 days' committee notice.

This section applies the working capital fund authorities of §504 of the FY2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act (i.e., governing operations of the Department of Homeland Security Working Capital Fund, which finances common services for DHS components on a reimbursable basis) to funds made available by this Act. It authorizes the fund to obligate and expend amounts in anticipation of reimbursements from DHS components.

This section authorizes not to exceed 50% of unobligated balances remaining available at the end of FY2026, as recorded in financial records at the time of reprogramming notification (not later than June 15, 2027), from FY2026 Operations and Support appropriations to remain available through September 30, 2027, in the same account and for the same purposes (except as otherwise provided by law). Prior to obligating such funds, the relevant agency must notify the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations in accordance with section 503 of this Act.

This section deems funds made available by this Act for intelligence activities as specifically authorized by Congress for FY2026 under section 504 of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 414) until enactment of an Intelligence Authorization Act for FY2026. It further requires any excess amounts provided for "Intelligence, Analysis, and Situational Awareness—Operations and Support" above authorized levels to be transferred to and merged with funds for "Management Directorate—Operations and Support," with the Undersecretary for Management required to brief the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on a plan for their use prior to obligation.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security (or designee) to notify the House and Senate Appropriations Committees at least three full business days before (1) making or awarding a grant allocation or grant exceeding $1 million or a grant from the Disaster Relief Fund exceeding $100,000; (2) making or awarding a contract, other transaction agreement, task or delivery order on a multiple award contract, or issuing a letter of intent exceeding $2 million; (3) awarding a task or delivery order requiring an obligation exceeding $5 million from multi-year Department of Homeland Security funds; (4) making a sole-source grant award; or (5) publicly announcing an intention to make or award items under (1)-(4), including contracts covered by the Federal Acquisition Regulation. The section authorizes an exception if compliance would pose a substantial risk to human life, health, or safety, requiring notification within three full business days after the action. Notifications must include the award amount, fiscal year of appropriation, contract type, and funding account and may not involve unobligated funds.

This section prohibits federal agencies from purchasing, constructing, or leasing additional facilities for federal law enforcement training—except within or contiguous to existing locations—without advance notification to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. The section authorizes the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers to obtain temporary use of additional facilities by lease, contract, or other agreement for training that cannot be accommodated in existing facilities.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds for any construction, repair, alteration, or acquisition project requiring a prospectus under 40 U.S.C. chapter 33 unless the prospectus is approved, except for necessary expenses to develop a proposed prospectus.

This section applies sections 522 and 530 of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2008 (P.L. 110-161, Div. E), to funds made available by this Act in the same manner as those sections applied to FY2008 funds.

This section prohibits the use of funds made available by this Act in violation of the Buy American Act (i.e., chapter 83 of title 41, U.S. Code).

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to carry out the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary's reorganization authority under 6 U.S.C. 452—i.e., authority to allocate or reallocate functions and establish, consolidate, alter, or discontinue organizational units, subject to notice to congressional committees and prohibitions on abolishing statutorily required entities—unless explicitly authorized by Congress after enactment. It excepts from the prohibition uses of that authority (1) to allocate or reallocate functions of the Assistant Secretary for the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office to other DHS offices and units consistent with the "Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction" table in the explanatory statement described in section 4 (in the matter preceding division A of this Act); or (2) to allocate or reallocate any other functions of that office consistent with the same table. Notwithstanding the prohibition, the section authorizes the Secretary to transfer funds made available in prior appropriations Acts to the Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office between any DHS appropriations as necessary to carry out the excepted purposes.

This section prohibits any official required by this Act to report or certify to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate from delegating such authority unless specifically authorized in the Act.

This section prohibits the use of funds provided by this Act for first-class travel by employees of agencies funded by this Act in contravention of federal travel regulations at 41 CFR 301-10.122 through 301-10.124.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the Act to pay award or incentive fees for contractor performance judged below satisfactory or not meeting basic contract requirements.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated 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 federal, state, tribal, territorial, or local law enforcement agencies or other entities carrying out criminal investigations, prosecutions, or adjudications.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds by a federal law enforcement officer to facilitate the transfer of an operable firearm to an individual known or suspected to be an agent of a drug cartel, unless U.S. law enforcement personnel continuously monitor or control the firearm at all times.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by this Act to pay for the travel to or attendance at a single international conference (i.e., one occurring outside the United States attended by U.S. government representatives and foreign governments, international organizations, or nongovernmental organizations) of more than 50 employees of a single Department of Homeland Security (DHS) component stationed in the United States, unless the Secretary or designee determines such attendance is in the national interest and notifies House and Senate Appropriations Committees at least 10 days in advance with the basis for that determination. The section further caps total DHS costs for any such conference at $500,000 and excludes virtual attendees who do not travel from their U.S. permanent duty station.

This section prohibits the Department of Homeland Security from obligating funds for any structural pay reform or new position classification affecting more than 100 full-time positions or costing more than $5 million in a single fiscal year until 30 days after the Secretary notifies Congress of (1) the number of positions affected, (2) required funding for the current fiscal year and Future Years Homeland Security Program, (3) justification, and (4)—for pay reforms—an analysis of compensation alternatives considered. The prohibition does not apply to such changes proposed in the President's budget for the applicable fiscal year if funds for them have not been explicitly denied or restricted in this Act.

This section requires any agency receiving funds under this Act to post on its public website any report required to be submitted to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, if the agency head determines it serves the national interest and subject to exceptions for homeland or national security risks or proprietary information. Agencies must provide such reports to the Committees for not less than 45 days prior to posting, unless otherwise specified by law; noncompliance suspends the reprogramming and transfer authority provided in section 503 of this Act.

This section authorizes funding provided in this Act for Operations and Support to be used for minor procurement, construction, and improvements, defining minor as end items with a unit cost of $250,000 or less for personal property and $4,000,000 or less for real property.

This section continues through fiscal year 2026 the authority under section 532 of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2018 (Public Law 115-141), for the Department of Homeland Security to provide primary and secondary schooling for dependents of agency personnel assigned to duty stations outside the continental United States where adequate local schools are unavailable.

This section prohibits the use of funds appropriated by the Act to place restraints on a pregnant woman or a woman in post-delivery recuperation in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody—including during transport, in a detention facility, or at an outside medical facility—except as provided in subsection (b). Exceptions apply if (1) a DHS official determines the woman is a serious flight risk or poses an immediate and serious threat to herself or others that cannot be prevented by other means; or (2) the treating medical professional determines restraints are appropriate for the woman's medical safety. If restraints are used, they must be the safest and least restrictive as determined by the treating medical professional; restraints are prohibited during active labor or delivery, in a face-down four-point position, on the back, or with a belt constricting the pregnancy area; and an immobilized pregnant woman must be positioned on her left side to the maximum extent feasible.

This section prohibits the use of appropriated funds to destroy any document, recording, or other record pertaining to (1) the death of, (2) potential sexual assault or abuse perpetrated against, or (3) allegation of abuse, criminal activity, or disruption committed by an individual held in Department of Homeland Security (DHS) custody. It requires such records to be made available, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and federal rules governing disclosure in litigation, to an individual charged with a crime, placed into segregation, or otherwise punished as a result of an allegation described in paragraph (3), upon the individual's request.

This section applies to any federal funds the prohibition in Section 519 of Division F of Public Law 114-113 on funding for any position designated as a Principal Federal Official (i.e., a coordinator of federal agency disaster response efforts under the National Response Framework).

This section requires the Under Secretary for Management of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to submit to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, no later than 10 days after the President's annual budget submission to Congress, a report identifying unfunded priorities for DHS and each of its components that involve discretionary funding classified under budget function 050 (national defense). For each such priority—defined as an unfunded requirement necessary to fulfill DHS operational or contingency plans that would have been budgeted if additional resources were available, the need emerged after budget formulation, or it sustains prior investments—the report must include (1) a summary description and objectives if funded, (2) a detailed description and objectives if funded, (3) relevant appropriation account and program, project, or activity information, and (4) the additional full-time or part-time positions required.

This section requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to notify congressional leadership and specified committees (i.e., Appropriations, Judiciary, Homeland Security, Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and Oversight Committees of the House and Senate) within 10 days after the President directs protection for a covered individual (i.e., former or retired government official or employee, or individual who will become one), including the threat assessment, scope of protection, and anticipated cost and duration (which may be classified and provided in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence or FBI Director). The section further requires notification to the same recipients at least 15 days before extending or 30 days before terminating such protection, including any change to the threat assessment. Finally, the section directs the Secretary to submit a report to the same recipients within 45 days of enactment and quarterly thereafter—potentially in classified form—detailing each covered individual receiving protection, along with the scope and associated cost.

This section prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from submitting an initial project proposal to the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF)—a program that provides federal agencies reimbursable loans and grants for IT modernization projects—unless the agency head concurrently notifies the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, submits the proposal to the committees, and provides a detailed analysis of how the proposed funding supplements or supplants DHS's most recent budget request. The section further prohibits DHS from obligating any TMF funds until 15 days after transmitting a report to the committees that includes (1) the full approved project proposal; (2) the finalized interagency agreement with deliverables and repayment terms; (3) an analysis of how the project supplements or supplants existing DHS funding; (4) a repayment plan with funding sources; and (5) other information as determined by the Secretary.

This section directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, within 60 days of any FY2027 budget submission that assumes revenues or proposes discretionary spending reductions from the prior year based on user fee proposals not yet enacted into law, to provide the House and Senate Appropriations Committees with specific reductions in proposed discretionary budget authority equal to those assumed revenues in the event the fees are not enacted by October 1, 2026.

This section prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using federal funds for procurement contracts, memoranda of understanding, cooperative agreements, grants, loans, or loan guarantees with any entity identified under section 1260H of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021 (P.L. 116-283)—i.e., Communist Chinese military companies as determined by the Secretary of Defense—or any subsidiary of such entity.

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, 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 Naval Station, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, by the Department of Defense.

This section directs reductions in funding for the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Secretary and Executive Management—Operations and Support—Management and Oversight if the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) fails to meet certain reporting and processing requirements for the Disaster Relief Fund. Specifically, it (1) reduces such funding by $100,000 for each day that the monthly Disaster Relief Fund report required under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015 (as applied in the current fiscal year), is not submitted to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and published on FEMA's website by the fifth business day of the applicable month; and (2) reduces such funding by $100,000 for each day during any period in which the cumulative total of reimbursement requests for individual assistance or public assistance related to emergency (42 U.S.C. 5122(1)) or major disaster (42 U.S.C. 5122(2)) declarations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) that have been under final review for more than 60 days exceeds 500. Subsection (c) exempts the reduction in (2) if the Disaster Relief Fund balance is sufficient only for obligating funds for lifesaving or life-sustaining activities.

This section extends the applicability of the Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP)—established by the CARES Act to provide payments to producers of livestock, poultry, and unprocessed grains for COVID-19-related market disruption losses—until September 30, 2026.

This section directs that appropriations levels for classified programs specified in this Act conform to the direction in the classified annex accompanying the Act and be implemented consistent with section 545.

This section authorizes the Director of National Intelligence, upon determining it necessary and in the national interest and with approval from the Secretary of Homeland Security and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to transfer funds within the National Intelligence Program consistent with the percentage limitations in section 503(c). Such transfers are permitted only for higher-priority items based on unforeseen intelligence requirements (not those to which the funds were originally appropriated) and not for any item denied by Congress, with transfer requests submitted in accordance with section 503(d)(1).

This section requires the Department, within seven days of enactment and quarterly thereafter, to submit to the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations (1) an obligation plan by program, project, or activity for each component receiving funds from Public Law 119-21; (2) estimated fee collections for each component collecting new or enhanced fees authorized by Public Law 119-21, delineated by collections retained by the component and those remitted to other agencies or the Treasury; and (3) an obligation plan by program, project, or activity for fee collections under (2) retained by a component.

This section prohibits the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using any appropriated funds to prevent Members of Congress or their designated House or Senate employees from entering, for oversight purposes, any facility used to detain or house aliens or to make temporary modifications that alter what would otherwise be observed during such visits. Members of Congress need not provide prior notice, but DHS may require 24 hours' advance notice for designated employees. Violation suspends DHS's reprogramming and transfer authority under section 503 for the remainder of the fiscal year.

This section appropriates an additional $30 million for the Supreme Court of the United States salaries and expenses account, to remain available until September 30, 2028, subject to the same authorities and conditions as provided under that account heading in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act, 2026.

This section appropriates $140 million to the Department of Transportation—Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Operations account for air traffic organization activities, to remain available through September 30, 2027, solely to fund a 3.8% pay rate increase for calendar year 2026 for air traffic controllers (as defined in 5 U.S.C. §2109(1)(A)) and air traffic controller supervisors or managers not covered by that definition but who manage air traffic. The increase is contingent on the FAA Administrator's sole determination that improvements in workforce scheduling, staffing utilization, or other operational efficiencies have been achieved to address workforce shortfalls and enhance aviation safety; if approved, it takes effect in the first pay period beginning after January 1, 2026. Funds are subject to the same authorities and conditions as amounts provided by the Department of Transportation Appropriations Act, 2026.

This section transfers $99,750,000 from unobligated balances in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Cybersecurity Response and Recovery Fund—as appropriated by division J of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (P.L. 117-58)—to CISA's Operations and Support account. Transferred amounts continue to be treated as specified in section 103(b) of division A of P.L. 118-5.

This section rescinds $89,265,000 in unobligated balances from specified Department of Homeland Security accounts, provided that no amounts designated by Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 may be rescinded, as follows: (1) $73,327,000 from the “Management Directorate—Procurement, Construction, and Improvements” account (70 22/26 0406); (2) $6,713,000 from the “U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Operations and Support” account (70 X 0530); (3) $387,000 from the “U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Automation Modernization” account (70 X 0531); (4) $917,000 from the “U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Procurement, Construction, and Improvements” account (70 X 0532); (5) $6,336,000 from the “U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology” account (70 X 0533); (6) $1,413,000 from the “U.S. Customs and Border Protection—Air and Marine Interdiction, Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement” account (70 X 0544); and (7) $172,000 from the “Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency—Infrastructure Protection and Infrastructure Security” account (70 X 0565).

This section rescinds $111,744,895 in specified unobligated balances from Department of Homeland Security operations and support accounts made available pursuant to section 505 of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2024 (as incorporated by section 1101 of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2025), as follows: (1) $2,072,147 from Office of the Secretary and Executive Management; (2) $5,487,177 from Management Directorate; (3) $4,493,650 from Intelligence, Analysis, and Situational Awareness; (4) $88,190 from Office of the Inspector General; (5) $1,139,096 from U.S. Customs and Border Protection; (6) $19,650,000 from Transportation Security Administration; (7) $703,390 from United States Secret Service; (8) $52,349,050 from Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency; (9) $18,525,975 from Federal Emergency Management Agency; (10) $120,860 from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; (11) $178,340 from Science and Technology Directorate; and (12) $6,937,020 from Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office.

This section prohibits the obligation or expenditure of funds provided in this or any other Act—including prior Acts and laws other than appropriations Acts—for the Secretary of Homeland Security to use any G-700 aircraft owned or operated by the U.S. Coast Guard for travel.

This section designates the explanatory statement for this Act (excluding U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement), printed on pages H1661 through H1733 of the House section of the Congressional Record on January 22, 2026, and submitted by the House Committee on Appropriations chair, as having the same effect as a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference for purposes of allocating funds and implementing the Act. The section further declares that language and amounts under the headings for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including in the Comparative Statement of New Budget Authority, have no force or effect; and deems any references in the Act to the explanatory statement described in section 4 (preceding division A) to instead refer to the statement described above.