HR 5342119th CongressIntroduced

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

Introduced: Sep 12, 2025

Civil Rights & JusticeEconomy & TaxesTechnology & Innovation

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

This bill, H.R. 5342, is the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2026. It provides the annual funding authorization for a broad set of federal agencies within the Departments of Commerce and Justice, plus related science and technology programs (notably under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Census Bureau, USPTO, NTIA, and related agencies). It also funds major law-enforcement and justice components (FBI, DEA, U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Marshals, DOJ’s Civil Rights and Antitrust divisions, EOIR, and others) and includes various policy riders and management provisions that affect how the money can be used, transferred, or offset with other revenues. In addition to base appropriations, the bill includes targeted programs (for example, Pacific coastal salmon recovery and China antidumping/enforcement efforts) and sets certain reporting, performance, and reprogramming requirements. The act is introduced and reported in the 119th Congress, but the sponsor is not listed in the provided text. It is titled to be cited as the Department of Commerce Appropriations Act, 2026, and contains both appropriations and accompanying general provisions that guide how the funds may be used and managed.

Key Points

1Broad funding across Commerce and Justice entities
2- Major agencies include NOAA, USPTO, NIST, NTIA, Census, ITA, BIS, EDA, and MBDA (within Commerce); and DOJ components such as the Justice Operations, FBI, DEA, U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Trustee Program, USMS, National Security Division, and related offices.
3- Notable allocations (examples from the text): NOAA operations, research, and facilities; USPTO salaries and expenses; NIST science/tech research; and IT/agency operations for DOJ.
4- Specific program endorsements: funding for fisheries and salmon restoration (Pacific coastal salmon recovery) and for enforcement activities related to China antidumping/countervailing duties.
5Targeted policy and program riders
6- International Trade Administration (ITA) activities include promoting exports and foreign investment, with explicit funding for overseas trade promotion and related activities, plus allowances such as full medical coverage for eligible dependents overseas and related travel. There is a minimum set-aside for China antidumping/enforcement work.
7- Salmon recovery: $65 million authorized for Pacific coastal salmon restoration with a 33% matching requirement for state/tribal recipients and specific use limitations (merit-based allocation, no marketing use).
8- Salmon/fisheries-related funding also interacts with other NOAA fishery and disaster programs and related fund transfers.
9DOJ operations and enforcement emphasis
10- Substantial funding for DOJ’s core mission areas (e.g., general legal activities, Antitrust Division, U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Trustee Program, FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals, etc.).
11- Immigration-related court operations (Executive Office for Immigration Review) funded with performance metrics tied to immigration judges’ performance evaluations.
12Management, transfer, and reprogramming controls
13- The bill includes standard reprogramming and transfer constraints (Section 505-type provisions) requiring advance notification to Congress for certain fund moves and limiting transfers between accounts.
14- Some authorities permit transfer or use of funds for enterprise IT, information sharing, and other cross-agency initiatives, sometimes with transfer authority to DOJ’s “Information Sharing Technology” account.
15- Several accounts are allowed to retain offsetting collections or to transfer funds from or to other accounts to cover costs, with final appropriation levels often tied to actual collections.
16Financing and offsetting collections
17- For certain accounts (e.g., Hart-Scott-Rodino premerger fees in the Antitrust Division; USPTO fees), the act contemplates offsetting collections reducing the general fund appropriation to zero or to a specified level, with reserve fund provisions and spending plans required for any excess.
18- Some programs must operate within dedicated funds or offsetting collection frameworks, limiting the use of general funds.
19Space program lifecycle costs and facility-related provisions
20- The act references lifecycle cost reporting for major space programs (Joint Polar Satellite System, Space Weather Follow On, etc.) and includes related accounting provisions.
21- Provisions on use of space within federal buildings and reimbursable charges (e.g., Sec. 105) and relocation/facility allowances (Sec. 112) are included.

Impact Areas

Primary impact area- Federal agencies and employees within the Department of Commerce and Department of Justice, including program managers, enforcement personnel, scientists, patent and trademark staff, and inspectors general. This affects budget planning, staffing levels, grant-making, and the administration of a wide array of programs (trade administration, NOAA science, census operations, patent regulation, fisheries, law enforcement, immigration review, and court support).Secondary impact areas- State and local governments, tribes, and non-profit organizations that receive grants or contracts (e.g., Pacific salmon restoration grants, fisheries programs, minority business development, science/technology collaboration).- U.S. businesses and exporters, through ITA and export-promotion activities (including China enforcement and antidumping/countervailing duty work) and through the USPTO income-discretionary funding framework affecting patent operations and fees.- Researchers, universities, and industry partners involved in NIST science/engineering projects and NOAA environmental and fisheries research and data programs.Additional or broader impacts- Policy riders and performance-metrics requirements (e.g., EOIR judge performance metrics) may influence how civil/administrative processes are evaluated and managed.- Transfer, reprogramming, and offsetting-collection rules affect how agencies can respond quickly to emerging needs or realign resources, potentially influencing timing of programs and project funding.- Salmon recovery and other environmental provisions reflect a focus on conservation priorities and biomedical/biotech/tech-transfer considerations tied to federal investment.

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