S 2354HR 5342119th CongressIntroduced

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

Introduced: Jul 17, 2025

Civil Rights & JusticeTechnology & Innovation

Chamber Versions:

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

S. 2354 is the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026. It would provide the federal government with the funds needed for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, along with Science-related agencies (e.g., NIST, NOAA, USPTO, NTIA, Census) for fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2026). The bill sets spending levels for a wide range of programs and offices within those departments, plus a set of general provisions that govern transfers, reporting, and other administrative rules. In addition to funding, the bill includes several policy directives or constraints tied to specific programs (for example, salmon restoration in the Pacific Northwest, priority enforcement activities for China-related trade matters, and fee-collection arrangements for certain agencies). In short, this bill decides how much money federal agencies under Commerce and Justice will get in FY2026, and it embeds some program-specific priorities and management rules intended to shape how that money is used and monitored.

Key Points

1Broad funding allocations for major agencies and programs
2- Department of Commerce sections fund the International Trade Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, Economic Development Administration, Minority Business Development Agency, Census Bureau, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology (including construction and scientific/technical research), the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and NOAA. Several programs have multi-year availability or transfer provisions and offsetting collection requirements (fees paid by users that offset some general appropriations).
3- Department of Justice sections fund core operations, the Office of Inspector General, US Attorneys, the U.S. Trustee Program, and major components such as the Antitrust Division, Civil Division, Civil Rights Division, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review, among others. Provisions address information technology, witness/security needs, and special programs like election monitoring and vaccine injury processing.
4Notable program-specific provisions
5- Pacific coastal salmon recovery: $65 million was allocated to salmon/steelhead habitat and population restoration with state and tribal grants, a 33% non-federal matching requirement, and prohibitions on using funds for marketing.
6- Fisheries-related authorities: funds for fishery disaster assistance, fishery finance (loan authority levels), and the Driftnet Modernization/Bycatch program (recreational quota entity fees) are included.
7- NOAA funding structure: a mix of direct appropriations, transfers, and recoveries; supports operations, procurement, and construction (including a focus on specific NOAA projects listed in the accompanying report tables).
8Offsets, fees, and collections
9- USPTO: a large portion of the USPTO budget is funded by offsetting collections (fees and surcharges) rather than the general fund; if collections are lower or higher than estimated, the general fund appropriation can be adjusted accordingly. Any excess fee revenue above the main appropriation may go to a Patent and Trademark Fee Reserve Fund.
10- Antitrust premerger filing fees: fees collected for Hart-Scott-Rodino can be used to offset appropriations for the Antitrust Division, with adjustments to ensure the general fund appropriation ends up near zero after offsetting collections.
11- NTIA and spectrum management: certain costs may be offset via collections retained for spectrum-related services.
12Reprogrammings, transfers, and spending controls
13- The bill includes section 505-style reprogramming controls: transfers between Commerce and Justice accounts generally may not exceed small percentages and must follow formal reprogramming procedures, with advance notifications to Congress for major shifts or capital asset changes.
14- Transfers between accounts are limited (e.g., not more than 3% per appropriation and not increasing an individual appropriation by more than 6% via transfers).
15- For capital projects, at least 30 days’ advance notice is required before acquiring or disposing of major assets unless extraordinary circumstances apply.
16Budgetary transparency and planning requirements
17- The bill requires spending plans and, for large multi-year projects (e.g., major NOAA or NIST construction efforts, or satellite programs noted for life-cycle costs), explicit reporting of costs and future year budget needs.
18General provisions and governance
19- Several standard provisions govern reimbursement, travel, official representation expenses, and the use of funds for space-operated facilities, with some allowances for cross-agency use of space and services on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis.
20- Several sections uphold protections for child-pornography/copyright enforcement on grant networks and preserve ability to deter unlawful activity on grant recipient networks.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Federal agencies and employees within the Department of Commerce and the Department of Justice, plus the agencies they fund (e.g., NOAA, USPTO, NIST, Census, DOJ components, U.S. Attorneys, FBI-related offices, etc.). Beneficiaries include program participants, grant recipients, contractors, and organizations supported by these departments (e.g., researchers, technology programs, law enforcement grant recipients).Secondary group/area affected- State and local governments, tribal entities, and nonprofit organizations that receive NOAA grants, Census activities, EDA funding, and other Department of Commerce programs; state attorneys general and local law enforcement that interact with DOJ programs; and businesses relying on IP protections and export controls.Additional impacts- Policy priorities such as Pacific salmon recovery and fisheries programs influence natural resources management, tribal rights, and regional economies in the West.- Budgetary mechanisms (offsetting collections, fee-based funding for USPTO and other agencies) affect how much of the general fund contributes to agency operations and can influence user costs for IP filings and other regulatory services.- The broad reprogramming and transfer rules affect how nimble agencies can respond to emerging needs or emergencies during the year, with added congressional oversight.

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