Van Hollen, Alsobrooks Announce Over $50 Million for Maryland Public Safety, Bay Preservation, and Research Projects in Key Government Funding Bill

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), and Senator Angela Alsobrooks (both D-Md) announced $53,743,000 in direct federal funding for 39 community-led projects throughout Maryland within the fiscal year 2026 CJS appropriations bill - which was enacted into law as part of a 3-bill government funding package passed by Congress and signed into law in January. These projects - submitted and secured by the Senators - address a range of priorities including strengthening public safety, restoring the Chesapeake Bay, and improving the research capabilities of Maryland's institutions of higher education.

"Federal dollars can make a big impact when we invest them directly in projects that support our communities' needs. That's why we fought to deliver these federal dollars to local priorities - from efforts in strengthening public safety, to improving the health of the Chesapeake Bay, to supporting STEM education and research at our colleges and universities. Within this bill we also fought to reject the Trump Administration's attacks on NASA Goddard, NOAA, and NIST - agencies that employ thousands of Marylanders and do critical work to protect our coastal communities against extreme weather, restore the Bay, advance American innovation, and more. In addition to these priorities, I worked to include a provision requiring the Administration to submit the contracted and completed architectural, engineering, and security plan for the new FBI headquarters building for review by the Appropriations Committees - before they can spend a dime of the reprogrammed construction funds. After the Trump Administration ignored the decades-long site selection process for a new FBI Headquarters, this was an important step to reassert Congress's oversight role in the relocation of the FBI headquarters and to ensure it meets the bureau's mission and security needs. Like any product of bipartisan compromise, this legislation is not perfect - but it includes many hard-fought investments we secured to meaningfully advance the priorities of Maryland's communities," said Senator Van Hollen.

"My north star is fighting for Marylanders to live not just on the margins, but to live beyond their wildest dreams. In order for Maryland families to truly thrive, we must invest in our state. The federal funding for Maryland included the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies funding bill targets crime and gun violence prevention, critical research and STEM learning labs, blue catfish mitigation efforts, air quality research, and more. While I remain committed to fighting this Administration and their constant attacks on our state - including their witch hunt of federal workers, I will keep working across the aisle to get the funding Maryland deserves and needs to thrive," said Senator Alsobrooks.

Highlights for Maryland in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Funding Bill

Congressionally Directed Spending

Project Name: Addressing Air Quality Research
Applicant: Goucher College
Project Description: Funds will support installation of weather stations and air quality sensors and research tools to fill critical data gaps in urban heat mapping in Baltimore to show where heat builds up during hot weather. This research will also bolster educational opportunities at Goucher and the local community.
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $151,000

Project Name: Animal Rescue Program
Applicant: The National Aquarium
Project Description: Funds will be used to bolster the National Aquarium's Animal Rescue Program to support response and rehabilitation for stranded or injured animals in the Chesapeake Bay and related educational efforts throughout the state.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $725,000

Project Name: Behavioral Health Services for Community Violence Intervention Network
Applicant: Associated Catholic Charities Inc.
Project Description: Funds will be used to provide support to Violence Interrupters involved in community-based programs to prevent violence through mediation and expand behavioral health services for community members to maximize the effectiveness of crime prevention efforts.
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $431,000

Project Name: Bio-Design Innovation Hub
Applicant: Maryland Institute College of Art
Project Description: Funds will establish a new Bio-Design Innovation Hub that will provide educational, training, and research opportunities in the emerging fields of biodesign and biomanufacturing.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $897,000

Project Name: Biomedical Research and Training Center
Applicant: Hood College
Project Description: Funds will be used to build out the Biomedical Research and Training Center, including labs, classrooms, and meeting spaces, as part of Maryland Tech Council's BioHub initiative to train students and workers in biotechnology.
Project Location: Frederick County
Amount Included: $2,500,000

Project Name: Blue Catfish (Invasive Species) Mitigation
Applicant: Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR)
Project Description: Funds will be used to conduct research and data collection to address invasive catfish populations in the Chesapeake Bay and better understand ecosystem impacts from various harvest methods.
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Included: $2,000,000

Project Name: Center for Precision Aquaculture
Applicant: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Project Description: Funds will support the creation of the UMBC Center for Precision Aquaculture, which will perform research to develop innovative aquaculture to ultimately increase domestic production and address national food security.
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $1,500,000

Project Name: Chesapeake Global Collaboratory
Applicant: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science
Project Description: Funds will support the development of a new Chesapeake Global Collaboratory for partnerships in research to improve the health of the Chesapeake Bay and other waterways in the region.
Project Location: Dorchester County
Amount Included: $1,000,000

Project Name: Computer Aided Dispatch Replacement
Applicant: Baltimore Police Department
Project Description: Funds will be used to upgrade the City's Computer-Aided Dispatch System, which is used by fire, police, and various city agencies to respond to emergencies and efficiently manage incoming calls for service.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $3,700,000

Project Name: Countywide Program Expansion and Crime Prevention Initiative
Applicant: Prince George's County Boys & Girls Club
Project Description: Funds will be used to employ a coordinated, countywide crime prevention initiative aimed at supporting youth in making positive choices and reducing their risk of involvement in violence or substance use.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $1,000,000

Project Name: Digital Forensics Unit Upgrades
Applicant: Charles County Sheriff's Office
Project Description: Funds will be used to upgrade obsolete equipment to assist and expedite the processing of digital evidence.
Project Location: Charles County
Amount Included: $534,000

Project Name: Donnelly Science Center Research Lab
Applicant: Loyola University Maryland
Project Description: Funds will be used to modernize teaching and research lab spaces and update equipment to support instruction and learning in state-of-the-art classrooms.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $2,000,000

Project Name: Early STEM Learning Initiatives
Applicant: National Children's Museum
Project Description: Funds will support the development of new exhibits and STEM programs aligned with NASA's STEM education mission at the National Children's Museum, which serves tens of thousands of visitors from Maryland.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $1,200,000

Project Name: Enhancing Crime Lab Forensic Capabilities
Applicant: Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department
Project Description: Funds will be used to purchase new equipment for the County's forensic lab to ensure it continues to analyze evidence accurately, efficiently, and reliably.
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Included: $1,192,000

Project Name: Equipment for the Center for Education and Research in Microelectronics
Applicant: Morgan State University
Project Description: Funds will be used to acquire additional equipment for Morgan State's Center for Education and Research in Microelectronics and to train the next generation of leaders in semiconductor design and manufacturing.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $3,400,000

Project Name: Expansion of Trauma and Victim Services
Applicant: Center for Hope, Inc.
Project Description: Funds will be used to enhance Center of Hope's network of violence intervention and prevention programs focused on intimate partner violence, child abuse and exploitation, elder justice, human trafficking, and community violence.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $800,000

Project Name: Group Violence Reduction Strategy Expansion
Applicant: City of Baltimore
Project Description: Funds will be used to expand the Group Violence Reduction Strategy in the City. This evidence-based practice engages those at the highest acute risk of gun violence with law enforcement, social services, and community members to reduce crime.
Project Location: City of Baltimore
Amount Included: $1,184,000

Project Name: Gun Violence and Juvenile Diversion Program
Applicant: Town of Bladensburg
Project Description: Funds will be used to purchase the necessary equipment to establish two community-based violence prevention programs for at-risk youth by creating a boxing-based mentorship program and an educational video gaming-based engagement program that will build positive relationship between youth and police
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $450,000

Project Name: Gun Violence Intervention
Applicant: Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Project Description: Funds will be used to support violence prevention and intervention efforts in neighborhoods experiencing the highest levels of gun violence as part of a coordinated strategy to reduce violent crime.
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Included: $1,000,000

Project Name: Joint 911 Public Safety Center Technology
Applicant: Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Project Description: Funds will be used to procure equipment and technology to support a Joint 911 public safety center that builds on the existing partnership between Anne Arundel County's Public Safety, Fire, and Police Departments to better respond to local emergencies.
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Included: $3,500,000

Project Name: Molecular Biology Research Laboratory
Applicant: Morgan State University
Project Description: Funds will construct and equip a new, cutting-edge microbiology lab that will conduct research on chronic health issues and train the future biomedical workforce.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $5,500,000

Project Name: Montgomery County Sheriff's Office Gun Violence Prevention
Applicant: Montgomery County Sheriff's Office
Project Description: Funds will be used for a covert vehicle upfitted with a firearms vault to conduct surveillance and conduct operations for cases to prevent gun violence.
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Included: $70,000

Project Name: Office Technology Modernization and Cybersecurity Enhancements
Applicant: Office of the States Attorney for Baltimore City
Project Description: Funds will be used to replace outdated computer systems to prevent data loss, enhance security, improve efficiency, and ensure reliable network performance for the State's Attorneys Office.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $775,000

Project Name: Planetarium Equipment
Applicant: Frostburg State University
Project Description: Funds will be used to purchase new equipment for Frostburg State University's Planetarium to support STEM education in Western Maryland.
Project Location: Allegany County
Amount Included: $2,808,000

Project Name: Pollution-Monitoring Project and Equipment
Applicant: EarthReports, Inc. dba Patuxent Riverkeeper
Project Description: Funds will be used to acquire equipment and study the Patuxent River to collect up-to-date and real-time data on runoff into the river and its possible sources in order to reduce pollution inflow and improve water quality.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $1,057,000

Project Name: Public Safety Communications Modernization Project
Applicant: Town of Riverdale Park
Project Description: Funds will be used to enhance emergency response capabilities by upgrading the police department's outdated communication system to improve officer safety, interagency coordination, and public protection, ensuring faster, reliable communication for first responders in the Riverdale Park area.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $179,000

Project Name: Quantum Computing Breakthrough Against Cancer
Applicant: The Maryland Center at Bowie State University
Project Description: Funds will be used to purchase a quantum computer for use in cancer research to accelerate detection and therapy development. The Center supports activities to further enhance the educational, research, and service mission of Bowie State University.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $700,000

Project Name: Rapid Rehousing & Abuser Intervention for Victims of Domestic Violence
Applicant: YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County
Project Description: Funds will be used to provide education, job skills/readiness, re-housing and relocation assistance to individuals fleeing domestic violence, and to support a 28-week court-mandated program to prevent abuse.
Project Location: Anne Arundel County
Amount Included: $697,000

Project Name: Real Time Intelligence Center
Applicant: Montgomery County Police
Project Description: Funds will be used to support operations at the Real-Time Crime Center to improve public safety, strengthen community relations, and enhance law enforcement efficacy.
Project Location: Montgomery County
Amount Included: $2,100,000

Project Name: SAFE Center
Applicant: The University of Maryland, College Park
Project Description: Funds will be used to update data and research infrastructure to improve the SAFE Center's ability to monitor human trafficking, identify service gaps, and support survivors.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $700,000

Project Name: SMCSO Mobile Command Vehicle
Applicant: St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office
Project Description: Funds will be used to design and purchase a mobile command center for law enforcement and public safety operations in St. Mary's County.
Project Location: St. Mary's County
Amount Included: $800,000

Project Name: Statewide Program Expansion and Crime Prevention Initiative
Applicant: Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Baltimore
Project Description: Funds will support the Boys & Girls Clubs in Maryland's statewide crime prevention initiative focused on building positive relationships between youth and law enforcement and curbing the opioid crises.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $2,000,000

Project Name: STEM Forward
Applicant: Chinese American Parent Association of Howard County
Project Description: Funds will be used to expand STEM education efforts in Howard County by connecting young students to educational programming around coding, earth-sciences, robotics, and engineering.
Project Location: Howard County
Amount Included: $1,046,000

Project Name: The National Center to Accelerate Cures
Applicant: Blackbird Laboratories, Inc.
Project Description: Funds will be used to advance innovative testing platforms through new medical development methods resulting in a stronger domestic supply chain and ultimately delivering safer and more effective treatments to patients faster and more efficiently.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $3,000,000

Project Name: UMBC Laboratory for Flood Risk Impact Assessment and Adaptation
Applicant: University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Project Description: Funds will be used to establish a new Laboratory for Flood Risk Impact Assessment and Adaptation to conduct research into flood risk threats in Baltimore and small towns along the Chesapeake Bay.
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $1,031,000

Project Name: UMD Violence Reduction Research Initiative
Applicant: The University of Maryland, College Park
Project Description: Funds will be used to support innovative research to reduce violence in Maryland and the National Capital Region.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $975,000

Project Name: UM-MIND X-CHANGE
Applicant: University of Maryland, Baltimore
Project Description: Funds will be used to purchase and house advanced microscopes for a consortium comprised of the UMD School of Medicine, Morgan State, UMBC, the MD Psychiatric Research Center, and UMCP, in order to improve basic and clinical research on the brain and its disorders.
Project Location: Baltimore City
Amount Included: $2,910,000

Project Name: Watershed Research Equipment
Applicant: Anacostia Watershed Society
Project Description: Funds will support acquisition of a new watercraft and related equipment to support and expand educational outreach and programming to protect and restore the Anacostia River.
Project Location: Prince George's County
Amount Included: $250,000

Project Name: Youth Violence Prevention Project
Applicant: Youth Advocate Programs, Inc.
Project Description: Funds will support violence prevention by providing intensive mentorship, wraparound services, and job training for high-risk youth.
Project Location: Baltimore County
Amount Included: $450,000

Additional priorities in the FY26 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies funding bill include:

Key Bill Points & Highlights:

FBI Headquarters: Following the Trump Administration's efforts to ignore the decades-long site selection process for a new FBI Headquarters, Senator Van Hollen included a provision requiring that, prior to spending reprogrammed construction funds on the Headquarters, the FBI must submit the contracted and completed architectural and engineering plan for the new headquarters building, including the security plan, for review by the Appropriations Committees. This provision reasserts Congress's oversight role in the relocation of the FBI headquarters and will help ensure the new headquarters meets the mission and security needs of the FBI.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): The bill provides $24.44 billion for NASA, which is $5.63 billion above President Trump's request. The bill rejects the administration's devastating proposal to cut NASA Science by 47% and terminate 55 operating and planned missions. It instead provides $7.25 billion. The bill provides $1.6 billion for Astrophysics, including $300 million to complete the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope to investigate dark energy and the formation of galaxies and stars and $150 million to ramp up development of the Habitable Worlds Observatory that will search for potentially habitable planets, both of which are being developed at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The bill also provides $500 million for the Dragonfly mission to explore Titan, the largest moon of Saturn-led by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory-and $100 million to ramp up development of the Geospace Dynamics Constellation (GDC) to better understand the Sun's impact on the Earth-led by Goddard. The bill continues support for a new "Earth Observatory," which is a collection of five missions to implement the Earth Science Decadal Survey, and the Landsat Next mission to ensure continuity of the longest space-based record of Earth's land surface. The bill also provides increases for Hubble and James Webb Space Telescope operations and science to ensure full utilization of these incredible assets.

The bill includes critical resources to support the goal of returning Americans to the Moon and of eventually landing on Mars, providing $7.78 billion for Exploration, which is $117 million above fiscal year 2025. The bill supports progress on the Artemis Campaign, including sufficient funding for NASA to meet the ambitious goal of returning humans to the Moon by 2028.

Aeronautics is supported at $935 million, equal to fiscal year 2025 and $326 million above President Trump's budget request, to ensure continued U.S. leadership in aviation and to invest in sustainable aviation technologies. The bill rejects President Trump's shortsighted request to eliminate the NASA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Engagement programs and provides $143 million for the programs. This includes: the Space Grant ($58 million), the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Technology ($26 million), and the Minority University Research and Education Project ($45.5 million).

The bill also includes language regarding recent reports of consolidation at Goddard, noting Congress is concerned about potential negative impacts to operations and capabilities at the Center. The bill directs NASA to preserve all the technical and scientific world-class capabilities at Goddard, including those that will be used to complete any mission funded in fiscal year 2026 by Congress during any campus consolidation. In addition. the bill directs NASA to, no later than 30 days after the enactment of this act, contract a study with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering. and Medicine regarding the current technical and scientific capabilities housed at Goddard, what capabilities are positioned to ensure long-term success of the NASA mission, including for future cutting-edge scientific discovery and crewed space exploration, and what facilities are needed to house and operate those capabilities.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): The bill provides $6.171 billion for NOAA, which is headquartered in Silver Spring, $1.67 billion above President Trump's request. NOAA provides critical weather prediction that people, businesses, and communities rely on each and every day. The bill provides $1.46 billion for the National Weather Service to improve weather prediction capabilities, including a $10 million increase to bolster staffing at Weather Forecast Offices. The bill also provides $1.67 billion to maintain the current generation of NOAA weather and climate satellites and to invest in next-generation satellites-$135 million above President Trump's request. It rejects more than $300 million in proposed cuts to the National Marine Fisheries Service, which ensure sustainable management of U.S. fisheries.

Climate Research: The bill supports investments to advance critical climate research. In particular, it provides $224 million for climate research at NOAA, rejecting President Trump's push to eliminate much of this funding, and it provides $2.15 billion for NASA Earth Science, rejecting President Trump's proposed 53% budget cut. Funding for NOAA includes $32 million for the National Ocean and Coastal Security Fund, which improves the resilience of coastal communities around the country.

Maryland's Coasts: Funding for NOAA includes $32 million for the National Ocean and Coastal Security Fund and $81.5 million for Coastal Zone Management Grants, which improve the resilience of coastal communities around the country. It also includes $7.1 million for the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office, including $3.25 million for oyster restoration activities-an increase of $1.5 million-and $80 million for the National Sea Grant College program and $14 million for Sea Grant Aquaculture program, all of which support improved health and productivity of the Chesapeake Bay. The bill also includes $2.5 million for a new menhaden survey in the Chesapeake Bay to ensure the sustainability of a critical species.

National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST): The bill rejects the administration's proposal to slash NIST research and standards work by $150 million and instead invests a total of $1.847 billion for NIST, including $1.25 billion to spur research advances in cutting-edge fields like carbon dioxide removal, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and cybersecurity. The bill maintains the Senate bill level of $128 million in base construction funding, an increase of $40 million over President Trump's budget request and the fiscal year 2025 level, to repair and upgrade major NIST research facilities, including facilities at NIST's main campus in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Department of Commerce: The bill provides $11.132 billion for the Department of Commerce, $744 million more than fiscal year 2025 and $2.4 billion more than President Trump's budget request. This includes: $400 million for Economic Development Assistance Programs (EDAP), which is $30 million more than was available in fiscal year 2025, including $41 million for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hubs) Program-enough for up to two implementation grants for designated Tech Hubs. It also includes $175 million for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) Program.

Census Bureau: The bill provides a $108 million increase over fiscal year 2025 for the Census Bureau, which is headquartered in Suitland, to bolster the agency's preparations for the 2030 Census and its ability to continue producing high-quality data.

Department of Justice: The bill provides $37 billion for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the critical grant programs it administers, which help keep communities safe.

Addressing and Preventing Violence Against Women: The bill provides $720 million for grants provided by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) and rejects President Trump's proposal to combine OVW with the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). The OVW funding level is an increase of $7 million above fiscal year 2025 and is $215 million more than President Trump's budget request. Funding is provided for multiple competitive and formula grant programs that support training for police officers and prosecutors, state domestic violence and sexual assault coalitions, rape prevention programs, lethality assessment and homicide reduction initiatives, domestic violence hotlines, women's shelters, transitional housing, and rural support services.

Continued funding is provided for several OVW programs authorized in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) Reauthorization Act of 2022, including a restorative justice program and the Abby Honold Act. In addition, $12 million is provided for a grant program to increase access to sexual assault nurse exams, which will support grants for regional Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training, salaries for SANEs, and Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs), and technical assistance and resources to increase access to SANEs and SAFEs.

The bill also includes $10 million in continued funding to incentivize states to adopt laws that protect the rights of sexual assault survivors.

The bill provides $50 million to support the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, which is administered by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. This program supports multi-disciplinary community response teams tasked with developing and implementing comprehensive reform regarding sexual assault, including reducing the backlog of rape kits at law enforcement agencies. Additionally, the bill provides increased funding for other programs that are critical to assisting survivors, including: $79.5 million for the Sexual Assault Services Program; $55 million for Legal Assistance for Victims grants; $51 million for Transitional Housing Assistance grants; $50.5 million for the Rural Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, and Stalking Program; and $14.5 million for grants to assist governments exercising Special Tribal Criminal Jurisdiction.

Supporting Crime Victims: The Crime Victims Fund (CVF) provides critical support through direct assistance and programs offered by victim service providers to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and other violent crimes. The bill makes $1.95 billion from the CVF available in fiscal year 2026. Of this amount, $97.5 million is designated for efforts to assist Tribal victims.

Maintaining Critical DOJ Oversight: The bill rejects President Trump's request to cut DOJ's Office of the Inspector General (OIG) by 30%, or $42 million compared to fiscal year 2025. The agreement maintains $139 million in funding for the OIG, providing the funding necessary so that it can detect waste, fraud, abuse, and misconduct at the DOJ.

Strengthening Police-Community Relations: The bill provides dedicated funding of $18 million for the COPS Community Policing Development program, as well as $15 million for the Law Enforcement Officer De-escalation Act. The bill provides a total of $35 million for three grant programs dedicated to preventing hate crimes. The bill also provides a total of $50 million for the Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative-a proven, evidence-based strategy that reduces violence and saves lives, which President Trump's budget request sought to eliminate.

Supporting State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Law Enforcement: The Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) program is funded at $964 million, of which $346 million is released from Byrne JAG core funding to states and territories. Funding is also included for programs that support officer mental health and wellness ($6 million), and the purchase of bulletproof vests ($30 million). COPS Hiring is funded at $253 million, which will help hire approximately 1,260 more police officers nationwide.

Responding to Substance Use Disorder in Our Communities: The bill provides communities and first responders with dedicated grant program funding to respond to substance use disorder and to crack down on drug trafficking. The bulk of this funding is for Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act grants, which receive $403 million to fund specialized court docket programs like drug, mental health, and veteran treatment courts and substance abuse treatment programs administered by state and local correctional facilities. The bill also funds the COPS anti-heroin task force program at $34.5 million and the COPS anti-methamphetamine task force program at $13.5 million.

Rejecting Trump's Attempts to Gut Federal Law Enforcement and DOJ Grants: The bill rejects President Trump's proposal to merge the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) into the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and to substantially reduce resources for both, gutting the main federal law enforcement agencies charged with enforcing our nation's gun and drug laws and keeping people safe. It also rejects President Trump's efforts to dismantle DOJ's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) by restricting that funding to activities only related to fighting major drug trafficking organizations and transnational organized crime-not immigration raids. It also continues to fund and maintain all DOJ grant-making components as independent offices, rejecting President Trump's attempts to not only gut critical resources that help support victims of crime, but to diminish OVW and the COPS Office existence as independent entities with subject matter and grants expertise, as Congress set them up to be under law.

Juvenile Justice: The bill provides $375 million for grant programs within the Office on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, which is $74.5 million above President Trump's budget request. The bill increases funding for long-standing programs and provides $105 million for Missing and Exploited Children Program grants; $43 million for Victims of Child Abuse Act grants; and $105 million for youth mentoring grants.

Supporting Tribal Businesses and Economic Development: The bill provides significant additional resources for Tribes and indigenous communities, including $5 million for the Office and Native American Business Development in the Office of the Secretary of Commerce, $6.5 million to support Tribal businesses through the Minority Business Development Agency, and another $5 million for the Assistance to Indigenous Communities program at EDA, which is specifically designed to address the needs of indigenous communities that have historically suffered from a lack of investment in core economic development needs.

Promoting Competition and Enforcing Antitrust Laws: The bill promotes economic freedom and opportunity by guaranteeing at least $245 million in funding for DOJ's Antitrust Division-$12 million, or 5%, above fiscal year 2025. The bill also includes language allowing the Antitrust Division to retain and use all of the pre-merger filing notification fees it collects in fiscal year 2026-even if those collections exceed the $245 million appropriation for the agency.

Economic Development: The bill provides $466 million for community economic development through the Economic Development Administration. This includes $41 million for the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) Program-enough for EDA to fund two implementation grants. This also includes $100 million for Public Works grants, $10 million for newly-authorized Workforce Training Grant Programs, and $50 million for the Regional Innovation Program. EDA awards infrastructure and planning grants to all 50 States.

Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS): The bill includes $235 million, an increase of $44 million over fiscal year 2025, for the Bureau of Industry and Security. BIS plays a critical role in enforcement of Russian and Belarussian export controls and efforts to counter Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. It also supports stringent export control measures on high-end technologies, including an increase of no less than $10 million strengthen enforcement of export licenses for semiconductors, like the Nvidia H200, with end users in the People's Republic of China.

National Science Foundation (NSF): NSF is funded at $8.75 billion, rejecting President Trump's ludicrous proposal to cut federal investment in this essential scientific research and innovation by 57%-which would have returned NSF to its fiscal year 2000 funding level just as our global competitors are doubling down on their investments. The bill invests $7.18 billion for NSF's research and related activities, level with fiscal year 2025, to help drive U.S. economic competitiveness, including investments in artificial intelligence and quantum information science, and the Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships. NSF's education and training programs to build tomorrow's innovation workforce are funded at $938 million, rejecting President Trump's proposal to eliminate these programs. This funding level for NSF should support nearly 10,000 new competitive awards and more than 250,000 scientists, technicians, teachers, and students.

Legal Services Corporation (LSC): The bill rejects President Trump's proposal to eliminate LSC and instead provides $540 million for LSC. The bill also makes permanent a provision to permit LSC recipients to operate with boards of directors that composed of as little as 33% attorneys without requiring appointment by bar associations, greatly improving recipients' ability to have fiscal experts and community representatives on their governing bodies. Additionally, the bill includes language to reinforce the existing legal requirement for LSC to receive its appropriation as an annual installment, ensuring that LSC recipients can continue providing services without interruption. LSC is the largest funder of civil legal aid in the country, and its grantees serve millions of low-income Americans every year, helping them with family law, domestic violence, housing, fraud, and other legal matters.

Defeating Extreme Republican Riders: Democrats defeated more than 90 extreme Republican riders-ranging from blocking gun violence prevention measures to restricting women's access to reproductive health to impeding scientific climate crisis research to infringing on Americans' civil rights.