Van Hollen Statement on House & Senate Negotiated Commerce, Justice, Science, & Related Agencies FY 2026 Appropriations Bill

U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), released the following statement regarding the House and Senate negotiated text of the CJS FY 2026 Appropriations bill, filed today:

"I've long said our funding bills are a statement of our priorities. Within this legislation, I fought to invest in Americans' priorities, reject the Trump Administration's attempts to defund critical initiatives both in Maryland and nationally, and install safeguards against their efforts to ignore Congressionally-mandated funds. I worked to secure key investments to boost economic opportunity and strengthen public safety in our communities. I also fought within this bill to reject the Trump Administration's attacks on science, including at NASA Goddard, NOAA, and NIST - all based in my home state of Maryland. Our bill makes clear that Congress, on a bipartisan basis, will not accept this Administration's reckless, harmful cuts.

"In addition to these priorities, this bill also includes language that I worked to secure around the Trump Administration's efforts to ignore the decades-long site selection process for a new FBI Headquarters. This language requires 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 is an important step to reassert Congress's oversight role in the relocation of the FBI headquarters and to ensure the new headquarters meets the mission and security needs of the FBI."

"This bill is not perfect - we had to make tough decisions when it comes to what programs to cut and what to protect. I would have liked more funding for science and research, Justice Department resources that help make our communities safer, and local economic development initiatives that help small- and medium-sized businesses.

"Republicans also chose to strip out my amendment that was previously passed unanimously in Committee to require the Justice Department to 'retain, preserve, and compile any records or evidence related to any investigation, prosecution, or incarceration of Jeffrey Epstein' and submit a report to Congress within 60 days regarding the records and evidence. Given their previous support of this amendment on the floor and in Committee, their backtracking is particularly egregious. It's clear they're still opposed to providing the victims and the American people the answers they deserve.

"That being said, within this bill we fought to reject nearly 100 Republican poison pill riders - including attempts to block gun violence prevention measures, restrict access to reproductive health care, restrict scientific climate crisis research, and impede on Americans' civil rights. It also creates new legal safeguards to prevent the Trump Administration from decimating essential programs. These - and the many investments we secured - were hard-fought, and will help ensure that we're supporting Americans' true priorities, not those of this Administration."

Key Bill Points & Highlights:

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).

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): The bill provides $6.171 billion for NOAA, $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 also 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 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 seeks 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.