Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026
Public Law 119- 74
The following are excerpts from the final legislation and/or conference report which contain references to and studies for The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, underlined and in bold. (Pound signs [##] between passages denote the deletion of unrelated text.)
HR6938 Cole, Tom (R-OK) 01/23/26
Making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
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ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
AT THE SECOND SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Saturday, the third day of January, two thousand and twenty-six
AN ACT
Making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026”.
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SEC. 4. Explanatory Statement.
The explanatory statement regarding this Act, printed in the House section of the Congressional Record on or about January 7, 2026, and submitted by the chair of the Committee on Appropriations of the House, shall have the same effect with respect to the allocation of funds and implementation of Divisions A through C of this Act as if it were a joint explanatory statement of a committee of conference.
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EXPLANATORY STATEMENT SUBMITTED BY MR. COLE, CHAIRMAN OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, REGARDING H.R. 6938, COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE; ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT; AND INTERIOR AND ENVIRONMENT APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
The following is an explanation of the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026.
This Act includes 3 regular appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. The divisions contained in the Act are as follows:
Division A - Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
Division B - Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
Division C - Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026
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DIVISION A - COMMERCE, JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
The joint explanatory statement accompanying this division is approved and indicates congressional intent. Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in House Report 119- 272 (“the House report") and the Senate Report 119-44 (“the Senate report"') carries the same weight a language included in this joint explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this joint explanatory statement or the act. While some language is repeated for emphasis. it is not intended to negate the language referred to above unless expressly provided herein. In cases where the House report and the Senate report direct the submission of a report, such report is to be submitted to both the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations (" the Committees").
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SAFETY, SECURITY AND MISSION SERVICES
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Goddard Space Flight Center Consolidation.- The Committees have reviewed reports regarding facility and building closures at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's Greenbelt campus and are concerned about potential negative impacts to operations and capabilities at the Center. The agreement directs NASA to preserve a ll 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 agreement 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.
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
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Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey Priority Facilities.- The agreement provides not less than $30,000,000 for NSF to support the development of next generation astronomy facilities recommended in the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 (Astro2020) and adopts House and Senate direction. The agreement also reiterates Senate direction that NSF shall immediately advance both U.S. Extremely Large Telescopes into final design review, at no cost to the Federal Government. Not later than 45 days after enactment of this act, NSF shall brief the Committees about how the Foundation intends to implement this congressional direction, and the agreement adopts house direction requesting regular program updates thereafter.
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HRpt 119-272 - To accompany H.R. 5342 - Making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.
(9/12/25)
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Epitranscriptomic Standards.--The Committee notes the release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report ‘Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications’ and notes that several types of standards are needed to support research and technology development for the Ribonucleic acid (RNA) modifications field, and that NIST is well-suited to take the lead on this initiative. The Committee encourages NIST to implement recommendations from the NASEM report and determine the feasibility of developing and promoting standards to support the field of epitranscriptomics.
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Sequencing RNA.--The Committee recognizes the recent release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report ‘Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications’ on sequencing RNA and its modifications in March 2024. The Committee notes that a number of the report's recommendations will require a unified strategy across the Federal government to unlock the full potential of RNA modifications and address pressing societal challenges in health, agriculture, and beyond. The Committee supports these efforts and directs OSTP to develop a coordinated plan for the relevant Federal agencies to implement the report's recommendations, which shall include collaborating with industry and at least one institution of higher education, and provide an update in the fiscal year 2027 Congressional Budget Justification.
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Neutrino Observatory.--The Committee is aware of the many important scientific contributions being made by the South Pole neutrino observatory IceCube, the current upgrade underway, and the initial planning for the next generation facility IceCube-Gen2 as recommended in the NASEM Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 and the Particle Physics Project Prioritization Panel (P5). The Committee encourages NSF to consider design review activities for IceCube-Gen2 and ensuring a smooth transition between the IceCube upgrade and IceCube-Gen2 construction to protect the specialized Antarctic workforce needed for both the upgrade and construction projects.
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The recommendation includes $6,000,000,000 for Science which is $1,334,200,000 below fiscal year 2025 and $2,092,400,000 above the OMB Budget request. The Committee directs NASA to allocate funding as described in the table above and text below, and to continue its progress toward implementing the recommendations within the Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, Astrophysics, and Biological and Physical Sciences decadal surveys.
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Mars Sample Return.--The Committee continues support for Mars Sample Return and includes $300,000,000 to advance the mission and maintain U.S. leadership in planetary science. The Committee notes that MSR is the top priority of the U.S. Planetary Science Decadal Survey, and China is investing in a sample return mission scheduled to launch in 2028. The Committee further notes that the MSR program is developing capabilities that are critical to the success of human exploration of the Moon and Mars including the ability to launch, transit, and land significant assets on the Moon and Mars to support human life, and to safely transport humans to and from the surface of the Moon and Mars. The Committee directs NASA to coordinate efforts between the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) and Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) on the advancement of these important technologies. The Committee also notes the potential for commercial partnerships to work with NASA on executing the mission at a lower life-cycle cost, providing an earlier sample return, and lowering mission complexity and risk. The Committee directs NASA to report to the Committee within 30 days of the enactment of this Act on the potential for commercial partnerships on the mission moving forward.
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Astronomy and Astrophysics Decadal Survey Priority Facilities.-- The Committee understands that the Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 (Astro2020) has developed a comprehensive research strategy and vision for the future of astronomy and astrophysics, particularly as it relates to ground-based instruments and observatories, including the U.S. Extremely Large Telescope Program (USELT) and the Next Generation Very Large Array. The Committee is encouraged to see NSF taking proactive steps towards advancement to the next phase of the process and notes that this has the potential to unlock additional non-Federal investments. The recommendation provides up to $30,000,000 for continued design efforts. The Committee notes the importance of the USELT program in ensuring continued U.S. leadership in astronomy and safeguarding national security. The Committee directs NSF to continue to provide regular briefings on the status of the USELT program.
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SRpt 119-44 - To accompany S. 2354 – [M]aking appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes
(6/17/25)
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RNA Research Standards. --The Committee recognizes the recent release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NASEM] report ‘Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications’ in March 2024. The Committee notes several types of standards are needed to support research and technology development for the RNA modifications field, and that the report indicates NIST is well-suited to take the lead given its mission to ‘promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurements in science, standards, and technology toward economic security and improved quality of life.’ To unlock the full potential of RNA modifications and address pressing societal challenges in health, agriculture, and beyond, the Committee encourages NIST, in coordination with the National Institutes of Health, to implement recommendations from the NASEM report and develop and promote standards to support the field of epitranscriptomics, and that modified RNA reference materials should be developed with a focus on making them widely available and affordable. The Committee requests an update on the development and promotion of epitranscriptomics standards in the fiscal year 2027 congressional budget justification.
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Sequencing RNA.--The Committee recognizes the release of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report ‘Charting a Future for Sequencing RNA and Its Modifications’ in March 2024. The Committee notes that a number of the report's recommendations will require a unified strategy across the Federal Government to unlock the full potential of RNA modifications and address pressing societal challenges in health, agriculture, and beyond. The Committee supports these efforts and directs OSTP to develop a coordinated plan for the relevant Federal agencies to implement the report's recommendations, which shall include collaborating with industry and academic institutions, and to provide an update as part of the fiscal year 2027 budget request.
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For Science, the Committee's recommendation strives to keep NASA's near-term launches on track to continue progress in exploring our solar system and the universe, understanding the Sun, and observing our changing planet. The Committee expects NASA to continue making progress on the recommendations of the National Academies' decadal surveys, now and in the future.
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Earth Science.--The Committee recommendation provides $200,400,000 for Earth Venture Class Missions to support missions under development while maintaining the cadence of future missions. Consistent with the National Academies' Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space, the Committee acknowledges the vital role of the Venture Class Missions program in supporting the development of novel remote sensing technologies and sustaining the scientific workforce. Further, the Committee supports the competition selection of Earth System Explorers for implementation.
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Cryospheric Science.--The Committee encourages NASA to strengthen its commitment to cryospheric sciences through sustained support for ongoing missions, such as NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar [NISAR] and Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite-2 [ICESat-2], and by advancing the development of future missions critical to understanding polar dynamics, including the Surface Deformation and Change [SDC] mission. Additionally, the Committee recommends that the National Academies initiate studies for potential cryospheric science missions to be included in the upcoming Decadal Survey for Earth Science, such as a successor to ICESat-2, which is approaching the end of its observational phase.
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Not later than 180 days after enactment of this act, NASA shall provide the Committee with a plan for development and design of rapid reconnaissance mission technologies for Near Earth Object characterization as well as deflection and/or disruption mission technologies for mitigation, including required missions, to fulfill the goals of the National Academy of Sciences' 2022 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey titled ‘Origins, Worlds, and Life’.
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Heliophysics.--The Committee provides $887,300,000 for Heliophysics and recognizes that a greater understanding of our Sun and the accompanying technologies developed for that purpose will help to mitigate the hazards that solar activity poses to ground- and space-based platforms that strengthen our National security, economic competitiveness, and scientific prowess. The Committee also notes that the priorities outlined below are guided by the recommendations of the National Academies' 2024 Decadal Survey for Solar and Space Physics [Heliophysics], ‘The Next Decade of Discovery in Solar and Space Physics’ and is supportive of NASA's collaboration with external stakeholders to foster scientific consensus on future directions.
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Astronomy.--The Committee expects NSF to provide appropriate levels of support for operating its current facilities, developing instrumentation, and preparing for investments in future world-class scientific research facilities. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine [NAS] Decadal Survey on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2020 [Astro2020] outlines a comprehensive research strategy and vision to maintain U.S. science and technology leadership at the frontiers of astronomy and astrophysics for ground-based instruments and observatories. The Committee therefore provides $50,000,000 for NSF to support the development of next generation astronomy facilities recommended in Astro2020.
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Wildland Fire Research.--The Committee supports NSF's recent efforts to advance interdisciplinary wildland fire science through funding for initial ideation and development of partnerships. The Committee encourages NSF to build upon this initiative by supporting collaborative research grants in wildfire science, including by leveraging NSF-supported environmental data infrastructure for wildfire science and by partnering with other Federal programs and agencies such as the Joint Fire Science Program and NOAA. NSF is encouraged to consider the recommendations included in the final report of the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, which highlighted the need for new mechanisms to support research on scientific innovation and technology development related to wildfires, post-fire monitoring and recovery, and watershed health-related fire research.
The Committee encourages NSF to work with NAS to study predictive wildfire models. The study could focus on developing a system-of-systems engineering framework, exploring robust sensor technologies across land, air and space, and establishing a roadmap for the maturation of timely predictive and decision support models for a nationwide wildfire intelligence system.
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Study on NSF Research Infrastructure.--The National Science Board's Vision 2030 States that research infrastructure ‘symbolizes a nation's commitment to S[cience] & E[ngineering], since it represents a significant long-term undertaking.’ Within 30 days of enactment of this act, NSF shall update and make public the plan required under 42 U.S.C. 1862n-4 and shall contract with the National Academies to report on NSF's plans to strengthen research infrastructure. The report shall analyze whether NSF is providing the major research facilities to ensure the United States can conduct world-leading scientific research, how the NSF responds to international partner interest in major facility construction partnerships, the adequacy of NSF's capability to join existing partnerships, and recommendations for the current NSF process for investing in design and operation of billion-dollar class major facilities could be improved, including new funding mechanisms. The report shall be released not later than 270 days after the enactment of this act.
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DIVISION B- ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2026
The following statement to the House of Representatives and the Senate is submitted in explanation of the agreed upon Act making appropriations for energy and water development for the fiscal year ending September 30. 2026. and for other purposes.
The explanatory statement accompanying this division is approved and indicates congressional intent. Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in House Report 119- 213 carries the same weight as the language included in this explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this explanatory statement. While some language is repeated for emphasis, it is not intended to negate the language referred to above unless expressly provided herein. Additionally, where the explanatory statement states that the “agreement only includes” or “the following is the only" direction, any direction included in the House report on that matter shall be considered as replaced with the direction provided within this explanatory statement. In cases where the House or this explanatory statement has directed a briefing or the submission of a report, such briefing or report is to be submitted to the Committees on Appropriations of both Houses of Congress, hereinafter referred to as the Committees. House reporting requirements with deadlines prior to or within 15 days of the date of enactment of the Act shall be submitted not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of this Act. AII other reporting deadlines not changed by this explanatory statement are to be met.
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Research and Development – National Academy of Sciences Materials Report.- The agreement
notes the report was scheduled to be completed in 2025. The Corps is directed to brief the Committees
within 60 days of the date of completion of the report.
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Preparedness, Policy, and Risk Analysis. - The agreement provides up to $1,300,000, including $300,000 for the National Academies of Science. Engineering and Medicine to develop approaches and define actionable next steps to improve the accessibility and utilization of research in energy infrastructure and up to $1,000,000 for the design and development of a central repository of publicly available research generated from national laboratories, post-secondary institutions, and entities across the energy infrastructure sector. This repository shall be maintained by a neutral post-secondary research institute that allows stakeholders to come together to examine, understand, and debate public utility policy.
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Emission Mitigation Technologies. -- The agreement provides up to $71,500,000 to the Office of Science for research, development, and demonstration of diverse carbon dioxide removal technologies and approaches. The Office of Science is directed to coordinate with the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy and any other relevant program office or agencies. In addition, the agreement provides up to $10, 000,000 for research into potential atmospheric methane removal methods consistent with the recommendations of the October 2024 National Academies study – “A Research Agenda Toward Atmospheric Methane Removal". This shall include science and technology approaches capable of breaking down methane at background concentrations in the atmosphere through new biological and other methods, with or without the potential simultaneous removal of other non-CO2 greenhouse gases.
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DIVISION C- DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. ENVIRONMENT AND RELATED AG ENCi ES APPROPRIATIONS ACT 2026
The following statement is an explanation of the effects of Division C. which provides appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the Forest Service. the Indian Health Service. and related agencies for fiscal year 2026.
The joint explanatory statement accompanying this division is approved and indicates congressional intent. Unless otherwise noted, the language set forth in House Report 119-215 and Senate Report 119-16 carries the same weight as language included in this joint explanatory statement and should be complied with unless specifically addressed to the contrary in this joint explanatory statement.
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Ethylene Oxide.-The Committees are aware that NASEM is currently reviewing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Ethylene Oxide Development Support Document and expect that the Agency will evaluate the results of that review prior to making any regulatory decisions.
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HRpt 119-215 - To accompany H.R. 4754 – [M]aking appropriations for the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026
(7/24/25)
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IRIS Program Integrity.--The Committee directs that no IRIS assessment shall be used as the basis of any regulatory, permitting, or enforcement action. Further, no IRIS assessment, including but not limited to assessments for inorganic arsenic and formaldehyde, shall be finalized that has a reference dose, reference concentration, or inhalation unit risk at or below background concentration levels in air, water, soil, or sediment.
The bill also includes a provision prohibiting funding for finalizing, implementing, administering, or enforcing the proposed interim registration review decision and draft risk assessment addendum for ethylene oxide described in the notice titled ‘Pesticide Registration Review; Proposed Interim Decision and Draft Risk Assessment Addendum for Ethylene Oxide; Notice of Availability’ (88 Fed. Reg. 22447) unless the Commissioner of Food and Drugs certifies that, as relevant, finalization, implementation, administration, or enforcement of such rule, decision, or addendum for ethylene oxide will not adversely impact the availability of ethylene oxide to sterilize medical products in the United States or result in the movement of any sterilization capacity of such products outside of the United States. The Committee reiterates the essential role of sterile medical devices, and sterilization capacity, in the United States in ensuring public health and reliable domestic supply chains. The Committee is aware that NASEM is currently reviewing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality's Ethylene Oxide Development Support Document and expects that the Agency will evaluate the results of that review prior to making any regulatory decisions using the IRIS assessment.
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