Science Appropriations Act, 2026

Key Points

• This bill provides billions of dollars for the Department of Justice to run the FBI, the DEA, and federal prisons. It also includes hundreds of millions in grants for local police departments to hire more officers, buy body cameras, and improve school safety. A large portion of the money is set aside to help victims of domestic violence and to fight the opioid crisis.
• NASA would receive over $25 billion to continue its work on space exploration, including the development of nuclear-powered rockets and missions to the moon. The National Science Foundation would also get funding for scientific research and programs that help students learn math and science, which helps the country stay competitive in technology and engineering.
• The Department of Commerce would use its funds to manage the Census, protect the environment through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and support American businesses. This includes money for weather satellites to improve forecasts and grants to help rural areas and poor counties grow their local economies.
• The plan includes $566 million for the Legal Services Corporation, which provides free legal help to people who cannot afford a lawyer for civil cases. It also funds the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate workplace discrimination and the Commission on Civil Rights to protect the voting and legal rights of all Americans.
• The bill includes several specific rules, such as preventing the government from interfering with state medical marijuana laws and banning NASA from working with China on space projects. It also sets aside special funding to help the U.S. manufacture more computer chips, reducing the country's reliance on foreign technology.

Votes

No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.