Reports
U.S. House Appropriations Committee Full Committee Markup: FY 26 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
Introduction
The House Appropriations Committee worked on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, to pass Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Bill that includes the bulk of federal civil space spending. The FY 2026 budget negotiations for U.S. civil space agencies have centered on proposed White House spending cuts that lawmakers countered with some program lifelines, including an additional $6 billion for NASA in the House CJS bill. The Committee voted 34-28 to advance the bill to the House floor.
Key Highlights
- The Bills: The House Appropriations Committee approved the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which would provide an estimated $76.8 billion for 2026, a 2.8% cut from the 2025 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. A summary of the bill is available here. The bill report is available here.
The House bill is about $3 billion smaller than its Senate counterpart, which was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee in July.
- The Agencies: Highlights include a $24.8 billion NASA budget, $6 billion above a White House proposal and flat from 2025. The bill also funds space programs for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the Office of Space Commerce, and the National Space Council (NSC).
- NOAA would see its funding cut to $5.8 billion in 2026, a drop of $387 million from 2025 but $931 million more than a White House request.
- The bill would give $7 billion to the National Science Foundation in 2026, a $2 billion drop from 2025.
- NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service would see its 2026 budget decrease nearly $200 million to $1.22 billion.
- The Office of Space Commerce would see its budget cut by $15 million to $50 million.
- The Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) would have a flat budget of $7.9 million, even with 2025 funding.
- The National Space Council would get $1.96 million, level with the FY25 budget.
- NASA Numbers: Space exploration would see a $2.2 billion boost to $9.7 billion in 2026 as the agency seeks to launch its Artemis II crewed Lunar fly-by and prepare for the Artemis III landing. NASA’s science budget would fall to $6 billion from $7.5 billion in 2025.
- Space Operations would get a small cut to $4.15 billion from $4.38 billion in 2025. The committee agreed to continue preparing to return rock and soil samples from Mars, with $300 billion for the program.
- The House proposal includes $80 million for nuclear electric propulsion and $175 million for nuclear thermal propulsion, which uses fission to heat and accelerate hydrogen.
- Approved Amendments: The Manager’s amendment package and a few bipartisan amendments were approved. The majority party amendments include support for ongoing NASA missions including the Chandra X-ray Observatory and its Juno probe. The amendment also included support for improved NOAA weather forecasting and flood prediction efforts. An amendment from the minority party, backing NOAA’s climate laboratories was approved with bipartisan support.
What’s Next
Committee approval advances the bill to the House floor. The 2025 budget expires Oct 1, giving Congress a tight deadline for a deal that would avoid a government shutdown.
Opening Statements
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK)
The bill is the last of a dozen budget bills to make It through the committee. Together they form the agenda of a new administration as interpreted by Congress. Chairman Cole and other Republicans expressed pride at restoring threatened NASA dollars.
“This bill fuels American ingenuity, investing in NASA to push the boundaries of space exploration. Just as critically, it takes a firm stand against Communist China’s efforts to steal U.S. technology — defending our innovation, protecting our enterprise, and securing America’s leadership on the world stage.”
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Chair Hal Rogers (R-KY)
Chair Rogers managed the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies bill through the committee, pulling together a diverse portfolio that ranged from the FBI to NASA in a single measure that balances steep proposed spending cuts against federal priorities.
“To ensure America is the leader in space exploration and maintains a competitive advantage over China, the FY26 CJS bill also continues to sustain strong funding levels for NASA and its endeavor to return to the Moon and beyond.”
House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Ranking Member DeLauro, a 34-year veteran of budget battles, could not agree to support the FY26 CJS bill. Moments before the final roll call vote, she thanked Chairman Cole for his leadership in getting a bill out of committee. She faulted the bill for being a continuation of Republican attacks on America’s scientific community and pointed out cuts at NOAA that she stated threaten forecast accuracy.
“I ask my colleagues, did anyone come to your town halls and complain that the National Weather Service has too many meteorologists? Too accurate of forecasts, advisories, watches, and warnings? I do not think so.”
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Ranking Member Grace Meng (D-NY)
Ranking Member Meng, a first-time leader in the budget process, opposed a wide variety of austerity measures offered by Republicans, especially cuts to educational programs offered by NASA and the National Science Foundations.
“Perhaps most shortsighted of all, this bill disinvests in the scientific research that drives American innovation, technological leadership, and economic competitiveness.”
House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Vice Chairman Dale Strong (R-AL)
Vice Chairman Strong expressed strong support for the bill as the Artemis Program is responsible for a significant number of the 6,000 federal workers at the Marshall Spaceflight Center in his Huntsville, Alabama, congressional district.
“We will return Americans to the Moon and set a course for Mars.”