H.R. 6938 · 119th Congress · House
Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026
Introduced 2026-01-06 · Sponsored by Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4] (R-OK) · Last updated 2026-03-31
Last action (2026-01-23): Became Public Law No: 119-74.
Summary
A spending package that bundles three of the twelve regular annual funding bills into one. It covers the DOJ, FBI, federal courts, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Energy, national labs, the EPA, and the Interior Department. Instead of running these agencies on a flat continuing resolution from the prior year, this gives them detailed, line-item budgets for FY2026.
The Good
Provides detailed FY2026 funding for key agencies
Covers the Department of Commerce, DOJ, NASA, NSF, Department of Energy, EPA, and Interior Department with line-item appropriations rather than blanket continuing resolution funding. This allows agencies to start new programs and adjust to current needs.
Funds scientific research and law enforcement
Includes appropriations for the FBI, federal courts, national laboratories, weather forecasting, and environmental monitoring. These are core government functions that benefit from purpose-specific annual funding.
The Bad
Spending levels reflect political priorities over agency needs
Appropriations bills allocate finite funds among competing programs. Critics from both sides argue the bill either spends too much (increasing the deficit) or too little (undermining agencies' ability to fulfill their missions).
Policy riders attached to spending legislation
Appropriations bills frequently include policy provisions that limit how agencies can use funds. These riders bypass the normal committee process for authorizing legislation, allowing contentious policy changes to pass on the back of must-pass spending bills.
Vote Record
Senate, 2026-01-15
BipartisanPassage (Senate)
Passed Congress.gov — Senate Roll Call #11
Senate vote by state
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Senate, 2026-01-12
BipartisanCloture on Motion to Proceed
Passed Congress.gov — Senate Roll Call #7
Senate vote by state
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House, 2026-01-08
BipartisanPassage (House)
Passed Congress.gov — House Roll Call #7
House vote by state
Hover over a state to see its delegation
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