H.R. 6938: Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026
Sponsor
Tom Cole
Republican · OK-4
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jan 23, 2026
Became Public Law No: 119-74.
The law funding the FBI, NASA, and your national parks
Why it matters
This is one law that keeps a huge slice of the government running through September 30, 2026: the Justice Department, the FBI, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, the EPA, the Forest Service, and national park operations. It bundles 3 of the 12 annual spending bills into a single package. And the line-by-line decisions about where that money actually goes live in a separate House explanatory statement that the law gives the same force as a conference agreement.
H.R. 6938 is a fiscal year 2026 spending law that bundles three of the twelve annual appropriations bills into one package: Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water, and Interior-Environment. It funds those agencies and programs through September 30, 2026.
The agencies it covers are some of the biggest names in government. On the Commerce-Justice-Science side: the Justice Department (including the FBI), the Commerce Department, NASA, and the National Science Foundation. On Energy and Water: the Army Corps of Engineers civil works projects and the Department of Energy. On Interior-Environment: the Interior Department, the EPA, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service.
Here's the part most people never see. The law itself is short on dollar figures. Instead, it says a House explanatory statement printed in the Congressional Record on or about January 7, 2026 carries the same effect for allocating funds and running these programs as a joint conference statement would. That's where the account-level numbers and priorities actually live.
The law also draws a fence around each division: when one division says "this Act," it generally means only that division, not the whole package. So a restriction written into the Energy and Water section doesn't automatically apply to the EPA section.
H.R. 6938 Bill Summary
What H.R. 6938 actually does.
Three of the twelve annual spending bills, signed in one law
The package combines the Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water, and Interior-Environment appropriations bills into a single law funding all three through September 30, 2026.
Funds the FBI, NASA, the EPA, and national parks
Covered agencies include the Justice Department and FBI, the Commerce Department, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, the Interior Department, the EPA, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service.
A House document, not the law text, sets the real numbers
The law says a House explanatory statement printed in the Congressional Record on or about January 7, 2026 has the same effect for allocating funds and running the programs as a joint conference statement. That document holds the account-level spending decisions.
Each division's rules stay inside that division
When the law refers to "this Act" inside one division, it generally applies only to that division unless the text clearly says otherwise, so a restriction in one section does not carry across to the others.
Funding expires September 30, 2026
The appropriations cover the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. After that, Congress would need to pass new appropriations or a stopgap to keep these agencies funded.
Who benefits from H.R. 6938?
People who rely on these federal services
If you depend on federal prosecutions, science and research grants, dam and flood-control projects, national park operations, or EPA programs, this law keeps those functions running through fiscal year 2026.
The agencies and their workforces
Departments and programs across Commerce, Justice, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Army Corps, Energy, Interior, and the EPA get a full-year budget instead of operating under short-term stopgaps.
Contractors, grantees, and state and local partners
Universities, research labs, construction firms, and local governments that work with these agencies get funding certainty, since annual appropriations determine when grants, projects, and contracts can move forward.
Congressional appropriators
By giving the House explanatory statement conference-level force, the law lets appropriators steer how agencies spend through that document rather than writing every direction into the statute.
Who is affected by H.R. 6938?
Agency budget and legal teams
They have to work from both the statutory text and the House explanatory statement, because the law says that statement carries the same weight as conference guidance when allocating money.
Anyone tracking where the money goes
Advocates, journalists, and watchdog groups can't rely on the law text alone. The account-level spending choices sit in the explanatory statement the law points to.
Programs waiting on specific funding levels
Individual priorities depend less on the short statutory language and more on the explanatory statement, so some programs won't know their exact numbers without reading it.
Whoever writes the next spending bill
Because the funding ends September 30, 2026, Congress faces another deadline to fund these same agencies before the fiscal year closes.
What Congress Said
H.R. 6938 was signed into law on Jan 27, 2026.
Mr. President, I was unable to attend votes on January 15, 2026. Had I been able to attend, I would have continued to vote in favor of H.R. 6938, Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations on rollcall vote No. 10.
H.R. 6938 also appeared in 5 more House floor references, 87 more Senate floor references, and 20 routine cosponsor filings.
HR6938 Legislative Journey
Signed into Law
Jan 23, 2026
Became Public Law No: 119-74.
+3 more actions this day
Action Taken
Jan 22, 2026
Presented to President.
Passed 82-15
Jan 15, 2026
Passed Senate without amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 82 - 15. Record Vote Number: 11.
+5 more actions this day
Floor Action
Jan 14, 2026
Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S185-218)
Vote: 141-143
Jan 13, 2026
Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote. (consideration: CR S141-143, S157)
Floor Action
Jan 12, 2026
Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S121-128)
House: Passed 397-28
Jan 8, 2026
On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 397 - 28 (Roll no. 7). (text: CR H151-199)
+18 more actions this day
House: Passed
Jan 7, 2026
Rule H. Res. 977 passed House.
+1 more action this day
House: Committee Action
Jan 6, 2026
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
About the Sponsor
Tom Cole
Republican, Oklahoma's 4th congressional district · 23 years in Congress
Committees: Appropriations
View full profile →
Committee Sponsors
Budget Committee
0 of 37 committee members cosponsored at the time
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
Appropriations Committee
0 of 62 committee members cosponsored at the time
No committee members have cosponsored this bill
What laws does H.R. 6938 change?
4 changes
Sections Amended
Section 9504(e) of Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (42 U.S.C. 10364(e))
striking ``$920,000,000'' and inserting ``$1,000,000,000''
Section 9603(d) of Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (43 U.S.C. 510b(d)) shall be repaid and deposited to that account. Sec. 209. (a) Section 10609(a)(1) of the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act (subtitle B of title X of Public Law 111-11)-- (1)
striking ``$870,000,000'' and inserting ``$1,815,000,000''; and (2) shall be applied by substituting ``2026'' for ``2024''
Section 103(b) of division A of Public Law 118-5. Sec. 312. Section 4(c)(10)(B) of the Pacific Northwest Electric Power Planning and Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 839b(c)(10)(B))
striking the period at the end and inserting ``, adjusted for inflation
Section 103(b) of division A of Public Law 118-5. bureau of land management actions regarding grazing on public lands Sec. 445. Paragraph (1) of section 122(a) of division E of Public Law 112-74 (125 Stat. 1013)
striking ``through 2024
H.R. 6938 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Budget
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Economics and Public Finance
- Introduced
- Jan 6, 2026
Became Public Law No: 119-74.
Jan 23, 2026
Official Sources
Official bill page with status, text, actions, and Public Law information for H.R. 6938.
Official published slip law version of the enacted appropriations act.
GovInfo collection for the Congressional Record, relevant because the bill gives practical effect to a House explanatory statement printed there.
Official Corps page for the civil works mission specifically named in the Energy and Water division.
Official EPA budget page relevant to the Interior-Environment division funded by the act.
Official Interior appropriations and budget materials for one of the core departments funded in the package.
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H.R. 6938 Common Questions
What does H.R. 6938 fund?
It bundles three of the twelve annual spending bills into one law: Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water, and Interior-Environment. Together they fund those agencies for fiscal year 2026.
Which agencies does H.R. 6938 pay for?
Big ones: the Justice Department and FBI, the Commerce Department, NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Department of Energy, the Interior Department, the EPA, the Forest Service, and the Indian Health Service.
Is H.R. 6938 already law?
Yes. It became Public Law 119-74 on January 23, 2026, after passing the House 397-28 and the Senate 82-15.
How long does the funding last?
It runs through the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. After that, Congress has to pass new appropriations or a stopgap to keep these agencies funded.
Why are the spending numbers in a separate House document, not the law?
The law is short on dollar figures. It says a House explanatory statement, printed in the Congressional Record around January 7, 2026, carries the same weight as a conference agreement for allocating the money. That document holds the account-level numbers.
When H.R. 6938 says 'this Act,' does it mean the whole law?
Usually no. The law says that phrase generally applies only to the division where it appears, so a restriction in one section doesn't automatically carry over to the others.
Did H.R. 6938 pass with bipartisan support?
Yes. The House cleared it 397-28 and the Senate passed it 82-15, so members from both parties backed the package before the president signed it.
Based on H.R. 6938 bill text
H.R. 6938 Bill Text
“Making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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