Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2026

The Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026, provides a total of $76,824,000,000 in discretionary budget authority for fiscal year 2026. Within this amount, non-defense spending totals $70,590,000,000 and defense spending totals $6,234,000,000. To reduce the size of the Federal Government and ensure that agencies funded herein are focused on missions that serve the American people without wasting and abusing hard-earned tax dollars, this bill prioritizes funding for critical agencies. The recommendation includes $46,000,000 for the salaries and expenses of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is $11,000,000 below fiscal year 2025 and equal to the OMB Budget request.

• Policy and Technical Training.—The Committee directs NTIA to continue working with the Federal Communications Commission and the Department of State to provide support for activities authorized under section 7 of Public Law 98–549. As part of these activities, NTIA may provide assistance and guidance in policy and technical training to impart best practices to information technology professionals from developing countries. 
• Broadband Programs.—NTIA’s broadband programs shall not provide a scoring advantage based specifically upon the form of organization or commercial status of a broadband service provider, and NTIA should ensure States using funding obtained through NTIA similarly do not provide a scoring advantage based on organization or commercial status for programs administered by the State.
• Rural Broadband Coordination.—The Committee continues to encourage NTIA to equally prioritize the deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) in rural communities and in urban areas.
• Broadband Programs Barrier to Entry.—In administering its broadband programs, NTIA shall consider the effect of supply chain, workforce shortages, and other known barriers such as permit approvals to determine whether providers can reasonably meet deployment deadlines. In the case NTIA determines these factors unduly impact project commitments or will deter program participation, the Administration shall use its discretionary authority to provide waivers of such requirements and/or other relief.
• Broadband Equity Access and Deployment (BEAD) Coordination.—The Committee is concerned with the NTIA’s implementation of section 60102(h)(5)(D) of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Public Law 117–58). Accordingly, the Department shall not approve any Eligible Entity’s initial proposal or final proposal if the Eligible Entity proposes to require, encourage, or incentivize subgrantees to offer specific rates for broadband service, including a specific rate for a low-cost broadband service option, a middle- class affordability strategy, or a specific rate in order to earn points for the scoring of deployment subgrantee selection.
• Rate Regulation.—NTIA’s broadband programs shall not directly or indirectly regulate the rates that broadband service providers charge to consumers generally or to any subset of consumers. 
• Broadband Program Duplication.—The Committee appreciates NTIA and other Federal agencies’ efforts to provide high-speed broadband access to all Americans. However, the Committee is concerned that multiple Federal broadband programs exist with similar purposes. This overlap could increase the risk of duplication and inefficient use of taxpayer funds. As Congress has created new broadband deployment grants, the Committee believes it is important to ensure all broadband programs are well coordinated, sustainable, and effective using existing resources. NTIA is directed to report to the Committee, no later than 120 days after the enactment of this Act, on any statutory limitations hindering coordination of Federal broadband programs and offer legislative proposals to address these limitations, as recommended by Government Accountability Office (GAO) in 2022. NTIA should also analyze how many Americans still lack fixed broadband access and estimate additional funding required to ensure all Americans have access to broadband, considering current funding.
• Spectrum Needs.—The Committee directs NTIA to continue evaluating ways to expand spectrum availability for non-Federal wireless use while maintaining a balanced approach to licensed, unlicensed, and shared spectrum access. NTIA is directed to provide annual updates on its evaluation process, including a review of spectrum-sharing opportunities and commercial access considerations.