House Appropriations Committee Markup: FY26 Interior, Environment Bill

Markup of FY26 Interior Appropriations Bill

• 🏛️ The House Appropriations Committee convened to mark up the fiscal year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.
• 🤝 Chairman Cole and Ranking Member Deloro were recognized for their leadership during a challenging appropriation season.
• 👏 Staff on both sides of the aisle were thanked for their dedication in preparing the appropriation bills.

Funding Allocations and Priorities

• 💰 The FY26 Interior bill proposes $37.97 billion, a decrease of $2.5 billion (6.2%) from the enacted level.
• ⚖️ The bill aims to further federal trust and treaty responsibilities to tribes, with $8.4 billion for Indian Health Services, $1.5 billion for the Bureau of Indian Education, and $2.9 billion for the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
• ⚠️ A significant cut of nearly $350 million (23%) is proposed for the EPA, targeting internal operating programs and regulatory activities.
• 💧 Funding is maintained for state and tribal grants for water infrastructure projects and to fulfill delegated authority under the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act.

Key Policy Provisions and Criticisms

• 🚫 The bill seeks to roll back regulatory overreach from the prior administration and promote domestic energy production by halting EPA regulations and limiting the Endangered Species Act.
• 📉 Opposition to the bill was voiced due to proposed cuts to agencies like the EPA, National Park Service, and endowments for the Arts and Humanities.
• 🌍 Concerns were raised that the bill exacerbates the climate crisis by reducing EPA funding and promoting fossil fuel development.
• 🏛️ The bill includes 72 partisan riders, with specific concern over a provision blocking the EPA from assessing risks related to PFAS in sewage sludge.

Tribal and Environmental Investments

• 🤝 The bill prioritizes funding for tribal accounts, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Indian Health Service, at FY25 House levels.
• 🌲 Full funding is provided for federal wildland firefighter pay to improve recruitment and retention.
• 🏞️ Cuts to the National Park Service were criticized, with concerns about reduced staffing and the failure to reauthorize the Great American Outdoors Act.

Opposition and Concerns

• 💸 Opponents argued that the bill would raise utility bills, worsen the climate crisis, and abandon stewardship of national parks, benefiting billionaires and corporations.
• 📜 The administration's actions, including freezing and terminating grants, were criticized for undermining Congress's authority and causing harm to states and communities.
• 🎨 Cuts to the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities were seen as a blow to cultural exchange and civic life.
• ⚖️ The bill was opposed for shifting costs to local communities for water infrastructure and for its impact on public health and environmental protection.