Senate Committee Markup: Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill

Bipartisan CJS Appropriations Bill

• 🤝 The Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced a strong bipartisan bill for Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) appropriations, with Senators Jerry Moran and Chris Van Hollen leading the effort.
• 🎯 The bill focuses on smart strategic choices in a constrained fiscal environment, cutting where possible and investing where necessary to deliver value to the American people.

Key Investments and Priorities

• ⚖️ Funding is allocated for critical departments including the Department of Justice, the Department of Commerce, NASA, and the National Science Foundation.
• 🚨 Investments aim to protect communities, maintain US leadership in science and innovation, and support economic growth.
• 🛰️ The bill prioritizes funding for NOAA's weather forecasting, grants to prevent violence against women, and resources for community safety.

Fiscal Overview and Allocations

• 💰 The CJS bill reflects a real increase in spending power of only $279 million (0.37%) above the FY25 level, adhering to fiscal constraints.
• 📊 Approximately half of this increase is dedicated to preparing for the decennial census, a constitutional responsibility.
• 📉 Cuts have been made to many Department of Commerce and DOJ bureaus, but federal law enforcement agencies like the FBI, ATF, and DEA are held flat, rejecting proposed major cuts.

Science and Exploration Funding

• 🔬 The bill makes a minimal cut of $60 million (0.67%) to the National Science Foundation.
• 🚀 For NASA, the bill supports an ambitious approach, prioritizing the Artemis program and investments for landing Americans on the Moon before China, and developing technology for Mars missions.
• ☁️ Funding for NOAA, particularly the National Weather Service, is robust, ensuring no reduction in workforce and eliminating hiring pauses.

Enhancing Safety and Grant Processes

• 🏛️ The bill includes increased funding for the US Marshals Service for judicial and courthouse security and for the Daniel Adel Act grant program to protect federal judges' personal information.
• ⏳ Provisions are included to ensure the DOJ's Office of Violence Against Women and other programs post notices of funding opportunities within 90 days and make award decisions before the fiscal year ends, addressing delays in grant making.