Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

Plain-English Summary: Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2026

This bill is the annual spending bill that sets the federal budget for the Department of the Interior and several related agencies for the fiscal year 2026. It determines how much money these agencies will receive to carry out their programs and operations. The Department of the Interior oversees the management of federal lands, national parks, wildlife refuges, and natural resources, as well as programs that serve Native American and Alaska Native communities. Related agencies covered by this bill include the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which enforces environmental laws and regulations, and other bodies involved in environmental research, arts funding, and more.

The bill decides funding levels for a wide range of programs — including the maintenance of national parks and public lands, protection of endangered species, management of energy development on federal lands (such as oil, gas, and mining leases), wildfire prevention and response, and water resource programs. It also sets spending for the EPA's efforts to protect clean air and water, and for cultural institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the National Endowment for the Arts.

This legislation affects a broad cross-section of Americans. Outdoor enthusiasts, hunters, and hikers are impacted through funding decisions about national parks and wildlife areas. Tribal communities depend on Interior Department programs for housing, education, and governance support. Farmers, ranchers, and energy companies are affected by how federal lands are managed. And virtually all Americans are touched by EPA programs that set and enforce environmental and public health standards. The bill has been approved by the House Appropriations Committee and now awaits further action in Congress.