Potential House Action on FY2026 Energy and Water Development bill this week

January 6, 2026

Congress returned to Washington for the second half of the 119th Congress, and the House could vote as early as this week on a three-bill fiscal year 2026 appropriations package released by the House and Senate Appropriations Committee yesterday.

The package includes:

  • Commerce, Justice, Science
  • Energy and Water Development
  • Interior, Environment

Current continuing funding for the agencies covered by these bills expires on January 30.

Provided below is a high-level comparison of the recommended FY2026 numbers in comparison to FY2025 enacted funding levels.

Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies

The Energy and Water Development bill provides $58 billion in FY2026 funding to the Department of Energy, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Reclamation.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Civil Works

  • Total USACE funding: $10.44 billion (FY2025: $8.70 billion)
    • Investigations: $150 million (FY2025: $143 million)
    • Construction: $3.17 billion (FY2025: $1.855 billion)
    • Operations and Maintenance: $6 billion (FY2025: $5.553 billion)
    • Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund: $3.47 billion (FY2025: $2.77 billion)
    • Mississippi River and Tributaries (MR&T): $531.6 million (FY2025: $368 million)
    • Regulatory Program: $221 million (FY2025: $221 million)
    • Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies: $40 million (FY2025: $35 million)

 Bureau of Reclamation

  • Reclamation total: $1.65 billion (FY2025: $1.860 billion)
  • Water and Related Resources: $1.47 billion (FY2025: $1.71 billion)
    • $117.1 million for rural water projects (FY2025: $150.5 million)
    • $127.9 million for water conservation and delivery, including storage projects authorized under the WIIN Act (FY2025: $188 million)

Notable Provisions

  • Remote Lock and Dam Operations:  The explanatory statement places clear limits on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ ability to proceed with remote lock and dam operations. The Corps is directed not to use funds for remote operations until it completes a national assessment and submits a stakeholder engagement plan to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, with explicit encouragement to engage navigation industry stakeholders, including the Inland Waterways Users Board.
  • Small, Remote and Subsistence Harbors: The bill directs the Corps to reexamine how it prioritizes funding for small, remote, and subsistence harbors under the Operations and Maintenance account. Appropriators express concern that existing criteria may not adequately capture local and regional economic impacts and require the Corps to report on authorized projects, funding levels, and construction and maintenance histories.
  • Flood Risk Management and Coastal Resilience: Flood risk management and coastal resilience remain priorities, with continued funding for flood and storm damage reduction activities and support for system-scale planning. The bill provides funding to continue the North Atlantic Division report on hurricane barriers and harbors of refuge required under the America’s Water Infrastructure Act of 2018.
  • Recreation: The explanatory statement urges the Corps to avoid abrupt closures of day-use parks and campgrounds and to coordinate with state and local partners to maintain recreation access or pursue management transfers where appropriate.
  • Work Plans: The bill reinforces congressional oversight of project execution by restricting the Corps from deviating from approved work plans and limiting additional funding to projects determined eligible by the Chief of Engineers.
  • Advanced Funding Agreements: Language references Sect. 1043 advanced funding agreements to allow non-Federal sponsors to fully fund construction upfront with federal reimbursement provided only after project completion.
  • BoR Prioritizations: Report language reminds Reclamation that voluntary sponsor contributions beyond the required cost-share requirements are permitted but cannot be used as a baseline for allocating additional funding recommendations or increased budgeting in the future.

Resources

Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)

The Commerce, Justice, Science bill provides $78 billion in FY2026 for the Department of Commerce, Department of Justice, and several independent agencies. The House bill funds NOAA at $6.1 billion overall, including $4.48 billion for Operations, Research, and Facilities and $1.57 billion for Procurement, Acquisition, and Construction.

Selected Accounts

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency: $6.17 billion (FY2025: $6.18 billion)
  • National Weather Service: $1.35 billion (FY2025: $1.32 billion)
  • National Marine Fisheries Service: $1.12 billion (FY2025: $1.11 billion)

Resources:

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies

The Interior and Environment bill funds the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, and related agencies at $38.6 billion for FY2026.

Selected accounts

  • Department of the Interior: $14.5 billion (FY2025: $14.81 billion)
    • U.S. Geological Survey: $1.42 billion (FY2025: $1.45 billion)
    • Fish and Wildlife Service: $1.61 billion (FY2025: $1.45 billion)
  • Environmental Protection Agency: $8.82 billion (FY2025: $9.14 billion)
    • State and Tribal Assistance Grants: $4.41 billion (FY2025: $4.38 billion)
    • Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF): $2.10 billion (FY2025: $1.64 billion)
    • Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DRSRF): $1.10 billion (FY2025: $1.13 billion)

Resources:

Julie A. Ufner
President and CEO
National Waterways Conference (NWC)
703-203-4795 (cell)
waterways.org