Cole Votes in Favor of Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Olivia Porcaro 202-225-6165
Washington, D.C. – Today, Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) voted in favor of H.R. 6983, a three-bill funding package covering the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment appropriations measures for the fiscal year 2026. After voting in favor of the package, he released the following statement:
“In November, President Trump set the tone by signing our first three-bill appropriations package into law. Now, today, in the House of Representatives, we built on that momentum” said Congressman Cole. “This funding package provides funding for countless critical programs that assist Americans every single day, strengthens our national security, cuts spending, lowers costs on the taxpayers, and delivers critical community projects nationwide.”
“I am very proud of the difficult work that the entire Appropriations Committee, our Cardinals, and Republican Leadership has done to get this package passed today. The result of our hard work is clear – legislation that turns priorities into action and puts America first,” said Congressman Cole.
Key Provisions in the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2026
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Increases funding to end the scourge of fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
- Levels the economic playing field for everyday Americans by holding other nations accountable for decades of unfair trade practices.
- Bolsters our national security by countering China’s increasing investments.
- Maintains longstanding Second Amendment riders.
- Maintains longstanding Hyde-like pro-life riders.
- Supports state and local law enforcement.
- Increases funding for the National Weather Service.
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
- Champions America’s nuclear deterrent.
- Prohibits the sale of crude oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to the CCP.
- Prohibits access to U.S. nuclear weapons production facilities by Chinese and Russian citizens.
- Restores American energy dominance.
- Strongly funds cybersecurity efforts that enable a resilient, reliable, and secure electric grid.
- Eliminates Biden-era energy policies.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Increases funding for oil and gas development to unleash American energy.
- Ensures funding to support wildland firefighter pay.
- Provides support for Tribal law enforcement.
- Increases funding for onshore oil and gas development and offshore conventional energy development.
- Exempts farmers and livestock producers from burdensome greenhouse gas permitting and reporting requirements.
- Eliminates funding for Environmental Justice.
- Protects access to public lands.
Oklahoma Priorities/ Congressman Cole Secured in the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act of 2026
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- $970,000 for Rapid DNA technology systems for the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office to process DNA evidence more efficiently.
- Increased resources to Federal agencies for McGirt-related needs.
- $1.351 billion for the National Weather Service, including the National Weather Center in Norman.
- 5% set-aside within the Crime Victims’ Fund made available for Tribal victims of crime.
- $4.5 million for Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys to prosecute federal crimes in Indian Country.
- $14.5 million for Tribal Special Criminal Jurisdiction Reimbursement Program, which reimburses Tribal governments for non-tribal citizens committing violent crime on Tribal land.
- $2 million for research on Violence Against Indian Women.
- $20.9 million for Tornado Severe Storm Research, including the NOAA National Severe Storms Laboratory at OU.
- $30 million for NOAA’s national observational weather network providing critical information required for improved weather prediction and warnings.
- $1 million for increased staff capacity at the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program at OU.
- $94 million for Weather Labs and Cooperative Institutes, including the Cooperative Institute for Severe and High-Impact Weather Research and Operations (CIWRO) at OU.
- $5 million in Office of Native American Business Development grants to native entities that provide business, financing, and technical assistance services to Tribes.
- $20 million for the Tribal Colleges and Universities STEM program.
- $105 million in grants for locating missing children, preventing child abduction, and provide technical training and assistance.
- $175 million for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program which supports the growth of small and mid-sized manufacturers through public-private partnership.
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
- $75 million for the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs.
- $25 million to support research activities that lead to lower costs and increased deployment of distributed wind systems for rural homes, farms, and other applications.
- $20 million for atmospheric and severe weather research centers to improve weather predications and strengthen the resiliency of energy and other critical infrastructure.
- $10 million to establish a university-based methane monitoring data analytics center.
- $9.3 million for the Department of Energy’s Risk Based Data Management System to explore the rapid development of new technologies that use solid propellant fuel to generate gas and that drive hydraulic systems to shut off unwanted flows or blow outs of oil or gas from onshore or offshore wells.
- $6.3 million for the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program.
- $24.4 million for Operations and Maintenance of the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System.
- $700,000 for a USACE national assessment and working group to carry out managed aquifer recharge projects.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- $66 million to support tribes impacted by the McGirt v. Oklahoma decision.
- $5 million for Moore Public Works Authority Water Transmission Line Construction Project.
- $8.05 billion for the Indian Health Service, including $33 million in increases and $5.3 billion in advance appropriations.
- $570.059 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs Public Safety and Justice Programs.
- $84.6 million for Indian Health Service professions.
- $18.5 million for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Initiative.
- $95.4 million for Urban Indian Health, which will help facilities, like the OKC Indian Clinic provide essential healthcare services to tribes.
- Language prioritizing research funding and building maintenance for EPA labs specializing in groundwater research, such as the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Center.
- $41 million for the Sewer Overflow and Stormwater Reuse Municipal Grants Program to help communities repair sewer and stormwater systems to upgrade them to better withstand future storms and natural disasters.
- $12.5 million for the National Park Foundation, which has supported projects such as those at the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
- $49 million for the North American Wetlands Conservation Fund.
- $2.6 million for National Land Remote Sensing Education, Outreach, and Research Grant.
- $65 million for the National Endowment for the Humanities Federal and State Partnerships.
- $30.7 million for non-profit organizations to provide technical assistance for improved water quality or safe drinking water, adequate wastewater to small systems, or individual private well owners.
- $26 million for Grassroots Rural and Small Community Water Systems Assistance.
- $1.8 million for Class VI regulator education and training programs.
- $16 million for the Water Resources Research Act.
- Protected and maintained funding for programs supporting tribes such as BIE Operations and Construction, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Indian Loan Guarantee Program, and Johnson O-Malley Assistance Grants.
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