Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: Overview of FY2027 Appropriations

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: Overview of FY2027 Appropriations

Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: Overview of FY2027 Appropriations

August 24, 2026 (R49292)
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Contents

Introduction

Overview of FY2027 Action

Comparison Between FY2026 and FY2027 Interior Appropriations

Challenges to Comparing Appropriations

Advance Appropriations for the Indian Health Service

Unification of Wildland Fire Management

Great Salt Lake Watershed Recovery Program

Brief Comparison of FY2026 and FY2027 Interior Appropriations

Overview of Agencies in the Bill

Title I. Department of the Interior

Title II. Environmental Protection Agency

Title III. Related Agencies

Figures

Figure 1. Appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies by Major Title, FY2026-FY2027

Tables

Table 1. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies: FY2026-FY2027 Appropriations

Summary

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill—often called the Interior bill—contains funding for about three dozen agencies and entities. They include most of the Department of the Interior (DOI) and certain agencies within other departments, such as the Forest Service (Department of Agriculture) and the Indian Health Service (Department of Health and Human Services). The bill also provides funding for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), arts and cultural agencies, and other entities. Perennial issues for Congress include determining the amount, terms, and conditions of funding for agencies and programs, including whether to adopt and fund Administration initiatives, and if so, at what level of appropriations.

For FY2027, President Trump requested $34.82 billion for the roughly three dozen agencies and entities funded in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. Of the total request, $17.99 billion (52%) would be for DOI agencies in Title I; $4.20 billion (12%) would be for EPA in Title II; and $12.62 billion (36%) would be for Title III agencies. On June 5, 2026, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 9171 (H.Rept. 119-687) with $42.67 billion for the Interior bill. Of the total in the bill, $15.67 billion (37%) would be for DOI agencies in Title I; $7.04 billion (16%) would be for EPA in Title II; and $19.96 billion (47%) would be for Title III agencies. (The bill also contains $1.0 million in Title IV for specified Forest Service land appraisals.) For FY2026, P.L. 119-74, Division C (enacted on January 23, 2026), contained $42.56 billion for agencies in the Interior bill. Of the FY2026 total, $14.97 billion (35%) was provided for DOI agencies in Title I; $8.82 billion (21%) was provided for EPA in Title II; and $18.77 billion (44%) was provided for Title III agencies.

It can be challenging to compare FY2026 and FY2027 total appropriations for agencies and accounts that receive funding in the annual Interior bill for a variety of reasons, including rescissions of prior-year appropriations, enacted supplemental appropriations, and mandatory appropriations provided to agencies under laws within the jurisdiction of authorizing committees. It also can be challenging to compare FY2026 and FY2027 appropriations in the annual Interior bill for each of its three main titles. Different methods of comparison would lead to varying total dollar and percentage differences between FY2027 funding levels and FY2026 appropriations enacted in P.L. 119-74, Division C. This is due, in part, to several variables, including advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service, which can help maintain continuity of operations for health care services in the event of a lapse in discretionary appropriations for the agency; potential reorganizations proposed by the President for FY2027, for instance, unification of DOI and Forest Service wildland fire management programs into a new U.S. Wildland Fire Service within DOI; and other Administration initiatives, such as the proposed Great Salt Lake Watershed Recovery program.

Including these and other variables, the $42.67 billion for FY2027 in H.R. 9171 as reported by the House Appropriations Committee would be an increase of $109.6 million (0.3%) over the FY2026 appropriation of $42.56 billion. The committee's overall increase for FY2027 contains various increases, decreases, and level funding amounts for agencies and programs, relative to FY2026 enacted appropriations. H.R. 9171, as reported, would be an increase of $7.86 billion (23%) over the President's FY2027 request of $34.82 billion, reflecting varying increases or level funding for many agencies in the bill, with fewer decreased amounts relative to the President's request. Relative to the FY2026 enacted total of $42.56 billion, the President's FY2027 request of $34.82 billion would be an overall decrease of $7.75 billion (18%) for agencies in the Interior bill. This overall decrease in the President's FY2027 request primarily reflects various decreases for agencies, with fewer level or increased amounts.

Both chambers are taking action to provide continuing appropriations for FY2027 in case full-year appropriations are not enacted by the start of the fiscal year on October 1, 2026. On July 21, 2026, the House passed H.R. 9770, and on August 8, 2026, the Senate passed H.R. 6500. The House-passed bill would provide funding through December 4, 2026, and the Senate-passed bill would provide funding through December 11, 2026, unless full-year appropriations are enacted earlier. Both the House-passed and Senate-passed bills would provide appropriations for agencies and accounts in the Interior bill (and other appropriations bills) at FY2026 levels, with specified exceptions (i.e., anomalies), for instance related to wildland fire management and the Indian Health Service. The President reportedly submitted a list of potential anomalies on these and other topics, such as operations of the DOI Office of Inspector General, EPA repair of water infrastructure in hurricane-affected areas of North Carolina, and National Park Service costs of hiring additional park police and events celebrating America's Semiquincentennial.

Introduction

This report provides information on FY2027 discretionary appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. Issues for Congress include determining the amount of funding for agencies and programs in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill—often called the Interior bill—and the terms and conditions of such funding.

The report focuses on the regular (annual) appropriations for the Interior bill. It first presents a short overview of FY2027 legislative action. It then sets out challenges to comparing FY2026 and FY2027 appropriations. It next provides a brief comparison of FY2026 enacted appropriations in P.L. 119-74, Division C;¹ FY2027 appropriations requested by President Trump; and FY2027 appropriations in H.R. 9171, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee. This report then provides an overview of the agencies (and other entities) funded in the Interior bill. Finally, Table 1 shows appropriations by agency for FY2026 enacted, FY2027 requested, and FY2027 House committee-reported funding. Agency and bill totals in this report generally reflect rescissions. Except where noted, this report does not detail supplemental, advance, and mandatory appropriations.²

Appropriations are complex. Budget justifications for some agencies are extensive (often hundreds of pages long) and contain numerous proposed funding, programmatic, and legislative changes for congressional consideration. Further, appropriations laws provide funds for numerous accounts, activities, and subactivities. Their accompanying explanatory statements have additional directives and other important information. This report does not provide in-depth information at the agency, account, and subaccount levels, nor does it detail all budgetary reorganizations or legislative changes proposed for FY2027. For information on a particular agency or on individual accounts, programs, or activities administered by a particular agency, see the Congressional Research Service (CRS) products provided in footnotes throughout this report (which cite to the most recent relevant CRS products). Congressional clients also may contact the key policy staff listed at the end of this report. In addition, selected reports related to appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies, such as individual agencies (e.g., National Park Service) or crosscutting programs (e.g., Wildland Fire Management), are listed under "Interior & Environment Appropriations" on the "Appropriations" Issue Area page on the CRS website, which is available to congressional staff.³

Overview of FY2027 Action

For FY2027, President Trump requested $34.82 billion for the roughly three dozen agencies and entities funded in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. On June 5, 2026, the House Appropriations Committee reported H.R. 9171 (H.Rept. 119-687) with $42.67 billion for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies. In earlier action, on January 23, 2026, FY2026 full-year appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies were included in P.L. 119-74, Division C. The law contained $42.56 billion for agencies in the Interior bill.⁴

On July 21, 2026, the House passed H.R. 9770, to provide FY2027 continuing appropriations for agencies and accounts in the Interior bill (and other appropriations bills) at FY2026 levels (among other purposes). Continuing appropriations generally would be provided under the same terms and conditions as in P.L. 119-74, Division C, with specified exceptions (e.g., wildland fire management and the Indian Health Service). The measure would provide funding through December 4, 2026, unless full-year appropriations are enacted earlier. Relatedly, on August 8, 2026, the Senate passed H.R. 6550, to provide FY2027 continuing appropriations for agencies and accounts in the Interior bill (and other appropriations bills) at FY2026 levels (among other purposes). Provisions of the Senate-passed bill are similar, though not identical, to the measure passed by the House. Among other differences, the Senate-passed bill contains exceptions related to the Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation and would fund agencies and accounts in the Interior bill through December 11, 2026 (as opposed to December 4, 2026, under the House-passed measure), unless full-year appropriations are enacted earlier.

Many of the anomaly provisions included in both the House- and Senate-passed FY2027 continuing resolutions reflect provisions on topics reportedly submitted to Congress by the Trump Administration in July (e.g., provisions relating to wildland fire management and the Indian Health Service), although the provisions are not necessarily identical among the two bills and the President's submission.⁵ In addition, the President reportedly submitted other potential anomalies that are not included in either the House- or Senate-passed bills. As examples, the President's list of potential FY2027 anomalies reportedly included additional funding for operations of the DOI Office of Inspector General, for EPA for repair of water infrastructure in hurricane-affected areas of North Carolina, and for the National Park Service for costs of park police related to additional hiring and costs of events celebrating America's Semiquincentennial.⁶

Comparison Between FY2026 and FY2027 Interior Appropriations

Challenges to Comparing Appropriations

It can be challenging to compare FY2026 and FY2027 total appropriations for agencies and accounts that receive funding in the annual Interior bill. This is due to a variety of factors, including rescissions of prior-year appropriations, supplemental appropriations, and mandatory appropriations provided to agencies under laws within the jurisdiction of authorizing committees. Including some or all of these variables would provide different comparisons between FY2026 and FY2027 appropriations for agencies and accounts that receive funding in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

It also can be challenging to compare FY2026 and FY2027 appropriations as contained in the annual Interior bill. Different methods of comparison would lead to varying dollar and percentage differences between FY2027 funding levels and FY2026 appropriations enacted in P.L. 119-74, Division C. Among other variables, the comparative approach used in this report for the two fiscal years reflects advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service. It also reflects potential agency and program reorganizations and other initiatives proposed by the President. For instance, the President proposed unifying two offshore regulatory agencies—the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement—into a new Marine Minerals Administration. The President also proposed unification of funding for wildland fire management conducted by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Department of Agriculture's Forest Service. This proposal for wildland fire management is described below as an example of potential challenges in comparing appropriations across fiscal years where reorganization is proposed. Further, the comparative approach in this report reflects other initiatives proposed by the President, with the Great Salt Lake Watershed Recovery Program briefly described below as an example.

Advance Appropriations for the Indian Health Service

Advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service can help maintain continuity of operations for health care services in the event of a lapse in discretionary appropriations. The FY2026 enacted appropriation reflected $5.31 billion in FY2027 advance appropriations for the agency. The President's FY2027 request contained $5.64 billion in FY2028 advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service, "for the same budget lines that have previously received enacted advance appropriations, strengthening continuity of care and protecting services."⁷ H.R. 9171, as reported, included an FY2028 advance appropriation for the Indian Health Service of $6.06 billion. The accompanying committee report stated that H.R. 9171 "continues advance appropriations for programs advanced in fiscal year 2026 and expands advance appropriations to the Indian Health Facilities Sanitation Facilities Construction and Health Care Facilities Construction accounts."⁸

Unification of Wildland Fire Management

As had been the practice for many years, the FY2026 appropriations law funded DOI wildland fire management through the department-wide Wildland Fire Management account while funding Forest Service wildland fire management through a Forest Service-specific Wildland Fire Management account.⁹ The combined amount was $6.42 billion, including funding under a discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire suppression.¹⁰ The President's FY2027 request contained funding for wildland fire management for a new U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) within DOI. This service was established in the DOI Office of the Secretary on January 12, 2026, to unify DOI wildland fire management programs, according to DOI.¹¹ The President's FY2027 request proposed unification of DOI and Forest Service wildland fire management programs with a $6.91 billion appropriation, including funding under the cap adjustment. Under the proposal, the unified USWFS would be responsible for wildland fire management, risk reduction, and burned area recovery on approximately 700 million acres of DOI- and Forest Service-managed lands.¹² H.R. 9171, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee for FY2027, did not fund Forest Service wildland fire management through the USWFS, as proposed by the President. Instead, the bill contained $1.54 billion for the USWFS and $5.20 billion for Forest Service wildland fire management, including the discretionary cap adjustment, through the Forest Service's wildland fire management account. In the accompanying report, the committee stated that it "accepts the Administration's proposal to unify wildfire fighting activities across the Department of the Interior to create a single wildland firefighting agency, the U.S. Wildland Fire Service."¹³ The committee also noted an earlier directive for a "comprehensive study" on the feasibility of consolidating DOI and FS wildland fire management as proposed by the President, and Administration actions to undertake the study, and stated that it looked "forward to considering the proposal in future budget requests."¹⁴

The amount of the cap adjustment for wildfire suppression has differed across fiscal years. H.R. 9171, as reported, included $2.95 billion for the wildfire cap adjustment, the maximum available for the fiscal year, as did the President's request for FY2027. The FY2026 enacted total included $2.85 billion, the maximum available for that fiscal year.

Great Salt Lake Watershed Recovery Program

The President's FY2027 request for DOI included $1.00 billion for "a new Great Salt Lake Watershed Recovery Program, a comprehensive Federal program that will work collaboratively with the State of Utah to restore and protect the Great Salt Lake."¹⁵ Under the proposal, DOI would work with other federal agencies to improve water flows, restore ecosystems, remove invasive species, and address toxins in the lakebed. Among the goals are supporting global aquaculture, domestic sources of critical minerals, and economic activity in Utah and more generally. The FY2026 Interior appropriations law did not include funding for this new initiative. For FY2027, H.R. 9171, as reported by the House Appropriations Committee, contained $10.0 million for this initiative. In its accompanying report, the committee stated its support for "a comprehensive program for the restoration, protection, and preservation of the Great Salt Lake" and directed DOI to report within 180 days on plans, goals, timelines, and funding needs,¹⁶ and directed the Secretary of the Interior to establish a position in the Office of the Secretary to address specified Great Salt Lake issues.¹⁷

Brief Comparison of FY2026 and FY2027 Interior Appropriations

The $42.67 billion in H.R. 9171, the FY2027 Interior appropriations bill as reported by the House Appropriations Committee, would be an increase of $109.6 million (0.3%) over the FY2026 appropriations ($42.56 billion). Within this proposed overall increase are various increases, decreases, and level funding amounts for agencies and programs, including the following examples. Agencies that would receive increases under H.R. 9171 as reported include the Indian Health Service (+$1.32 billion, 16%), Indian Affairs (+911.1 million, 23%),¹⁸ and Forest Service (+$179.4 million, 2%), among others. Agencies that would receive decreases include EPA (-$1.78 billion, 20%), the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) (each -$72.0 million, 35%), and the three major DOI land management agencies (Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and National Park Service, with differing amounts of decrease). Agencies that would receive level funding include the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, and the Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.

The $42.67 billion in H.R. 9171 as reported by the House Appropriations Committee would be an increase of $7.86 billion (23%) over the President's request for FY2027 ($34.82 billion). This overall increase primarily reflects various increases for agencies in the bill, with fewer level or decreased amounts relative to the President's request, including the following examples. Agencies that would receive increases under H.R. 9171 over the President's request include EPA (+$2.83 billion, 67%), Indian Affairs (+$1.74 billion, 55%),¹⁹ and the Indian Health Service (+$458.2 million, 5%). The U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission would receive lower funding under H.R. 9171 than under the President's request (-$15.0 million, 50%). The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences would receive the same funding under H.R. 9171 as under the President's request.

Relative to the FY2026 enacted total, the President's FY2027 request would be an overall decrease of $7.75 billion (18%) for agencies in the Interior bill. This overall decrease primarily reflects various decreases for agencies in the bill, with fewer level or increased amounts, including the following examples. The President's FY2027 request would decrease funding from the FY2026 enacted levels for various agencies, including EPA (-$4.61 billion, 52%), the National Park Service (-$1.06 billion, 32%), and the U.S. Geological Survey (-$527.8 million, 37%). Agencies that would receive increases under the President's request include the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement ($1.3 million, 0.4%) and the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission ($15.0 million, 100%). Agencies that would receive level funding include the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality.

Figure 1 below, and Table 1 at the end of this report, detail the comparison among appropriations for the Interior bill as enacted for FY2026, requested by the President for FY2027, and reported by the House Appropriations Committee in H.R. 9171 for FY2027.

Figure 1. Appropriations for Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies by Major Title, FY2026-FY2027

Source: Prepared by CRS with data from U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2027, report to accompany H.R. 9171, 119th Cong. 2d sess., H.Rept. 119-687.

Notes: Amounts shown on the bars may not sum to totals shown due to rounding. In general, amounts represent regular annual appropriations for the pertinent fiscal year (FY2026 or FY2027), advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service (in Title III), offsetting collections, and a discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire suppression. The FY2027 House committee-reported total included $1.0 million in Title IV. DOI = Department of the Interior; EPA = Environmental Protection Agency.

Overview of Agencies in the Bill

The annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill includes funding and other provisions for agencies and programs in three federal departments and for numerous related agencies. The Interior bill typically contains three primary appropriations titles and a fourth title with general provisions.²⁰ Title I provides funding for most agencies in DOI,²¹ many of which manage land and other natural resource or regulatory programs. Title I also typically includes general provisions related to DOI agencies. Title II contains appropriations and administrative provisions for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Title III, Related Agencies, generally funds about two dozen other entities, including the Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture; the Indian Health Service in the Department of Health and Human Services; arts and cultural agencies, including the Smithsonian Institution; and various other organizations and entities. Title III also contains administrative provisions for some agencies funded therein. Title IV, General Provisions, typically contains additional guidance and direction for agencies in the bill. The following sections briefly describe selected major agencies in the Interior bill.

Title I. Department of the Interior²²

DOI's mission is to protect and manage the nation's natural resources and cultural heritage; provide scientific and other information about those resources; and exercise trust responsibilities and other commitments to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated island communities.²³ There were 10 major DOI agencies and 2 other broad accounts funded in the FY2026 Interior appropriations law to carry out this mission. Hereinafter, these 12 entities are referred to collectively as the DOI agencies. The DOI agencies and their functions funded in the FY2026 Interior appropriations law included the following:

The Bureau of Land Management administers about 244 million acres of federal public land, mostly in the West, for diverse uses such as energy and mineral development, livestock grazing, recreation, and preservation. The agency also administers 713 million acres of federal onshore subsurface mineral estate throughout the nation and supervises the mineral operations on Indian trust lands.²⁴

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service administers 89 million acres of federal land within the National Wildlife Refuge System and other areas,²⁵ including 77 million acres in Alaska. It also manages several large marine refuges and marine national monuments, sometimes jointly with other federal agencies. In addition, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, together with the National Marine Fisheries Service (Department of Commerce), is responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. §§1531 et seq.); promoting wildlife habitat; enforcing federal wildlife laws; supporting wildlife and ecosystem science; conserving migratory birds; administering grants to aid state fish and wildlife programs; and coordinating with other federal, state, international, and tribal partners on fish and wildlife issues.²⁶

The National Park Service administers more than 80 million acres of federal land within the National Park System, including 433 separate units in the 50 states, District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. Roughly two-thirds of the system's lands are in Alaska. The National Park Service has a dual mission—to preserve unique resources and to provide for their enjoyment by the public. The agency also supports and promotes some resource conservation activities outside the National Park System through grant and technical assistance programs and cooperation with partners.²⁷

The U.S. Geological Survey is a science agency that provides physical and biological information related to geological resources; natural hazards; climate and land use change; and energy, mineral, water, and biological sciences and resources. In addition, it is the federal government's principal civilian mapping agency (e.g., topographical and geological mapping) and a primary source of data on the quantity and quality of the nation's water resources (e.g., streamgaging).²⁸

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management manages development of the nation's offshore conventional and renewable energy resources in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of America, and the Alaska region. These resources are located on the U.S. outer continental shelf beyond state waters.²⁹

The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement provides regulatory and safety oversight for resource development on the outer continental shelf. Among the bureau's responsibilities are oil and gas permitting, facility inspections, environmental compliance, and oil spill response planning.³⁰

The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement works with states and tribes to reclaim abandoned coal mining sites. The agency also regulates active coal mining sites to minimize environmental impacts during mining and to reclaim affected lands and waters after mining.³¹

The Bureau of Indian Affairs provides and funds various services to American Indians and Alaska Natives. The agency is responsible for programs that include government operations, courts, law enforcement, fire protection, social programs, roads, economic development, employment assistance, housing repair, irrigation, dams, Indian rights protection, implementation of land and water settlements, and management of trust assets (real estate and natural resources).³²

The Bureau of Indian Education funds and provides education to Indian tribes and Alaska Natives. The agency funds an elementary and secondary school system, institutions of higher education, and other educational programs.³³

The Bureau of Trust Funds Administration manages the financial assets of American Indians held in trust by DOI. The agency provides fiduciary guidance, management, and leadership for Tribal Trust and Individual Indian Money accounts.³⁴

Departmental Offices covers diverse offices and programs. In the FY2026 appropriations law, it covered the Office of the Secretary of the Interior, Insular Affairs, the Office of the Solicitor, and the Office of Inspector General.³⁵

Department-Wide Programs covers varied programs and entities. In the FY2026 appropriations law, it covered DOI Wildland Fire Management,³⁶ the Central Hazardous Materials Fund, the Energy Community Revitalization Program, the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund, the Working Capital Fund, and the Office of Natural Resources Revenue.³⁷

Title II. Environmental Protection Agency

EPA administers various environmental statutes that have an express or general objective to protect human health and the environment.³⁸ Primary responsibilities include the implementation of federal statutes regulating air quality, water quality, drinking water safety, pesticides, toxic substances, management and disposal of solid and hazardous wastes, and cleanup of environmental contamination. EPA awards grants to assist states and local governments in implementing federal law and complying with federal requirements to control pollution. The agency also administers programs that provide financial assistance for public wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects.³⁹

Title III. Related Agencies

In FY2026, Title III of the Interior bill funded about two dozen agencies, organizations, and other entities collectively referred to as the related agencies. Among the related agencies funded in the Interior bill, roughly 95% of the funding typically is provided to the following entities:

The Forest Service in the Department of Agriculture manages 193 million acres of federal land within the National Forest System—consisting of national forests, national grasslands, and other areas—in 43 states, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It also provides technical and financial assistance to states, tribes, and private forest landowners and conducts research on sustaining forest resources for future generations.⁴⁰

The Indian Health Service in the Department of Health and Human Services provides primary health care and disease prevention services to approximately 2.8 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. Health care is provided through a system of more than 600 hospitals, clinics, and health stations on or near Indian reservations. The agency, tribes and tribal organizations, and urban Indian organizations operate these facilities and programs.⁴¹

The Smithsonian Institution is a museum, education, and research complex consisting of 21 museums, the National Zoological Park (National Zoo), and 14 education and research centers, some located in other countries. Established by federal legislation in 1846 with the acceptance of a trust donation by the institution's namesake benefactor,⁴² the Smithsonian is funded by both federal appropriations and a private trust.⁴³

The National Endowment for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Humanities make up the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities. The National Endowment for the Arts is a major federal source of support for all arts disciplines. Since 1965, it has provided more than $5.6 billion (in current dollars) in support of arts and awarded more than 158,000 grants, which have been distributed to all states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. The National Endowment for the Humanities generally supports grants for humanities education, research, preservation, and public humanities programs; creation of regional humanities centers; and development of humanities programs under the jurisdiction of state humanities councils. It also supports a Challenge Grant program to stimulate and match private donations in support of humanities institutions. Since 1965, it has awarded over $6.5 billion in funding (in current dollars) for more than 70,000 projects in all states, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories.⁴⁴

Table 1. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies:
FY2026-FY2027 Appropriations

(in thousands of dollars)

Bureau or Agency | FY2026 Enacted | FY2027 President Requested | FY2027 H. Comm. Reported
Bureau of Land Management | $1,378,383 | $898,394 | $1,318,745
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | $1,650,466 | $1,327,279 | $1,568,034
National Park Service | $3,267,311 | $2,206,470 | $3,225,297
U.S. Geological Survey | $1,420,433 | $892,668 | $1,367,928
Bureau of Ocean Energy Managementa | $133,128 | $0 | $105,928
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcementa | $146,850 | $0 | $131,399
Marine Minerals Administration | $0 | $142,175 | $0
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement | $284,550 | $285,825 | $288,163
Indian Affairs | $3,956,636 | $3,131,226 | $4,867,747
Bureau of Indian Affairs | $2,490,285 | $2,111,351 | $3,211,709
Bureau of Indian Education | $1,366,342 | $929,785 | $1,547,961
Bureau of Trust Funds Administration | $100,009 | $90,090 | $108,077
U.S. Wildland Fire Service | $0 | $6,911,953 | $1,544,721
Departmental Offices | $398,223 | $339,508 | $341,098
Office of the Secretary | $131,012 | $127,798 | $112,247
Insular Affairs | $118,030 | $102,998 | $116,030
Office of the Solicitor | $84,181 | $60,212 | $63,321
Office of Inspector General | $65,000 | $48,500 | $49,500
Department-Wide Programs | $1,788,027 | $1,220,826 | $263,914
Wildland Fire Management | $1,517,171 | $0 | $0
Central Hazardous Materials Fund | $9,031 | $6,280 | $7,500
Energy Community Revitalization Program | $4,700 | $0 | $4,700
Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund | $6,500 | $4,709 | $5,100
Working Capital Fund | $90,775 | $75,764 | $78,764
Office of Natural Resources Revenue | $159,850 | $134,073 | $157,850
Great Salt Lake Watershed Recovery Program | $0 | $1,000,000 | $10,000
General Provisions | $550,000 | $635,000 | $650,000
Payments in Lieu of Taxesb | $550,000 | $635,000 | $650,000
Subtotal, Title I: DOI | $14,974,007 | $17,991,324 | $15,672,974
Subtotal, Title II: EPA | $8,816,888 | $4,202,659 | $7,035,304
Dept. of Agriculture Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment | $780 | $750 | $1,000
Forest Service | $8,614,772 | $2,136,918 | $8,794,167
Indian Health Servicec | $8,121,474 | $8,987,641 | $9,445,812
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences | $77,100 | $51,814 | $51,814
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry | $79,800 | $78,000 | $78,000
Council on Environmental Quality and Office of Environmental Quality | $4,629 | $4,629 | $4,629
Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board | $14,000 | $0 | $14,000
Office of Navajo and Hopi Indian Relocation | $0 | $0 | $0
Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development | $13,482 | $0 | $13,232
Smithsonian Institution | $1,080,500 | $961,300 | $961,300
National Gallery of Art | $204,000 | $186,000 | $186,000
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts | $37,200 | $37,000 | $37,000
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars | $5,000 | $0 | $4,250
National Endowment for the Arts | $207,000 | $29,000 | $135,000
National Endowment for the Humanities | $207,000 | $38,000 | $135,000
Commission of Fine Arts | $3,641 | $3,461 | $3,461
National Capital Arts and Cultural Affairs | $5,000 | $0 | $4,000
Advisory Council on Historic Preservation | $8,285 | $5,151 | $6,200
National Capital Planning Commission | $8,750 | $8,759 | $8,750
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum | $65,231 | $65,231 | $65,231
U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission | $15,000 | $30,000 | $15,000
Subtotal, Title III: Related Agencies | $18,772,644 | $12,623,654 | $19,963,846
Subtotal, Title IV: General Provisionsd | $0 | $0 | $1,000
Total Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies | $42,563,539 | $34,817,637 | $42,673,124

Sources: Enacted appropriations for FY2026, FY2027 President requested amounts, and FY2027 House committee-reported amounts were taken from U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2027, report to accompany H.R. 9171, 119th Cong. 2d sess., H.Rept. 119-687.

Notes: DOI = Department of the Interior; EPA = Environmental Protection Agency. In general, amounts reflected in this table represent regular annual appropriations for the pertinent fiscal year (FY2026 or FY2027), rescissions of prior-year appropriations, and certain advance appropriations for the Indian Health Service (in Title III). Amounts generally reflect offsetting collections and exclude emergency supplemental appropriations. Amounts also exclude mandatory appropriations under authorizing statutes, such as under P.L. 116-152, the Great American Outdoors Act, which provided mandatory appropriations for the Land and Water Conservation Fund for land acquisitions by the federal land management agencies and other purposes.

a. Amounts shown are net appropriations after offsetting collections, not total budget authority. Relative to other agencies in the Interior bill, BOEM and BSEE receive a relatively large portion of budget authority from offsetting collections. For instance, total budget authority for BOEM in FY2026 was $191.1 million, consisting of a net appropriation of $133.1 million and an estimated $58.0 million in offsetting collections. For BSEE, total budget authority for FY2026 was $211.9 million, consisting of a net appropriation of $146.9 million and an estimated $65.0 million in offsetting collections. For FY2027, the President proposed unifying BOEM and BSEE into a single agency, entitled the Marine Minerals Administration, with a net appropriation of $142.2 million and $154.0 million in offsetting collections, for total budget authority of $296.2 million. In H.R. 9171 as reported by the House Appropriations Committee, total budget authority for BOEM was $182.9 million, consisting of a net appropriation of $105.9 million and an estimated $77.0 million in offsetting collections. For BSEE, total budget authority for FY2027 was $209.4 million, consisting of a net appropriation of $131.4 million and an estimated $78.0 million in offsetting collections.

b. The FY2027 request for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Program ($635.0 million) was included under Department-Wide Programs. For easier comparison, these appropriations are shown in this table under General Provisions.

c. Amounts in this row reflect newly appropriated funds for the applicable fiscal year and advance appropriations provided for the subsequent fiscal year. Advance appropriations are as follows. The FY2026 enacted total included $5.31 billion in advance appropriations for FY2027. The FY2027 request included $5.64 billion in advance appropriations for FY2028; the FY2027 House committee-reported total included $6.06 billion in advance appropriations for FY2028.

d. The FY2027 House committee-reported bill contained $1.0 million related to Forest Service appraisal values for acquired lands in northern Minnesota.

Area of Expertise | Name
Interior Appropriations, coordinators | Carol Hardy Vincent Mark K. DeSantis
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry | Jerry H. Yen
Bureau of Indian Affairs | Mariel J. Murray
Bureau of Indian Education | Cassandria Dortch
Bureau of Land Management | Carol Hardy Vincent
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management | Laura B. Comay
Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement | Laura B. Comay
Environmental Protection Agency | Angela C. Jones
Forest Service | Anne A. Riddle
Indian Health Service | Elayne J. Heisler
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts | R. Eric Petersen
Land and Water Conservation Fund | Carol Hardy Vincent
National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities | Kyrie E. Dragoo
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Superfund authorities) | Jerry H. Yen
National Park Service | Laura B. Comay
Office of Insular Affairs | R. Sam Garrett
Office of Natural Resources Revenue | Laura B. Comay
Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement | Lance N. Larson
Payments in Lieu of Taxes | Carol Hardy Vincent
Smithsonian Institution | R. Eric Petersen
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service | Eric P. Nardi
U.S. Geological Survey | Anna E. Normand
Wildland Fire Management | Alicyn R. Gitlin

Footnotes

1.

FY2026 enacted appropriations in P.L. 119-74, Division C, are detailed in the accompanying explanatory statement in the Congressional Record, daily edition, vol. 172, no. 5, book II (January 8, 2026), pp. H526-H591. That explanatory statement sometimes references the prior House and Senate Appropriations Committee reports that accompanied the FY2026 bills as reported by committee. Those reports are as follows. For H.R. 4754, see U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2026, report to accompany H.R. 4754, 119th Cong., 1st sess., H.Rept. 119-215, July 24, 2025. For S. 2431, see U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2026, report to accompany S. 2431, 119th Cong., 1st sess., S.Rept. 119-46, July 24, 2025.

2.

For example, this report excludes mandatory appropriations under authorizing statutes, such as under P.L. 116-152, the Great American Outdoors Act. Among other purposes, this authority provides mandatory appropriations from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for federal land management agencies to acquire lands.

3. | The "Interior & Environment Appropriations" subissue page is available to congressional clients on the CRS website at https://www.crs.gov/iap/appropriations (under "All Topics").

4.

Amounts in this report generally were taken from the detailed funding table in the committee report that accompanied H.R. 9171. That report was U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Department of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2027, report to accompany H.R. 9171, 119th Cong. 2d sess., H.Rept. 119-687, June 5, 2026. Hereinafter cited as H.Rept. 119-687 on H.R. 9171.

5. | Aidan Quigley and Jacob Fulton, "Hurricane Aid, Military Weapons Top White House Stopgap List," CQ News, July 20, 2026.
6. | Quigley and Fulton, "Hurricane Aid, Military Weapons Top White House Stopgap List."
7. | Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, Fiscal Year 2027, p. CJ-2, https://www.ihs.gov/sites/ofa/themes/responsive2017/display_objects/documents/IHS%20Draft%20CJ%20FY%202027.pdf.
8. | H.Rept. 119-687 on H.R. 9171, p. 97.
9. | The Forest Service is an agency within the Department of Agriculture, as noted.

10.

Under law, an adjustment can be made to discretionary spending limits to accommodate enacted funding for certain wildfire suppression activities. This authority is contained in the Wildfire Suppression Funding and Forest Management Activities Act, Division O of P.L. 115-141, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. The adjustment may not exceed specified amounts for each of FY2020-FY2027. For information on discretionary spending limits, see CRS In Focus IF10647, The Budget Resolution and the Budget Control Act's Discretionary Spending Limits, by Megan S. Lynch; CRS Report R44874, The Budget Control Act: Frequently Asked Questions, by Grant A. Driessen and Megan S. Lynch; and CRS Report R45778, Exceptions to the Budget Control Act's Discretionary Spending Limits, by Megan S. Lynch, especially the "Wildfire Suppression" section. For a discussion of the cap adjustment for wildfire suppression, see CRS In Focus IF13102, Funding for Wildfire Management: FY2025 Appropriations for Forest Service and Department of the Interior, by Anne A. Riddle; and CRS Report R46583, Federal Wildfire Management: Ten-Year Funding Trends and Issues (FY2011-FY2020), by Anne A. Riddle.

11. | U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Secretarial Order 3448, "Establishment of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service," January 12, 2026, https://www.doi.gov/document-library/secretary-order/so-3448-establishment-us-wildland-fire-service.

12.

Information in this paragraph on the U.S. Wildland Fire Service is derived primarily from DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2027, U.S. Wildland Fire Service, https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2026-04/fy2027greenbookuswfs.pdf. See, in particular, pp. 2-4.

13. | H.Rept. 119-687 on H.R. 9171, p. 14.
14. | H.Rept. 119-687 on H.R. 9171, p. 14.
15. | DOI, Fiscal Year 2027, The Interior Budget in Brief, Departmental Overview, April 2026, p. DH-6. See also p. DH-19 and p. DWP-4.
16. | H.Rept. 119-687 on H.R. 9171, p. 58.
17. | H.Rept. 119-687 on H.R. 9171, p. 55.
18. | "Indian Affairs" as used here includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, all in DOI.
19. | "Indian Affairs" as used here includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Indian Education, and Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, all in DOI.

20.

On occasion, the House, Senate, or enacted version of the Interior bill has contained additional titles. For instance, S. 4686, the FY2023 Interior appropriations bill introduced in the Senate, contained a Title V, with emergency appropriations for disaster recovery and emergency response of several agencies.

21.

The exceptions are the Bureau of Reclamation and the Central Utah Project, which receive appropriations through Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies appropriations laws. For information on appropriations for these entities, see CRS Report R48944, Energy and Water Development: FY2027 Appropriations, by Mark Holt and Anna E. Normand; and CRS In Focus IF13250, Bureau of Reclamation: FY2027 Budget and Appropriations, by Charles V. Stern.

22. | For additional background on DOI and its agencies, see CRS Report R45480, U.S. Department of the Interior: An Overview, by Mark K. DeSantis.
23. | DOI, "About Interior," https://www.doi.gov/about.
24. | For an overview of FY2026 appropriations for the Bureau of Land Management, see CRS In Focus IF13121, Bureau of Land Management: FY2026 Appropriations, by Carol Hardy Vincent.
25. | This is the acreage over which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has primary jurisdiction in the United States and the territories. The figure excludes acreage in marine national monuments over which the agency also has jurisdiction.
26. | For an overview of FY2027 appropriations for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, see CRS In Focus IF13203, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: FY2027 Budget Request, by Eric P. Nardi.

27.

For an overview of FY2027 appropriations for the National Park Service, see CRS In Focus IF13262, National Park Service: FY2027 Appropriations, by Laura B. Comay. For an overview of National Park Service appropriations in recent years, see CRS Report R42757, National Park Service (NPS) Appropriations: Ten-Year Trends, by Laura B. Comay. For a discussion of the different types of national park units and an overview of their management, see CRS Report R41816, National Park System: What Do the Different Park Titles Signify?, by Laura B. Comay. For an overview of areas linked to the National Park System which NPS manages or assists, see CRS In Focus IF11281, National Park Service Affiliated Areas: An Overview, by Mark K. DeSantis.

28. | For an overview of FY2027 appropriations for the U.S. Geological Survey, see CRS In Focus IF13205, The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): FY2027 Budget Request, by Anna E. Normand.

29.

For a discussion of state and federal waters, see CRS Report RL33404, Offshore Oil and Gas Development: Legal Framework, by Adam Vann. For an overview of FY2026 appropriations for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, see CRS In Focus IF13149, Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2026, by Laura B. Comay.

30. | For an overview of FY2026 appropriations for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, see CRS In Focus IF13149, Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2026, by Laura B. Comay.

31.

For additional information on the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement, see CRS In Focus IF11352, The Abandoned Mine Reclamation Fund: Issues and Legislation in the 117th Congress, by Lance N. Larson; and CRS Report R46610, Reclamation of Coal Mining Operations: Select Issues and Legislation, by Lance N. Larson.

32.

For an overview of FY2026 appropriations for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, see CRS In Focus IF13036, Bureau of Indian Affairs: Background and Annual FY2026 Appropriations, by Mariel J. Murray. For an overview of budget formulation and appropriations for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and related issues and options for Congress, see CRS Report R47723, Bureau of Indian Affairs: Overview of Budget Issues and Options for Congress, by Mariel J. Murray. For FY2026, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Indian Education, and the Bureau of Trust Funds Administration received appropriations under the heading Indian Affairs.

33. | For a discussion of Indian education programs, see CRS Report RL34205, Indian Elementary-Secondary Education: Programs, Background, and Issues, by Cassandria Dortch; and CRS In Focus IF10554, Postsecondary Education of Native Americans, by Cassandria Dortch.
34. | DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2027, Bureau of Trust Funds Administration, p. 1, https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2026-04/fy2027greenbookbtfa-1.pdf.
35. | An overview of the Office of Insular Affairs is at DOI, "Office of Insular Affairs," https://www.doi.gov/oia. An overview of the responsibilities of the other entities is at DOI, "Departmental Offices," https://www.doi.gov/bureaus/offices.
36. | For an overview of FY2025 appropriations for DOI wildland fire management (as well as Forest Service wildland fire management), see CRS In Focus IF13102, Funding for Wildfire Management: FY2025 Appropriations for Forest Service and Department of the Interior, by Anne A. Riddle.

37.

Descriptions of these programs are on the DOI website or in CRS reports as follows. For DOI Wildland Fire Management, see https://www.doi.gov/wildlandfire. For the Central Hazardous Materials Fund, see https://www.doi.gov/oepc/central-hazardous-materials-fund-chf. For the Energy Community Revitalization Program and the Working Capital Fund, see DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2027, Office of the Secretary, Departmentwide Programs, https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2026-04/fy2027greenbookos-dwp.pdf. For the Natural Resource Damage Assessment Fund, see DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2027, Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program, https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2026-04/fy2027greenbooknrdar.pdf. For the Office of Natural Resources Revenue, see CRS In Focus IF13149, Offshore Energy Agency Appropriations, FY2026, by Laura B. Comay, and https://www.onrr.gov/. For FY2027, the President's request also sought funding through the Department-Wide Programs account for the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program, although for FY2026, PILT received funding under a general provision of the appropriations law. For information on this program, see CRS In Focus IF11772, Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT): Section 6902 Payments, by Carol Hardy Vincent and Eric P. Nardi; and DOI, Budget Justifications and Performance Information, Fiscal Year 2027, Office of the Secretary, Departmentwide Programs, at https://www.doi.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025-11/os-dwp-2026-greenbook508.pdf.

38. | EPA has no organic statute establishing an overall mission. For an overview of EPA, see CRS Report R48961, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Origins, Authorities, and Organization, by Angela C. Jones.

39.

For an overview of FY2026 appropriations for EPA, see CRS In Focus IF13191, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency FY2026 Appropriations, by Angela C. Jones; and CRS In Focus IF13177, FY2026 Appropriations for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Water Infrastructure Programs, by Elena H. Humphreys and Jonathan L. Ramseur.

40.

For an overview of Forest Service land management, see CRS Report R43872, National Forest System Management: Overview and Issues for Congress, by Anne A. Riddle. For an overview of FY2025 appropriations for the Forest Service, see CRS In Focus IF13101, Forest Service: FY2025 Appropriations, by Anne A. Riddle. For an overview of FY2025 appropriations for Forest Service wildland fire management (as well as DOI wildland fire management), see CRS In Focus IF13102, Funding for Wildfire Management: FY2025 Appropriations for Forest Service and Department of the Interior, by Anne A. Riddle.

41. | Department of Health and Human Services, Indian Health Service, Justification of Estimates for Appropriations Committees, Fiscal Year 2027, p. CJ-1, https://www.ihs.gov/sites/ofa/themes/responsive2017/display_objects/documents/IHS%20Draft%20CJ%20FY%202027.pdf.
42. | Smithsonian, "About the Smithsonian," https://www.si.edu/about.

43.

For an overview of issues related to the Smithsonian Institution, especially issues related to the siting, costs, and other topics related to the establishment of new museums, see CRS Report R44370, Smithsonian Institution Museums: Selected Issues for Congress, by R. Eric Petersen. For an overview of proposals in the 119th Congress, see CRS In Focus IF12987, Smithsonian Institution: Selected Legislation, 119th Congress, by R. Eric Petersen.

44.

The NEA statistics presented here (among other statistics) are on the agency's website at https://www.arts.gov/about/what-is-the-nea and also at https://www.arts.gov/sites/default/files/Funding-the-Arts-7.18.22.pdf. The NEH statistics presented here (among other statistics) are on the agency's website at https://www.neh.gov/news/neh-announces-reorganization-its-grantmaking-offices-programs-and-personnel. For an overview of FY2026 appropriations for NEA and NEH, see CRS Report R48958, National Foundation on the Arts and Humanities: FY2026 Appropriations, by Shannon S. Loane.