WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Mario Díaz-Balart (FL-26), Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement after the committee approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) Appropriations bill earlier this month: "As our community prepares to host some of the world's largest global events, such as the G-20 Summit in Doral and as one of the U.S. cities hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup – it is more crucial than ever that we ensure the safety of both Americans and visitors to the United States. That’s why I’m proud to have secured over $11 million in the FY26 CJS funding bill to ensure law enforcement has the necessary tools and resources to respond to the immense security and logistical challenges that will result ahead of these major events and keep our communities safe. “I thank Chairman Tom Cole and the Dean of the House, Congressman Hal Rogers, for crafting a bill that prioritizes safety for law enforcement, Americans, and international visitors, all while safeguarding taxpayer dollars.” Funding Highlights for FL-26 Supporting Law Enforcement - Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office: $1.05 million for mobile operations command center upgrades.
- Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office: $4.2 million for global public safety and equipment expansion.
- Miccosukee Tribe Police Department: $350,000 for marked police patrol vehicles.
- City of Miami Springs Police Department: $500,000 for marked fleet modernization.
- City of Hialeah Gardens: $2.04 million for high-priority marked police patrol vehicles.
- Collier County Sheriff’s Office: $2.5 million for marked vehicle expansion project.
- Village of Virginia Gardens’ Law Enforcement: $405,000 for technology upgrades.
Bolstering National Security - Bill Language for technical corrections for LIBERTAD Title III claimants.
- This language clarifies that a claimant who is eligible to sue under Title III of the LIBERTAD Act of 1996, and who subsequently acquired a claim through inheritance or as a successor-in-interest after March 1996, may successfully bring suit against a person who traffics in the claimant’s confiscated property.
- Bill Language prohibiting the use of funds made available by this Act to license exports to any officer of the Cuban military or intelligence service, or an immediate family member thereof.
- Report Language reiterating the passage of the No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act.
- Report Language on Small Business Contracting, as Hialeah is home to a small business apparel and textile sector manufacturer of U.S. military uniforms for the armed forces, many similar businesses have been driven out of business or are exiting the country due to a preference for Federal Prison Industries contracts with the Department of Defense.
- $6 million for INTERPOL Washington, to support the International Child Sexual Exploitation Database and INTERPOL’s victim identification efforts globally.
Strengthening School Safety - STOP School Violence Grant Program: $135 million
- Police Act Grants: $12 million for active shooter training for police officers.
- VALOR Initiative: $13 million for police officer safety and wellness programs
- Mental Health/Peer Mentoring: $10 million for mental health awareness training
- Report Language on the challenges that urban and rural school districts encounter when applying for federal funding for school safety-related grants, and requires a detailed explanation of grant denials
- Report Language directing the Department of Justice to report on a plan to improve the timing and duration of the grant period to enable the improved quality of applications and increased participation in the application process.
- Report Language directing the Department of Justice to work with other Federal agencies to notify States, localities, Tribes, and school districts of the availability of funding announced by the STOP solicitation upon release, and to provide microgrants for school districts, including rural, Tribal, and low-resourced schools.
Championing Conservative Priorities, Countering Communist China, and Maintaining America’s Competitive Edge - Continuing the long-standing Hyde-like prohibition that prevents the use of Department of Justice funds to pay for abortion.
- Upholding prohibitions on funding for COVID vaccine and mask mandates.
- Investing in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, quantum, and advanced manufacturing.
- Providing funding for DEA above the FY25 enacted level to curb the flow of China’s illicit export of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors into America.
- University of Miami: $3.1 million for the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis Research & Innovation Hub Equipment Expansion Project
- $56 million for the Integrated Ocean Observing System to improve weather, flooding, and harmful algal bloom forecasting.
- Supporting the critical Artemis program to advance American leadership in space and countering China’s malign ambitions to steal American research.
- Report Language on Space Infrastructure as the United States’ commercial spaceflight industry has grown exponentially over the past decade, with Kennedy Space Center alone supporting over 72 launches from both NASA and Space Force property in 2023.
- That growth has stretched to capacity much of the Kennedy Space Center’s spaceport infrastructure, which was only sized to support NASA’s requirements. Additional investments are urgently needed to upgrade capabilities and expand capacity to meet projected needs for both governmental and commercial missions.
A summary of the bill is available here. Bill text is available here. ### |
