January 6, 2026 — U.S. lawmakers largely rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed budget cuts to NOAA Fisheries in a new compromise appropriations bill Congress needs to pass before the government once again runs out of money on 30 January.
On 5 January, House and Senate appropriations leaders released a compromise piece of legislation that will fund the U.S. Department of Commerce – which houses NOAA Fisheries – through the rest of fiscal year 2026, which runs until the end of September. The compromise bill’s spending for NOAA Fisheries largely aligns with the original Senate version of the legislation, ignoring the Trump administration’s proposal to slash the agency’s funding and eliminate programs.