Senate appropriators advance fiscal 2026 spending bill to support NIST cyber, AI activities

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved in a 19-10 vote the fiscal 2026 spending bill for departments of Commerce and Justice, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

The bill was advanced at a July 17 markup. It provides $1.6 billion to support NIST’s fiscal 2026 activities, including a $447 million increase from fiscal 2025, according to the bill report. NIST’s Scientific and Technical Research and Services is the largest portion of the funding with $1 billion...