The House Appropriations Committee has approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act with a vote of 34 to 28. The bill, led by Legislative Branch Subcommittee Chairman David Valadao (R-CA), aims to allocate resources effectively while reducing unnecessary spending.
Chairman Valadao stated, “After months of hard work preparing the FY26 bill as Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, I’m proud to see it advance out of full committee markup. This bill not only ensures Congress has the resources needed to effectively serve the American people—it also reins in unnecessary spending and refocuses our priorities to reflect our core values. Most importantly, this legislation provides the necessary funding to support Capitol Police as they work to keep Members of Congress, visitors, and staff safe.”
Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) added, “Our greatest duty is to our constituents—and this bill reflects that. The FY26 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act makes targeted and responsible investments to strengthen the institutions that serve Americans. It protects key functions of our democracy, supports critical oversight responsibilities, and ensures the safety and accessibility of the Capitol complex.”
The act proposes a total discretionary allocation of $6.7 billion—$51 million less than the previous fiscal year and over $1.3 billion below what was requested for Fiscal Year 2026.
Key elements include maintaining investments aligned with President Trump’s legislative priorities, increasing funding for Capitol Police officers, prohibiting purchases from certain foreign entities for national security reasons, and requiring unspent funds from Members’ Representational Allowances (MRA) be used for debt reduction.
During discussions, Republican members rejected Democrat amendments aimed at increasing spending on green initiatives or altering congressional oversight mechanisms.
Amendments adopted included technical changes proposed by Valadao’s Manager’s Amendment and an amendment regarding DACA employment eligibility by Aguilar which passed narrowly with a vote of 32 to 29.
The measure now moves forward towards consideration on the House floor.
