Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026

Bill Number: H.R. 4249
Origin Chamber: House
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Congress
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-06-30: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 144.
Last Updated: 2026-07-11T17:08:26Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose of the Legislation

This bill, H.R. 4249, appropriates funds for the operations and activities of the U.S. Legislative Branch for fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2026). It supports Congress's core functions, including salaries, expenses, security, facilities maintenance, and related services, while incorporating restrictions and efficiencies to promote fiscal responsibility and national security.

Key Provisions

The bill allocates approximately $6.5 billion across various legislative entities, with detailed funding categories:

House of Representatives:
Payments to widows and heirs of deceased members: $522,000 total for specific individuals.
Salaries and expenses: $1.98 billion, including leadership offices ($36.6 million), members' representational allowances ($850 million for staff, mail, and office costs), intern compensation ($24.3 million across member, leadership, and committee offices), and committee employees ($216 million).
Officers and employees: $361.6 million for roles like Clerk, Sergeant at Arms, Chief Administrative Officer, and Inspector General.
Allowances and expenses: $491.8 million for supplies, employee benefits, business continuity, and modernization initiatives.
Modernization Initiatives Account: $4 million for approved technology and process improvements.

Joint Items:
Joint Economic Committee: $4.3 million.
Joint Committee on Taxation: $14.9 million.
Office of the Attending Physician: $4.9 million for medical services and reimbursements.
Office of Congressional Accessibility Services: $1.9 million for accommodations like sign language interpreters.

Capitol Police:
Salaries: $687.4 million, including overtime limits and $15 million for recruitment/retention bonuses.
General expenses: $203.5 million for equipment, training, and security, with $10 million available until 2030 for mutual aid.

Office of Congressional Workplace Rights: $8.4 million for handling employee complaints and enforcement of workplace protections.

Congressional Budget Office: $72 million for budget analysis, with $500,000 earmarked for improving transparency in estimates.

Architect of the Capitol:
Capital Construction and Operations: $166.3 million for facilities management.
Specific allocations: Capitol Building ($68.6 million), Capitol Grounds ($19.9 million), House Office Buildings ($123.7 million), Capitol Power Plant ($119.9 million), Library Buildings ($76.8 million), Capitol Police facilities ($74.9 million), Botanic Garden ($21.4 million), and Capitol Visitor Center ($29.8 million).
Provisions prohibit bonuses for delayed/over-budget contractors and allow cooperative agreements for grounds maintenance.

Library of Congress:
Salaries and expenses: $501.9 million for operations, including $10.4 million for educational programs and $4.4 million for veterans' history digitization.
Copyright Office: $101.5 million, with $10.3 million for modernization.
Congressional Research Service: $141.1 million for non-partisan research.
National Library Service for the Blind: $68 million, including free newspapers for users.

Government Publishing Office:
Congressional Publishing: $83 million for printing and distribution.
Public Information Programs: $42.9 million for cataloging government documents.
Business Operations Revolving Fund: $9.5 million for IT and repairs.

Government Accountability Office: $415.4 million for audits and investigations, plus $35.4 million from reimbursements.

Other Funds:
Congressional Office for International Leadership: $6.3 million.
John C. Stennis Center: $430,000 for public service training.

General Provisions (Title II):
Limits on private vehicle maintenance, fiscal year carryover, consulting contracts, and transfers.
Prohibits funding for pornography on networks, certain foreign telecommunications equipment (e.g., from Huawei or ZTE), and vehicles from Chinese entities.
Bans diversity training promoting "divisive concepts" on race/sex and discriminatory actions against those with traditional marriage views.
No cost-of-living adjustment for members' pay in FY 2026.
Allows DACA recipients to receive compensation.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Deficit Reduction: Unused members' representational allowances must go toward reducing the federal deficit or debt.
Vehicle Leasing: Caps monthly leasing at $1,000 per vehicle from members' allowances.
Cybersecurity and Tech Bans: Requires minimization of shared data in assistance to the House; prohibits procurement of IT equipment from Chinese military-linked entities or certain drones/vehicles.
Personnel Authorities (Capitol Police): Expands chief's flexibility in appointing/terminating deputies, assistants, and other key roles, with board approval.
Child Care Center: Expands revolving fund uses to include telecommunications and assistant director salaries.
Energy Policy Act Amendment: Removes exceptions for House vehicle leases from long-term federal requirements.
International Training: Limits Capitol Police overseas training without board approval.
Library Reimbursable Activities: Caps FY 2026 obligational authority at $332.3 million.
GAO Civil Actions: Requires congressional resolution for impoundment lawsuits.
Ethics for Members: Excludes direct medical/dental care from fiduciary relationship definitions under compensation limits.
Publishing Limits: Extends document printing window to 27 months with reauthorization.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Provides stable funding for legislative operations, enhancing security (e.g., Capitol Police retention) and efficiency (e.g., IT modernization). Restrictions on foreign tech could increase costs for compliant alternatives but bolster cybersecurity. Deficit reduction from allowances may slightly offset spending.
Citizens: Improves public access to services like the Library of Congress (e.g., veterans' projects, blind/print-disabled resources) and Capitol Visitor Center. Bans on certain trainings/content may limit internal programs but ensure focus on core functions. DACA provision expands employment opportunities in legislative roles.
International Relations: Prohibitions on Chinese-linked equipment/vehicles signal U.S. concerns over foreign influence and supply chain risks, potentially straining ties with China while aligning with broader national security policies. International leadership funding supports global exchanges.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Members of Congress and Staff: Benefit from salaries, allowances, intern funding, and workplace rights; face limits on vehicle leases and pay adjustments.
Capitol Police and Security Personnel: Receive boosted recruitment funds and appointment flexibilities, impacting ~2,000 officers.
Library of Congress Users: Include researchers, educators, veterans, blind individuals, and copyright holders, with enhanced digitization and programs.
Architect of the Capitol and Facilities Staff: Manage increased maintenance funds for buildings/grounds, affecting ~2,500 employees.
Public and Taxpayers: Gain from fiscal controls (e.g., deficit reduction) and prohibitions on wasteful spending; indirect benefits via transparent government operations.
Contractors and Vendors: Restricted by bans on foreign tech/vehicles and bonus prohibitions, potentially shifting markets toward U.S./allied suppliers.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Constitutional: Reinforces separation of powers by mandating data minimization in cybersecurity aid to Congress, protecting legislative independence. Provisions like GAO lawsuit requirements uphold congressional oversight.
Legal: Amendments clarify personnel and procurement rules, reducing ambiguities (e.g., fiduciary exclusions for members' medical services). Bans on discriminatory actions based on marriage views invoke First Amendment protections for religious/moral beliefs, potentially challenging equal protection claims.
Political: Promotes bipartisanship in funding (e.g., balanced intern allocations) while embedding partisan priorities like DEI training limits and China restrictions. No pay adjustment signals fiscal restraint amid debates on congressional compensation. Overall, it balances operational needs with accountability, avoiding major controversies but inviting scrutiny on security and equity provisions.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22]

Recent Actions

2025-06-30: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 144.
2025-06-30: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-178, by Mr. Valadao.
2025-06-30: The House Committee on Appropriations reported an original measure, H. Rept. 119-178, by Mr. Valadao.

Bill Versions

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2025-06-30 — PDF (54 pages)