Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026

Bill Number: S. 2257
Origin Chamber: Senate
Congress: 119th Congress, Session 1
Policy Area: Congress
Status: Introduced
Latest Action: 2025-07-10: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 113.
Last Updated: 2026-05-01T11:03:33Z

AI-Generated Summary

Purpose

This legislation, S. 2257 (Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026), provides funding for the operations, salaries, expenses, and maintenance of various entities within the U.S. Legislative Branch for fiscal year 2026 (ending September 30, 2026). It allocates specific sums from the Treasury for these purposes and includes administrative rules, security enhancements, and minor amendments to existing laws to support congressional functions.

Key Provisions

The bill is divided into Title I (Legislative Branch appropriations) and Title II (General Provisions). It outlines detailed funding for personnel, operations, and facilities, with many amounts available beyond FY 2026 for multi-year projects.

Senate Funding

Expense Allowances and Representation: Allocates $195,000 for allowances to Senate leaders (e.g., Vice President: $20,000; Leaders: $40,000 each) and $30,000 for Leaders' representation expenses.
Salaries for Officers and Employees: $314,143,000 total, broken down by offices (e.g., Vice President's Office: $3,210,000; Sergeant at Arms: $130,353,000) plus $97,779,000 for employee benefits.
Specialized Offices: $9,401,000 for the Office of the Legislative Counsel and $1,431,000 for the Office of Senate Legal Counsel.
Contingent Expenses: Includes $222,416,000 for inquiries/investigations (some available until 2028), $613,000 for the Caucus on International Narcotics Control, $17,852,000 for the Secretary's Office, $230,845,000 for the Sergeant at Arms (mostly until 2030), $28,052,000 for miscellaneous items (until 2028), and $645,431,000 for Senators' personnel/office expenses (with $7,000,000 for intern compensation; some until 2028). Also covers $300,000 for official mail.
Administrative Rules: Unexpended Senators' account balances must return to the Treasury for deficit reduction or debt repayment. Extends delegation authority for certain congressional operations.

Joint Items

$4,283,000 for the Joint Economic Committee.
$13,960,620 for the Joint Committee on Taxation.
$4,854,000 for the Office of the Attending Physician (including allowances and reimbursements to the Navy).
$1,818,980 for the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services.

Capitol Police

Salaries: $653,422,000 (with overtime cap at $84,767,000 unless notified).
General Expenses: $201,678,000 for equipment, training, and operations; prohibits purchasing drones from China except for national security. Basic training costs paid by Homeland Security.
Administrative: Up to $10,000,000 transferable for mutual aid reimbursements (until 2030, with notification).

Other Entities

Office of Congressional Workplace Rights: $8,396,400 (some until 2027) for operations, including enforcement of workplace protections.
Congressional Budget Office: $71,400,000, with at least $500,000 for improving transparency in budget estimates and data access.
Architect of the Capitol: $156,676,000 for capital operations; specific allocations for Capitol Building ($83,380,000), Grounds ($20,059,000), Senate Offices ($124,696,000), Power Plant ($130,705,000), Library Buildings ($53,139,000), Capitol Police Facilities ($77,630,000, no China drones), Botanic Garden ($21,392,000), and Visitor Center ($30,547,000). Prohibits bonuses for over-budget contractors unless justified.
Library of Congress: $592,411,000 for salaries/expenses (including $17,500,000 until expended for programs like Veterans History Project); $102,386,000 for Copyright Office (with modernization funds until 2027 and limits on collections); $136,080,000 for Congressional Research Service; $66,130,000 for National Library Service for the Blind (with $650,000 for free newspapers). Limits reimbursable activities to $332,285,000.
Government Publishing Office: $80,000,000 for congressional publishing; $42,475,000 for public information programs; $9,525,000 for the Business Operations Revolving Fund (for IT and repairs).
Government Accountability Office: $811,894,000 for operations (plus $35,424,000 from reimbursements), including support for child care center.
Other Funds: $6,000,000 for Congressional Office for International Leadership (restricted for Russian participants); $430,000 for John C. Stennis Center.

Title II: General Provisions

Prohibits funding for private vehicle maintenance (except emergencies), limits obligations beyond FY 2026, sets compensation rates as permanent law, requires public records for consulting contracts, caps Legislative Branch Financial Managers Council costs at $2,000, bans transfers to other government entities without authorization.
Protects guided Capitol tours led by congressional staff (unless security restricts them equally).
Bans acquiring Huawei/ZTE telecommunications equipment.
Requires blocking pornography on congressional networks (except for law enforcement).
Mandates coordination with food providers to reduce plastic waste and promote recycling.
Freezes cost-of-living adjustments for Members of Congress in FY 2026.
Extends PUMP Act (Providing Urgent Maternal Protections) protections to congressional staff for breastfeeding accommodations.
Additional Security Funding: $18,500,000 for Senate protection (transferable, for Member security and residential systems); $25,000,000 for Capitol Police mutual aid; $1,000,000 for Senate support; designated as emergency funds.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

Deficit Reduction: Requires unexpended balances from Senators' official accounts to return to the Treasury for deficit reduction or debt repayment (amends 2 U.S.C. 4107).
Delegation Authority: Amends the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (2 U.S.C. 6154 note) to extend beyond the 118th Congress and remove date limits.
PUMP Act Extension: Amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 (2 U.S.C. 1313) to include section 18D (breastfeeding accommodations) for congressional staff.
Publishing Limits: Extends the period for printing congressional documents from 2 to 27 months before reauthorization is needed (amends 44 U.S.C. 718).
Copyright Office: Allows royalty fees to fund Copyright Royalty Judges' administration (except salaries).
Security Enhancements: Adds emergency funding for Senate and Capitol Police security, with transfer authorities.

Potential Impacts

Government Agencies: Provides stable funding for Legislative Branch operations, enabling maintenance of facilities, security, and support services like research and publishing. Multi-year funds support long-term projects (e.g., IT modernization, security upgrades), potentially reducing disruptions. Security boosts could improve protection for Members and staff amid threats.
Citizens: Enhances public access to services like the Library of Congress (e.g., free newspapers for the blind, civics programs) and Capitol tours. Reduces plastic waste in congressional food services, benefiting environmental efforts. Intern compensation and workplace rights (e.g., breastfeeding) support staff well-being, indirectly aiding efficient public service.
International Relations: Funds the International Copyright Institute ($100,000) for training on intellectual property in developing countries; restricts Russian leadership program funding to non-government activities. Narcotics Caucus funding supports global policy discussions.

Main Stakeholders Affected

Members of Congress and Staff: Benefit from salaries, office expenses, intern pay, security enhancements, and workplace protections (e.g., no pornography on networks, PUMP Act extension).
Legislative Entities: Senate offices, Capitol Police, Architect of the Capitol, Library of Congress, Government Publishing Office, and GAO receive operational funds, impacting ~thousands of employees.
Public and Special Groups: Visitors (via tours and Visitor Center), blind/print-disabled individuals (library services), researchers (budget transparency), and international participants (leadership programs).
Contractors and Vendors: Affected by bans on China-made drones/equipment, no bonuses for delays, and plastic reduction requirements.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

Fiscal Responsibility: Mandating unexpended funds for deficit/debt reduction promotes accountability in spending, aligning with constitutional oversight roles (Article I) without altering core appropriations authority.
Workplace and Accessibility: Extending PUMP Act reinforces equal employment protections under the Congressional Accountability Act, ensuring Congress models federal standards; accessibility office funding upholds non-discrimination principles.
Security and Restrictions: Emergency security designations bypass standard budget caps, reflecting post-January 6 priorities; bans on foreign equipment (e.g., Huawei) advance national security laws without constitutional challenges.
Transparency and Operations: Requirements for public consulting records and budget model access enhance congressional accountability to the public, potentially influencing political oversight. No COLA for Members signals restraint amid fiscal debates, though it doesn't affect constitutional pay protections (Article I, Section 6).

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

Sponsor

Sen. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK]

Recent Actions

2025-07-10: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 113.
2025-07-10: Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Mullin. With written report No. 119-38.
2025-07-10: Committee on Appropriations. Original measure reported to Senate by Senator Mullin. With written report No. 119-38.
2025-07-10: Introduced in Senate
2025-05-14: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch. Hearings held on the subject prior to the subcommittee ordering to be reported an original measure. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-69.
2025-05-06: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch. Hearings held on the subject prior to the subcommittee ordering to be reported an original measure. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-69.
2025-04-29: Subcommittee on Legislative Branch. Hearings held on the subject prior to the subcommittee ordering to be reported an original measure. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 119-69.

Bill Versions

Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026 — issued 2025-07-10 — PDF (36 pages)