Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2026
- Sponsor
- Sen. Mullin, Markwayne [R-OK]
- Committees
- Appropriations Committee
- Last action
- Jul 10, 2025
Bottom line
S. 2257 funds the entirety of the U.S. Legislative Branch for FY2026, including operational costs, security enhancements, and specific policy directives.
What it actually does
This bill appropriates funds for the operations of the Legislative Branch of the U.S. Government for fiscal year 2026. It allocates specific amounts to various Senate offices, joint committees, the Capitol Police, Office of Congressional Workplace Rights, Congressional Budget Office, Architect of the Capitol, Library of Congress, Government Publishing Office, Government Accountability Office, and other legislative support agencies. It also includes several administrative and general provisions, some of which impose policy directives or restrictions, such as a freeze on Member of Congress cost-of-living adjustments and prohibitions on certain technology procurements.
Proponents argue
Supporters argue the bill provides essential funding to ensure the effective functioning of Congress and its support agencies, maintaining critical services, security, and oversight capabilities. They would highlight the investments in Member security, intern compensation, and transparency initiatives within the CBO and Library of Congress as necessary and beneficial.
Opponents contend
Critics might argue that certain appropriations are excessive or insufficient, or that policy riders included in the bill are inappropriate for an appropriations measure. Concerns could be raised about the overall level of spending or specific restrictions on technology procurement or operational expenses.
The bill is moderately complex but its structure is predictable for an appropriations bill. Given its importance, sufficient time for review is crucial, especially for the detailed administrative provisions and policy riders.
Title I, SENATE
Appropriations for Senate Offices and Expense Allowances
This section allocates funds for the operational expenses of the Vice President's office, President Pro Tempore, Majority and Minority Leaders, Whips, various Senate committees (including Appropriations, Conference, Policy), the Chaplain, Secretary of the Senate, and Sergeant at Arms. It also provides expense and representation allowances for leadership and key officers.
Supporters argue
These funds are essential for the day-to-day operations of the Senate, enabling legislative work, constituent services, and leadership functions.
Critics contend
Some may argue for stricter controls on expense allowances or overall spending levels for Senate operations.
Tradeoffs
Balancing the need for adequate resources for legislative functions with fiscal responsibility and public perception of government spending.
Title I, SENATE, Contingent Expenses of the Senate
Funding for Senators' Offices and Intern Compensation
This provision appropriates $645,431,000 for Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Accounts. Notably, $7,000,000 of this amount is specifically allocated for financial compensation to Senate interns, addressing a long-standing issue of unpaid internships.
Title I, CAPITOL POLICE
Capitol Police Salaries and General Expenses
This section appropriates $653,422,000 for Capitol Police salaries, including overtime, hazardous duty pay, and benefits, with an overtime cap of $84,767,000. An additional $201,678,000 is provided for general expenses, covering equipment, training, medical services, and Member protection. It also includes a prohibition on purchasing drones from China for non-national security purposes.
Title I, ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL
Funding for Capitol Complex Maintenance and Operations
This section provides significant appropriations for the maintenance, care, and operation of the Capitol Building, Capitol Grounds, Senate Office Buildings, Capitol Power Plant, Library Buildings and Grounds, Capitol Police Buildings, Botanic Garden, and Capitol Visitor Center. It includes funds for construction, repairs, utilities, and general administrative support. A provision prohibits incentive bonuses for contractors who are behind schedule or over budget, unless due to unforeseeable events or government-driven changes.
Title I, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Funding for Library of Congress, Copyright Office, CRS, and NLSBPD
This section funds the Library of Congress's general operations, including cataloging, preservation, and IT services ($592,411,000). It also allocates funds for the Copyright Office ($102,386,000, with a portion from collections), Congressional Research Service (CRS) ($136,080,000), and the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLSBPD) ($66,130,000). Specific directives include funding for the Teaching with Primary Sources program, Lewis-Houghton Civics and Democracy Initiative, Veterans History Project, and Copyright Office modernization.
Title I, GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
Funding for Congressional Publishing and Public Information Programs
This section provides $80,000,000 for Congressional Publishing, including distribution of congressional information and government publications. It also allocates $42,475,000 for Public Information Programs of the Superintendent of Documents, covering cataloging, indexing, and distribution to the public and depository libraries. An additional $9,525,000 is provided for the GPO Business Operations Revolving Fund for IT development and facilities repair.
Title I, GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE
Funding for Government Accountability Office Operations
This provision appropriates $811,894,000 for the necessary expenses of the Government Accountability Office, with $5,000,000 remaining available until expended. It also makes an additional $35,424,000 available from payments received under various titles of U.S. Code, without fiscal year limitation. The funds support GAO's auditing, evaluation, and investigative services for Congress.
Sec. 208, Title II
Prohibition on Huawei and ZTE Telecommunications Equipment Procurement
This section prohibits the use of any funds appropriated or made available under this Act to acquire telecommunications equipment produced by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation. This is a supply chain security measure.
Sec. 209, Title II
Ban on Pornography on Legislative Branch Computer Networks
This provision prohibits the use of funds to maintain or establish a computer network unless such network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography. It includes an exception for law enforcement or other official government activities.
Sec. 211, Title II
Freeze on Member of Congress Cost of Living Adjustments
This section explicitly states that no adjustment shall be made under section 601(a) of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 (2 U.S.C. 4501) (relating to cost of living adjustments for Members of Congress) during fiscal year 2026. This effectively freezes congressional salaries for the upcoming fiscal year.
Sec. 212, Title II
Applying PUMP Act Protections to Congressional Employees
This section amends the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to extend protections related to the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP Act) to congressional staff. The PUMP Act generally requires employers to provide reasonable break time and a private place for an employee to express breast milk for one year after the child's birth.
Sec. 213, Title II
Emergency Funding for Enhanced Member Security and Residential Security
This section provides an additional $18,500,000 as an emergency requirement for enhanced Member security ($15,000,000) and the residential security system program ($3,500,000) for the Senate Sergeant at Arms, available until expended. It also provides $25,000,000 for Capitol Police mutual aid reimbursements and $1,000,000 for Capitol Police General Expenses to support the residential security program. These funds are designated as emergency requirements.
This section mandates that any unexpended balances from Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Accounts, after their period of availability, must be returned to the Treasury and used for deficit reduction or, if no deficit, for reducing the Federal debt.
Sec. 101, Title I
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice for managing unspent funds, but its specific application to Senators' accounts and the explicit directive for deficit/debt reduction is a notable accountability measure that might not be widely publicized.
Case for: Proponents argue this provision promotes fiscal responsibility and accountability, ensuring that taxpayer money not used for official expenses is returned to the Treasury rather than being held or reallocated without clear purpose.
Case against: No specific opposition is typically raised against this type of fiscal accountability measure.
Estimated impact: Potentially millions of dollars annually, depending on unspent balances across all Senate offices.
Directs the CBO to use not less than $500,000 of its appropriation for improving technical systems, processes, and models to enhance the transparency of budgetary effect estimates and to increase the availability of models, economic assumptions, and data for Members of Congress, employees, and the public.
Title I, CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE
Why it matters:This is a policy directive embedded within an appropriations line item, a common way to guide agency operations without creating a separate authorizing bill. It's not intentionally hidden but requires careful reading.
Case for: Proponents argue this enhances transparency and public understanding of federal budgeting, allowing for more informed debate and scrutiny of legislative proposals.
Case against: No significant opposition is typically raised, though some might argue that such directives could divert resources from CBO's core analytical functions if not managed carefully.
Estimated impact: $500,000 specifically allocated, with broader impacts on the accessibility and understanding of CBO's work.
Prohibits the use of funds to purchase a drone manufactured in the People's Republic of China or by a business affiliated with the People's Republic of China, except for national security purposes.
Title I, CAPITOL POLICE, General Expenses; and ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL, Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security
Why it matters:This is a specific policy restriction embedded in funding lines, a common practice in appropriations bills. Its repetition across two sections might make it seem less prominent in each individual section.
Case for: Proponents argue this is a crucial supply chain security measure to prevent potential vulnerabilities and espionage risks associated with technology from adversarial nations.
Case against: Critics might argue that such restrictions limit procurement options, potentially increase costs, and could be seen as protectionist rather than purely security-driven.
Estimated impact: Affects procurement decisions for drone technology by Capitol Police and AOC, potentially increasing costs for alternative, non-Chinese suppliers.