The U.S. Senate has approved the Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act with a vote of 81-15. The legislation allocates $7.1 billion in discretionary funding for legislative branch agencies, including $2.2 billion for the U.S. House of Representatives.
Senator Susan Collins, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, stated, "This bill provides funding to support the men and women of the Capitol Police who work hard every day to keep the Capitol complex safe. It also includes resources that help Congress fulfill its constitutional responsibilities and funding for the Government Accountability Office, Library of Congress, and other agencies that allow Congress to do its work in a transparent and accountable way."
Senator Markwayne Mullin, Chair of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, added, "The brave men and women of the U.S. Capitol Police and Sergeant at Arms work tirelessly every day to protect us as well as the millions of visitors. This bill will bolster their efforts to maintain a secure environment for Members of Congress, our families, staff, and visitors. It also continues to build on strategic investments to strengthen the capacity of the Legislative Branch and our agencies to work on behalf of the American people."
Key provisions in the bill include $1.47 billion for Senate operations focusing on legislative capacity and security initiatives; $855 million for U.S. Capitol Police operations such as hiring officers and expanding protective measures; $71 million for the Congressional Budget Office aimed at transparency; $698 million for maintenance and security managed by the Architect of the Capitol; $852 million for Library of Congress programs including services for those with print disabilities; and $812 million supporting oversight by the Government Accountability Office.
The act also increases funding for security enhancements involving both physical protection and cyber threats through additional resources for entities like the Senate Sergeant at Arms and U.S. Capitol Police.
Further measures continue bans on acquiring telecommunications equipment from Huawei or ZTE Corporation as well as drones manufactured in China by certain legislative branch agencies.
