Making appropriations for the Legislative Branch for fiscal year 2027
May 22, 2026
Introduced: May 22, 2026
May 22, 2026
Introduced: May 22, 2026
Summary
Sets the budget for Congress and its related agencies for fiscal year 2027, covering salaries, expenses, and daily operations.
What problem does this solve?
The Legislative Branch of the U.S. government needs money to operate each year, including paying its staff and maintaining its buildings. This bill provides the necessary funding for fiscal year 2027, allowing Congress and its supporting offices to continue their work.
What does this bill do?
Freezes pay for Members of Congress
Stops any automatic cost-of-living pay increase for Members of Congress for fiscal year 2027.
Prohibits purchase of certain foreign technology
Bans using funds to buy IT equipment from specific Chinese companies and other entities believed to be connected to foreign adversaries.
Reference
Text:
Section:
Sec. 110(a)
Header:
Requiring amounts remaining in members’ representational allowances to be used for deficit reduction or to reduce the federal debt
Requires unused member allowances to go to deficit reduction
Mandates that any money left over from a Member's office budget at the end of the availability period must be deposited into the Treasury to reduce the national debt or deficit.
Reference
Text:
Section:
Sec. 211
Header:
Appointment of the librarian of congress and director of the government publishing office
Changes appointment process for key officials
Changes the law so that the Librarian of Congress and the Director of the Government Publishing Office are appointed by a majority vote of a special congressional commission, not the President.
Reference
Text:
Section:
Sec. 114
Header:
Requiring in person workplace misconduct training for members of congress
Requires in-person training for members under investigation
Prevents Members of Congress who are under a public investigation by the House Ethics Committee from completing required workplace conduct training online; they must do it in person.
Funds House of Representatives operations
Provides over $2.1 billion for the salaries and expenses of the House of Representatives, including leadership offices, member allowances, and committee employees.
Funds Capitol Police
Allocates over $708 million for Capitol Police salaries and nearly $199 million for general expenses to ensure the security of the Capitol complex.
Funds the Library of Congress
Appropriates over $607 million for the salaries and expenses of the Library of Congress, plus additional funding for the Copyright Office and Congressional Research Service.
Blocks pornography on government networks
Prohibits any funds from being used to maintain a computer network unless that network blocks the viewing, downloading, and exchanging of pornography.
Limits vehicle leasing costs
Prevents Members of the House from using their office allowance to lease a vehicle for more than $1,000 per month.
Who does this affect?
- Members of Congress
- Legislative Branch federal employees
- U.S. citizens interacting with Congress
What is the real world impact?
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Ensures government functionality
Provides the necessary annual funding for the Legislative Branch to operate. This includes paying salaries for Members of Congress, their staff, Capitol Police, and employees of agencies like the Library of Congress, ensuring the lawmaking branch of government can function.
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Protects national security
Bans the use of funds to buy telecommunications, IT equipment, or drones from specific Chinese companies. This is intended to prevent potential security risks and spying associated with technology from foreign adversaries.
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Appears fiscally responsible
Freezes the cost-of-living pay adjustment for Members of Congress for the year. This is often done to show voters that Congress is being careful with taxpayer money and is not giving itself a raise, especially during times of budget concerns.
When does this start?
The funding and rules in this bill apply to the fiscal year that runs from October 1, 2026, to September 30, 2027, though some funds are available for longer periods.
Reference
Text:
Section:
Sec. 110(a)
Header:
Requiring amounts remaining in members’ representational allowances to be used for deficit reduction or to reduce the federal debt
Member Office Allowances
Funds for Members' Representational Allowances are available for use until December 31, 2028.
Reference
Text:
Section:
Sec. 114
Header:
Requiring in person workplace misconduct training for members of congress
In-Person Misconduct Training
The requirement for in-person misconduct training for members under investigation begins on January 3, 2027.
Architect of the Capitol Projects
Various funds for the Architect of the Capitol, such as for the Capitol Building and House Office Buildings, remain available until September 30, 2031.