Appropriations Committee Approves Fiscal Year 2021 Legislative Branch Funding Bill

WASHINGTON — The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2021 Legislative Branch bill on a vote of 30 to 18. The legislation funds the Legislative Branch of the U.S. government, including the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressional Budget Office, and Capitol Police. 

The bill appropriates a total of $4.198 billion, $207 million, or 5.2 percent, above the FY 2020 enacted level. In keeping with longstanding practice whereby each chamber of Congress determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other concurs without intervention, the bill does not include funds for the Senate or for Senate office buildings. 

“The bill provides increased funding to support the staff and other resources that Congress needs to do its job well, to build analytic capacity in the Legislative Branch, and to address high-priority needs in information technology and security,” said House Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Tim Ryan. “I once again included language in the bill to permit people holding employment authorization under the DACA program to work for Congress and other Leg Branch agencies. DREAMers are Americans and should be able to serve their country in this body. Finally, the bill includes long overdue language directing the Architect to remove the statues or busts in the U.S. Capitol that represent figures who participated in the Confederate Army or government, as well as the statues of four white supremacists. I know this is part of a larger national debate that other Appropriations subcommittees will address, but we need to make a statement now on something we can control – the removal of statues that many visitors to the Capitol find offensive. This is the People’s House so let’s make sure all people are welcome.”

“The Fiscal Year 2021 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill makes key investments in our workforce – from funding for House modernization initiatives to increased resources for diversity and inclusion efforts – to more fully represent and meet the needs of the diverse communities we serve. As our nation weathers the COVID-19 pandemic, we must ensure that members of Congress can effectively work on behalf of their constituents and that legislative branch employees can perform their duties safely,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey. “The Capitol and its grounds should be a place where all Americans feel welcome to work and visit. Toward that end, this bill would protect the rights of DACA recipients to work in the Legislative Branch. It also includes strong language removing statues and imagery that honor divisive figures who were involved in the Confederacy or otherwise have unambiguous records of racial intolerance.”

The following amendments to the bill were adopted by the full Committee:

Rep. Ryan – The manager’s amendment makes technical and noncontroversial changes to the bill and report. The amendment was adopted by voice vote.

A summary of the Legislative Branch bill is here. The text of the bill, prior to adoption of amendments in full committee, is here. The bill report is here.

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