Democrats Fight Against Government Waste, Fraud, and Abuse; Republicans Allow President Trump to Steal from American Taxpayers

Democrats successfully fought to allow DACA recipients, also known as “Dreamers,” to be employed in the Legislative Branch

WASHINGTON — During today’s House Appropriations Committee markup of the 2026 Legislative Branch funding bill, House Democrats demonstrated how the bill promotes waste, fraud, and abuse and ignores the sacrifices of the United States Capitol Police.

House Republicans’ Legislative Branch bill:

• Aids and abets President Trump in continuing to steal money promised to the American taxpayer by gutting and politicizing the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office.
• Threatens the preservation of our nation’s history and culture by slashing resources for the Library of Congress.
• Shows House Republicans are continuing to ignore the sacrifices of the United States Capitol Police by failing to call for the immediate installation of the completed January 6 plaque honoring law enforcement.   
• Makes it harder to recruit and retain qualified staff at the House of Representatives by failing to extend existing federal protections for new moms to Legislative Branch employees, creating a license to discriminate against LGBTQI+ people, and blocking programs and activities that create a safer and more inclusive workplace.

“Investing in our legislative branch is investing in the foundation of our democracy. Unfortunately, this funding bill cuts vital information-gathering agencies that the American people rely on like the Library of Congress and the Government Accountability Office,” Legislative Branch Subcommittee Ranking Member Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) said. “This bill does nothing to safeguard against the growing levels of executive overreach into legislative branch agencies and contains harmful, discriminatory riders. Nonetheless, we are relieved and appreciate our counterparts’ willingness to find commonality on enhanced security measures for members and their families in the wake of the recent violence against Minnesota state Representative Melissa Hortman, state Senator John Hoffman, and their spouses, I am hopeful we can find consensus in how to better protect our Members and staff. Likewise, we are proud that the Committee adopted the Democratic measures guaranteeing DACA recipients’ right to work in the legislative branch.”

Congressman Espaillat’s full remarks as prepared for delivery are here.

“House Republicans have advanced a Legislative Branch funding bill that diminishes the authority and efficacy of the United States Congress. This bill’s drastic cuts and constraints on the Government Accountability Office will inhibit our ability to hold the government accountable. It is astonishing that, for all the talk about finding and rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, House Republicans would defund the watchdog that is tasked with precisely that role,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “The bill ignores the sacrifices of the United States Capitol Police by failing to call for the immediate installation of the completed January 6 plaque honoring law enforcement and is filled with harmful provisions that would make it harder for us to build a workforce as diverse and talented as the country we serve. And critically, in the wake of the horrific attacks and murder of lawmakers in Minnesota, the bill does not do enough to address member security. This is not and should not be a partisan dispute, and it demands a nonpartisan response. I am pleased that Leader Jeffries and Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle met with Republican leadership earlier today and came to an agreement to work together on this issue.”

Congresswoman DeLauro’s full remarks are here.

Democrats successfully fought to allow Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients to work in the Legislative Branch through an amendment from Congressman Pete Aguilar (D-CA-33).

Democrats offered a number of amendments that were rejected by Republicans, including amendments to:

• Combat government waste, fraud, and abuse by restoring GAO funding and striking House Republican’s harmful provision that undermines the rule of law across the federal government and restricts GAO from bringing civil actions against any department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States for failing to comply with the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
• Follow existing law and honor the sacrifices of the United States Capitol Police by installing the completed January 6 plaque honoring law enforcement.
• Treats new moms in the Legislative Branch as they are treated across the rest of the federal government by extending PUMP Act protections.

A summary of the bill is here. A fact sheet of the bill is here. 

The text of the bill, before the adoption of amendments in full committee, is here. The bill report, before the adoption of amendments in full Committee, is here.

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 Senate office buildings. 

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