House Democrats Highlight How Republican Legislative Branch Funding Bill Takes Us Back

WASHINGTON — During today’s House Appropriations Subcommittee markup of the 2024 Legislative Branch funding bill, House Democrats highlighted how the Republican funding bill takes us back. 

For 2024, the draft bill appropriates a total of $5.3 billion, a decrease of $252 million or 4.5 percent, under 2023. The legislation:

• Provides increased funding for the Capitol Police; however, it does not fully fund personnel needs at a time when threats against Members and staff are on the rise.
• Does not include language permitting funds in the Act to be used to employ individuals with an employment authorization document under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program.
• Zeroes out funding for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
• Does nothing to facilitate House Resolution 1096, which extends the collective bargaining rights prescribed in the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to employees of the House of Representatives and restores these rights to Congressional staffers.

“In light of the recent attack on two Congressional staffers in Virginia, I am severely disappointed that this bill does not increase security enhancements for our constituents and the staff who serve them. Considering this event, we must include additional resources for the Sergeant at Arms’ District Office Security Program and expand its scope so that Members can use this program for more than just one district office,” Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13) said. “Moreover, this bill does nothing to continue the progress Congress has made in terms of expanding Capitol Hill diversity, continuing bold investments towards our crumbling infrastructure, or increasing chances to serve our constituents effectively. I also want to express my profound discontent—that this bill does nothing to provide DACA recipients with work eligibility in our branch of government, especially when many of them are already interns and fellows throughout our branch of government.”

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

“Let me emphasize: the House Republicans have pledged to cut critical programs by $142 billion. And by the majority’s estimate, the bill before us today cuts more than $250 million from the Legislative Branch,” Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. “Because we have not been given information about the cuts being proposed by Republicans, that means the other appropriations bills still must bear – $142 billion in cuts; this is simple math, Mr. Chairman. And it means that the across-the-board cuts of at least 22 percent to nondefense programs that would be required to meet their target and that would mean it would be will actually be much steeper for the bills that they are still holding back. Simply put, the Republicans’ plan is a house of cards.”

Congresswoman DeLauro’s full remarks are here.

Key provisions of the bill can be found here. The full text of the bill is here.