Ranking Member Adriano Espaillat’s Statement at the Full Committee Markup of the 2027 Legislative Branch Funding Bill

WASHINGTON – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the full committee’s markup of its fiscal year 2027 bill:

Thank you, Chair Cole, and Ranking Member DeLauro. I also want to thank Chairman Valadao, the staff on both sides of the aisle, Faye Cobb, Lori Rowley, and April Lyman. As well as Nia Thomas from the personal office.

Let me take a moment to recognize my colleague and friend, Steny Hoyer. As I mentioned during our subcommittee meeting, Steny, thank you for your service on this subcommittee, for your leadership in this institution, and for your friendship within the Democratic Party. It has been an honor to serve alongside you.

Mr. Chairman, the interim allocation for the Legislative Branch is $7.3 billion. Yet this bill—excluding Senate items—provides just $5.4 billion, below last year’s level and far below the request.

Yes, there are modest increases for the MRA, Library of Congress, and Capitol Police, but they do not outweigh what this bill takes away. This bill cuts the Government Accountability Office by 25 percent and includes a partisan rider that weakens its ability to hold the Executive Branch accountable.

This means that over 1,000 public servants could lose their jobs. This is not budgeting. It is giving away our oversight authority. My Republican colleagues constantly talk about balancing our budget by finding waste, fraud, and abuse. Yet, they support a bill that would fire the very employees that identify it. 

This bill also includes a rider that would prevent the GAO from enforcing the Impoundment Act in court, which effectively kneecaps Congress’ power of the purse. All of these changes couldn’t come at a worse time as the Executive Branch continues to undermine GAO’s watchdog power and refuses to use funds as Congress intended. 

GAO returned $62.7 billion to taxpayers last year. Cutting it is not fiscal responsibility; it is turning our backs on oversight. And this bill falls short when it comes to the long-term needs of this institution. 

Yes, it includes $21 million in savings for a new Rayburn Building—but let’s be honest, replacing that facility will require billions of dollars. This is not a plan. It is not even a down payment. It is a placeholder that does not begin to meet the scale of the challenge.

More broadly, these funding levels fail to meet the infrastructure needs of the Legislative Branch. We are underfunding critical Architect of the Capitol projects needed to address the deterioration of House office buildings and the Capitol campus.

Delaying these investments will only drive-up costs and further jeopardize the safety and functionality of the Capitol complex. This bill also blocks DACA recipients from working here, limiting opportunity and excluding talented public servants from this institution. This is despite the bipartisan support this measure has previously received. 

Bottom line—this bill weakens congress.

It weakens oversight, limits opportunity, and underinvests in this institution. I cannot support it, and I urge my colleagues to bring back a bill that strengthens Congress and protects accountability.

I yield back.

A summary of the bill is here. The text of the bill is here. 

Watch the full committee markup here.

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