FY16 Legislative Branch Full Committee Markup Bill Summary

Press Release

Today, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee ordered reported fiscal year 2016 Legislative Branch funding legislation that totals $4.309 billion in discretionary budget authority. Total funding is $9 million more than fiscal year 2015, all of which is dedicated exclusively to required expenses related to the 2017 Presidential Inauguration. Aside from 2017 Presidential Inauguration funding, the bill is frozen at the fiscal year 2015 level. Total funding is $220 million less than the fiscal year 2016 request.

The Subcommittee's allocation conforms to the post-sequester caps under the Budget Control Act. Not one Senate Democrat voted for these spartan spending levels because they do not provide adequate resources to protect America, build infrastructure, create opportunity, and spur economic growth. We need a new budget deal, in the spirit of Murray-Ryan, that stops hollowing out investments in America's future.

U.S. Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee, said:

"This bill provides critical resources to keep our campus safe and keep important agencies, like Congress's "watchdog," the Government Accountability Office, on the job. However, because of the flat allocation, this bill falls far short of fully funding GAO to restore staffing capacity lost to short-sighted budget cuts. The bill also relies on cuts to campus maintenance to balance the Legislative Branch budget, which is unsustainable. As the Capitol Police face new security challenges, we need to have full funding to protect the millions of visitors to the campus each year. It's time to come together to make reasonable, responsible adjustments to the budget caps so that Legislative Branch agencies, and all federal agencies, can properly focus on their missions."

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