FY2024 Consideration: Overview of Actions

The first section of this report provides an overview of the consideration of FY2024 legislative branch appropriations, with subsections covering each action, including

• the initial submission of the request on March 13, 2023 ($7.134 billion, +3.4%, including a budget amendment submitted May 9, 2023, which decreased the total legislative branch request by $17 million);
• hearings held by the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch and the Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch, in March 2023;
• a markup of the FY2024 legislative branch appropriations bill by the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch on May 17, 2023;
• a markup of the FY2024 legislative branch appropriations bill by the House Appropriations Committee on June 21, 2023 (H.R. 4364, H.Rept. 118-120);
• consideration of the suballocation of budget allocations;
• a markup of the FY2024 legislative branch appropriations bill on July 13, 2023, by the Senate Appropriations Committee, which ordered it reported by a vote of 29-0 (S. 2302, S.Rept. 118-60);
• the enactment of a continuing appropriations resolution extending funding through November 17, 2023 (P.L. 118-15). Legislative branch funding was further extended through February 2, 2024 (P.L. 118-22), March 8, 2024 (P.L. 118-35), and March 22 (P.L. 118-40);
• the meeting of the House Rules Committee to discuss a rule for consideration of H.R. 4364 on October 2, 2023, and the adoption of the special rule (H.Res. 756, H.Rept. 118-242) in the House on October 3;
• the consideration and passage of H.R. 4364 in the House on November 1; and
• the enactment of the FY2024 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 118-47) on March 23, 2024, which provided funding for legislative branch activities in Division E.

It is followed by a section on prior-year actions and funding, which contains a historical table and figure.

The report then provides an overview of the FY2024 budget requests of individual legislative branch agencies and entities.

Table 5 through Table 9 list enacted funding levels for FY2023, and funding levels in the FY2024 request, the House-passed bill, the Senate-reported bill, and the public law, while the Appendix lists House, Senate, and conference bills and reports; public law numbers; and enactment dates since FY1998.

Status of FY2024 Appropriations: Dates and Documents

Submission of FY2024 Budget Request on March 13, 2023

The White House submitted its budget for FY2024 in two parts. The FY2024 Budget Appendix volume, which includes the legislative branch budget request, was submitted on March 13, 2023. As annually explained by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB):¹

The budget covers the agencies of all three branches of Government—Executive, Legislative, and Judicial—and provides information on Government-sponsored enterprises. In accordance with law or established practice, OMB includes information on agencies of the Legislative Branch, the Judicial Branch, and certain Executive Branch agencies as submitted by those agencies without change.

The independence of the submissions by the legislative branch agencies and entities is codified in Title 31, Section 1105, of the U.S. Code, which states the following:²

Estimated expenditures and proposed appropriations for the legislative branch and the judicial branch to be included in each budget ... shall be submitted to the President ... and included in the budget by the President without change.

Furthermore, Division C of the FY2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 112-74) added language to Title 31, Section 1107, relating to budget amendments, stating the following:

The President shall transmit promptly to Congress without change, proposed deficiency and supplemental appropriations submitted to the President by the legislative branch and the judicial branch.

On May 9, 2023, the President submitted a budget amendment, which stated³

This transmittal also includes seven FY 2024 Budget amendments for the Legislative Branch. As a matter of comity and tradition, these appropriations requests for the Legislative Branch are transmitted without change. These amendments would decrease by $17 million the overall discretionary budget authority in your FY 2024 Budget.

The budget amendments would address the Senate (two language requests, one increase in a request, and two decreases to requests; total requested level decreased by $17.7 million), joint items (a decrease of $215,000 in the request for the Joint Economic Committee), and the Congressional Office for International Leadership (an increase of $1.2 million in the request).

The revised FY2024 budget contained a request for $7.134 billion in new budget authority for legislative branch activities (+3.4%).

Senate and House Hearings on the FY2024 Budget Requests

Table 2 lists the dates of hearings of the legislative branch subcommittees. Prepared statements of witnesses were posted on the subcommittee websites.

House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch Markup of FY2024 Bill

On May 17, 2023, the House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch held a markup of the FY2024 bill. The subcommittee recommended $5.313 billion, a $251.99 million decrease (-4.5%) from the comparable 2023 enacted level, not including Senate items (which are historically considered by the Senate and not included in the House bill) or supplemental appropriations.

No amendments were offered, and the bill was ordered to be reported to the full committee by voice vote.

House Appropriations Committee Markup of FY2024 Bill (H.R. 4364, H.Rept. 118-120)

The full House Appropriations Committee initially scheduled a markup of the FY2024 legislative branch bill on May 23, 2023. The markup was postponed.

The rescheduled markup was held on June 21, 2023. The bill was ordered to be reported by recorded vote (33-24). The bill would have provided $5.301 billion in discretionary appropriations, a decrease of $261.2 million (or 4.7%).

A number of amendments were considered:

• A manager's amendment, offered by Subcommittee Chair Amodei, to add language to the bill regarding reimbursable and revolving fund activities at the Library of Congress. The manager's amendment also made a number of revisions to the draft report: (1) in the House of Representatives, Sergeant at Arms section, adding language regarding district office security; (2) in the House of Representatives, Chief Administrative Officer section, adding language regarding a tool to deconflict committee scheduling; (3) in the House of Representatives, Chief Administrative Officer section, adding language regarding allergy safety in House dining facilities; (4) in the U.S. Capitol Police, general expenses section, adding language related to the disclosure of USCP Inspector General reports; (5) in the Congressional Budget Office section, adding language related to a survey of budget modeling at institutions of higher learning; (6) in the Architect of the Capitol, Capitol construction and operations section, adding language related to succession planning and the appointment of a Deputy Architect; (7) in the Architect of the Capitol, Capitol building section, adding language related to increasing images of women in public spaces in Congress; and (8) in the Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service section, adding language directing a report on CRS staff detailees to Congress. The manager's amendment was adopted by voice vote.
• An amendment, offered by Representative Espaillat, to restore funding for the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion (not adopted, roll call #1, 25-33).
• An amendment, offered en bloc by Subcommittee Chair Amodei, to (1) prohibit funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives; (2) strike a plastic waste reduction provision; (3) prohibit funding for certain discriminatory actions; and (4) direct the Librarian of Congress to produce a design concept for an exhibit on American exceptionalism." (adopted, roll call #2, 33-25).⁴
• An amendment, offered by Representative Aguilar, to permit funds in the act to be used to employ individuals with an employment authorization document under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program (not adopted, roll call #3, 28-30).
• An amendment, offered by Representative Clyde, to reduce funding for presidential inaugural stands funded within the Architect of the Capitol budget (adopted, roll call #4, 33-24).

Consideration of 302(b) Levels

On June 15, 2023, the House Appropriations Committee adopted draft FY2024 subcommittee allocations, including for the legislative branch subcommittee.⁵

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved its initial 302(b) suballocations on June 22, 2023, by recorded vote (15-13). The plan would include $6.761 billion in discretionary budget authority for the legislative branch. This is equivalent to 0.4% of total discretionary budget authority and 1.0% of nonsecurity discretionary budget authority (S.Rept. 118-45). Revised suballocations did not change the legislative branch total (for example, S.Rept. 118-98).

Senate Appropriations Committee Markup of FY2024 Bill (S. 2302, S.Rept. 118-60)

On July 13, 2023, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a markup of the FY2024 legislative branch appropriations bill. The bill was ordered reported by a vote of 29-0.

Amendments adopted during the markup include the following:⁶

• Bill language extending the Pump Act to legislative branch entities.
• A technical correction "of an omission in the bill language regarding the authority for child care to the Senate and other legislative branch agencies."
• Adjusting funding for the Offices of the Secretary for the Majority, the Secretary for the Minority, and the Office of the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate.
• Adding bill language prohibiting, in the "Capitol Police, General Expenses" and "Capitol Police, Capitol Police Buildings and Grounds and Security" headings, any "amounts made available … [from being] used to purchase a drone manufactured in the People's Republic of China or by a business affiliated with the People's Republic of China except for national security purposes."
• Adding language to the draft report section on single-use plastic: "Including options for utilizing high content recycled products. The Committee continues the directive contained in the explanatory statement accompanying P.L. 117-328 regarding the report on products currently in use."

The bill, as amended, would have provided $4.741 billion (not including House items). This level represents a $196.2 million decrease (-4.0%) from the comparable FY2023 enacted level (when including the $7.5 million provided for GAO [in P.L. 117-328] and gratuity payment [included in P.L. 117-128]).⁷

FY2024 Continuing Appropriations Resolutions Enacted

On September 30, 2023, a continuing appropriations resolution (CR) providing funding for legislative branch activities through November 17, 2023, was enacted (P.L. 118-15). This CR also extended Section 6 of P.L. 117-328, prohibiting a pay adjustment for Members of Congress.

Legislative branch funding, and Section 6 of P.L. 117-328, were further extended through February 2, 2024 (P.L. 118-22), March 8, 2024 (P.L. 118-35), and March 22 (P.L. 118-40).

Special Rule for Consideration of H.R. 4364 (H.Res. 756)

The House Committee on Rules announced its intention to meet on October 2, 2023, to consider a resolution that would structure consideration in the House of H.R. 4364. A rule for the consideration of H.R. 4394, the FY2024 Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, was considered at the same time.

A total of 31 draft amendments to the legislative branch bill were submitted.

A manager's amendment, prohibiting a cost-of-living adjustment for Members of Congress for FY2024, was to be considered as adopted (printed as Part C of the report).

Committee votes included the following:⁸

• Rules Committee record vote No. 144. A "motion by Mr. McGovern to add at the end of the resolution a standing order for the 118^th Congress that a motion to suspend the rules and pass, adopt, agree to, or concur in a measure may not be considered until the text of such measure has been available to Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner for 5 hours." (Defeated: 4-9)
• Rules Committee record vote No. 146. A "motion by Ms. Scanlon to amend the rule to make in order amendment #23 to H.R. 4364 offered by Representative Pocan, which strikes anti-LGBTQI+ language in the bill." (Defeated: 4-9)
• Rules Committee record vote No. 148. A "motion by Ms. Leger Fernandez to amend the rule to make in order amendment #19 to H.R. 4364 offered by Representative Jackson Lee, which restores funding for the House Office of Diversity and Inclusion and strikes section 211 prohibiting the use of funds for purposes of diversity, equity and inclusion." (Defeated: 4-9)
• Rules Committee record vote No. 149. A "motion by Mr. Reschenthaler to report the rule." (Adopted: 9-4)

H.Res. 756 (H.Rept. 118-242) was agreed to in the House on October 3, 2023 (Roll no. 517, 218-208).

House Consideration and Passage of H.R. 4364

The House debated H.R. 4364 on November 1, 2023.

Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 756, the amendment printed in Part C of H.Rept. 118-242 (prohibiting a cost-of-living adjustment for Members of Congress for FY2024) was considered as adopted (H.Amdt. 530).

Two roll call votes were held:

• 1. A motion to recommit failed (201-209; Roll no. 562).
• 2. H.R. 4364 passed the House (214-197; Roll no. 563).

FY2024 Funding Enacted (P.L. 118-47)

FY2024 legislative branch funding was provided as part of a package with six appropriations acts. Draft text of the minibus was released by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees on March 20 and 21, 2024, respectively.⁹

H.R. 2882 was amended in the House to contain the draft text on March 22, 2024, pursuant to H.Res. 1102 (Providing for the concurrence by the House in the Senate amendment to H.R. 2882, with an amendment; Roll no. 102, 286-134).

Following floor votes rejecting additional amendments to the House-passed version of H.R. 2882, the Senate on March 23, 2024, agreed to the House amendment to the Senate amendment to H.R. 2882 (Record Vote Number 114, 74-24).

P.L. 118-47, the FY2024 Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, was enacted on March 23, 2024, and provided $6.749 billion for the legislative branch in Division E (a decrease of $157.7 million, or -2.3%, when compared to the "grand total" for FY2023; or a decrease of $144.0 million, or -2.1%, when considering Title I only).¹⁰

Funding in Prior Years: Brief Overview and Trends

Legislative Branch: Historical Percentage of Total Discretionary Budget Authority

The percentage of total discretionary budget authority provided to the legislative branch has remained relatively stable at approximately 0.4% since at least FY1976.¹¹ The maximum level, not including the transition quarter,¹² was in FY1995 (0.48%), and the minimum was in FY2020 (0.28%).

FY2023

FY2023 funding was provided by Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 117-328), which was enacted on December 29, 2022. The act provided $6.899 billion for legislative branch activities, an increase of $975.2 million (+16.5%) from the FY2022 enacted level.

An additional $7.5 million was provided for GAO in P.L. 117-328 (Division M, Title VI). A gratuity payment was included in P.L. 117-128.

FY2022

FY2022 funding was provided by Division I of the FY2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 117-103), which was enacted on March 15, 2022. The act provided $5.924 billion for legislative branch activities, an increase of $619.96 million (+11.7%) from the FY2021 level, not including FY2021 emergency appropriations; and an increase of $166.6 million (+2.9%), when including FY2021 emergency appropriations.¹³

FY2021

FY2021 funding was provided by Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 133, P.L. 116-260), which was enacted on December 27, 2020. The act provided $5.304 billion in new budget authority for legislative branch activities, an increase of $251.2 million (+5.1%) (not including emergency appropriations). Joint explanatory text appeared in House Rules Committee Print 116-68,¹⁴ and in the Congressional Record.¹⁵ P.L. 116-260 also contained additional titles related to the legislative branch in Division O—Extensions and Technical Corrections: Title VII—Deputy Architect of the Capitol Amendments, and in Division FF—Other Matter: Title IV—Senate Sergeant at Arms Cloud Services.

The Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (H.R. 3237, P.L. 117-31) was enacted on July 30, 2021. The act provided

• $7.83 million for the Senate Sergeant at Arms "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus";
• two gratuity payments for heirs of deceased Members of Congress;
• $11.65 million for the House of Representatives, Allowances and Expenses, "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus";
• $37.50 million for Capitol Police, Salaries, "to respond to the events at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021";
• $33.17 million for Capitol Police, General Expenses, "to respond to the events at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021";
• $800,000 for Capitol Police, General Expenses, "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus";
• $35.40 million for Capitol Police, Mutual Aid Reimbursements;
• an administrative provision designating the Capitol Police wellness program the "Howard C. Liebengood Center for Wellness";
• an administrative provision adjusting the maximum annual payable rate for any member or civilian employee of the Capitol Police;
• $21.87 million for the Architect of the Capitol, Capital Construction and Operations, "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus";
• $300.00 million for the Architect of the Capitol, Capitol Police Buildings, Grounds and Security, "to respond to the events at the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021";
• a general provision prohibiting the use of funds "in prior fiscal years, this fiscal year, or any fiscal year thereafter ... to install permanent, above-ground fencing around the perimeter, or any portion thereof, of the United States Capitol Grounds"; and
• a general provision authorizing the Architect of the Capitol to accept contributions or incur obligations and make expenditures related to "supplies, products, and services necessary to respond to an emergency involving the safety of human life or the protection of property, as determined or declared by the Capitol Police Board, which may be provided for the use of any office which is located within any building, grounds, or facility for which the Architect of the Capitol is responsible for the maintenance, care, and operation."

FY2020

FY2020 funding was provided in Division E of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-94), which was enacted on December 20, 2019. The $5.049 billion provided for the legislative branch represented an increase of $202.8 million (+4.2%) from the FY2019 level. Additional language related to the legislative branch was included in Division P.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act, P.L. 116-136, enacted March 27, 2020) provided additional funding to allow legislative branch entities "to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, domestically or internationally." Funding included

• Senate: $1.0 million for the Sergeant at Arms and Doorkeeper of the Senate and $9.0 million for "Miscellaneous Items."
• House: $25.0 million for the "House of Representatives, Salaries and Expenses" account. This account funds all activities of the House, but it does not fund salaries of Members of Congress.
• Office of the Attending Physician: $400,000.
• Capitol Police: $12.0 million for salaries. The Capitol Police were also provided authority to transfer funding to the "general expenses" account without the approval requirement provided in 2 U.S.C. §1907(a)).
• Architect of the Capitol: $25.0 million, for preparing and responding to the COVID-19 emergency and to allow the Architect to "purchase and distribute cleaning and sanitation products throughout all facilities and grounds under the care of the Architect of the Capitol, wherever located, and any related services and operational costs."
• Library of Congress: $700,000 for the Little Scholars Child Development Center.
• Government Accountability Office: $20.0 million to prepare and respond to the emergency, for audits and investigations, and for reimbursement of the Tiny Findings Child Development Center.

The CARES Act also contained a number of general provisions related to the legislative branch, including provisions governing the use of funds provided in the act; authorizing payments for certain goods and services; waiving certain mass mailing restrictions related to life safety; a technical correction related to the Library of Congress; a conforming amendment related to the Family and Medical Leave Act; a section related to oversight and audit authority; and a section related to National Emergency Relief Authority for the Register of Copyrights.

FY2019

FY2019 funding was provided in Division B of the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-244), which was enacted on September 21, 2018. The $4.836 billion provided for the legislative branch represented an increase of $136.0 million (+2.9%) from the FY2018 enacted level.

An additional $10.0 million in FY2019 supplemental appropriations for GAO "for audits and investigations related to Hurricanes Florence, Lane, and Michael, Typhoons Yutu and Mangkhut, the calendar year 2018 wildfires, earthquakes, and volcano eruptions, and other disasters declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act" was included in two bills considered in the 116^th Congress: H.R. 268, which passed the House on January 16, 2019—cloture was not invoked in the Senate; and H.R. 2157, which passed the House on May 10 (Roll no. 202) and the Senate (with an amendment) on May 23, 2019 (Record Vote Number: 129). H.R. 2157 was enacted June 6, 2019 (P.L. 116-20).

FY2018

FY2018 funding was provided in Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141), which was enacted on March 23, 2018. The $4.700 billion provided by the act represented an increase of $260.0 million (+5.9%) from the FY2017 enacted level.

In addition, P.L. 115-123, enacted February 9, 2018, provided $14.0 million to GAO "for audits and investigations relating to Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria and the 2017 wildfires." (Title IX of Division B).

FY2017

FY2017 funding was provided in Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 115-31), which was enacted on May 5, 2017. The $4.440 billion provided by the act represented a $77.0 million increase (+1.7%) from the FY2016 enacted level.

FY2016

FY2016 funding was provided in Division I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2016 (P.L. 114-113), which was enacted on December 18, 2015. The $4.363 billion provided by the act represented a $63.0 million increase (+1.5%) from the FY2015 enacted level.

FY2015

FY2015 funding was provided in Division H of the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015 (P.L. 113-235), which was enacted on December 16, 2014. The $4.300 billion provided by the act represented an increase of $41.7 million (+1.0%) from FY2014.

FY2014

Neither a legislative branch appropriations bill nor a continuing resolution (CR) containing FY2014 funding was enacted prior to the beginning of the fiscal year on October 1, 2013. A funding gap, which resulted in a partial government shutdown, ensued for 16 days. The funding gap was terminated by the enactment of a CR (P.L. 113-46) on October 17, 2013. The CR provided funding through January 15, 2014.¹⁶ Following enactment of a CR on January 15, 2014 (P.L. 113-73), a consolidated appropriations bill was enacted on January 17 (P.L. 113-76), providing $4.259 billion for the legislative branch for FY2014.

FY2013

FY2013 funding of approximately $4.061 billion was provided by P.L. 113-6, which was signed into law on March 26, 2013.¹⁷ The act funded legislative branch accounts at the FY2012 enacted level, with some exceptions (also known as "anomalies"), not including across-the-board rescissions required by Section 3004 of P.L. 113-6. Section 3004 was intended to eliminate any amount by which the new budget authority provided in the act exceeded the FY2013 discretionary spending limits in Section 251(c)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011 (P.L. 112-25) and the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-240). Subsequent to the enactment of P.L. 113-6, OMB calculated that additional rescissions of 0.032% of security budget authority and 0.2% of nonsecurity budget authority would be required. The act did not alter the sequestration reductions implemented on March 1, which reduced most legislative branch accounts by 5.0%.¹⁸ The accompanying OMB report indicated a dollar amount of budget authority to be canceled in each account containing nonexempt funds.¹⁹

FY2012 and Prior

Division G of the FY2012 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 112-74) provided $4.307 billion for the legislative branch. This level was $236.9 million below (-5.2%) the FY2011 enacted level. P.L. 112-10 provided $4.543 billion for legislative branch operations in FY2011. This level represented a $125.1 million decrease (-2.7%) from the $4.668 billion provided in the FY2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-68) and the FY2010 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-212). The FY2009 Omnibus Appropriations Act provided $4.402 billion. In FY2009, an additional $25.0 million was provided for GAO in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.²⁰ P.L. 111-32, the FY2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act, also contained funding for a new Capitol Police radio system ($71.6 million) and additional funding for the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) ($2.0 million).²¹

As seen in Table 3, in current dollars, legislative branch funding decreased each year from FY2010 through FY2013, and it did not exceed the FY2010 level until FY2018. Adjusted for inflation, the FY2022 funding level was slightly less than the FY2010 level.²² The FY2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act was the first to fund the legislative branch at a higher level than provided for FY2010, in inflation-adjusted dollars.

Figure 1 shows the same information graphically, while Figure 2 shows the distribution of funds across the legislative branch in FY2022 and FY2023.

Figure 1. Legislative Branch Funding FY2010-FY2023: Current and Constant Dollars

Source: CRS analysis of legislative branch appropriations acts and related budget documents. Notes: The figure does not include permanent budget authorities, including funding for Member pay, that are not included in the annual legislative branch appropriations bill. Total also excludes offsetting collections and authority to spend receipts. Constant 2023 dollars calculated using the "Total Non-Defense" deflator in Table 10.1—Gross Domestic Product and Deflators Used in the Historical Tables: 1940–2028 in the President's FY2024 budget request.

Figure 2. Distribution of Legislative Branch Funding: FY2022 and FY2023 (Division I of P.L. 117-103 compared to Division I of P.L. 117-328)

Source: CRS analysis of legislative branch appropriations acts and related budget documents. Note: This figure does not include permanent budget authorities, offsetting collections, or authority to spend receipts.

Figure 3 shows the timing of legislative branch appropriations actions, including the issuance of House and Senate reports, bill passage, and enactment since FY1996. It shows that fiscal year funding for the legislative branch has been determined

• on or before October 1 six times during this period (FY1997, FY2000, FY2004, FY2006, FY2010, and FY2019);
• twice during the first month of the fiscal year (FY1998 and FY1999);
• twice in November (FY1996 and FY2002);
• nine times in December (FY2001, FY2005, FY2008, FY2012, FY2015, FY2016, FY2020, FY2021, and FY2023); and
• ten times in the next calendar year (FY2003, FY2007, FY2009, FY2011, FY2013, FY2014, FY2017, FY2018, FY2022, and FY2024). FY2017 funding, enacted on May 5, 2017, represented the latest date of enactment during this period.

Figure 3 . Timing of Legislative Branch Appropriations Consideration: FY1996 FY2024

(fiscal year consideration during the calendar year)
Figure is interactive in the HTML version of this report.

Source: CRS analysis of data found on http://www.congress.gov.

Notes: Each row represents consideration during the calendar year of the subsequent fiscal year spending bill (i.e., the calendar year 1995 row shows the timeline of consideration and passage of the FY1996 act). Arrows in the December column indicate consideration continued into the next calendar year. The figure shows when the committee report was filed, which may be later than the date the bill was ordered to be reported. When House and Senate action occurs on the same date, the House is shown first. The FY2010 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-68) is listed in this figure as stand-alone legislation (Division A), although it was also the vehicle for a continuing appropriations resolution (Division B).

FY2024 Legislative Branch Funding Issues

The following sections discuss the various legislative branch accounts.

During consideration of the legislative branch bills, the House and Senate conform to a "longstanding practice under which each body of Congress determines its own housekeeping requirements and the other concurs without intervention."²³

Senate

Overall Funding

The Senate requested $1.257 billion (including the budget amendment submitted May 9, 2023),²⁴ an increase of 9.3% from the $1.150 billion provided in FY2023. The Senate-reported bill would have provided $1.238 billion (+7.7%). The FY2024 act provides $1.255 billion (+9.1%).

Additional information on the Senate account is presented in Table 6.

Senate Committee Funding

Appropriations for Senate committees are contained in two accounts.

• 1. The inquiries and investigations account contains funds for all Senate committees except Appropriations. The FY2023 act provided $145.6 million. The Senate requested, and the FY2024 act provides, $174.0 million (+19.5%). The Senate-reported bill would have provided $176.6 million (+21.3%).
• 2. The Committee on Appropriations account contains funds for the Senate Appropriations Committee. The FY2023 act provided $17.9 million. The Senate requested $18.8 million (+5.2%). The Senate-reported bill would have provided $18.7 million (+4.4%). The FY2024 act provides $19.3 million (+7.9%).

Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account²⁵

The Senators' Official Personnel and Office Expense Account (SOPOEA) provides each Senator with funds to administer an office. It consists of an administrative and clerical assistance allowance, a legislative assistance allowance, and an official office expense allowance. The funds may be used for any category of expenses, subject to limitations on official mail.

The Senate requested $550.0 million, an increase of 7.4% from the $512.0 million provided for FY2023. The Senate-reported bill would have provided $534.5 million (+4.4%). The FY2024 act provides $552.6 million (+7.9%).

As in the FY2022 and FY2023 acts, the FY2024 request, the Senate-reported bill, and the FY2024 act provide $7.0 million for compensating Senate interns within this total.

Administrative Provisions

The following provisions were included in the Senate-reported bill:

• 1. A provision, which was first included in FY2016, would require amounts remaining in the Senators' Official Personnel and Expense Account (SOPOEA) to be used for deficit reduction or to reduce the federal debt.
• 2. A provision striking subsection (d) (related to a sunset date) of the Senate resolution establishing the Senate National Security Working Group (S.Res. 64, 113^th Congress).
• 3. A provision increasing the number of consultants that the majority leader and the minority leader are authorized to hire, pursuant to 2 U.S.C. §6501(a), from 9 to 12.
• 4. A provision extending the authority provided to the executive branch pursuant to 40 U.S.C. §590(g), related to the use of appropriated funds for child care, to the legislative branch.
• 5. A provision amending 2 U.S.C. §6317 to address the security of office space rented by Senators.

With the exception of the Senate National Security Working Group provision, which had previously been included in the National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 118-31), these administrative provisions were all included in the FY2024 act.

House of Representatives

Overall Funding

The House requested $1.903 billion for FY2024, an increase of 3.0% from the $1.848 billion provided for FY2022. The FY2024 House-passed bill and the FY2024 act provide $1.851 billion (+0.2%).

Additional information on headings in the House of Representatives account is presented in Table 7.

House Committee Funding

Funding for House committees is contained in the appropriation heading "committee employees," which typically comprises two subheadings.

The first subheading contains funds for personnel and nonpersonnel expenses of House committees, except the Appropriations Committee, as authorized by the House in a committee expense resolution. The FY2023 act provided $180.6 million, the same level provided in the House-passed bill and the FY2024 act. The House had requested $184.2 million (+2.0%).

The second subheading contains funds for the personnel and nonpersonnel expenses of the Committee on Appropriations. The FY2023 act, the FY2024 request, the House-passed bill, and the FY2024 act each contain $31.3 million.

Members' Representational Allowance²⁶

The Members' Representational Allowance (MRA) is available to support Members in their official and representational duties.

The FY2023 act, the FY2024 request, the House-passed bill, and the FY2024 act each contain $810.0 million.

Compensation of Interns

The FY2023 act, the FY2024 request, the FY2024 House-passed bill, and the FY2024 act, all contain, in separate accounts, $20.6 million for interns in House Member offices, $586,000 for interns in House leadership offices, $2.6 million for interns for standing and select committees other than the House Appropriations Committee, and $463,000 for interns with the House Appropriations Committee.

Administrative Provisions

The House requested, and the House-passed bill and the FY2024 act contained, three administrative provisions continued from prior years related to

• unexpended balances from the MRA;
• limiting amounts available from the MRA for leased vehicles; and
• providing for cybersecurity assistance from other federal entities.

Support Agency Funding

U.S. Capitol Police (USCP)

The USCP is responsible for the security of the Capitol Complex, including, for example, the U.S. Capitol, the House and Senate office buildings, the U.S. Botanic Garden, and the Library of Congress buildings and adjacent grounds.

The FY2023 enacted level was $734.6 million. In comparison, levels considered for FY2024 include the following:

• Requested: $840.9 million (+14.5%)
• House-passed bill: $780.9 million (+6.3%)
• Senate-reported bill: $792.5 million (+7.9%)
• FY2024 enacted: $791.5 million (+7.7%)

Additional information on the USCP is presented in Table 8.²⁷

Appropriations for the police are contained in two accounts—a salaries account and a general expenses account.

• 1. Salaries—the FY2023 act provided $541.7 million for salaries. The USCP requested $612.3 million (+13.0%). The House-passed bill would have provided $588.1 million (+8.6%). The Senate-reported bill recommended, and the FY2024 act provides, $588.6 million (+8.7%).
• 2. General expenses—the FY2023 act provided $192.8 million for general expenses, the same level as included in the House-passed bill. The Senate-reported bill would have provided $203.8 million (+5.7%). The USCP requested $228.7 million (+18.6%). The FY2024 act provides $202.8 million (+5.2%).

Another appropriation relating to the USCP appears within the Architect of the Capitol account for Capitol Police buildings and grounds and security. The FY2023 level was $402.9 million. For FY2024, $119.8 million (-70.3%) was requested, the House-passed bill would have provided $81.2 million (-79.9%), and the Senate-reported bill would have provided $86.8 million (-78.5%). The FY2024 act provides $85.2 million (-78.9%).

Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR)

Formerly known as the Office of Compliance, the Office of Congressional Workplace Rights (OCWR) was renamed by the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 Reform Act (P.L. 115-397). It is an independent and nonpartisan agency within the legislative branch, and it was originally established to administer and enforce the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995.²⁸ The act applies various employment and workplace safety laws to Congress and certain legislative branch entities.²⁹

The FY2023 act provided $8.0 million, which was continued in the House-passed bill. OCWR had requested $8.6 million (+6.9%). The Senate-reported bill would have provided $8.3 million (+3.8%). The FY2024 act provides $8.15 million (+1.9%).

Congressional Budget Office (CBO)

CBO is a nonpartisan congressional agency created to provide objective economic and budgetary analysis to Congress. CBO cost estimates are required for any measure reported by a regular or conference committee that may affect revenues or expenditures.³⁰

The FY2023 level was $63.2 million. In comparison, CBO requested $70.8 million (+11.9%) for FY2024, the House-passed bill would have provided $64.6 million (+2.2%), the Senate-reported bill would have provided $70.1 million (+10.9%), and the FY2024 act provides $70.0 million (+10.7%).

Architect of the Capitol (AOC)

The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the U.S. Capitol Complex, which includes the Capitol and its grounds, House and Senate office buildings, Library of Congress buildings and grounds, Capitol Power Plant, Botanic Garden, Capitol Visitor Center, and USCP buildings and grounds. The AOC is responsible for the Supreme Court buildings and grounds, but appropriations for their expenses are not contained in the legislative branch appropriations bill.

The FY2023 level was $1.315 billion.

In comparison, levels considered for FY2024 include the following:

• Requested: $1.128 billion (-14.2%)
• House-passed bill: $787.1 billion (-30.4%, not including Senate office buildings)
• Senate-reported bill: $797.7 million (-33.1%, not including House office buildings)
• FY2024 enacted: $947.3 million (-28.0%)

Operations of the AOC are funded in the following 10 accounts: capital construction and operations, Capitol building, Capitol grounds, Senate office buildings, House office buildings, Capitol Power Plant, Library buildings and grounds, Capitol Police buildings and grounds, Capitol Visitor Center, and Botanic Garden. Additional funding information on the individual AOC accounts is presented in Table 9.

Administrative Provision

The FY2024 budget request, the House-passed and Senate-reported bills, and the FY2024 act each included an administrative provision that prohibits the use of funds for bonuses for contractors behind schedule or over budget. This provision has been included in the annual appropriations act since FY2015.

Library of Congress (LOC)

The Library of Congress (LOC) serves simultaneously as Congress's parliamentary library and the de facto national library of the United States. Its broader services to the nation include the acquisition, maintenance, and preservation of a collection of more than 175.77 million items in various formats;³¹ service to the general public and scholarly and library communities; administration of U.S. copyright laws by its Copyright Office; and administration of a national program to provide reading material to the blind and print disabled. Its direct services to Congress include the provision of legal research and law-related services by the Law Library of Congress, and a broad range of activities by CRS, including in-depth and nonpartisan public policy research, analysis, and legislative assistance for Members and committees and their staff; congressional staff training; information and statistics retrieval; and continuing legal education for Members of both chambers and congressional staff.

The FY2023 level was $828.5 million. In comparison, levels considered for FY2024 include the following:

• Requested: $895.2 million (+8.0%)
• House-passed bill: $843.7 million (+1.8%)
• Senate-reported bill: $855.8 million (+3.3%)
• FY2024 enacted: $852.2 million (+2.8%)

These figures do not include additional authority to spend receipts.³²

The LOC headings include the following:³³

• 1. Salaries and expenses—The FY2023 level was $582.5 million. The LOC requested $618.6 million (+6.2%) for FY2024. The House-passed bill would have provided $582.6 million (+0.01%). The Senate-reported bill would have provided $596.1 million (+2.3%). The FY2024 act provides $592.4 million (+1.7%).
• 2. Copyright Office—The FY2023 level was $53.8 million. The LOC requested $57.5 million (+7.0%) for FY2024. The House-passed bill would have provided $55.4 million (+3.1%). The Senate-reported bill recommended, and the FY2024 act provides, $57.5 million (+7.0%). These figures do not include authority to spend receipts ($44.6 million in the House-passed and Senate-reported bills and the FY2024 act) and prior-year unobligated balances ($1.0 million in the House-passed and Senate-reported bills and the FY2024 act).
• 3. Congressional Research Service—The FY2023 act provided $133.6 million. The FY2024 request contained $146.6 million (+9.7%) for FY2024. The House-passed bill would have provided $135.8 million (+1.6%). The Senate-reported bill recommended, and the FY2024 act provides, $136.1 million (+1.9%).
• 4. National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled—The FY2023 level was $58.7 million. The LOC requested $72.5 million (+23.6%) for FY2024. The House-passed bill would have provided $69.9 million (+19.2%). The Senate-reported bill recommended, and the FY2024 act provides, $66.1 million (+12.7%).

The AOC's budget also contains funds for LOC buildings and grounds. In FY2023, $144.2 million was provided. The FY2024 request contains $120.8 million (-16.3%), and the House-passed bill would have provided $117.1 million (-18.8%). The Senate-reported bill would have provided $78.6 million (-45.5%). The FY2024 act provides $94.98 million (-34.1%).

Administrative Provisions

The legislative branch appropriations bills regularly include a provision providing authority to obligate funds for reimbursable and revolving fund activities ($308.6 million in the FY2023 act; $324.1 million in the FY2024 request, the House-passed and Senate-reported bills, and the FY2024 act).

The Library also requested provisions related to pay for senior-level Library personnel, transfer authority between the Library of Congress and the Architect of the Capitol, a program for minority-serving institutions, establishing a signature public programs revolving fund, expanding the National Film Preservation Board and the National Recording Preservation Board, updating the Poet Laureate appointment authority, ensuring CRS access to certain information, and eliminating the distribution of hardcopy versions of the Constitution Annotated. These provisions were not included in the House-passed or Senate-reported bills or the FY2024 act.

Government Publishing Office (GPO)³⁴

GPO's FY2023 enacted level was $129.9 million, which was recommended in the House-passed bill. GPO had requested $132.5 million (+2.0%). The Senate-reported bill would have provided $131.6 million (+1.3%). The FY2024 act provides $131.99 million (+1.7%).

GPO's budget authority is contained in three accounts:

• 1. Congressional publishing—The FY2023 act provided $82.99 million, the same level recommended in the House-passed bill. The GPO request, the Senate-reported bill, and the FY2024 act contain $83.0 million (+0.01%).
• 2. Public information programs of the Superintendent of Documents (salaries and expenses)—The FY2023 act provided $35.3 million, the same level included in the House-passed bill. The Senate-reported bill would have provided $36.5 million (+3.5%). GPO had requested, and the FY2024 act provides, $37.4 million (+6.0%).
• 3. GPO Business Operations Revolving Fund³⁵—The FY2023 act provided $11.6 million, the same level included in the House-passed bill, and approximately equivalent to the level included in the FY2024 act (+0.1%). GPO had requested, and the Senate-reported bill would have provided, approximately $12.1 million (+4.2%).

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

GAO responds to requests for studies of federal government programs and expenditures. GAO may also initiate its own work.³⁶

GAO's FY2023 enacted level was $790.3 million, not including $7.5 million in supplemental appropriations provided in P.L. 117-328 (Division M, Title VI).

In comparison, levels considered for FY2024 include the following:

• Requested: $859.7 million (+8.8%)
• House-passed bill: $806.0 million (+2.0%)
• Senate-reported bill: $813.97 million (+3.0%)
• FY2024 enacted: $811.9 million (+2.7%)

These levels do not include offsetting collections ($55.87 million in the FY2023 act; $73.98 million in the FY2024 request, the House-passed bill, and the FY2024 act; and $71.9 million in the Senate-reported bill).³⁷

Administrative Provision

GAO requested an administrative provision to change the rate of pay for the Comptroller General.³⁸ This provision was not included in the House-passed or Senate-reported bills or the FY2024 act.

Congressional Office for International Leadership (COIL; Formerly Open World Leadership Center)

The FY2021, FY2022, and FY2023 enacted level of $6.0 million was included in the FY2024 House-passed bill, the Senate-reported bill, and the FY2024 act. COIL had initially requested this level, but the budget amendment of May 9, 2023, changed this to a $7.2 million request.³⁹

The office administers a program that supports democratic changes in other countries by inviting their leaders to observe democracy and free enterprise in the United States.

Congress first authorized the program in 1999 to support the relationship between Russia and the United States. Established at the LOC as the Center for Russian Leadership Development in 2000, the program encouraged young federal and local Russian leaders to visit the United States and observe its government and society. The center was renamed the Open World Leadership Center in 2003, when the program was expanded to include specified additional countries.⁴⁰ In 2004, Congress further extended the program's eligibility to other countries designated by the center's board of trustees, subject to congressional consideration.⁴¹ More recent appropriations documents have included language regarding countries or regions of focus and proposed expansion, including efforts in Ukraine. The FY2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act changed the name from the Open World Leadership Center to the Congressional Office for International Leadership.

The office is housed in the LOC and receives services from the LOC through an interagency agreement.

A provision included since FY2016 states the following:

That funds made available to support Russian participants shall only be used for those engaging in free market development, humanitarian activities, and civic engagement, and shall not be used for officials of the central government of Russia.

Prior to the name change in 2022, the location and future of the office; attempts to assess its effectiveness, countries of focus, and funding levels; and its inclusion in the legislative branch budget were discussed at appropriations hearings and in report language for many years.

Administrative Provision

COIL requested an administrative provision to amend 2 U.S.C. §1151 to insert language allowing the Board of Trustees to "establish such policies as may be necessary to ensure that awards, incentives, and leave accrual for the Executive Director is at least equal to those provided to executive branch employees appointed pursuant to subchapter II of chapter 31 of title 5, United States Code." This provision was not included in the House-passed or Senate-reported bills or the FY2024 act.

John C. Stennis Center for Public Service Training and Development

The center was created by Congress in 1988 to encourage public service by congressional staff through training and development programs.⁴² The $430,000 included in the FY2023 act, the FY2024 request, the House-passed bill, the Senate-reported bill, and the FY2024 act is approximately the same level provided annually since FY2006.

General Provisions

As in past years, Congress considered a number of general provisions related to the legislative branch. These provisions and their status are listed in Table 4.

Introduction to Summary Tables and Appendix

Table 5 through Table 9 provide information on funding levels for the legislative branch overall, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the USCP, and the AOC.

The tables are followed by an Appendix, which lists House, Senate, and conference bills and reports; public law numbers; and enactment dates since FY1998.

Appendix. Fiscal Year Information and Resources