Skip to main content
Representative Tom Cole logo

Fiscal Year 2015 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill Approved

April 9, 2014

Holds the line on spending for House offices, freezes pay for Members of Congress

Washington, D.C. – The House Appropriations Committee today approved the fiscal year 2015 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill, to provide annual funding for the offices of Members of the House of Representatives, the support agencies of Congress (including security), services for visitors, and Capitol operations and maintenance. The next move for the bill will be to head to the House floor for consideration.

The total included for the House and joint operations, excluding Senate-only items, is $3.3 billion. This is the same as the fiscal year 2014 level, and it is $122.5 million below the President’s request. In all, funding for the House of Representatives has been reduced by 14% since Republicans gained its control in January 2011.

The legislation also includes a provision to freeze the pay of Members of Congress, preventing any pay increases in fiscal year 2015. A freeze on the salaries of Representatives has been in place since 2010.

“This bill preserves and maintains this hallowed edifice that houses our great democracy, supports the services that keep the Congress working, allows thousands of visitors to witness democracy in action in an accessible and safe way.’ Chairman Rogers said. “Just as importantly, it also adheres to the same fiscal goals we have set for each and every program and agency across the federal government – and that means tightening our belts and making do with what we have.”

“As a symbol of freedom and democracy for every American and hundreds of millions of others around the globe, the Capitol complex of the United States represents our nation's deepest values and performs many of its most important governmental functions. As such, its majestic buildings and institutions must be pristine in their appearance, functional in their operation, and open to all to visit in safety and security. This bill achieves these objectives in both an effective and efficient manner, and has done so in a genuinely bipartisan, inclusive and deliberative fashion," Congressman Tom Cole, Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman, stated.

There were no adopted amendments to the bill in mark up today.

The bill was approved by the full committee on a voice vote.

For the text of the bill, click here.

For the bill report, click here.

###

Contact:

Jennifer Hing (202) 225-2771 (Appropriations)