Hoyer Opening Remarks During Full Committee Markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), delivered opening remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Bill. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:
Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.
"Thank you very much. I had comments in our markup, but I'm going to repeat some of them. The Legislative Branch is supposed to deliver, at least, for the Legislative Branch. This bill, however, is designed to deliver, in my view, for the Administration and its mission to consolidate the power of the federal government within the executive. That is clearly their objective and the articulated policy of the Office of Management and Budget. It does so, of course, at the expense of our Congress's status as an independent, co-equal branch of government under the Constitution.
“The Administration and many of my colleagues across the aisle talk a big lot about government efficiency and about the power of Congress, then why in heaven's name do we back this bill's 50% cut in the GAO? That nonpartisan, independent agency's entire purpose is to ensure the Executive Branch is using federal funds efficiently and effectively and absent waste, fraud, and abuse, as the Congress intended. The GAO is currently conducting, as the Chairman has said, over 40 investigations into the White House's efforts to illegally and unconstitutionally impound funds. My Republican colleagues, surely, that is not of interest of us, only if it is the other Administration. If that's the case, then it is a empty power that we have in the Congress.
"The GAO is the only entity – I appreciate that one of you is paying attention, because these are not partisan issues. This is about whether the Congress can act as it should, as it was designed to do, as democracy demands that it does. It's the only entity capable of taking legal action to compel the Administration to spend impounded funds. This bill, astonishingly and wrongly, takes that power away from them. In other words, nobody can sue unless they're personally affected. Taking that power away from the GAO and thus from the Congress and the American people. My Republican colleagues, the Congress is not a suggestion box. We are the Congress, we are the deciders, we are the ones who set policy. We are the one who appropriate money. Nothing can be spent unless we act. Don't give that up lightly. This action, however, allows the President to divert or stop congressionally directed funding without accountability or legal consequences. Is that what you want? [It’s] very frustrating, two of you are now paying any attention to what I have to say. The rest of you are reading.
"This isn't about Democrats or Republicans. This is about the Congress of the United States. Since 1949, we've had 76 years. 40 of those years, Republicans have been presidents. 36 years, Democrats have been president and if you look at the record, it sort of passes back and forth. And in passing, bouncing back and forth, the perspectives change. If our guy is a Democrat or your guy is Republican, your perspective seems to change -- both sides. But it ought not to change, because the power of the Congress makes this country unique in the world. And that is why, I suggest you, our democracy has survived since 1789. The oldest democracy in the world not by chance, but by design. Article One of the Constitution makes it clear that Congress has the power of the purse. All of you know that, all of you articulate that, all of you say that but we need to protect that power because power unprotected will be lost.
"Chairman, can I have a little bit of leniency here. I'm trying not to speak... Okay. Thank you very much. I think we will rue this day on both sides of the aisle, depending upon whose president is in charge. So I have other things to say, but my time is up. But I would hope that you would look at this not from a partisan standpoint, but as a patriot. A patriot that believes that the Congress’s unique status in our government is what makes us a great democracy. I yield back.”