The House plans significant cuts to the Capitol budget as Republicans seek ways to reduce overall federal spending in 2024.

A House panel Wednesday will advance a $5.3 billion spending plan for the Capitol that boosts police spending while cutting the Architect’s office by nearly 30%.

“The bill reflects both an acknowledgment that the Legislative Branch must set itself as an example for fiscal restraint while serving as an essential branch of government that is open and accessible to the American people,” said Rep. Mark Amodei, the Nevada Republican who leads the Appropriations Committee’s panel on the legislative branch.

The cut in Capitol spending helps the GOP-led House in its quest to lower federal spending across the board. 

House Republicans plan to reduce federal discretionary spending below caps agreed to in a bipartisan deal to raise the nation’s borrowing limit, despite a likely clash with the Democrat-led Senate.

The legislative branch measure would slash funding for House operations by 4.5% despite some spending increases, including a big boost for the Capitol Police.

The Capitol Police force, which is struggling with recruitment and retention of officers, would get a 6% funding increase.

Salary increases for uniformed officers and civilian personnel are the drivers behind the funding bump, bringing the total budget to $780 million. Police salaries make up the bulk of the branch’s funding at $588 million. 

The funding includes $15 million for officer retention bonuses.

Mr. Amodei said the additional funding for the police will pay for up to 2,200 new officers.  

The Capitol Police currently employs 2,300 officers and staff.

The bill slashes the Capitol Architect’s office by nearly 30% to $798 million, which is $332 million less than 2023 levels and nearly $160 million less than the fiscal 2024 funding request. 

The architect’s office maintains the Capitol and office buildings. 

Republicans said enough funding is provided for the top ten “most critical infrastructure project requests” identified by the architect’s office.

Driving legislative branch funding bill is a list of conservative priorities, among them a restructuring of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion that Republicans said would save “millions of taxpayer dollars.” 

Other priorities include using unspent member representational allowances for debt reduction and preventing the purchase of telecommunications equipment from China and other adversaries. 

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washigtontimes.com.