Legislative branch hearing sidesteps last year's drama

Nina Heller, CQ-Roll Call on Apr 16, 2026

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WASHINGTON — At a Senate Appropriations Legislative Branch subcommittee hearing Wednesday, the heads of the Government Publishing Office, Government Accountability Office and Congressional Budget Office defended their agencies’ fiscal 2027 budget requests, skirting any mention of legislative dustups from last year.

It was the panel’s first hearing of the year, as well as the first for Nebraska Republican Sen. Deb Fischer, who took the gavel after the departure of Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., last month. Mullin is now secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

The Congressional Budget Office is asking for a 2% increase in funding from fiscal 2026, or $1.5 million more. The total fiscal 2027 request for the CBO is $76.3 million, with 85% of that for pay and benefits, 11.7% for information technology, and 3.3% for training, expert consultant services, office supplies and miscellaneous.

CBO Director Phillip Swagel said the request will address increased costs for paying benefits and allow the agency to strengthen information technology and cybersecurity infrastructure. He said the increased funding would also allow additional hiring in areas of “intense legislative interest.”

The Government Publishing Office is requesting $132 million for fiscal 2027, the same amount as fiscal 2026.

GPO Director Hugh Halpern said the budget request will help the agency keep up with the continued needs of the congressional publishing operation as it uses increasingly antiquated technology.

He said current software used to print government documents “came out when I was 12, and I’m a long way from being 12.”

The Government Accountability Office is requesting $860 million for fiscal 2027, a 5.9% increase from fiscal 2026. Acting Comptroller General Orice Williams Brown said even with that request, the agency would still need to continue workforce reduction efforts.

Last year, lawmakers on the House side unsuccessfully tried to slash funding nearly in half and add language barring the GAO from suing for the release of impounded funds without congressional approval.

But impounded funds was not a topic of discussion at the panel’s hour-long hearing, nor was last year’s attempted funding cut. Nor were there questions from either party about the search for a permanent head for the GAO.

Instead, Fischer asked Halpern about the agency’s plans to strengthen its cybersecurity systems after a 2025 cyber attack. Included in the agency’s request is $2.75 million for cybersecurity expenses.

Halpern said the agency is in the process of further improving its systems, installing new hardware and software and strengthening its monitoring and detection capabilities.

Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, the panel’s newest member, asked agency heads about how the use of artificial intelligence could enhance their operations. All three acknowledged it could increase efficiency.

“The reality is that there’s way more requests for cost estimates than we can provide, and I’m hoping that the AI tools will basically let us get deeper into the backlog and satisfy more members,” Swagel said.