As part of a $1.7 trillion omnibus spending package released Tuesday, the $6.9 billion fiscal 2023 Legislative Branch portion would give a boost to the Capitol Police as the force grapples with threats against lawmakers.
The Legislative Branch funding bill marks a $975 million, or roughly 16.5 percent, increase over fiscal 2022 enacted levels. It’s the smallest of the 12 bills in the omnibus package but has taken on larger importance after the Capitol attack of Jan. 6, 2021, and the recent assault on the husband of Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The measure includes a nearly 22 percent funding boost for the Capitol Police, more than the increase of 17.5 percent that House appropriators had proposed this summer. The $734.6 million total would allow the department to hire more staff, bringing its head count as high as 2,126 officers and 567 civilians. The Architect of the Capitol would also receive $402.9 million specifically for the Capitol Police building, grounds and security, as part of the $1.3 billion total appropriation to the AOC.
