House Republicans have launched a major push to reduce funding for the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the nonpartisan watchdog entity responsible for investigating federal waste, fraud, and abuse, through the new fiscal year 2026 spending bill. The proposed bill would reduce GAO’s budget by $396.5 million—nearly half of its current level—to $415.4 million, marking one of the most significant cuts in the agency’s history. The reduction is part of a broader effort by House Republicans to limit the GAO’s independence and constrain its ability to hold the executive branch accountable for alleged misconduct in managing federal funds.
The spending bill, released for public scrutiny, outlines a total $6.7 billion allocation for the legislative branch, $51 million below the fiscal year 2024 funding level. This would not only affect the GAO but also the Library of Congress, which is slated for a $84.5 million cut, bringing its funding down to $767.6 million. The bill’s implications extend beyond financial reductions, as it includes a major policy change: eliminating the GAO’s capacity to bring civil action against the executive branch concerning the withholding or