House officers ask Congress for increased FY2026 funding to sustain IT modernization and staffing

At a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, senior House officers testified about fiscal year 2026 funding requests focused on technology modernization, cybersecurity and staffing to support House operations.

In opening remarks, Clerk Kevin McCumber put the Clerk's request plainly: "To put the bottom line up front, we are requesting $48,992,000 for fiscal year 2026," he said, describing an 18.18% increase above FY2025 enacted funding driven largely by pay adjustments and 11 proposed new positions.

The requests are part of a broader House-wide FY2026 topline the subcommittee discussed: committee materials cited a House-wide request of approximately $2.1 billion, an increase the witnesses said reflects two years of compounded needs and planned modernization projects.

Why it matters: witnesses told the panel that sustained investment is necessary to maintain daily operations for Members and staff, protect systems from cyber threats and complete multiyear modernization projects already underway.

Clerk’s priorities and savings: McCumber said most of the Clerk's increase covers staff pay (longevity and cost-of-living adjustments) and 11 new positions—four to support more committee field hearings, six for technology work and one for administrative needs. He highlighted efficiency measures, saying negotiated contracts and technical changes yield recurring savings, including a new backup solution that reduces costs by about $100,000 per year and software savings of roughly $55,000 per year for three years.

CAO replacement of HR/payroll system: Chief Administrative Officer Catherine Szpindor told members the CAO's FY2026 request totals $243,184,000 and includes $6.7 million to begin replacing the House human resources, payroll and benefits system, which she said is more than 20 years old and "will no longer be supported by the vendor." Szpindor said the payroll system replacement is a multiyear project that is critical to maintaining payroll continuity for roughly 12,000 staffers.

Cybersecurity and AI investments: Szpindor described planned investments in secure IT infrastructure and in an AI program for staff support, saying the CAO intends to invest in licenses, expertise and training so House employees "can take full advantage of AI technology within the House's IT secure environment." She stressed the need for a robust training program accompanying any AI deployment.

Sergeant at Arms: Bill McFarland presented a FY2026 request of $40,606,000 and 206 full-time equivalents and emphasized workforce training, district security support and technology upgrades. He described planned investments in mobile duress systems, AI-enabled event monitoring tools and modernization of parking-security software.

Legislative counsel workload: Warren Burke, the Legislative Counsel, reported an increase in drafting demand, noting that the number of bills introduced has grown substantially in recent Congresses and that the office is onboarding attorneys and changing workflow tracks to triage requests faster.

Committee members pressed witnesses on recruiting and retention, the new payroll/Human Resources system timeline and how modernization items would be communicated to members and staff. McCumber described consolidated service points (for example, combined letterhead services) and multiple channels for outreach, including House-wide learning systems and in-person courses.

No formal votes were taken at the hearing. Members may submit questions for the record.

Ending: Witnesses told the subcommittee they remain committed to completing modernization work and preserving core services, but said continued funding will be necessary to maintain momentum on multiyear projects and to support a growing workload for House operations.