The Senate Appropriations Committee made significant progress on Thursday as it reviewed the annual Department of Justice funding bill, though discussions were cut short due to disagreements about the Trump administration’s plans for relocating the FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C.
During the committee’s meeting, officials considered three out of the twelve annual spending bills, focusing on several sectors, including Commerce, Justice, Agriculture, and the Food and Drug Administration. They successfully approved two bills—one for Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, and another for legislative operations. However, the third bill, which includes funding for the Department of Justice, Commerce, and scientific institutions, faced hurdles.
Senator Mark Wayne Mullin (R-Okla.) expressed concern that if the situation remains unresolved, it could jeopardize the bill altogether. He stated, “If it stays there, it’s going to fight the bill.”
The committee voted narrowly (15-14) on a proposal aimed at stalling the FBI’s relocation to a site outside of the selected Greenbelt area in Maryland. Interestingly, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) initially supported the administration’s stance but later joined a number of Republicans who changed their minds after the amendment was adopted, expressing a need for further examination on the relocation decision.
There was an attempt by Republicans to withdraw amendments to gather more information from the FBI regarding its relocation plans, though Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) rejected this suggestion. He and other Democrats defended the Maryland relocation, asserting that it followed a thorough competitive process and criticized the Trump administration for lacking sufficient analysis on the matter.
One Democrat noted that while the rest of the funding bill, which includes allocations for NASA and the National Science Foundation, was commendable, the headquarters issue raised larger questions about whether the executive branch could undo a long-standing bipartisan agreement.
Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) disagreed, stating that the proposed changes were outside the committee’s jurisdiction, and many Republicans firmly opposed the revisions. “It should have nothing to do with decisions about the FBI headquarters. It’s not part of the spending process,” he argued.
As negotiations continue, committee members hope to revisit the funding bill soon. Murkowski mentioned her hope for a hearing where they might gain more clarity on the administration’s plans moving forward, indicating some uncertainty around their decision-making process. She pointed out a sense of ambiguity as to whether members genuinely seek clarification or if some are attempting to take advantage of the situation.
Despite the ongoing conflict over the FBI headquarters, the committee unanimously approved the annual Agricultural and Rural Development Funding Bill, which allocates about $27 billion for 2026. They also voted nearly unanimously to allocate around $7 billion for various legislative operations.
The DOJ funding bill is among twelve annual funding bills that Senate negotiators aim to finalize soon, particularly as a deadline looms in late September to avert a government shutdown. The early bills seen in the Senate committee appear more collaborative compared to the proposals emerging from the House Republicans. Nonetheless, some members anticipate that a pause might be required to prevent an October closure and provide more time to finalize a bipartisan funding agreement for 2026.
