Generally the Senate bills include flat funding or slight increases for FY 25, while the House bills show reductions or program eliminations. Nearly all the funding levels for programs that affect history, archives, humanities, and education are higher in the Senate bills than the House versions.

Clearing the committee stage is merely the initial milestone in a lengthy convoluted process. In September, Congress will only have a few weeks to pass and send to conference all twelve bills before the new fiscal year begins. As happens every year, Congress will be forced to pass a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) that temporarily fund the federal government after the start of FY 25 on October 1. The outcome of the presidential and congressional elections may also affect scheduling especially if there is a change at the White House and control of the House and/or Senate. NCH will be issuing legislative alerts at the appropriate time urging legislators to support the higher funding levels in conference.

A chart showing the House and Senate numbers in comparison to the Biden administration’s FY 25 request and FY 24 funding levels can be accessed by clicking this link.

Here are the highlights from the FY 25 Senate and House appropriations bills:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

NARA’s budget is included in the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill.

OPERATING EXPENSES

• FY 24—$427.25 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$456.3 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$427.25 million (no change from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$434.7 million (+$7.5 million [+2%] from FY 24)

National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)

The NHPRC’s budget is included in the Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill.

• FY 24—$10 million (grants)
• FY 24 Congressionally Directed Spending—$38.4 million
• FY 24 NHPRC total—$48.4 million
• Biden administration FY 25 request grants—$5 million
• House Appropriations FY 25 grants—$5 million (-$5 million [-50%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25 grants—$5 million (-$5 million [-50%] from FY 24)
• Congressionally Directed Spending FY 25 (Senate only)—$15,181,000 million (-23.2 million [-60%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25 NHPRC total—$20,181,000 million (-$28.2 million [-59%] from FY 24)

Note: The House FY 25 bill does not include any Congressionally Directed Spending projects.

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) 

NEH’s budget is included in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

• FY 24—$207 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$200 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$203.9 million (-$3.1 million [-1%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$209 million (+$2 million [+1%] from FY 24)

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

The IMLS’s budget is included in the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

• FY 24—$294.8 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$280 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$249.5 million (-$45.3 million [-15%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$294.8 million (no change from FY 24)

Library of Congress

The Library’s budget is included in the Legislative Branch appropriations bill.

• FY 24—$852 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$873 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$883.4 million (+$31.4 million [+4%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$879 million (+$27 million [+3%] from FY 24)

National Park Service

The National Park Service’s budget is included in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

Historic Preservation Fund

• FY 24—$188.6 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$151.4 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$168.9 (-$19.7 million [-10%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$182.8 million (-$5.8 million [-3%] from FY 24)

National Recreation and Preservation Fund

• FY 24—$91.2 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$84.4 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$89.5 million (-$1.7 million [-2%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$96.1 million (+$4.9 million [+5%] from FY 24)

Heritage Partnership Program

• FY 24—$29.2 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$18.1 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$29.2 million (no change from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$30.6 million (+$1.4 million [+5%] from FY 24)

Save America’s Treasures Program

• FY 24—$25.5 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$10 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$25.5 million (no change from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$26 million (+$500,000 [+2%] from FY 24)

American Battlefield Protection Program

• FY 24—$20 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$20 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$20 million (no change from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$20 million (no change from FY 24)

US Semiquincentennial Commission

The Commission’s budget is included in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

• FY 24—$15 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$100 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$15 million (no change from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$15.2 million (+$200,000 [+1.3%] from FY 24)

US Department of Education

The Education Department’s budget is included in the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

US History and Civics Education Programs

• FY 24—$23 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$23 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$3 million (-$20 million [-87%] from FY 24) Eliminates funding for American History and Civics grants program.
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$23 million (no change from FY 24)

Title VI/Fulbright Hays International Education Programs

Total:

• FY 24—$85.6 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$81.5 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$81.5 million (-$4.1 million [-4.8%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$85.6 million (no change from FY 24)

Title VI (Domestic)

• FY 24—$75.3 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$73.3 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$73.3 million (-$2 million [-2.75%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$75.3 million (no change from FY 24)

Fulbright-Hays (Overseas)

• FY 24—$10.3 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$8.2 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$8.2 million (-$2.1 million [-20%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$10.3 million (no change from FY 24)

Smithsonian Institution

The Smithsonian’s budget is included in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

• FY 24—$1.090 billion
• Biden administration request FY 25—$1.160 billion
• House Appropriations FY 25—$960 million (-$130 million [-12%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$1.110 billion (+$20 million [+2%] from FY 24)

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

The Wilson Center’s budget is included in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

• FY 24—$15 million
• Biden administration request FY 25—$14 million
• House Appropriations FY 25—$12 million (-$3 million [-20%] from FY 24)
• Senate Appropriations FY 25—$15 million (no change from FY 24)

The panel consisted of representatives from a broad cross-section of NCH member organizations all with experience in working with NARA records at its many facilities across the country.  The group also included archival professionals and records managers with expertise in the field. Seven member organizations comprised the working group: the American Historical Association (AHA), the Association for Documentary Editing (ADE), the National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators (NAGARA), the National Security Archive (NSA), the Society of American Archivists (SAA), the Society for History in the Federal Government (SHFG), and the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations (SHAFR).

This in-depth paper aims to set a new agenda to support and strengthen the National Archives. It identifies acute institutional needs and recommends steps that Congress, the White House, federal agencies, and NARA’s leadership can take to ensure the agency is properly funded and supported to fulfill its critical mission. An executive summary is provided at the beginning of the report.

Topics addressed in the report include:

• Funding/Appropriations
• Declassification
• Presidential Libraries
• Subject Matter Expertise
• Infrastructure
• National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)
• Reforming the Presidential Records Act
• Management of Permanent Federal Records by Executive Branch Entities

We thank the members of the panel for their hard work and dedication in preparing this report which will bring attention to this agency that is so vital to all our work. We also hope it will stimulate discussion both within and outside NCH, resulting in a more robust and adequately funded National Archives.

Please direct any questions or comments to Lee White, NCH Executive Director, at lwhite@historycoalition.org

Summary:

• NCH supports the Biden administration’s recommended funding level of $456.3 million for the National Archives and Records Administration’s Operating Expenses (OE) budget in fiscal year (FY) 2025, which is an increase of $29.1 million from the FY 24 level of $ 427.2 million.
• NCH opposes the Administration’s proposed base funding level of $5 million in FY 25 for the National Historical Publications and Records Commission grants program. This would cut the NHPRC’s budget in half, a reduction of $5 million from the FY 24 base level of $10 million. We urge the subcommittee, at a minimum, to return the NHPRC to its FY 2023 funding level of $12 million.

The House Appropriations Committee recently marked up its FY 25 FSGG appropriations bill. It provides level funding for NARA’s FY 25 OE budget at $427.2 million. That would represent the third consecutive fiscal year at that level of appropriations. The bill includes the fifty percent ($5 million) cut from the NHPRC budget in FY 24, for a total of $5 million in FY 25.

As with other federal agencies with history-related missions, the IMLS has seen its funding stagnate in recent years. The Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 budget for the agency will be considered very soon in the House and Senate.

Cole is the only historian currently serving in Congress. His postgraduate degrees in British history include an M.A. from Yale University and a Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma. Cole once served as co-chair of the bi-partisan Congressional History Caucus.

Cole’s assumption of the chair triggered a shuffling of subcommittee chairs. Most notably, Rep. Dave Joyce (R-OH) was named chair of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee that oversees the budget for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC). Joyce succeeds Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR) who is taking over as chairperson of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies.

The new rosters of the Republican Majority on the House Appropriations Committee can be seen by clicking here.

Also in March, the Biden Administration released its proposed FY 25 budget for federal agencies. Those proposed funding levels are included here as well. Click here to access a chart showing how programs of interest to our community fared. It includes the budget for FY 23 and compares it with FY 24 and President Biden’s FY 25 budget request. Click here to see a second chart (also attached) that provides funding trends over the past three fiscal years to gain some historical perspective.

For FY 24 the numbers generally show flat funding or cuts when compared to FY 23. The numbers are even bleaker when comparing FY 24 with the Administration’s FY 25 proposed budget. Many agencies, such as the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), the National Park Service’s History and Preservation programs and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) would have their budgets cut. One exception is the National Archives which would receive a $29.1 million, or ten percent, increase over its FY 24 level.

• The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) received $427.5 million for operating expenses (OE), a $39.2 million increase, or 10 percent, from the FY 22 level of $388 million. NARA received no increase from FY 23 to FY 24. However, as noted above, the Biden administration is proposing a $29.1 million increase for NARA’s operating expenses budget in FY 25.
• The National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) received $10 million in base funding, down from $12 million in FY 23. However, the Commission received an additional $38.4 million in congressionally earmarked projects, bringing the total up to $48.4 million. This is by far the highest level of funding the NHPRC has received in its history.
• The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) received $207 million, level funding from FY 23. However, the Administration is proposing a $7 million cut in FY 25.
• K-12 history and civics programs at the Department of Education: The Presidential and Congressional Academies for American History and Civics were level funded at $3 million. The American History and Civics grants program was also level funded at $20 million for a total of $23 million for both programs.
• The Title VI/Fulbright-Hays International Education programs received no increases. Title VI (domestic programs) was level funded at $75.3 million. The Fulbright-Hays (overseas programs) was also level funded at $10.3 million resulting in a total of $85.6 million. For FY 25, the Biden administration is proposing a $4.1 million cut for the programs (-$2 million for Title VI and -$2.1 million for Fulbright-Hays).
• The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) The IMLS was level funded at $294.8 million. Library Programs were level funded at $211 million, and Museum Programs were reduced by $700,000 down to $55.3 million.
• The National Park Services’ FY 24 budget includes $188.6 million for the Historic Preservation Fund, a decrease of $15.9 million below the FY 23 level. The Biden administration is proposing an additional reduction of $37.2 million in the fund for FY 25. The FY 24 budget includes $26.5 million for the Save America’s Treasures competitive grant program for the preservation of nationally significant sites, structures, and artifacts, $1 million less than last year. The bill includes level funding of $29.2 million for the Heritage Partnership Program. The Administration would cut $10 million from this program in FY 25. The American Battlefield Protection Program’s budget was level funded at $20 million. The bill provides $10 million for the Semiquincentennial Preservation Grants program to support the restoration of sites that honor the 250th anniversary of the country’s founding, including Revolutionary War monuments. The Administration would eliminate this program in FY 25.
• The Library of Congress received $852 million, up from $828.5 million in FY 23. The Biden administration would increase the Library’s budget by $38 million in FY 25.
• The Smithsonian Institution’s budget was reduced by $54 million, down to $1.090 billion. The Salaries and Expenses budget is level funded at $893 million and the Facilities Capital budget was reduced from $251 million to $197 million. The Administration is proposing $1.160 billion in funding for the Smithsonian in FY 25.
• The US Semiquincentennial Commission’s budget would be level funded at $15 million.
• The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars received $15 million, level funded from last year.

Generally the Senate bills include flat funding for FY 24. This reflects the caps on non-defense discretionary spending for the next two fiscal years that were agreed to as part of the budget deal in the bill passed earlier this year to raise the debt ceiling. However, Republican leadership in the House has, in some cases, cut FY 24 spending below the amounts agreed to in the budget agreement. As a result, most of the funding levels for programs that affect history, archives, humanities, and education are higher in the Senate bills than the House versions.

Clearing the committee stage is merely the initial milestone in a lengthy convoluted process. In September, Congress will only have a few weeks to pass and send to conference all twelve bills before the new fiscal year begins. As happens every year, Congress will be forced to pass a series of continuing resolutions (CRs) that temporarily fund the federal government after the start of FY 24 on October 1. There is also the possibility that we will experience yet another federal government shutdown. NCH will be issuing legislative alerts at the appropriate time urging legislators to support the higher funding levels in conference.

A chart showing the House and Senate numbers in comparison to the Biden administration’s FY 24 request and FY 23 funding levels can be accessed by clicking this link.

Here are the highlights from the FY 24 Senate and House appropriations bills:

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

OPERATING EXPENSES

• FY 23—$427.52 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$443.2 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$427.25 million (-$270,00 from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$430.5 million (+$3 million from FY 23)

National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC)

• FY 23—$12 million (grants)
• FY 23 Congressionally Directed Spending—$23.7 million
• FY 23 NHPRC total—$35.7 million
• Biden administration FY 24 request grants—$10 million
• House Appropriations FY 24 grants—$10 million (-$2 million from FY 23)

Note: The House bill does not include any Congressionally Directed Spending projects.

• Senate Appropriations FY 24 grants—$10 million (-$2 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24 Congressionally Directed Spending—$38.4 million
• Senate Appropriations FY 24 NHPRC total—$48.4 million (+12.7 million)

National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) 

• FY 23—$207 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$211 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$186.3 million (-$20.7 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$207 million (no change from FY 23)

Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)

• FY 23—$294.8 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$294.8 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$294.8 million (no change from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$289.8 million (-$5 million from FY 23)

Library of Congress

• FY 23—$828.5 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$832.1 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$843.7 million (+$15.2 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$855.8 million (+$30.3 million from FY 23)

National Park Service

Historic Preservation Fund

• FY 23—$204.5 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$178 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$175.4 (-$29.1 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$195.1 million (-$9.4 million from FY 23)

National Recreation and Preservation Fund

• FY 23—$92.5 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$95 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$80 (-$12.5 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$93.4 million (+$900,000 from FY 23)

Heritage Partnership Program

• FY 23—$29.2 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$29 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$30.3 (+$1.1 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$30.8 million (+$1.6 million from FY 23)

Save America’s Treasures Program

• FY 23—$26.5 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$20 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$26.5 million (no change from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$26.5 million (no change from FY 23)

American Battlefield Protection Program

• FY 23—$20 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$20 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$20 million (no change from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$20 million (no change from FY 23)

US Department of Education

Note: The House Appropriations Committee has not yet marked up the FY 24 Labor, HHS and Education funding bill. It has only released a summary of the subcommittee bill. Therefore, figures are missing for US History and Civics Education programs and International Education programs.

US History and Civics Education Programs

• FY 23—$23 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$73 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$23 million (no change from FY 23)

Title VI/Fulbright Hays International Education Programs

Total:

• FY 23—$85.6 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$85.6 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$85.6 million (no change from FY 23)

Title VI (Domestic)

• FY 23—$75.3 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$75.3 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$75.3 million (no change from FY 23)

Fulbright-Hays (Overseas)

• FY 23—$10.3.3 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$10.3 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—(unknown)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$10.3 million (no change from FY 23)

Smithsonian Institution

• FY 23—$1.145 billion
• Biden administration request FY 24—$1.241 billion
• House Appropriations FY 24—$960 million (-$184 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$1.095 billion (-$50 million from FY 23)

US Semiquincentennial Commission

• FY 23—$15 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$30 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$15 million (no change from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$15 million (no change from FY 23)

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars

• FY 23—$15 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$16 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$12 million (-$4 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$15 million (no change from FY 23)

The bill cuts the budget for the National Endowment for the Humanities by 10 percent from $207 million in the current fiscal year to $186.3 million in FY 24. National Park Service history-related programs are generally flat-lined for FY 24.

The bill also includes a provision that prohibits any funds from being used for the design, construction, or planning for the National Museum of the American Latino.  It also prohibits funding for the operation of an existing exhibit, the Molina Family Latino Gallery at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. .

A Democratic amendment to strike the language was defeated 27-33. Republicans opposed the amendment stating they were merely using the threat of defunding the museum as leverage to convince senior leadership at the Smithsonian to address their concerns with how the existing exhibit depicted Latinos. During an extensive debate, there was consensus that members on both sides of the aisle support the continued design and construction of the museum. Assurances were given by senior Republican leadership on the Appropriations Committee that funding would be restored later in the FY 24 appropriations process if negotiations with the Smithsonian in reframing the exhibit were successful.

Congress authorized the building of the museum in 2020. Here is the committee report language:

SEC. 459. None of the funds made available by this Act shall be obligated for the planning, design, or construction of the National Museum of the American Latino or the operation of the Molina Family Latino Gallery.

“Museum of the American Latino. —The Committee is concerned by the overt bias, lack of diversity, and flippancy with which serious issues are addressed at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Latino. The Committee notes that Hispanic and Latino cultures have contributed immensely, and for successive generations, to American society through business, government, military, public service, music, culture, and the arts. However, the current exhibits at the museum reflect little of the wide-ranging accomplishments of the Latino community. Instead, the museum almost myopically portrays Latinos as an oppressed monolith united largely by their victimhood, neglecting the nuanced and varied experiences, including remarkable successes, of the American Latino, and despite the thousands of courageous Latino military heroes that served our country proudly and honorably, the creators of the exhibit chose to highlight a convicted deserter. The Committee is also concerned by the lightness with which serious topics are portrayed, such as scented exhibits meant to simulate raft rides of those risking their lives to flee tyranny, romanticization of socialism, and failure to adequately document or portray the reality of totalitarianism. The lack of seriousness on such a grave issue, particularly when millions of American Latinos fled the very socialism and communism neglected by the museum, is insulting.

For that reason, the bill includes a provision which would prohibit any funds from being used for the museum’s operation and for any future planning and design. The Committee will revisit the issue should comprehensive and earnest efforts be undertaken to accurately present the varied histories, contributions, and authentic experiences of the wide range of those who constitute the American Latino community in the United States.”
______________________________________________________________________

The flat funding for FY 24 reflects the caps on non-defense discretionary spending for the next two fiscal years that were agreed to as part of the budget deal in the bill to raise the debt ceiling.

Below is a summary of the bills.

National Archives and Records Administration

OPERATING EXPENSES

• Fiscal Year 2023—$427.52 million
• Biden administration request FY 24—$443.2 million
• House Appropriations FY 24—$427.25 million (-$270,00 from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24—$430.5 million (+$3 million from FY 23)

National Historical Publications and Records Commission

• Fiscal Year 2023—$12 million (grants)
• Fiscal Year 2023 Congressionally Directed Spending—$23.7 million
• Fiscal year 2023 NHPRC total—$35.7 million
• Biden administration FY 24 request grants—$10 million
• House Appropriations FY 24 grants—$10 million (-$2 million from FY 23)

Note: The House bill does not include any Congressionally Directed Spending projects.

• Senate Appropriations FY 24 grants—$10 million (-$2 million from FY 23)
• Senate Appropriations FY 24 Congressionally Directed Spending—$38.4 million
• Senate Appropriations FY 24 NHPRC total—$48.4 million (+12.7 million)

During consideration of the bill, the Republican majority included committee report language that directs the Librarian of Congress to produce a design concept for an exhibit on “American exceptionalism.” The language states, “The Committee believes that the American public would benefit from an exhibition on the exceptional contributions of Americans throughout history,” The amendment does not define “American exceptionalism” leaving the Librarian discretion to determine what it entails. The Librarian is required to submit the report within 90 days of enactment of the bill.

The legislation also includes “divisive concepts” language that prohibits funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In addition, it prohibits funding for “discriminatory actions against a person, wholly or partially, on the basis that such person speaks, or acts, in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief, or moral conviction, that marriage is, or should be recognized as, a union of one man and one woman.”

The Committee recommends $1,500,000 for continuation of the COVID–19 American History Project Act, an educational and commemorative program that collects, preserves, and makes available to the public an archive of submitted oral stories of those who were impacted by the COVID–19 pandemic.

The House is expected to take up the FY 24 Legislative Branch bill in July. The Senate Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee has not scheduled a markup of its version of the bill. The House language would need to be adopted by the Senate Appropriation Committee and/or included in a final FY 24 omnibus funding bill in conference. So it is a long way from being enacted.

NCH will be closely monitoring the situation and reaching out to the Senate Appropriations Committee to oppose inclusion of the “American exceptionalism” and “divisive concepts” language. At an appropriate time, NCH will also be asking our members to contact their Members of Congress in opposition.