S. 5396Senate119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act

A bill to prohibit the use of Federal funds to install new permanent fencing around the United States Capitol, any of the Capitol Buildings, or any portion of the Capitol Grounds.

AI-Generated Summary

Updated September 24, 2026 at 3:10 AM UTC

The No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act bars the use of federal money to build any new permanent fence around the Capitol building(s) or the Capitol grounds. It only applies to new construction after the law takes effect and does not stop repairs or replacements of fences that already exist.

Key Provisions

Federal funds cannot be used to install new permanent fencing around any Capitol building or any part of the Capitol grounds.
The prohibition does not apply to repairing or replacing fencing that was already in place when the law was enacted.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Rules and Administration Committee

September 15, 2026

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

September 15, 2026

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

Rules and Administration Committee

September 15, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued September 15, 2026

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 5396

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

September 15, 2026

Mr. Van Hollen (for himself and Mr. Wicker) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration

A BILL

To prohibit the use of Federal funds to install new permanent fencing around the United States Capitol, any of the Capitol Buildings, or any portion of the Capitol Grounds.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the No Fencing at the United States Capitol Complex Act.

Prohibiting use of funds for new permanent fencing around United States Capitol

(a)

In general

No Federal funds may be used to install new permanent fencing around—

(1)

the perimeter of any of the Capitol Buildings described in section 5101 of title 40, United States Code; or

(2)

the perimeter of the United States Capitol Grounds, as described in section 5102 of such title, or any portion thereof.

(b)

Repair and replacement of existing fencing

Nothing in subsection (a) shall be construed to prohibit the repair or replacement of fencing that was in existence on the date of enactment of this Act around an area described in subsection (a).