Enforce the Caps Act

# Enforce the Caps Act (HR 4178) Summary **What It Would Do** This bill would set annual spending limits on discretionary federal spending for four fiscal years (2026 through 2029). Discretionary spending refers to money Congress must approve each year for various programs and agencies—like defense, education, and infrastructure—as opposed to mandatory spending on programs like Social Security and Medicare that are funded automatically. By establishing caps, the bill aims to control how much the federal government can spend in these categories during this period. **Who It Affects and Current Status** The spending limits would affect all federal agencies and programs funded through annual appropriations bills.

This would potentially impact federal employees, contractors, and recipients of federally-funded services across numerous departments. The bill is currently in committee, meaning it has been referred to the appropriate House committee for review and debate but has not yet been voted on by the full House. No further action has been taken at this time.