Congress is scrambling to avert a government shutdown. On Dec 17, Republicans introduced a stopgap spending bill that would fund the government through March 14. In response to the bill, Elon Musk and others falsely claimed it included a 40% pay raise for members of Congress.
Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency task force, and others on social media also alleged that the Dec. 17 bill would allocate taxpayer funds to build a new NFL stadium in Washington, D.C., for the Washington Commanders.
One post with 13 million views claims, “OMNI-BUSTED: $3-BILLION FOR R [sic] A NEW NFL STADIUM IN D.C. Buried in the 1,547-page omnibus bill is a provision to facilitate a $3 billion NFL stadium in Washington, D.C.” Musk amplified the post, stating, “This should not be funded by your tax dollars!”
On Dec. 19, a new draft of the spending bill was drafted to avoid a government shutdown.
THE QUESTION
Did the original version of the Congressional stopgap bill allocate $3 billion for an NFL stadium?
THE SOURCES
- Further Continuing Appropriations and Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2025, the current continuing resolution
- U.S. Code 40 USC 8124 on the transfer of jurisdiction
- Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser Dec. 19 statement
THE ANSWER
No, the original version of the Congressional stopgap bill didn’t allocate $3 billion for an NFL stadium.
WHAT WE FOUND
The spending bill, proposed on Dec. 17, authorizes the transfer of administrative control of the RFK Stadium site in Washington, D.C. from the federal government to the District of Columbia, which could potentially lead to a new stadium for the NFL’s Washington Commanders. The bill explicitly states no federal funds would be allocated for the construction of a new stadium.
The 177-acre RFK Stadium site is currently owned and operated by the federal government. U.S. law says federal and D.C. authorities can transfer control of any property between each other, but ownership of the property remains with the federal government unless Congress votes to sell the property.
In this case, the continuing resolution only gives Washington, D.C. the power to decide what to do with the property and any buildings on it, but the land itself is still owned by the federal government.
The District of Columbia would be responsible for the costs for maintaining the land and the bill spells out that, “the District may not use Federal funds for stadium purposes on the [RFK] Campus, including training facilities, offices, and other structures necessary to support a stadium.”
Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser addressed the misinformation on Dec. 19, debunking claims that federal dollars would fund the stadium.
“It was stated that the CR contains $3 billion for a stadium. All wrong,” she said. “There are no federal dollars related to the transfer of RFK, and in fact the legislation does not require or link at all to a stadium. We’re talking about how the District can invest in removing blight.”