[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5667 Introduced in House (IH)]
109th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 5667
To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
to provide for the expedited consideration of certain proposed
rescissions of discretionary budget authority, promote fiscal
responsibility, reinstate Pay-As-You-Go rules, require responsible use
of reconciliation procedures, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 21, 2006
Mr. Spratt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committees on Rules and
Standards of Official Conduct, for a period to be subsequently
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such
provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
to provide for the expedited consideration of certain proposed
rescissions of discretionary budget authority, promote fiscal
responsibility, reinstate Pay-As-You-Go rules, require responsible use
of reconciliation procedures, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Deficit Reduction and Effective
Legislative Line Item Veto Act of 2006''.
TITLE I--LEGISLATIVE LINE ITEM VETO
SEC. 101. LEGISLATIVE LINE ITEM VETO.
(a) In General.--Title X of the Congressional Budget and
Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 621 et seq.) is amended by
striking all of part B (except for sections 1016 and 1013, which are
redesignated as sections 1018 and 1019, respectively) and part C and
inserting the following:
``Part B--Legislative Line Item Veto
``line item veto authority
``Sec. 1011. (a) Proposed Cancellations.--Within 10 calendar days
after the enactment of any bill or joint resolution providing any
discretionary budget authority or targeted tax benefit, the President
may propose, in the manner provided in subsection (b), the cancellation
of any dollar amount of such discretionary budget authority or targeted
tax benefit. Except for emergency spending, if the 10 calendar-day
period expires during a period where either House of Congress stands
adjourned sine die at the end of a Congress or for a period greater
than 10 calendar days, the President may propose a cancellation under
this section and transmit a special message under subsection (b) on the
first calendar day of session following such a period of adjournment.
``(b) Transmittal of Special Message.--
``(1) Special message.--
``(A) In general.--The President may transmit to
the Congress a special message proposing to cancel any
dollar amounts of discretionary budget authority or
targeted tax benefits.
``(B) Contents of special message.--Each special
message shall specify with respect to the discretionary
budget authority proposed or targeted tax benefits to
be canceled--
``(i) the dollar amount of discretionary
budget authority (that OMB, after consultation
with CBO, estimates to increase budget
authority or outlays as required by section
1016(9)) or the targeted tax benefit that the
President proposes be canceled;
``(ii) any account, department, or
establishment of the Government to which such
discretionary budget authority is available for
obligation, and the specific project or
governmental functions involved;
``(iii) the reasons why such discretionary
budget authority or targeted tax benefit should
be canceled;
``(iv) to the maximum extent practicable,
the estimated fiscal, economic, and budgetary
effect (including the effect on outlays and
receipts in each fiscal year) of the proposed
cancellation;
``(v) to the maximum extent practicable,
all facts, circumstances, and considerations
relating to or bearing upon the proposed
cancellation and the decision to effect the
proposed cancellation, and the estimated effect
of the proposed cancellation upon the objects,
purposes, or programs for which the
discretionary budget authority or the targeted
tax benefit is provided;
``(vi) a numbered list of cancellations to
be included in an approval bill that, if
enacted, would cancel discretionary budget
authority or targeted tax benefits proposed in
that special message; and
``(vii) if the special message is
transmitted subsequent to or at the same time
as another special message, a detailed
explanation why the proposed cancellations are
not substantially similar to any other proposed
cancellation in such other message.
``(C) Duplicative proposals prohibited.--The
President may not propose to cancel the same or
substantially similar discretionary budget authority or
targeted tax benefit more than one time under this Act.
``(D) Maximum number of special messages.--The
President may not transmit to the Congress more than
one special message under this subsection related to
any bill or joint resolution described in subsection
(a).
``(E) Prohibition on Presidential Abuse of Proposed
Cancellations.--Neither the President nor any other
executive branch official shall condition the inclusion
or exclusion or threaten to condition the inclusion or
exclusion of any proposed cancellation in any special
message under this section on any vote cast or to be
cast by any Member of either House of Congress.
``(2) Enactment of approval bill.--
``(A) Deficit reduction.--Amounts of discretionary
budget authority or targeted tax benefits which are
canceled pursuant to enactment of a bill as provided
under this section shall be dedicated only to reducing
the deficit or increasing the surplus.
``(B) Adjustment of levels in the concurrent
resolution on the budget.--Not later than 5 days after
the date of enactment of an approval bill as provided
under this section, the chairs of the Committees on the
Budget of the Senate and the House of Representatives
shall revise allocations and aggregates and other
appropriate levels under the appropriate concurrent
resolution on the budget to reflect the cancellation,
and the applicable committees shall report revised
suballocations pursuant to section 302(b), as
appropriate.
``(C) Adjustments to statutory limits.--After
enactment of an approval bill as provided under this
section, the Office of Management and Budget shall
revise applicable limits under the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as appropriate.
``procedures for expedited consideration
``Sec. 1012. (a) Expedited Consideration.--
``(1) In general.--The majority leader of each House or his
designee shall (by request) introduce an approval bill as
defined in section 1016 not later than the fifth day of session
of that House after the date of receipt of a special message
transmitted to the Congress under section 1011(b) .
``(2) Consideration in the house of representatives.--
``(A) Referral and reporting.--Any committee of the
House of Representatives to which an approval bill is
referred shall report it to the House without amendment
not later than the seventh legislative day after the
date of its introduction. If a committee fails to
report the bill within that period or the House has
adopted a concurrent resolution providing for
adjournment sine die at the end of a Congress, it shall
be in order to move that the House discharge the
committee from further consideration of the bill. Such
a motion shall be in order only at a time designated by
the Speaker in the legislative schedule within two
legislative days after the day on which the proponent
announces his intention to offer the motion. Such a
motion shall not be in order after a committee has
reported an approval bill with respect to that special
message or after the House has disposed of a motion to
discharge with respect to that special message. The
previous question shall be considered as ordered on the
motion to its adoption without intervening motion
except twenty minutes of debate equally divided and
controlled by the proponent and an opponent. If such a
motion is adopted, the House shall proceed immediately
to consider the approval bill in accordance with
subparagraph (B). A motion to reconsider the vote by
which the motion is disposed of shall not be in order.
``(B) Proceeding to consideration.--After an
approval bill is reported or a committee has been
discharged from further consideration, or the House has
adopted a concurrent resolution providing for
adjournment sine die at the end of a Congress, it shall
be in order to move to proceed to consider the approval
bill in the House. Such a motion shall be in order only
at a time designated by the Speaker in the legislative
schedule within two legislative days after the day on
which the proponent announces his intention to offer
the motion. Such a motion shall not be in order after
the House has disposed of a motion to proceed with
respect to that special message. There shall be not
more than 5 hours of general debate equally divided and
controlled by the proponent and an opponent of the
bill. After general debate, the bill shall be
considered as read for amendment under the five-minute
rule. Only one motion to rise shall be in order, except
if offered by the manager. No amendment to the bill is
in order, except any Member if supported by 99 other
Members (a quorum being present) may offer an amendment
striking the reference number or numbers of a
cancellation or cancellations from the bill.
Consideration of the bill for amendment shall not
exceed one hour excluding time for recorded votes and
quorum calls. No amendment shall be subject to further
amendment, except pro forma amendments for the purposes
of debate only. At the conclusion of the consideration
of the bill for amendment, the Committee shall rise and
report the bill to the House with such amendments as
may have been adopted. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the bill and amendments
thereto to final passage without intervening motion. A
motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the bill
shall not be in order.
``(C) Senate bill.--An approval bill received from
the Senate shall not be referred to committee.
``(3) Consideration in the senate.--
``(A) Motion to proceed to consideration.--A motion
to proceed to the consideration of a bill under this
subsection in the Senate shall not be debatable. It
shall not be in order to move to reconsider the vote by
which the motion to proceed is agreed to or disagreed
to.
``(B) Limits on debate.--Debate in the Senate on a
bill under this subsection, and all amendments and
debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith
(including debate pursuant to subparagraph (D)), shall
not exceed 10 hours, equally divided and controlled in
the usual form.
``(C) Appeals.--Debate in the Senate on any
debatable motion or appeal in connection with a bill
under this subsection shall be limited to not more than
1 hour, to be equally divided and controlled in the
usual form.
``(D) Amendments.--During consideration under this
subsection, any Member of the Senate may move to strike
any proposed cancellation or cancellations of budget
authority or targeted tax benefit, as applicable, if
supported by 15 other Members.
``(E) Motion to limit debate.--A motion in the
Senate to further limit debate on a bill under this
subsection is not debatable.
``(F) Motion to recommit.--A motion to recommit a
bill under this subsection is not in order.
``(G) Consideration of the house bill.--
``(i) In general.--If the Senate has
received the House companion bill to the bill
introduced in the Senate prior to the vote on
the Senate bill, then the Senate may consider,
and the vote may occur on, the House companion
bill.
``(ii) Procedure after vote on senate
bill.--If the Senate votes on the bill
introduced in the Senate, then immediately
following that vote, or upon receipt of the
House companion bill, the House bill if
identical to the Senate bill shall be deemed to
be considered, read the third time, and the
vote on passage of the Senate bill shall be
considered to be the vote on the bill received
from the House.
``(b) Amendments and Divisions Prohibited.--Except as otherwise
provided by this section, no amendment to a bill considered under this
section shall be in order in either the House of Representatives or the
Senate. It shall not be in order to demand a division of the question
in the House of Representatives (or in a Committee of the Whole) or in
the Senate. No motion to suspend the application of this subsection
shall be in order in either House, nor shall it be in order in either
House to suspend the application of this subsection by unanimous
consent.
(c) Consideration of Conference Reports.--(1) Debate in the House
of Representatives or the Senate on the conference report and any
amendments in disagreement on any approval bill shall be limited to not
more than 2 hours, which shall be divided equally between the majority
leader and the minority leader. A motion further to limit debate is not
debateable. A motion to recommit the conference report is not in order,
and it is not in order to move to reconsider the vote by which the
conference report is agreed to or disagreed to.
(2) If an approval bill is amended by either House of Congress and
a committee of conference has not completed action (or such committee
of conference was never appointed) on such bill by the 15th calendar
day after both Houses have passed such bill, then any Member of either
House may introduce a bill comprised only of the text of the approval
bill as initially introduced and that bill shall be considered under
the procedures set forth in this section except that no amendments
shall be in order in either House.
``presidential deferral authority
``Sec. 1013. (a) Temporary Presidential Authority to Withhold
Discretionary Budget Authority.--
``(1) In general.--At the same time as the President
transmits to the Congress a special message pursuant to section
1011(b), the President may direct that any dollar amount of
discretionary budget authority to be canceled in that special
message shall not be made available for obligation for a period
not to exceed 30 calendar days from the date the President
transmits the special message to the Congress or for emergency
spending for a period not to exceed 7 calendar days.
``(2) Early availability.--The President shall make any
dollar amount of discretionary budget authority deferred
pursuant to paragraph (1) available at a time earlier than the
time specified by the President if the President determines
that continuation of the deferral would not further the
purposes of this Act.
``(b) Temporary Presidential Authority To Suspend a Targeted Tax
Benefit.--
``(1) In general.--At the same time as the President
transmits to the Congress a special message pursuant to section
1011(b), the President may suspend the implementation of any
targeted tax benefit proposed to be repealed in that special
message for a period not to exceed 30 calendar days from the
date the President transmits the special message to the
Congress.
``(2) Early availability.--The President shall terminate
the suspension of any targeted tax benefit at a time earlier
than the time specified by the President if the President
determines that continuation of the suspension would not
further the purposes of this Act.
``treatment of cancellations
``Sec. 1014. The cancellation of any dollar amount of discretionary
budget authority or targeted tax benefit shall take effect only upon
enactment of the applicable approval bill. If an approval bill is not
enacted into law before the end of the applicable period under section
1013, then all proposed cancellations contained in that bill shall be
null and void and any such dollar amount of discretionary budget
authority or targeted tax benefit shall be effective as of the original
date provided in the law to which the proposed cancellations applied.
``reports by comptroller general
``Sec. 1015. With respect to each special message under this part,
the Comptroller General shall issue to the Congress a report
determining whether any discretionary budget authority is not made
available for obligation or targeted tax benefit continues to be
suspended after the deferral authority set forth in section 1013 of the
President has expired.
``definitions
``Sec. 1016. As used in this part:
``(1) Appropriation law.--The term `appropriation law'
means an Act referred to in section 105 of title 1, United
States Code, including any general or special appropriation
Act, or any Act making supplemental, deficiency, or continuing
appropriations, that has been signed into law pursuant to
Article I, section 7, of the Constitution of the United States.
``(2) Approval bill.--The term `approval bill' means a bill
or joint resolution which only approves proposed cancellations
of dollar amounts of discretionary budget authority or targeted
tax benefits in a special message transmitted by the President
under this part and--
``(A) the title of which is as follows: `A bill
approving the proposed cancellations transmitted by the
President on ____', the blank space being filled in
with the date of transmission of the relevant special
message and the public law number to which the message
relates;
``(B) which does not have a preamble; and
``(C) which provides only the following after the
enacting clause: `That the Congress approves of
proposed cancellations ____', the blank space being
filled in with a list of the cancellations contained in
the President's special message, `as transmitted by the
President in a special message on ____', the blank
space being filled in with the appropriate date,
`regarding ____.', the blank space being filled in with
the public law number to which the special message
relates;
``(D) which only includes proposed cancellations
that are estimated by CBO to meet the definition of
discretionary budgetary authority or that are
identified as targeted tax benefits pursuant to
paragraph (9) of section 1016; and
``(E) if no CBO estimate is available, then the
entire list of legislative provisions affecting
discretionary budget authority proposed by the
President is inserted in the second blank space in
subparagraph (C).
``(3) Calendar day.--The term `calendar day' means a
standard 24-hour period beginning at midnight.
``(4) Cancel or cancellation.--The terms `cancel' or
`cancellation' means to prevent--
``(A) budget authority from having legal force or
effect; or
``(B) a targeted tax benefit from having legal
force or effect; and
to make any necessary, conforming statutory change to ensure
that such targeted tax benefit is not implemented and that any
budgetary resources are appropriately canceled.
``(5) CBO.--The term `CBO' means the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office.
``(6) Direct spending.--The term `direct spending' means--
``(A) budget authority provided by law (other than
an appropriation law);
``(B) entitlement authority; and
``(C) the food stamp program.
``(7) Dollar amount of discretionary budget authority.--(A)
Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the term ``dollar
amount of discretionary budget authority'' means the entire
dollar amount of budget authority--
``(i) specified in an appropriation law, or the
entire dollar amount of budget authority or obligation
limitation required to be allocated by a specific
proviso in an appropriation law for which a specific
dollar figure was not included;
``(ii) represented separately in any table, chart,
or explanatory text included in the statement of
managers or the governing committee report accompanying
such law;
``(iii) required to be allocated for a specific
program, project, or activity in a law (other than an
appropriation law) that mandates the expenditure of
budget authority from accounts, programs, projects, or
activities for which budget authority is provided in an
appropriation law;
``(iv) represented by the product of the estimated
procurement cost and the total quantity of items
specified in an appropriation law or included in the
statement of managers or the governing committee report
accompanying such law; or
``(v) represented by the product of the estimated
procurement cost and the total quantity of items
required to be provided in a law (other than an
appropriation law) that mandates the expenditure of
budget authority from accounts, programs, projects, or
activities for which budget authority is provided in an
appropriation law.
``(B) The term `dollar amount of discretionary budget
authority' does not include--
``(i) direct spending;
``(ii) budget authority in an appropriation law
which funds direct spending provided for in other law;
``(iii) any existing budget authority canceled in
an appropriation law; or
``(iv) any restriction, condition, or limitation in
an appropriation law or the accompanying statement of
managers or committee reports on the expenditure of
budget authority for an account, program, project, or
activity, or on activities involving such expenditure.
``(8) OMB.--The term `OMB' means the Director of the Office
of Management and Budget.
``(9) Targeted tax benefit.--(A) The term `targeted tax
benefit' means any revenue-losing provision that provides a
Federal tax deduction, credit, exclusion, or preference to 100
or fewer beneficiaries (determined with respect to either
present law or any provision of which the provision is a part)
under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 in any year for which
the provision is in effect;
``(B) for purposes of subparagraph (A)--
``(i) all businesses and associations that are
members of the same controlled group of corporations
(as defined in section 1563(a) of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986) shall be treated as a single beneficiary;
``(ii) all shareholders, partners, members, or
beneficiaries of a corporation, partnership,
association, or trust or estate, respectively, shall be
treated as a single beneficiary;
``(iii) all employees of an employer shall be
treated as a single beneficiary;
``(iv) all qualified plans of an employer shall be
treated as a single beneficiary;
``(v) all beneficiaries of a qualified plan shall
be treated as a single beneficiary;
``(vi) all contributors to a charitable
organization shall be treated as a single beneficiary;
``(vii) all holders of the same bond issue shall be
treated as a single beneficiary; and
``(viii) if a corporation, partnership,
association, trust or estate is the beneficiary of a
provision, the shareholders of the corporation, the
partners of the partnership, the members of the
association, or the beneficiaries of the trust or
estate shall not also be treated as beneficiaries of
such provision;
``(C) for the purpose of this paragraph, the term `revenue-
losing provision' means any provision that is estimated to
result in a reduction in Federal tax revenues (determined with
respect to either present law or any provision of which the
provision is a part) for any one of the following periods--
``(i) the first fiscal year for which the provision
is effective;
``(ii) the period of the 5 fiscal years beginning
with the first fiscal year for which the provision is
effective;
``(iii) the period of 10 fiscal years beginning
with the first fiscal year for which the provision is
effective; or
``(iv) the period of 20 fiscal years beginning with
the first fiscal year for which the provision is
effective; and
``(D) the terms used in this paragraph shall have the same
meaning as those terms have generally in the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, unless otherwise expressly provided.
``expiration
``Sec. 1017. This title shall have no force or effect on or after 2
years after the date of enactment of this section.''.
SEC. 102. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.
(a) Exercise of Rulemaking Powers.--Section 904 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 621 note) is amended--
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ``1017'' and inserting
`1012''; and
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ``section 1017'' and
inserting ``section 1012''.
(b) Clerical Amendments.--(1) Section 1(a) of the Congressional
Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended by striking the
last sentence.
(2) Section 1022(c) of such Act (as redesignated) is amended by
striking ``rescinded or that is to be reserved'' and inserting
``canceled'' and by striking ``1012'' and inserting ``1011''.
(3) Table of Contents.--The table of contents set forth in section
1(b) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is
amended by deleting the contents for parts B and C of title X and
inserting the following:
``Part B--Legislative Line Item Veto
``Sec. 1011. Line item veto authority.
``Sec. 1012. Procedures for expedited consideration.
``Sec. 1013. Presidential deferral authority.
``Sec. 1014. Treatment of cancellations.
``Sec. 1015. Reports by Comptroller General.
``Sec. 1016. Definitions.
``Sec. 1017. Expiration.
``Sec. 1018. Suits by Comptroller General.
``Sec. 1019. Proposed Deferrals of budget authority.''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this Act shall take
effect on the date of its enactment and apply only to any dollar amount
of discretionary budget authority or targeted tax benefit provided in
an Act enacted on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
TITLE II--PAY-AS-YOU-GO EXTENSION
SEC. 201. PAY-AS-YOU-GO EXTENSION.
(a) Section 252 Amendments.--Section 252 of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended by striking ``2002''
both places it appears and inserting ``2011''.
(b) Section 275 Amendment.--Section 275(b) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended by striking
``2006'' and inserting ``2016''.
TITLE III--RECONCILIATION INSTRUCTIONS MAY NOT INCREASE THE DEFICIT
SEC. 301. DEFINITION OF RECONCILIATION.
Section 310 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by
adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Definition of Reconciliation Legislation.--As used in this
Act, a reconciliation bill or reconciliation resolution is a measure
that, if enacted, would reduce the deficit or increase the surplus for
each fiscal year covered by such measure compared to the most recent
Congressional Budget Office estimate for any such fiscal year.''.
TITLE IV--EARMARK REFORM
SEC. 401. CURBING ABUSES OF POWER.
Rule XXIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives (the Code
of Official Conduct) is amended--
(1) by redesignating clause 14 as clause 16; and
(2) by inserting after clause 13 the following new clauses:
``14. A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner shall not
condition the inclusion of language to provide funding for a district-
oriented earmark, a particular project which will be carried out in a
Member's congressional district, or a limited tax benefit in any bill
or joint resolution (or an accompanying report thereof) or in any
conference report on a bill or joint resolution (including an
accompanying joint statement of managers thereto) on any vote cast by
the Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner in whose Congressional
district the project will be carried out.
``15. (a) A Member, Delegate, or Resident Commissioner who
advocates to include a district-oriented earmark in any bill or joint
resolution (or an accompanying report) or in any conference report on a
bill or joint resolution (including an accompanying joint statement of
managers thereto) shall disclose in writing to the chairman and ranking
member of the relevant committee (and in the case of the Committee on
Appropriations to the chairman and ranking member of the full committee
and of the relevant subcommittee)--
``(1) the name of the Member, Delegate, or Resident
Commissioner;
``(2) the name and address of the intended recipient of
such earmark;
``(3) the purpose of such earmark; and
``(4) whether the Member, Delegate, or Resident
Commissioner has a financial interest in such earmark.
``(b) Each committee shall make available to the general public the
information transmitted to the committee under paragraph (a) for any
earmark included in any measure reported by the committee or conference
report filed by the chairman of the committee or any subcommittee
thereof.
``(c) The Joint Committee on Taxation shall review any revenue
measure or any reconciliation bill or joint resolution which includes
revenue provisions before it is reported by a committee and before it
is filed by a committee of conference of the two Houses, and shall
identify whether such bill or joint resolution contains any limited tax
benefits. The Joint Committee on Taxation shall prepare a statement
identifying any such limited tax benefits, stating who the
beneficiaries are of such benefits, and any substantially similar
introduced measures and the sponsors of such measures. Any such
statement shall be made available to the general public by the Joint
Committee on Taxation.''.
SEC. 402. KNOWING WHAT THE HOUSE IS VOTING ON.
(a) Bills and Joint Resolutions.--
(1) In general.--Rule XIII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives is amended by adding at the end the following
new clause:
``8. Except for motions to suspend the rules and consider
legislation, it shall not be in order to consider in the House a bill
or joint resolution until 24 hours after or, in the case of a bill or
joint resolution containing a district-oriented earmark or limited tax
benefit, until 3 days after copies of such bill or joint resolution
(and, if the bill or joint resolution is reported, copies of the
accompanying report) are available (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or
legal holidays except when the House is in session on such a day).''.
(2) Prohibiting waiver.--Clause 6(c) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives is amended--
(A) by striking `or' at the end of subparagraph
(1);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (2) and inserting `; or'; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(3) a rule or order that waives clause 8 of rule XIII or
clause 8(a)(1)(B) of rule XXII, unless a question of
consideration of the rule is adopted by a vote of two-thirds of
the Members voting, a quorum being present.''.
(b) Conference Reports.--Clause 8(a)(1)(B) of rule XXII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives is amended by striking ``2
hours'' and inserting ``24 hours or, in the case of a conference report
containing a district-oriented earmark or limited tax benefit, until 3
days after''.
SEC. 403. FULL AND OPEN DEBATE IN CONFERENCE.
(a) Numbered Amendments.--Clause 1 of rule XXII of the Rules of the
House of Representatives is amended by adding at the end the following
new sentence: ``A motion to request or agree to a conference on a
general appropriation bill is in order only if the Senate expresses its
disagreements with the House in the form of numbered amendments.''.
(b) Promoting Openness in Deliberations of Managers.--Clause 12(a)
of rule XXII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended by
adding at the end the following new subparagraph:
``(3) All provisions on which the two Houses disagree shall
be open to discussion at any meeting of a conference committee.
The text which reflects the conferees' action on all of the
differences between the two Houses, including all matter to be
included in the conference report and any amendments in
disagreement, shall be available to any of the managers at
least one such meeting, and shall be approved by a recorded
vote of a majority of the House managers. Such text and, with
respect to such vote, the total number of votes cast for and
against, and the names of members voting for and against, shall
be included in the joint explanatory statement of managers
accompanying the conference report of such conference
committee.''.
(c) Point of Order Against Consideration of Conference Report Not
Reflecting Resolution of Differences as Approved.--
(1) In general.--Rule XXII of the Rules of the House of
Representatives is amended by adding at the end the following
new clause:
``13. It shall not be in order to consider a conference report the
text of which differs in any material way from the text which reflects
the conferees' action on all of the differences between the two Houses,
as approved by a recorded vote of a majority of the House managers as
required under clause 12(a).''.
(2) Prohibiting waiver.--Clause 6(c) of rule XIII of the
Rules of the House of Representatives, as amended above, is
amended
(A) by striking `or' at the end of subparagraph
(2);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (3) and inserting `; or'; and
(C) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(4) a rule or order that waives clause 12(a) or clause 13
of rule XXII.''.
<all>