H.R. 7191House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2018

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The Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2018 rewrites the House’s budget process to work on two‑year (biennial) cycles insteadof annual ones. It changes the timing, definitions, and procedural rules so Congress can set spending and revenue levels for a pair of fiscal years at once. The reforms affect all federal agencies, the House and Senate budget committees, and the way appropriations bills are considered.

Key Provisions

Adds the definition of a “biennium” (two consecutive fiscal years starting with an even‑numbered year) and updates related budget terms.
Revises the budget timetable so the President’s budget, CBO report, and committee views are completed by early February, with a biennial budget resolution due by May 1 of odd‑numbered years.
Requires the concurrent budget resolution to cover both years of the biennium, include subtotals for defense, non‑defense, direct spending, and net interest, and allow adjustments during the second session of a Congress.
Changes committee allocation rules so budget allocations apply to all fiscal years in the biennium rather than a single year.
Allows either House to adopt a revision or reaffirmation of the biennial budget before the biennium ends, using the same procedures as the original resolution.
Amends House rules to reflect biennial budgeting, including new timing for rule‑making, study periods in the second session, and updated point‑of‑order language.
Requires all House and Senate committees to submit views and estimates on major legislation by March 1 of the first session.
Mandates that the President submit an administrative budget with updated credit estimates by Dec 1 each year.
Creates a hearing, within 45 days of the Treasury’s audited financial statement, for the Comptroller General to present an analysis of the federal government’s fiscal condition.

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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.

Budget Committee

November 29, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

November 29, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Budget Committee

November 29, 2018

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 7191 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Steve WomackR-AR-3 · Dec 19, 2018

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage all of us to stay committed to reforming the Federal budget and appropriations process. Here we are, operating under a continuing resolution and scrambling to…

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to encourage all of us to stay committed to reforming the Federal budget and appropriations process.

Here we are, operating under a continuing resolution and scrambling to adopt another, our third of fiscal year 2019 alone. Despite good work being done to fund 5 of the 12 annual appropriations bills, after 2\1/2\ months and two continuing resolutions, our work remains unfinished.

Mr. Speaker, the power of the purse is the most important constitutional responsibility granted to Congress, yet we have regularly and repeatedly ceded our duty to fulfill this essential role. It is unacceptable, and it is clear that the Federal budget and appropriations process is broken. The American people deserve better.

As you know, the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform laid the groundwork for bipartisan, bicameral reform this past year. Our proposal began taking steps in the right direction to improve the process. While our efforts were unsuccessful, where we stand today highlights just how desperately our work was needed. It, Mr. Speaker, is now more necessary than ever.

I will continue to champion budget process reform and the ideas put forth by the joint select committee next year. Today, I sent a Dear Colleague letter outlining our year of work, which I include in the Record.

I encourage all Members to review it and join me in this essential effort. We owe the American people this process. Let's fix this.

Dear Colleague: In the Second Session of the 115th

Congress, I was honored to Co-Chair the Joint Select

Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform. As

members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Article I

entrusts in each of us the power of the purse. This is an

awesome responsibility that I, and I know each of you, take

very seriously. We owe it to the American people to have a

process that works, and that was the goal of the Joint Select

Committee--to produce recommendations to reform the federal

budget and appropriations process.

As you know, our Joint Select Committee produced a

bipartisan, bicameral consensus package of reforms in advance

of our statutory deadline of November 30, 2018. During our

markup, amendments were subjected to a supermajority

threshold to ensure those that passed reflected a true

consensus of the panel. Some amendments passed unanimously.

During the final debate on the bill, many members indicated

that they had no objection to the package's underlying

reforms. However, the bill and report developed over many

months of hard work failed to secure the necessary

supermajority of votes to pass under our Joint Select

Committee's rules.

Despite the unfortunate outcome of the Joint Select

Committee's work, there is no refuting that the federal

budget process is broken. It is vital that Congress continues

these efforts to reform the budget and appropriations process

this year, next year, and in the years beyond. I have

assembled in this Budget Committee print all the relevant

materials to this year's work. I urge all Members to review

this information. In this Committee print, you will find:

The report of the Joint Select Committee on Budget and

Appropriations Process Reform;

The Co-chair's mark, as amended, and voted on, by the Joint

Select Committee;

The votes of the Joint Select Committee;

Hearing transcripts of the Joint Select Committee's five

public hearings; Congressional Budget Office briefing

materials prepared for the Joint Select Committee;

Congressional Research Service briefing materials prepared

for the Joint Select Committee;

H.R. 7191--a bill introduced in the House by myself and

Representative Yarmuth, a Joint Select Committee Member and

Ranking Member of the House Budget Committee; and

The press release to accompany the introduction of H.R.

7191.

It is my sincere hope that this important work will

continue in the 116th Congress on a bipartisan and bicameral

basis. I believe Members of Congress, Executive Branch

officials, outside budget experts and academics, as well as

engaged citizens, will find this material useful for future

reform efforts.

I would like to thank the Members of the Joint Select

Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform, our

hardworking staffs, particularly Dan Keniry, David Reich, and

Mary Popadiuk, as well as the House Rules Committee staff,

Bob Weinhagen and Tom Cassidy in the Office of Legislative

Counsel, budget experts at the Congressional Research Service

and the Congressional Budget Office--particularly Mark Hadley

and Teri Gullo--and House Parliamentarian Tom Wickham and his

office, for the year of dedication.

If you have any questions or would like additional

information, please contact Dan Keniry, Staff Director of the

House Budget

Committee or Mary Popadiuk, General Counsel of the House

Budget Committee.

Steve Womack,

Chairman, Committee on the Budget.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued November 29, 2018

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7191

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

November 29, 2018

Mr. Womack (for himself and Mr. Yarmuth) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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 implement reforms to the budget and appropriations process in the House of Representatives.

Short title; table of contents

(a)

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2018.

(b)

Table of contents

The table of contents for this Act is as follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.

Title I—Biennial Budget Resolutions

Sec. 101. Purposes.

Sec. 102. Definitions.

Sec. 103. Revision of timetable.

Sec. 104. Biennial concurrent resolutions on the budget.

Sec. 105. Committee allocations.

Sec. 106. Revision of biennial budget.

Sec. 107. Additional amendments to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to effectuate biennial budgeting.

Sec. 108. Reconciliation process.

Sec. 109. Amendments to the Rules of the House of Representatives to effectuate biennial budgeting.

Sec. 110. Membership of the Committee on the Budget.

Sec. 111. Rulemaking authority.

Sec. 112. Effective date.

Title II—Other Matters

Sec. 201. Views and estimates of committees.

Sec. 202. Annual supplemental budget submission by the President.

Sec. 203. Hearing on the fiscal state of the Nation.

Biennial Budget Resolutions

101.

Purposes

Paragraph (2) of section 2 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended to read as follows:

(2)

to facilitate the determination biennially of the appropriate level of Federal revenues and expenditures by the Congress;

102.

Definitions

Section 3 of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 622) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (4), by striking for a fiscal year each place it appears and inserting for a biennium; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:

(12)

The term direct spending has the meaning given to such term in section 250(c)(8) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

(13)

The term biennium means any period of 2 consecutive fiscal years beginning with an even-numbered fiscal year.

(14)

The term budget year has the meaning given that term in section 250(c)(12) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Control Act of 1985.

103.

Revision of timetable

Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 631) is amended to read as follows:

300.

Timetable

The timetable with respect to the congressional budget process for any Congress is as follows:

First Session

On or before:	Action to be completed:
First Monday in February	President submits budget.
February 15	Congressional Budget Office submits report to Budget Committees.
March 1	Committees submit views and estimates to Budget Committees.
April 1	Senate Budget Committee reports biennial budget.
May 1	Congress completes action on the biennial budget.
May 15	Appropriation bills may be considered in the House of Representatives.
June 10	House Appropriations Committee reports last annual appropriation bill.
October 1	First fiscal year of the biennium begins.

Second Session

On or before:	Action to be completed:
First Monday in February	President submits budget.
February 15	Congressional Budget Office submits report to Budget Committees.
June 10	House Appropriations Committee reports last annual appropriation bill.
October 1	Second fiscal year of the biennium begins.

104.

Biennial concurrent resolutions on the budget

(a)

Contents of resolution

(1)

In general

Section 301(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(a)) is amended—

(A)

by striking On or before April 15 and all that follows through the following: and inserting the following: On or before May 1 of each odd-numbered calendar year, the Congress shall complete action on a concurrent resolution on the budget for the biennium beginning on October 1 of that calendar year. The concurrent resolution shall set forth appropriate levels for each fiscal year in the biennium and for at least each fiscal year in the next 2 bienniums for the following—;

(B)

in paragraph (6)—

(i)

by striking for the fiscal year and inserting for each fiscal year in the biennium; and

(ii)

by striking and at the end;

(C)

in paragraph (7)—

(i)

by striking for the fiscal year and inserting for each fiscal year in the biennium; and

(ii)

by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and;

(D)

by adding after paragraph (7) the following:

(8)

subtotals of new budget authority and outlays for nondefense discretionary spending; defense discretionary spending; direct spending; and net interest.

; and

(E)

by adding at the end of the matter following paragraph (8) (as added by subparagraph (D)) the following: The concurrent resolution on the budget for a biennium shall include procedures for adjusting spending and revenue levels, committee allocations, and other amounts in the resolution during the second session of a Congress to reflect an updated baseline that will be used for scoring purposes..

(b)

Additional Matters in concurrent resolution

Section 301(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(b)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (3), by striking for such fiscal year and inserting for either fiscal year in such biennium;

(2)

in paragraph (8), by striking and at the end;

(3)

in paragraph (9), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(4)

by adding at the end the following:

(10)

include total combined outlays and revenues for tax expenditures.

(c)

Hearings and report

Section 301(e)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(e)) is amended by striking fiscal year and inserting biennium.

(d)

Goals for reducing unemployment

Section 301(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(f)) is amended by striking fiscal year each place it appears and inserting biennium.

(e)

Economic assumptions

Section 301(g)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(g)(1)) is amended by striking for a fiscal year and inserting for a biennium.

(f)

Section heading

The section heading of section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632) is amended by striking Annual Adoption of and inserting Adoption of Biennial.

105.

Committee allocations

Section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 633) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)(1)—

(A)

by striking for that period of fiscal years and inserting for all fiscal years covered by the resolution; and

(B)

by striking only for the fiscal year of that resolution and inserting only for each fiscal year of the biennium;

(2)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

by striking subsection (a) and inserting subsection (a)(1);

(B)

by striking for a fiscal year and inserting for a budget year; and

(C)

by striking for that fiscal year and inserting for that budget year;

(3)

in subsection (f)(1)—

(A)

by striking for a fiscal year; and

(B)

by striking the first fiscal year and inserting either fiscal year of the biennium of that resolution; and

(4)

in subsection (f)(2)(A), by—

(A)

striking the first fiscal year and inserting either fiscal year of the biennium of that resolution; and

(B)

striking the total of fiscal years and inserting the total of all fiscal years covered by the resolution.

106.

Revision of biennial budget

Section 304 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 635) is amended to read as follows:

304.

Permissible revisions of concurrent resolutions on the budget

At any time after the concurrent resolution on the budget has been agreed to pursuant to section 301 and before the end of the biennium, the two Houses may adopt a concurrent resolution that revises or reaffirms the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget. Any concurrent resolution that revises or reaffirms the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget shall be considered under the procedures set forth in section 305.

107.

Additional amendments to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to effectuate biennial budgeting

(a)

Enforcement of section 303

Section 303 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 634) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (a)—

(A)

by striking for a fiscal year and inserting for a biennium; and

(B)

by striking the first fiscal year covered by that resolution and inserting either fiscal year of that biennium;

(2)

in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking the fiscal year and inserting the biennium; and

(3)

in subsection (c)—

(A)

in paragraph (1)—

(i)

by striking for a fiscal year and inserting for a biennium; and

(ii)

by striking for that year each place it appears and inserting for each year of that biennium; and

(B)

in paragraph (2), by striking after the year the allocation referred to in that paragraph is made and inserting after the years the allocations referred to in that paragraph are made.

(b)

Section 305

Subsections (a)(3) and (b)(3) of section 305 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 636) are amended by striking for a fiscal year.

(c)

Section 311 point of order

(1)

In the House of Representatives

Section 311(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 642(a)) is amended—

(A)

by striking for a fiscal year;

(B)

by striking the first fiscal year each place it appears and inserting either of the first two fiscal years covered by such resolution; and

(C)

by striking that first fiscal year and inserting either of the first two fiscal years.

(2)

In the Senate

Section 311(a)(2) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 642(a)(2)) is amended—

(A)

in subparagraph (A), by striking for the first fiscal year and inserting for either of the first two fiscal years; and

(B)

in subparagraph (B)—

(i)

by striking that first fiscal year the first place it appears and inserting either of the first two fiscal years; and

(ii)

by striking that first fiscal year and the ensuing fiscal years and inserting all fiscal years.

(3)

Social security levels

Section 311(a)(3) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 642(a)(2)) is amended by—

(A)

striking for the first fiscal year and inserting for either of the first two fiscal years; and

(B)

striking that fiscal year and the ensuing fiscal years and inserting all fiscal years.

108.

Reconciliation process

Section 310(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 641(a)) is amended—

(1)

in the matter before paragraph (1), by striking A concurrent and all that follows through shall and inserting A concurrent resolution on the budget for a biennium shall, for each fiscal year of the biennium;

(2)

in paragraph (1)(A), by striking for such fiscal year and inserting for each fiscal year of the biennium;

(3)

in paragraph (1)(C), by striking such fiscal year and inserting each fiscal year of the biennium; and

(4)

in paragraph (1)(D), by striking such fiscal year and inserting each fiscal year of the biennium.

109.

Amendments to the Rules of the House of Representatives to effectuate biennial budgeting

(a)

Clause 4(a)(4) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended by striking any allocations and inserting its allocations for the budget year and by striking fiscal year and inserting biennium.

(b)

Clause 4(b)(2) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended by striking for each fiscal year.

(c)

Clause 4(b) of rule X is amended by striking and at the end of subparagraph (5), by striking the period and inserting ; and at the end of subparagraph (6), and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(7)

use the second session of each Congress to study issues with long-term budgetary and economic implications.

(d)

Clause 4(f) of rule X is amended—

(1)

by striking fiscal year the first place it appears and inserting biennium;

(2)

by striking that fiscal year and inserting each fiscal year in such ensuing biennium; and

(3)

in subparagraph (1) by striking six weeks after the submission of the budget by the President and inserting March 1.

(e)

Clause 3(d)(1)(A) of rule XIII is amended by striking five both places it appears and inserting six.

110.

Membership of the Committee on the Budget

(a)

Clause 5(a)(2) of rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives is amended—

(1)

by striking subdivisions (B) and (C); and

(2)

in subdivision (A), by striking (A) and by redesignating items (i), (ii), and (iii) as subdivisions (A), (B), and (C), respectively.

(b)

The amendment made by subsection (a) shall take effect immediately before noon, January 3, 2019.

111.

Rulemaking authority

Sections 109 and 110 are enacted by the Congress—

(1)

as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of Representatives, and as such they shall be considered as part of the rules of the House and such rules shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and

(2)

with full recognition of the constitutional right of the House to change such rules at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the House.

112.

Effective date

This title and the amendments made by this title shall take effect immediately before noon January 3, 2019.

Other Matters

201.

Views and estimates of committees

Section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(d)) is amended to read as follows:

(d)

Views and estimates of other committees

(1)

In general

Not later than March 1 of the first session of a Congress, or upon the request of the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives or the Senate, each committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate having legislative jurisdiction shall submit to its respective Committee on the Budget its views and estimates (as determined by the committee making such submission) with respect to the following:

(A)

Any legislation to be considered during that Congress that is a priority for the committee.

(B)

Any legislation within the jurisdiction of the committee that would establish, amend, or reauthorize any Federal program and likely have a significant budgetary impact.

(2)

Additional matters

Any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate and any joint committee of the Congress may submit to the appropriate Committees on the Budget its views and estimates with respect to all matters set forth in subsections (a) and (b) which relate to matters within its jurisdiction.

(3)

Joint Economic Committee

The Joint Economic Committee shall submit to the Committees on the Budget of both Houses its recommendations as to the fiscal policy appropriate to the goals of the Employment Act of 1946.

202.

Annual supplemental budget submission by the President

Section 1106 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:

(d)

On or before December 1 of each calendar year, the President shall submit to Congress an administrative budget for the fiscal year beginning in the ensuing calendar year, which shall include up-to-date estimates for current year and prior year data and credit reestimates for the current year (as included in the Federal credit supplement of such budget).

203.

Hearing on the fiscal state of the Nation

(a)

In general

Not later than 45 days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays) after the date on which the Secretary of the Treasury submits to Congress the audited financial statement required under paragraph (1) of section 331(e) of title 31, United States Code, on a date agreed upon by the chairs of the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate and the Comptroller General of the United States, the chairs shall conduct a hearing to receive a presentation from the Comptroller General reviewing the findings of the audit required under paragraph (2) of such section and providing, with respect to the information included by the Secretary in the report accompanying such audited financial statement, an analysis of the financial position and condition of the Federal Government, including financial measures (such as the net operating cost, income, budget deficits, or budget surpluses) and sustainability measures (such as the long-term fiscal projection or social insurance projection) described in such report.

(b)

Effective date

The requirement under subsection (a) shall apply with respect to any audited financial statement submitted on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.