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'Deeming Resolution': A Budget Enforcement Tool [June 9, 2011]
"'Deeming resolution' is a term that refers to legislation deemed to serve as an annual budget resolution for purposes of establishing enforceable budget levels for a budget cycle. A deeming resolution is used when the House and Senate are late in reaching final agreement on a budget resolution or fail to reach agreement altogether. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 requires the annual adoption of a budget resolution establishing aggregate levels of revenues, spending, the debt limit, and the surplus or deficit, as well as allocations of spending. Enforcement of the budget resolution relies primarily upon points of order and reconciliation procedures. With regard to the enforcement of budget aggregates and committee spending allocations, the major points of order are found in Sections 311 and 302 of the act, respectively. […] For FY2005 and FY2007, the House and Senate again used deeming resolutions when they were unable to reach final agreement on the budget resolutions for those fiscal years. For FY2011, only the House agreed to a formal deeming resolution. The Senate chose instead to rely on informal limits on budgetary legislation. For FY2012, the House has agreed to H.Res. 287, a special rule deeming H.Con.Res. 34 as adopted, pending the adoption by the House and Senate of a budget resolution for FY2012. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-06-09
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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Legislative Action [June 7, 2011]
"The budget reconciliation process is an optional procedure under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that operates as an adjunct to the annual budget resolution process. The chief purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress's ability to change current law in order to bring revenue and spending levels into conformity with the policies of the budget resolution. Accordingly, reconciliation probably is the most potent budget enforcement tool available to Congress for a large portion of the budget. Reconciliation is a two-stage process in which reconciliation instructions are included in the budget resolution, directing the appropriate committees to develop legislation achieving the desired budgetary outcomes, and the resultant legislation (usually incorporated into an omnibus bill) is considered under expedited procedures in the House and Senate. […] With regard to the use of reconciliation by congressional session, action on 11 such measures was completed during the first session, and on 12 such measures during the second session. Congress and the President have shown the ability to initiate the reconciliation process and conclude it reasonably early in the same session; in the case of eight bills (for seven different years), reconciliation measures were enacted or vetoed before the end of August. On the other hand, the reconciliation process can be lengthy and drawn out; in four instances, reconciliation measures were not enacted or vetoed until December, and in five other instances, carried over to the following year. This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-06-07
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Statutory Limits on Total Spending as a Method of Budget Control [July 26, 2011]
"Often when there is dissatisfaction with budgetary levels, budget process reforms are proposed to mandate a specific budgetary policy or fiscal objective. This report focuses specifically on one such budget process reform--the concept of creating a statutory limit on total spending. As discussed in this report, a total spending limit consists of statutory long-term or permanent limits on federal spending coupled with a statutory enforcement mechanism that would make automatic reductions in spending in the event that compliance with the limits is not achieved through legislative action. Such spending limits would comprise any new spending as well as spending that results from previously enacted law. By encompassing all types of spending, and by including a statutory enforcement mechanism, a total spending limit attempts to remedy a perceived limitation of the congressional budget resolution, under which Congress establishes limits on spending in various categories that can be enforced or waived by Congress at its own discretion. […] Statutory limits have been subject to criticism for ceding Congress's 'power of the purse,' targeting spending rather than the deficit or debt, attempting to address a budgetary problem through procedure instead of policy changes that would themselves reduce spending, and for other reasons. This report provides information on the concept of a statutory limit on total spending, including objectives, complications, and criticisms. The report also includes information on the many features of spending limit proposals, which can vary considerably. Lastly, the report provides observations on budgetary controls, similar to statutory spending limits, from an historical perspective."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-07-26
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Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Background and Congressional Options [July 20, 2011]
From the Summary: "One of the most persistent political issues facing Congress in recent decades is whether to require that the budget of the United States be in balance. Although a balanced federal budget has long been held as a political ideal, the accumulation of large deficits in recent years has heightened concern that some action to require a balance between revenues and expenditures may be necessary. The debate over a balanced budget measure actually consists of several interrelated debates. Most prominently, the arguments of proponents have focused on the economy and the possible harm resulting from consistently large deficits and a growing federal debt. Another issue involves whether such a requirement should be statutory or made part of the Constitution. Some proponents of balanced budgets oppose a constitutional amendment, fearing that it would prove to be too inflexible for dealing with future circumstances. […] Congress ultimately will decide whether consideration should be given to a constitutional requirement for a balanced budget; and if it decides to proceed, it will need to decide whether there should be exceptions to the requirement, or if it should include provisions such as a separate capital budget or a limitation on expenditures or revenues. […] This report provides an overview of the issues and options that have been raised during prior consideration of proposals for a balanced budget constitutional amendment. It will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Saturno, James; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-07-20
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'Deeming Resolution': A Budget Enforcement Tool [May 2, 2012]
"'Deeming resolution' is a term that refers to legislation that is deemed to serve as an annual budget resolution for purposes of establishing enforceable budget levels for a budget cycle. A deeming resolution is used when the House and Senate are late in reaching final agreement on a budget resolution or fail to reach agreement altogether. Either chamber may initiate its own budget enforcement procedures by adopting a 'deeming resolution' in the form of a simple resolution. This report describes substantive enforcement procedures associated with the budget resolution, explains the concept of a 'deeming resolution,' discusses House and Senate action on deeming resolutions, and provides information on a related topic, waiving a bar against the consideration of budgetary legislation for a fiscal year before a budget resolution for that fiscal year has been adopted."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2012-05-02
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Reconciliation Directives: Components and Enforcement [May 3, 2012]
"The purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress's ability to bring existing spending, revenue, and debt-limit laws into compliance with current fiscal priorities established in the annual budget resolution. When Congress adopts a budget resolution, it is agreeing upon its budgetary goals for the upcoming fiscal year. In some cases, for these goals to be achieved, Congress must pass legislation that alters current revenue, direct spending, or debt-limit laws. Reconciliation instructions are the means by which Congress can establish the roles that specific committees will play in achieving these goals. Budget reconciliation is an optional, congressional process that consists of several different stages. The first stage in the reconciliation process is the adoption of the budget resolution. If Congress intends to utilize the reconciliation process to achieve its budgetary goals, reconciliation directives (also referred to as reconciliation instructions) must be included in the annual budget resolution. To achieve the budgetary goals set forth in the budget resolution, reconciliation directives designate which committee(s) should report reconciliation legislation, the date by which the committee(s) should report, the dollar amount of budgetary change to be achieved in the reconciliation legislation, and the time period over which the impact of the budgetary change should be measured. They might also include language identifying the type of budgetary change that should be reported as well as other procedural provisions, contingencies, and programmatic direction. This report discusses these various components of reconciliation instructions. There is no procedural mechanism for requiring a committee to report reconciliation legislation on time, or at all. Each chamber, however, has methods that it can employ to allow it to move forward with reconciliation legislation and to include legislative language that falls within the non-reporting committee's jurisdiction, in the event that a committee has not reported. These methods vary by chamber."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2012-05-03
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Introduction to the Federal Budget Process [December 3, 2012]
"Budgeting for the federal government is an enormously complex process. It entails dozens of subprocesses, countless rules and procedures, the efforts of tens of thousands of staff persons in the executive and legislative branches, millions of work hours each year, and the active participation of the President and congressional leaders, as well as other members of Congress and executive officials. The enforcement of budgetary decisions involves a complex web of procedures that encompasses both congressional and executive actions. In the last four decades or so, these procedures have been rooted principally in two statutes--the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. The 1974 act established a congressional budget process in which budget policies are enforced by Congress during the consideration of individual measures. The 1985 act embodies additional statutory enforcement procedures, substantially modified in 1990 and 1997, that have been used by the executive to enforce budget policies after the end of a congressional session. […] The President's budget is required by law to be submitted to Congress early in the legislative session. While the budget is only a request to Congress, the power to formulate and submit the budget is a vital tool in the President's direction of the executive branch and of national policy. The President's proposals often influence congressional revenue and spending decisions, though the extent of the influence varies from year to year and depends more on political and fiscal conditions than on the legal status of the budget."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Heniff, Bill; Lynch, Megan Suzanne; Tollestrup, Jessica
2012-12-03
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Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Background and Congressional Options [August 3, 2011]
From the Summary: "One of the most persistent political issues facing Congress in recent decades is whether to require that the budget of the United States be in balance. Although a balanced federal budget has long been held as a political ideal, the accumulation of large deficits in recent years has heightened concern that some action to require a balance between revenues and expenditures may be necessary. The debate over a balanced budget measure actually consists of several interrelated debates. Most prominently, the arguments of proponents have focused on the economy and the possible harm resulting from consistently large deficits and a growing federal debt. Another issue involves whether such a requirement should be statutory or made part of the Constitution. Some proponents of balanced budgets oppose a constitutional amendment, fearing that it would prove to be too inflexible for dealing with future circumstances. [...] This report provides an overview of the issues and options that have been raised during prior consideration of proposals for a balanced budget constitutional amendment. It will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Saturno, James; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-08-03
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Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Background and Congressional Options [December 20, 2011]
From the Summary: "One of the most persistent political issues facing Congress in recent decades is whether to require that the budget of the United States be in balance. Although a balanced federal budget has long been held as a political ideal, the accumulation of large deficits in recent years has heightened concern that some action to require a balance between revenues and expenditures may be necessary. The debate over a balanced budget measure actually consists of several interrelated debates. Most prominently, the arguments of proponents have focused on the economy and the possible harm resulting from consistently large deficits and a growing federal debt. Another issue involves whether such a requirement should be statutory or made part of the Constitution. Some proponents of balanced budgets oppose a constitutional amendment, fearing that it would prove to be too inflexible for dealing with future circumstances. […] This report provides an overview of the issues and options that have been raised during prior consideration of proposals for a balanced budget constitutional amendment. It will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Saturno, James; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-12-20
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Budget Process Reform: Proposals and Legislative Actions in 2012 [March 2, 2012]
"An array of budget process reform proposals are put forth each year seeking to refine or modify the existing constitutional requirements, laws, and rules that make up the federal budget process. This report identifies, tracks, and explains current budget process reform proposals reported from committee or considered on the floor during 2012. The proposals are organized into categories related to the existing budget process. When appropriate, a brief description of the current process is provided. Measures included in this report are H.R. 3575, the Legally Binding Budget Act of 2011; H.R. 3521, the Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescission Act of 2011; H.R. 3578, the Baseline Reform Act of 2012; H.R. 3582, the Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2011; and H.R. 3581, the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2011."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2012-03-02
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Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment: Background and Congressional Options [July 8, 2011]
From the Summary: "One of the most persistent political issues facing Congress in recent decades is whether to require that the budget of the United States be in balance. Although a balanced federal budget has long been held as a political ideal, the accumulation of large deficits in recent years has heightened concern that some action to require a balance between revenues and expenditures may be necessary. The debate over a balanced budget measure actually consists of several interrelated debates. Most prominently, the arguments of proponents have focused on the economy and the possible harm resulting from consistently large deficits and a growing federal debt. Another issue involves whether such a requirement should be statutory or made part of the Constitution. Some proponents of balanced budgets oppose a constitutional amendment, fearing that it would prove to be too inflexible for dealing with future circumstances. […] Congress ultimately will decide whether consideration should be given to a constitutional requirement for a balanced budget; and if it decides to proceed, it will need to decide whether there should be exceptions to the requirement, or if it should include provisions such as a separate capital budget or a limitation on expenditures or revenues. […] This report provides an overview of the issues and options that have been raised during prior consideration of proposals for a balanced budget constitutional amendment. It will be updated as events warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Saturno, James; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-07-08
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Statutory Budget Controls in Effect Between 1985 and 2002 [July 1, 2011]
"Between 1985 and 2002, several statutory budget controls were enacted to reduce the budget deficit. Chief among these were the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 and the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990. The mechanisms included in these acts sought to supplement and modify the existing budget process, and also added statutory budget controls, in some cases seeking to require future deficit reduction legislation, and in some cases seeking to preserve deficit reduction achieved in accompanying legislation. The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, known as the Gramm- Rudman-Hollings Act, was passed during a period of growing deficits, as part of legislation to increase the debt limit. The act did not include legislation that reduced the deficit, but instead established a statutory requirement for the gradual reduction and elimination of budget deficits over a six-year period. The act specified annual deficit limits and set forth a specific process for the cancellation of spending by executive order, known as a sequester order, to enforce the annual deficit limit in the event that compliance was not achieved through legislation. The deficit targets and timetable were modified and extended in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Reaffirmation Act of 1987. […] This report provides information on the basic operation of the budgetary controls and will be updated as warranted."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2011-07-01
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'Deeming Resolution': A Budget Enforcement Tool [June 26, 2012]
"'Deeming resolution' is a term that refers to legislation deemed to serve as an annual budget resolution for purposes of establishing enforceable budget levels for a budget cycle. A deeming resolution is used when the House and Senate have not agreed on a budget resolution. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 provides for the annual adoption of a budget resolution establishing aggregate levels of revenues, spending, the debt limit, and the surplus or deficit, as well as allocations of spending. Enforcement of the budget resolution relies primarily upon points of order and reconciliation procedures. With regard to the enforcement of budget aggregates and committee spending allocations, the major points of order are found in Sections 311 and 302 of the act, respectively. The term 'deeming resolution' is not officially defined, nor is there any specific statute or rule authorizing such legislation. Instead, the use of a deeming resolution simply represents the House and Senate employing regular legislative procedures to deal with the issue on an ad hoc basis. […] On March 20, 2012, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad filed in the Congressional Record aggregate spending levels, aggregate revenue levels, and committee spending levels enforceable in the Senate, which have been referred to as a 'deeming resolution.' Both the requirement that the Senate Budget chair file such levels and the requirement that these levels be enforceable in the Senate results from the Budget Control Act of 2011 (Section 106(b)(2); P.L. 112-25). This report will be updated as developments warrant."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2012-06-26
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Budget Resolution and Spending Legislation [March 27, 2009]
"During the week of March 23, 2009, both the House Budget Committee and the Senate Budget Committee approved their respective versions of a FY2010 budget resolution. The budget resolution establishes congressional priorities by dividing spending among the 20 major functional categories of the federal budget. These 20 categories do not correspond to the committee system by which Congress operates, and as a result these spending levels must be 'crosswalked' to the House and Senate committees having jurisdiction over both discretionary and direct spending. These amounts are known as 302(a) allocations and hold committees accountable for staying within the spending limits established by the budget resolution. [...] It is inevitable that Members will consider the impact on particular programs or agencies when they consider a budget resolution. While the budget resolution does not allocate funds among specific agencies or programs, congressional assumptions or desires underlying the amounts set forth in the functional categories are frequently communicated through the budget resolution. Report language accompanying the budget resolution, as well as certain provisions in the budget resolution, can sometimes express non-binding programmatic assumptions and desires. Budget resolutions also often include procedural provisions such as reserve funds or reconciliation instructions. These provisions may also reflect underlying program assumptions or desires of Congress."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2009-03-27
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'Deeming Resolution': A Budget Enforcement Tool [June 12, 2013]
"'Deeming resolution' is a term that refers to legislation deemed to serve as an annual budget resolution for purposes of establishing enforceable budget levels for a budget cycle. A deeming resolution is used when the House and Senate have not agreed on a budget resolution. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 provides for the annual adoption of a budget resolution establishing aggregate levels of revenues, spending, the debt limit, and the surplus or deficit, as well as allocations of spending. Enforcement of the budget resolution relies primarily upon points of order and reconciliation procedures. With regard to the enforcement of budget aggregates and committee spending allocations, the major points of order are found in Sections 311 and 302 of the act, respectively. The term 'deeming resolution' is not officially defined, nor is there any specific statute or rule authorizing such legislation. Instead, the use of a deeming resolution simply represents the House and Senate employing regular legislative procedures to deal with the issue on an ad hoc basis. The form and content of a deeming resolution is not prescribed, so it may be shaped to meet the particular needs at hand. For example, the House and Senate have used simple resolutions as the legislative vehicle in the past, but a deeming resolution may be incorporated into a bill, such as an annual appropriations act, as a single provision. At a minimum, deeming resolutions provide new spending allocations to the Appropriations Committees, but they also may set new aggregate budget levels, provide revised spending allocations to other House and Senate committees, or provide for other related purposes."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2013-06-12
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Provisions in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 as an Alternative to a Traditional Budget Resolution [May 8, 2014]
"The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 (P.L. 113-67) included as Title I, Subtitle B, a section titled, 'Establishing a Congressional Budget' designed to serve as a substitute for a traditional congressional budget resolution for FY2014 and potentially for FY2015. This report provides an explanation of such provisions, highlights how those provisions compare with a traditional budget resolution, and places them within the context of the budget process for FY2014 and FY2015.This report assumes a general understanding of the congressional budget process. For more information on the budget resolution and the congressional budget process generally, see CRS [Congressional Research Service] Report 98-721, 'Introduction to the Federal Budget Process,' coordinated by Bill Heniff Jr."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2014-05-08
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Earmark Disclosure Rules in the House: Member and Committee Requirements [May 21, 2015]
"Earmark disclosure rules in both the House and Senate establish certain administrative responsibilities that vary by chamber. Under House rules, a Member requesting that an earmark be included in legislation is responsible for providing specific written information, such as the purpose and recipient of the earmark, to the committee of jurisdiction. Further, House committees are responsible for compiling, presenting, and maintaining such requests in accord with House rules. In the House, disclosure rules apply to any congressional earmark, limited tax benefit, or limited tariff benefit included in either the text of a bill or any report accompanying the measure, including a conference report and joint explanatory statement. The disclosure requirements apply to earmarks in appropriations legislation, authorizing legislation, and tax measures. Furthermore, they apply not only to measures reported by committees but also to measures not reported by committees, 'manager's amendments,' and conference reports. This report will be updated as needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2015-05-21
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Earmark Disclosure Rules in the Senate: Member and Committee Requirements [May 21, 2015]
"Earmark disclosure rules in both the House and the Senate establish certain administrative responsibilities that vary by chamber. Under Senate rules, a Senator requesting that an earmark be included in legislation is responsible for providing specific written information, such as the purpose and recipient of the earmark, to the committee of jurisdiction. Further, Senate committees are responsible for compiling and presenting such information in accord with Senate rules. In the Senate, disclosure rules apply to any congressional earmark, limited tax benefit, or limited tariff benefit included in either the text of a bill or any report accompanying the measure, including a conference report and joint explanatory statement. The disclosure requirements apply to earmarks in appropriations legislation, authorizing legislation, and tax measures. Furthermore, they apply not only to measures reported by committees but also to measures not reported by committees, floor amendments, and conference reports. This report will be updated as needed."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2015-05-21
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Budget Reconciliation Process: Stages of Consideration [June 2, 2015]
"The purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress's ability to bring existing spending, revenue, and debt limit laws into compliance with current fiscal priorities and goals established in the annual budget resolution. In adopting a budget resolution, Congress is agreeing upon its budgetary goals for the upcoming fiscal year. Because it is in the form of a concurrent resolution, however, it is not presented to the President or enacted into law. As a consequence, any statutory changes concerning spending or revenues that are necessary to implement these policies must be enacted in separate legislation. Budget reconciliation is an optional congressional process that operates as an adjunct to the budget resolution process and occurs only if reconciliation instructions are included in the budget resolution. Reconciliation instructions are the means by which Congress can establish the roles that specific committees will play in achieving these budgetary goals. Reconciliation consists of several different stages, which are described in this report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne; Saturno, James
2015-06-02
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Deeming Resolutions: Budget Enforcement in the Absence of a Budget Resolution [December 3, 2015]
From the Summary: "The budget resolution reflects an agreement between the House and Senate on a budgetary plan for the upcoming fiscal year. When the House and Senate do not reach final agreement on this plan, it may be more difficult for Congress to reach agreement on subsequent budgetary legislation, both within each chamber and between the chambers. In the absence of agreement on a budget resolution, Congress may employ alternative legislative tools to serve as a substitute for a budget resolution. These substitutes are typically referred to as 'deeming resolutions,' because they are deemed to serve in place of an annual budget resolution for the purposes of establishing enforceable budget levels for the upcoming fiscal year. Since the creation of the budget resolution, there have been nine years in which Congress did not come to agreement on a budget resolution. In each of those years, one or both chambers employed at least one deeming resolution to serve as a substitute for a budget resolution. While referred to as deeming resolutions, such mechanisms are not formally defined and have no specifically prescribed content. Instead, they simply denote the House and Senate, often separately, engaging legislative procedures to deal with enforcement issues on an ad hoc basis. As described below, the mechanisms can vary significantly in content and timing. This report covers the use of deeming resolutions in years when the House and Senate did not agree on a budget resolution."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2015-12-03
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Motion to Recommit in the House of Representatives [January 6, 2016]
"The motion to recommit provides a final opportunity for the House to affect a measure before passage, either by amending the measure or sending it back to committee. The motion to recommit is often referred to as 'the minority's motion,' because preference in recognition for offering a motion to recommit is given to a member of the minority party who is opposed to the bill. The stated purpose of giving the minority party this right was to allow them to 'have a vote upon its position upon great public questions.' House rules protect this minority right, as it is not in order for the House Committee on Rules to report a special rule that would preclude offering a motion to recommit a bill or joint resolution prior to its initial passage. Motions to recommit are of two types: 'straight' motions and motions that include instructions. A Member offering a 'straight' motion to recommit seeks to send the measure to committee with no requirement for further consideration by the House. A Member offering a motion to recommit with instructions seeks to immediately amend the underlying bill on the House floor. […] This report provides an overview of House rules and precedents governing the motion to recommit and describes procedural and political effects of the motion. This report will be updated to reflect any changes in House rules governing the usage of the motion to recommit."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2016-01-06
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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives [January 19, 2016]
"When reconciliation directives (also referred to as reconciliation instructions) are included in an annual budget resolution, their purpose is to require committees to develop and report reconciliation legislation that will achieve the budgetary goals set forth in the annual budget resolution. The reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution specify several things, including the committee instructed to report reconciliation legislation, the level of budgetary changes the committee should report, and the date by which the committee should report. Although reconciliation directives included in an annual budget resolution direct a committee to report legislation achieving a specific budgetary outcome by a specific date, there is no procedural mechanism for enforcing this date. Committees have often reported reconciliation legislation in response to their directives after the date specified with no impact on whether the resultant legislation was considered under House and Senate procedures as reconciliation legislation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2016-01-19
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Congress and the Budget: 2016 Actions and Events [January 29, 2016]
From the Summary: "The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, but does not dictate how Congress must fulfill this constitutional duty. Congress has, therefore, developed certain types of budgetary legislation, along with rules and practices that govern its content and consideration. This set of budgetary legislation, rules, and practices is often referred to as the congressional budget process. It is important to note, however, that there is no prescribed congressional budget process that must be strictly followed each year, and Congress does not always consider budgetary measures in a linear or predictable pattern. Such dissimilarity can be the result of countless factors, such as a lack of consensus, competing budgetary priorities, the economy, natural disasters, military engagements, and other circumstances creating complications, obstacles, and interruptions within the policymaking process. Since the budget process will vary significantly each year, it is better understood not as a definite set of actions that must occur annually, but instead as an array of opportunities for affecting the federal budget. This report seeks to assist in (1) anticipating what budget-related actions might occur within the upcoming year, and (2) staying abreast of budget actions that occur this year. It provides a general description of the recurrent types of budgetary actions, and reflects on current events that unfold in each category during 2016. In addition, it includes information on certain events that may affect Congress's work on the budget, such as the President's budget request and the Congressional Budget Office's budget and economic outlook. The most-recent budget actions will be noted at the beginning of the report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Driessen, Grant A.; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2016-01-29
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Congress and the Budget: 2016 Actions and Events [January 19, 2016]
From the Summary: "The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, but does not dictate how Congress must fulfill this constitutional duty. Congress has, therefore, developed certain types of budgetary legislation, along with rules and practices that govern its content and consideration. This set of budgetary legislation, rules, and practices is often referred to as the congressional budget process. It is important to note, however, that there is no prescribed congressional budget process that must be strictly followed each year, and Congress does not always consider budgetary measures in a linear or predictable pattern. Such dissimilarity can be the result of countless factors, such as a lack of consensus, competing budgetary priorities, the economy, natural disasters, military engagements, and other circumstances creating complications, obstacles, and interruptions within the policymaking process. Since the budget process will vary significantly each year, it is better understood not as a definite set of actions that must occur annually, but instead as an array of opportunities for affecting the federal budget. This report seeks to assist in (1) anticipating what budget-related actions might occur within the upcoming year, and (2) staying abreast of budget actions that occur this year. It provides a general description of the recurrent types of budgetary actions, and reflects on current events that unfold in each category during 2016. In addition, it includes information on certain events that may affect Congress's work on the budget, such as the President's budget request and the Congressional Budget Office's budget and economic outlook. The most-recent budget actions will be noted at the beginning of the report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Driessen, Grant A.; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2016-01-19
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Congress and the Budget: 2016 Actions and Events [April 22, 2016]
"The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, but does not dictate how Congress must fulfill this constitutional duty. Congress has, therefore, developed certain types of budgetary legislation, along with rules and practices that govern its content and consideration. This set of budgetary legislation, rules, and practices is often referred to as the congressional budget process.
There is no prescribed congressional budget process that must be strictly followed each year, and Congress does not always consider budgetary measures in a linear or predictable pattern. Such dissimilarity can be the result of countless factors, such as a lack of consensus, competing budgetary priorities, the economy, natural disasters, military engagements, and other circumstances creating complications, obstacles, and interruptions within the policymaking process."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Driessen, Grant A.; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2016-04-22
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Congress and the Budget: 2016 Actions and Events [July 22, 2016]
From the Summary: "The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, but does not dictate how Congress must fulfill this constitutional duty. Congress has, therefore, developed certain types of budgetary legislation, along with rules and practices that govern its content and consideration. This set of budgetary legislation, rules, and practices is often referred to as the congressional budget process. There is no prescribed congressional budget process that must be strictly followed each year, and Congress does not always consider budgetary measures in a linear or predictable pattern. Such dissimilarity can be the result of countless factors, such as a lack of consensus, competing budgetary priorities, the economy, natural disasters, military engagements, and other circumstances creating complications, obstacles, and interruptions within the policymaking process. Since the budget process will vary significantly each year, it is better understood not as a definite set of actions that must occur annually, but instead as an array of opportunities for affecting the federal budget. This report seeks to assist in (1) anticipating what budget-related actions might occur within the upcoming year, and (2) staying abreast of budget actions that occur this year. It provides a general description of the recurrent types of budgetary actions, and reflects on current events that unfold in each category during 2016. In addition, it includes information on certain events that may affect Congress's work on the budget, such as the President's budget request and the Congressional Budget Office's budget and economic outlook. The most-recent budget actions will be noted at the beginning of the report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Driessen, Grant A.; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2016-07-22
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Congress and the Budget: 2016 Actions and Events [October 17, 2016]
"The Constitution grants Congress the power of the purse, but does not dictate how Congress must fulfill this constitutional duty. Congress has, therefore, developed certain types of budgetary legislation, along with rules and practices that govern its content and consideration. This set of budgetary legislation, rules, and practices is often referred to as the congressional budget process. There is no prescribed congressional budget process that must be strictly followed each year, and Congress does not always consider budgetary measures in a linear or predictable pattern. Such dissimilarity can be the result of countless factors, such as a lack of consensus, competing budgetary priorities, the economy, natural disasters, military engagements, and other circumstances creating complications, obstacles, and interruptions within the policymaking process. Since the budget process will vary significantly each year, it is better understood not as a definite set of actions that must occur annually, but instead as an array of opportunities for affecting the federal budget. This report seeks to assist in (1) anticipating what budget-related actions might occur within the upcoming year, and (2) staying abreast of budget actions that occur this year. It provides a general description of the recurrent types of budgetary actions, and reflects on current events that unfold in each category during 2016. In addition, it includes information on certain events that may affect Congress's work on the budget, such as the President's budget request and the Congressional Budget Office's budget and economic outlook. The most-recent budget actions will be noted at the beginning of the report."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Driessen, Grant A.; Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2016-10-17
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Questions of the Privileges of the House: An Analysis [April 28, 2015]
"A 'question of the privileges of the House' is a formal declaration by a Member of the House asserting that a situation has arisen affecting 'the rights of the House collectively, its safety, dignity and the integrity of its proceedings.' Once a question of the privileges of the House is raised, the Speaker must, at some point, entertain the question and rule on its validity. The Speaker makes such a ruling with guidance from the House Parliamentarian based on House rule and precedent. If it is ruled to be valid, a question of the privileges of the House will be considered and possibly voted on by the House. The notion of questions of privilege predates Congress, but the House demonstrated a reluctance to define such a question for over a century. The chamber eventually found it necessary to create a definition as part of a rule that would prevent Members from consuming floor time under the pretext of raising a question of the privileges of the House. Despite the creation of the rule, however, raising a question of the privileges of the House continues to allow any Member to be recognized and to have a resolution read on the floor, even if the question is later ruled not to be valid."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2015-04-28
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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives [October 24, 2013]
"When reconciliation directives, also referred to as reconciliation instructions, are included in an annual budget resolution, their purpose is to require committees to develop and report reconciliation legislation that will achieve the budgetary goals set forth in the annual budget resolution. The reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution specify several things, including the committee instructed to report reconciliation legislation, the level of budgetary changes the committee should report, and the date by which the committee should report. Although reconciliation directives included in an annual budget resolution direct a committee to report legislation achieving a specific budgetary outcome by a specific date, there is no procedural mechanism for enforcing this date. Committees have often reported reconciliation legislation in response to their directives after the date specified, with no impact on whether the resultant legislation was considered under House and Senate procedures as reconciliation legislation. In some years, committees have not formally responded to the reconciliation directive instructing them to report legislation. Although there is no procedural mechanism for enforcing the date included in the committee's reconciliation directive, Congress may employ methods of moving forward with reconciliation legislation that falls within a non-reporting committee's jurisdiction in the event that the committee has not yet reported. These methods vary by chamber and are only employable in certain situations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2013-10-24
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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Legislative Action [October 24, 2013]
"The budget reconciliation process is an optional procedure under the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that operates as an adjunct to the annual budget resolution process. The chief purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress's ability to change current law in order to bring revenue and spending levels into conformity with the policies of the budget resolution. Accordingly, reconciliation probably is the most potent budget enforcement tool available to Congress for a large portion of the budget. Reconciliation is a two-stage process in which reconciliation instructions are included in the budget resolution, directing the appropriate committees to develop legislation achieving the desired budgetary outcomes, and the resultant legislation (usually incorporated into an omnibus bill) is considered under expedited procedures in the House and Senate. Reconciliation was first used by the House and Senate in calendar year 1980 for FY1981. As an optional procedure, it has not been used every year. During the period from 1980 to the present, 20 reconciliation measures were enacted into law and three were vetoed. Under a revised timetable in effect since FY1987, the annual budget resolution is scheduled for final adoption by the House and Senate by April 15. The current timetable prescribes June 15 as the deadline for completing action on any required reconciliation legislation, but there is no explicit requirement to that effect."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Lynch, Megan Suzanne
2013-10-24
