IV 

109TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 690 

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to curtail the growth 

of Government programs. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 16, 2006 

Mr. CONAWAY (for himself, Mr. AKIN, Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina, Mr. 

BARTLETT of Maryland, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. CANTOR, Mr. CHABOT, 

Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. FLAKE, Ms. FOXX, Mr. GARRETT of New Jersey, 

Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. GOODE, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. HOSTETTLER, Mr. 

ISSA, Mr. JINDAL, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. MCHENRY, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, 

Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. POE, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. 

SESSIONS, Mr. SHADEGG, and Mr. SODREL) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Rules 

RESOLUTION 

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to 

curtail the growth of Government programs. 

Whereas Congress must be committed to slowing the growth 

of Government spending, reforming inefficient Government programs, and removing burdensome Government 

regulations in order to lower the Federal budget deficit; 

Whereas Congress must pledge to hold the line on spending 

and the growth of Government for the remainder of this 

fiscal year and beyond; 

Whereas Congress needs to demonstrate to the people of the 

United States that it will not return to the failed fiscal 


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•HRES 690 IH 

policies of the past by attempting to solve budgetary 

problems by raising taxes to pay for new programs and 

more spending; 

Whereas a real solution to the Federal budget deficit must 

consist of the curtailment of unnecessary Federal programs, which are currently costing taxpayers billions of 

dollars; 

Whereas it is time to reduce the Federal budget deficit by 

demonstrating a strong commitment to reforming and 

eliminating inefficient and wasteful Government programs; 

Whereas to reduce the Federal budget deficit, Congress must 

do a better job of establishing priorities for Federal programs and spending; and 

Whereas to limit the growth of Government, Congress should 

only enact a new Federal program if Congress considers 

the program to be a higher priority than one or more 

current Federal programs of equal or greater cost: Now, 

therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That rule XXI of the Rules of the House 

2 of Representatives is amended by adding at the end the 

3 following new clause: 

4 ‘‘Limitation on bills establishing new programs 

5 ‘‘7. (a) It shall not be in order to consider a bill, joint 

6 resolution, amendment, or conference report containing a 

7 provision that establishes a new program, unless the bill, 

8 resolution, amendment, or conference report contains a 

9 provision that eliminates one or more existing programs 

10 of equal or greater total cost. 


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1 ‘‘(b) In this clause, the term ‘provision that estab2 lishes a new program’ includes a provision that modifies 

3 an existing program by adding a new function. 

4 ‘‘(c) For purposes of this clause, the cost of a pro5 gram shall be the amount authorized to be appropriated 

6 for the program, or, if the amount authorized to be appro7 priated is not specified, an estimate of the cost of the pro8 gram. 

9 ‘‘(d) This clause does not apply to a provision that 

10 establishes a new defense, homeland security, or emer11 gency program.’’. 

Æ 


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