I 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 6996 

To establish the Joint Select Committee on Fiscal Responsibility and LongTerm Economic Security. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2020 

Mr. ROUDA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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 establish the Joint Select Committee on Fiscal 

Responsibility and Long-Term Economic Security. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fiscal Responsibility 

5 and Long-Term Economic Security Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE. 

7 Title III of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 

8 (2 U.S.C. 631 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

9 the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE ON FIS2 CAL RESPONSIBILITY AND LONG-TERM ECONOMIC

3 SECURITY

4 ‘‘SEC. 316. (a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

5 ‘‘(1) JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE.—The term 

6 ‘joint select committee’ means the Joint Select Com7 mittee on Fiscal Responsibility and Long-Term Eco8 nomic Security established under subsection (b)(1). 

9 ‘‘(2) JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE BILL.—The 

10 term ‘joint select committee bill’ means a bill con11 sisting of the proposed legislative language of the 

12 joint select committee recommended under sub13 section (b)(3)(B) and introduced under subsection 

14 (e)(1). 

15 ‘‘(3) FISCAL IMBALANCE.—The term ‘fiscal im16 balance’ means the gap between the projected reve17 nues and expenditures of the Government. 

18 ‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT OF JOINT SELECT COM19 MITTEE.— 

20 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established in 

21 the legislative branch a joint select committee to be 

22 known as the ‘Joint Select Committee on Fiscal Re23 sponsibility and Long-Term Economic Security’. 

24 ‘‘(2) PURPOSES.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) REVIEW.—The joint select committee 

2 shall review the fiscal imbalance of the Govern3 ment, including— 

4 ‘‘(i) analyses of projected expendi5 tures; 

6 ‘‘(ii) analyses of projected revenues; 

7 and 

8 ‘‘(iii) analyses of the current and 

9 long-term actuarial financial condition of 

10 the Government. 

11 ‘‘(B) IDENTIFY FACTORS.—The joint select 

12 committee shall identify factors that affect the 

13 long-term fiscal imbalance of the Government. 

14 ‘‘(C) ANALYZE POTENTIAL COURSES OF

15 ACTION.—The joint select committee shall ana16 lyze potential courses of action to address fac17 tors that affect the long-term fiscal imbalance 

18 of the Government. 

19 ‘‘(D) PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND

20 LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE.—In consultation with 

21 the applicable committees of subject-matter ju22 risdiction, the joint select committee shall pro23 vide recommendations and legislative language 

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1 cal imbalance of the Government, including rec2 ommendations addressing— 

3 ‘‘(i) expenditures; 

4 ‘‘(ii) revenues; and 

5 ‘‘(iii) the current and long-term actu6 arial financial condition of the Govern7 ment. 

8 ‘‘(3) DUTIES.— 

9 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The joint select com10 mittee shall address the Nation’s long-term fis11 cal imbalances, consistent with the purposes de12 scribed in paragraph (2), and shall submit the 

13 report and recommendations required under 

14 subparagraph (B). 

15 ‘‘(B) REPORT, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND

16 LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE.— 

17 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 

18 months after the date of enactment of the 

19 Fiscal Responsibility and Long-Term Eco20 nomic Security Act, the joint select com21 mittee shall vote on a report that con22 tains— 

23 ‘‘(I) a detailed statement of the 

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1 ommendations of the joint select com2 mittee; 

3 ‘‘(II) the assumptions, scenarios, 

4 and alternatives considered in reach5 ing such findings, conclusions, and 

6 recommendations; and 

7 ‘‘(III) proposed legislative lan8 guage to carry out such recommenda9 tions as described in paragraph 

10 (2)(D). 

11 ‘‘(ii) APPROVAL OF REPORT.—The re12 port of the joint select committee sub13 mitted under clause (i) shall require the 

14 approval of not fewer than 10 out of 16 

15 members that includes not fewer than 5 

16 members from the political party of the 

17 Speaker of the House and not fewer than 

18 5 members of the opposing political party. 

19 ‘‘(iii) ADDITIONAL VIEWS.—A member 

20 of the joint select committee who gives no21 tice of an intention to file supplemental, 

22 minority, or additional views at the time of 

23 final joint select committee approval of the 

24 report under clause (ii), shall be entitled to 

25 not less than 3 calendar days in which to 


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1 file such views in writing with the staff di2 rector of the joint select committee. Such 

3 views shall then be included in the joint se4 lect committee report and printed in the 

5 same volume, or part thereof, and their in6 clusion shall be noted on the cover of the 

7 report. In the absence of timely notice, the 

8 joint select committee report may be print9 ed and transmitted immediately without 

10 such views. 

11 ‘‘(iv) TRANSMISSION OF REPORT.— 

12 Not later than 7 days after the vote of the 

13 joint select committee under clause (i), the 

14 joint select committee shall submit its bill 

15 and final report to the Speaker of the 

16 House and the majority and minority lead17 ers of both Houses. 

18 ‘‘(v) REPORT TO BE MADE PUBLIC.— 

19 Upon the approval or disapproval of the 

20 joint select committee report pursuant to 

21 clause (ii), the joint select committee shall 

22 promptly make the full report, and a 

23 record of the vote, available to the public. 

24 ‘‘(4) MEMBERSHIP.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The joint select com2 mittee shall be composed of 16 members des3 ignated pursuant to subparagraph (B). 

4 ‘‘(B) DESIGNATION.—Members of the joint 

5 select committee shall be designated as follows: 

6 ‘‘(i) The majority leader of the Senate 

7 shall designate 4 members from among 

8 Members of the Senate. 

9 ‘‘(ii) The minority leader of the Sen10 ate shall designate 4 members from among 

11 Members of the Senate. 

12 ‘‘(iii) The Speaker of the House of 

13 Representatives shall designate 8 members 

14 from among Members of the House of 

15 Representatives of whom 4 shall be upon 

16 the recommendation of the minority leader. 

17 ‘‘(C) CO-CHAIRS.— 

18 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—There shall be 2 

19 Co-Chairs of the joint select committee. 

20 The Speaker of the House in coordination 

21 with the minority leader of the Senate 

22 shall designate one Co-Chair among the 

23 voting members of the joint select com24 mittee. The majority leader of the Senate 

25 in coordination with the minority leader of 


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1 the House shall designate the second Co2 Chair among the members of the joint se3 lect committee. The Co-Chairs shall be ap4 pointed not later than 30 days after the 

5 date of enactment of this section. 

6 ‘‘(ii) STAFF DIRECTOR.—The Co7 Chairs, acting jointly, shall hire the staff 

8 director of the joint select committee. 

9 ‘‘(D) DATE.—Members of the joint select 

10 committee shall be designated by not later than 

11 90 days after the date of enactment of this sec12 tion. 

13 ‘‘(E) PERIOD OF DESIGNATION.—Members 

14 shall be designated for the life of the joint se15 lect committee. Any vacancy in the joint select 

16 committee shall not affect its powers, but shall 

17 be filled not later than 15 days after the date 

18 on which the vacancy occurs in the same man19 ner as the original designation. 

20 ‘‘(5) ADMINISTRATION.— 

21 ‘‘(A) AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH RULES

22 AND REGULATIONS.—The Co-Chairs, in con23 sultation with the other members of the joint 

24 select committee, may establish rules and regu25 lations for the conduct of joint select committee 


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1 business, if such rules and regulations are not 

2 inconsistent with this section or the Rules of 

3 the House of Representatives or the Standing 

4 Rules of the Senate. 

5 ‘‘(B) QUORUM.—Nine members of the 

6 joint select committee shall constitute a quorum 

7 for purposes of voting, meeting, and holding 

8 hearings. 

9 ‘‘(C) VOTING.— 

10 ‘‘(i) PROXY VOTING.—No proxy voting 

11 shall be allowed on behalf of the members 

12 of the joint select committee. 

13 ‘‘(ii) CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OF14 FICE AND JOINT COMMITTEE ON TAXATION

15 ESTIMATES.—The Congressional Budget 

16 Office and Joint Committee on Taxation 

17 shall provide estimates of the joint select 

18 committee report and recommendations (as 

19 described in paragraph (2)(D)) in accord20 ance with section 308(a) and 201(f) of the 

21 Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The 

22 joint select committee may not vote on any 

23 version of the report, recommendations, or 

24 legislative language unless a final estimate 

25 is available for consideration by all the 


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1 members at least 72 hours prior to the 

2 vote. 

3 ‘‘(D) MEETINGS.— 

4 ‘‘(i) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later 

5 than 45 days after the appointment of the 

6 Co-Chairs, the joint select committee shall 

7 hold its first meeting. 

8 ‘‘(ii) MEETINGS.—The joint select 

9 committee shall meet at the call of the Co10 Chairs or at least 10 of its members. 

11 ‘‘(iii) AGENDA.—An agenda shall be 

12 provided to the joint select committee 

13 members at least 3 legislative days in ad14 vance of any meeting. Joint select com15 mittee members who want to have items 

16 placed on the agenda for consideration 

17 shall notify the staff director as early as 

18 possible, but not less than 48 hours in ad19 vance of a scheduled meeting. 

20 ‘‘(E) HEARINGS.— 

21 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The joint select 

22 committee may, for the purpose of carrying 

23 out this section, hold such hearings, sit 

24 and act at such times and places, take 

25 such testimony, receive such evidence, and 


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1 administer such oaths the joint select com2 mittee considers advisable. 

3 ‘‘(ii) HEARING PROCEDURES AND RE4 SPONSIBILITIES OF CO-CHAIRS.— 

5 ‘‘(I) ANNOUNCEMENT.—The 

6 joint select committee Co-Chairs shall 

7 make public announcement of the 

8 date, place, time, and subject matter 

9 of any hearing to be conducted at 

10 least 3 legislative days in advance of 

11 such hearing, unless the Co-Chairs de12 termine that there is good cause to 

13 begin such hearing at an earlier date. 

14 ‘‘(II) WRITTEN STATEMENT.—A 

15 witness appearing before the joint se16 lect committee, including the Sec17 retary of the Treasury, shall file a 

18 written statement of proposed testi19 mony at least 2 days prior to appear20 ance, unless the requirement is waived 

21 by the Co-Chairs, following their de22 termination that there is good cause 

23 for failure of compliance. 

24 ‘‘(F) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Upon 

25 written request of the Co-Chairs, a Federal 


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1 agency shall provide technical assistance to the 

2 joint select committee in order for the joint se3 lect committee to carry out its duties. 

4 ‘‘(c) STAFF OF JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE.— 

5 ‘‘(1) APPOINTMENT AND COMPENSATION OF

6 SHARED STAFF.—The Co-Chairs may appoint and 

7 fix the compensation of a staff director and such 

8 other personnel as may be necessary to enable the 

9 joint select committee to carry out its functions, 

10 without regard to the provisions of title 5, United 

11 States Code, governing appointments in the competi12 tive service, but at rates not to exceed the daily rate 

13 paid a person occupying a position at level III of the 

14 Executive Schedule under section 5314 of title 5, 

15 United States Code. 

16 ‘‘(2) ADDITIONAL STAFF FOR JOINT SELECT

17 COMMITTEE MEMBERS.—Each member of the joint 

18 select committee may appoint 1 additional dedicated 

19 staff and fix the compensation of such dedicated 

20 personnel without regard to the provisions of title 5, 

21 United States Code, governing appointments in the 

22 competitive service, but at rates not to exceed the 

23 daily rate paid a person occupying a position at level 

24 III of the Executive Schedule under section 5314 of 


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1 title 5, United States Code. Dedicated staff shall re2 port to each appointing member. 

3 ‘‘(3) ADVISORY PANEL.—The joint select com4 mittee may establish an advisory panel consisting of 

5 volunteers with knowledge and expertise relevant to 

6 the joint select committee’s purpose. Membership of 

7 the Advisory Panel, and the scope of the Panel’s ac8 tivities, shall be decided by the Co-Chairs in con9 sultation with the other members of the joint select 

10 committee. 

11 ‘‘(d) TERMINATION.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The joint select committee 

13 shall terminate 90 days after the joint select com14 mittee submits the report required under subsection 

15 (b)(3)(B). 

16 ‘‘(2) CONCLUDING ACTIVITIES.—The joint se17 lect committee may use the 90-day period referred 

18 to in paragraph (1) for the purpose of concluding its 

19 activities, including providing testimony to commit20 tees of Congress concerning its report and dissemi21 nating the final report. 

22 ‘‘(e) EXPEDITED PROCEDURES.— 

23 ‘‘(1) INTRODUCTION OF JOINT SELECT COM24 MITTEE BILL.—The joint select committee bill— 


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1 ‘‘(A) shall be introduced in the Senate (by 

2 request), with any technical changes necessary 

3 to carry out the intent of the bill, by the major4 ity leader of the Senate or by a Member of the 

5 Senate designated by the majority leader of the 

6 Senate not later than 5 legislative days after 

7 the date on which the bill is submitted to Con8 gress under subsection (b)(3)(B); and 

9 ‘‘(B) shall be introduced in the House of 

10 Representatives (by request), with any technical 

11 changes necessary to carry out the intent of the 

12 bill, by the Speaker of the House of Represent13 atives or by a Member of the House of Rep14 resentatives designated by the Speaker of the 

15 House of Representatives not later than 5 legis16 lative days after the date on which the bill is 

17 submitted to Congress under subsection 

18 (b)(3)(B). 

19 ‘‘(2) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION IN HOUSE OF

20 REPRESENTATIVES.— 

21 ‘‘(A) PLACEMENT ON CALENDAR.—Upon 

22 introduction in the House of Representatives, 

23 the joint select committee bill shall be placed 

24 immediately on the appropriate calendar. 

25 ‘‘(B) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.— 


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1 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—It shall be in 

2 order, not later than 30 legislative days 

3 after the date the joint select committee 

4 bill is introduced in the House of Rep5 resentatives, to move to proceed to con6 sider the joint select committee bill in the 

7 House of Representatives. 

8 ‘‘(ii) PROCEDURE.—For a motion to 

9 proceed to consider the joint select com10 mittee bill— 

11 ‘‘(I) all points of order against 

12 the motion are waived; 

13 ‘‘(II) such a motion shall not be 

14 in order after the House of Represent15 atives has disposed of a motion to 

16 proceed on the joint select committee 

17 bill; 

18 ‘‘(III) the previous question shall 

19 be considered as ordered on the mo20 tion to its adoption without inter21 vening motion; 

22 ‘‘(IV) the motion shall not be de23 batable; and 


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1 ‘‘(V) a motion to reconsider the 

2 vote by which the motion is disposed 

3 of shall not be in order. 

4 ‘‘(C) CONSIDERATION.—When the House 

5 of Representatives proceeds to consideration of 

6 the joint select committee bill— 

7 ‘‘(i) the joint select committee bill 

8 shall be considered as read; 

9 ‘‘(ii) all points of order against the 

10 joint select committee bill and against its 

11 consideration are waived; 

12 ‘‘(iii) the previous question shall be 

13 considered as ordered on the joint select 

14 committee bill to its passage without inter15 vening motion except 10 hours of debate 

16 equally divided and controlled by the pro17 ponent and an opponent; 

18 ‘‘(iv) an amendment to the joint select 

19 committee bill shall not be in order; and 

20 ‘‘(v) a motion to reconsider the vote 

21 on passage of the joint select committee 

22 bill shall not be in order. 

23 ‘‘(D) VOTE ON PASSAGE.—In the House of 

24 Representatives, the joint select committee bill 

25 shall be agreed to upon a vote of a majority of 


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1 the Members present and voting, a quorum 

2 being present. 

3 ‘‘(3) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION IN SEN4 ATE.— 

5 ‘‘(A) PLACEMENT ON CALENDAR.—Upon 

6 introduction in the Senate, the joint select com7 mittee bill shall be placed immediately on the 

8 calendar. 

9 ‘‘(B) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.— 

10 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding 

11 rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the 

12 Senate, it is in order, not later than 30 

13 legislative days after the date the joint se14 lect committee bill is introduced in the 

15 Senate (even though a previous motion to 

16 the same effect has been disagreed to) to 

17 move to proceed to the consideration of the 

18 joint select committee bill. 

19 ‘‘(ii) PROCEDURE.—For a motion to 

20 proceed to the consideration of the joint 

21 select committee bill— 

22 ‘‘(I) all points of order against 

23 the motion are waived; 

24 ‘‘(II) the motion is not debatable; 


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1 ‘‘(III) the motion is not subject 

2 to a motion to postpone; 

3 ‘‘(IV) a motion to reconsider the 

4 vote by which the motion is agreed to 

5 or disagreed to shall not be in order; 

6 and 

7 ‘‘(V) if the motion is agreed to, 

8 the joint select committee bill shall re9 main the unfinished business until 

10 disposed of. 

11 ‘‘(C) FLOOR CONSIDERATION.— 

12 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—If the Senate pro13 ceeds to consideration of the joint select 

14 committee bill— 

15 ‘‘(I) all points of order against 

16 the joint select committee bill (and 

17 against consideration of the joint se18 lect committee bill) are waived; 

19 ‘‘(II) consideration of the joint 

20 select committee bill, and all debatable 

21 motions and appeals in connection 

22 therewith, shall be limited to not more 

23 than 30 hours, which shall be divided 

24 equally between the majority and mi25 nority leaders or their designees; 


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1 ‘‘(III) a motion further to limit 

2 debate is in order and not debatable; 

3 ‘‘(IV) an amendment to, a mo4 tion to postpone, or a motion to com5 mit the joint select committee bill is 

6 not in order; and 

7 ‘‘(V) a motion to proceed to the 

8 consideration of other business is not 

9 in order. 

10 ‘‘(ii) VOTE ON PASSAGE.—In the Sen11 ate— 

12 ‘‘(I) the vote on passage shall 

13 occur immediately following the con14 clusion of the consideration of the 

15 joint select committee bill, and a sin16 gle quorum call at the conclusion of 

17 the debate if requested in accordance 

18 with the rules of the Senate; and 

19 ‘‘(II) the joint select committee 

20 bill shall be agreed to upon a vote of 

21 a majority of the Members present 

22 and voting, a quorum being present. 

23 ‘‘(iii) RULINGS OF THE CHAIR ON

24 PROCEDURE.—Appeals from the decisions 

25 of the Chair relating to the application of 


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1 this subsection or the rules of the Senate, 

2 as the case may be, to the procedure relat3 ing to the joint select committee bill shall 

4 be decided without debate. 

5 ‘‘(4) RULES RELATING TO SENATE AND HOUSE

6 OF REPRESENTATIVES.— 

7 ‘‘(A) COORDINATION WITH ACTION BY

8 OTHER HOUSE.—If, before the passage by one 

9 House of the joint select committee bill of that 

10 House, that House receives from the other 

11 House the joint select committee bill— 

12 ‘‘(i) the joint select committee bill of 

13 the other House shall not be referred to a 

14 committee; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) with respect to the joint select 

16 committee bill of the House receiving the 

17 resolution— 

18 ‘‘(I) the procedure in that House 

19 shall be the same as if no joint select 

20 committee bill had been received from 

21 the other House; and 

22 ‘‘(II) the vote on passage shall be 

23 on the joint select committee bill of 

24 the other House. 


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1 ‘‘(B) TREATMENT OF JOINT SELECT COM2 MITTEE BILL OF OTHER HOUSE.—If one House 

3 fails to introduce or consider the joint select 

4 committee bill under this subsection, the joint 

5 select committee bill of the other House shall be 

6 entitled to expedited floor procedures under this 

7 subsection. 

8 ‘‘(C) TREATMENT OF COMPANION MEAS9 URES.—If, following passage of the joint select 

10 committee bill in the Senate, the Senate re11 ceives the companion measure from the House 

12 of Representatives, the companion measure 

13 shall not be debatable. 

14 ‘‘(D) VETOES.—If the President vetoes the 

15 joint select committee bill, consideration of a 

16 veto message in the Senate under this sub17 section shall be not more than 10 hours equally 

18 divided between the majority and minority lead19 ers or their designees.’’. 

Æ 


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