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[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2929 Introduced in House (IH)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2929

 To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 
         to reform the budget process, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 6, 1993

   Mr. Cox of California (for himself, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Michel, Mr. 
 Pallone, Mr. Gingrich, Mr. Penny, Mr. Condit, Mr. Armey, Mr. Jacobs, 
   Mr. Kasich, Mrs. Lloyd, Mr. Clinger, Mr. Dreier, Ms. Harman, Mr. 
Allard, Mr. Archer, Mr. Bachus of Alabama, Mr. Baker of California, Mr. 
    Baker of Louisiana, Mr. Ballenger, Mr. Barrett of Nebraska, Mr. 
 Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Bateman, Mrs. Bentley, 
 Mr. Bereuter, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Bliley, Mr. Blute, Mr. Boehlert, Mr. 
 Boehner, Mr. Bonilla, Mr. Bunning, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Buyer, 
Mr. Callahan, Mr. Calvert, Mr. Camp, Mr. Canady, Mr. Castle, Mr. Coble, 
   Mr. Collins of Georgia, Mr. Crane, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. 
DeLay, Mr. Dickey, Mr. Doolittle, Mr. Dornan, Mr. Duncan, Ms. Dunn, Mr. 
Emerson, Mr. Everett, Mr. Ewing, Mr. Fawell, Mr. Fields of Texas, Mrs. 
   Fowler, Mr. Franks of New Jersey, Mr. Franks of Connecticut, Mr. 
    Gallegly, Mr. Gallo, Mr. Gekas, Mr. Gilchrest, Mr. Gillmor, Mr. 
    Goodlatte, Mr. Goss, Mr. Grams, Mr. Grandy, Mr. Greenwood, Mr. 
   Gunderson, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Hansen, Mr. Hastert, Mr. Hefley, Mr. 
Herger, Mr. Hoekstra, Mr. Hoke, Mr. Horn, Mr. Hobson, Mr. Houghton, Mr. 
 Huffington, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Hyde, Mr. Inglis of South 
Carolina, Mr. Inhofe, Mr. Istook, Mrs. Johnson of Connecticut, Mr. Sam 
 Johnson of Texas, Mr. Kim, Mr. Klug, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. Kolbe, Mr. 
   Kyl, Mr. Levy, Mr. Lewis of California, Mr. Lewis of Florida, Mr. 
Lightfoot, Mr. Linder, Mr. Livingston, Mr. Machtley, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. 
   Mica, Mr. McCandless, Mr. McCollum, Mr. McCrery, Mr. McHugh, Mr. 
McKeon, Mr. McMillan, Mrs. Meyers of Kansas, Mr. Miller of Florida, Ms. 
 Molinari, Mr. Moorhead, Mr. Oxley, Mr. Packard, Mr. Paxon, Mr. Pombo, 
 Mr. Petri, Mr. Porter, Mr. Portman, Ms. Pryce of Ohio, Mr. Quinn, Mr. 
 Ramstad, Mr. Ravenel, Mr. Roberts, Mr. Rohrabacher, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, 
 Mrs. Roukema, Mr. Royce, Mr. Santorum, Mr. Saxton, Mr. Schaefer, Mr. 
Schiff, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mr. Shaw, Mr. Shays, Mr. Shuster, Mr. Smith 
 of Oregon, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. Smith of Texas, Mr. Smith of 
 Michigan, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Solomon, Mr. Spence, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Stump, 
Mr. Sundquist, Mr. Talent, Mr. Taylor of North Carolina, Mr. Thomas of 
  California, Mr. Thomas of Wyoming, Mr. Torkildsen, Mr. Upton, Mrs. 
Vucanovich, Mr. Walker, Mr. Walsh, Mr. Weldon, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Zeliff and 
 Mr. Zimmer) introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly 
to the Committees on Government Operations, Rules, Appropriations, and 
                             Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 
         to reform the budget process, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Budget Process 
Reform Act''.

                           TABLE OF CONTENTS

              TITLE I--STATEMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL PURPOSE

Sec. 101. Improvement in decision-making process.
Sec. 102. Reform of fiscal management.
Sec. 103. Safeguards against delay and inaction.
                      TITLE II--BINDING BUDGET LAW

Sec. 201. Joint resolution establishing binding budget law.
Sec. 202. Budget required before spending bills may be considered.
Sec. 203. ``Baseline'' budgeting prohibited; unadjusted year-to-year 
                            comparisons required in budget law.
Sec. 204. President's budget submissions.
                   TITLE III--ENFORCEMENT MECHANISMS

         Subtitle A--Supermajority Required to Break Budget Law

Sec. 301. Two-thirds requirement for all spending bills in absence of 
                            budget law.
Sec. 302. Two-thirds requirement for over-budget spending bills.
        (a) Determination of budget effect of all proposed spending 
                            bills.
        (b) CBO report required before consideration of spending bills.
        (c) Two-thirds requirement for all over-budget spending bills.
        (d) Determination of spending in a category.
Sec. 303. Two-thirds requirement for waiver of the act.
                    Subtitle B--Line Item Reduction

Sec. 304. President's authority limited to spending above limits of 
                            congressional budget law.
Sec. 305. Application.
         Subtitle C--``Blank Check'' Appropriations Prohibited

Sec. 306. Intent of Congress.
Sec. 307. Fixed-dollar appropriations required.
Sec. 308. Agency-adjusted benefits.
Sec. 309. Budget authority and entitlement authority may cover only a 
                            single fiscal period.
       Subtitle D--``Pay As You Go'' Requirement for New Spending

Sec. 310. Spending offsets required.
Sec. 311. Two-thirds vote required to waive point of order.
                     TITLE IV--SUSTAINING MECHANISM

Sec. 401. Automatic continuing resolution.
Sec. 402. Contingency regulations.
Sec. 403. Unauthorized appropriations prohibited.
                 TITLE V--PROTECTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY

Sec. 501. Benefits protected against deficit reduction.
Sec. 502. Conforming amendment.
                          TITLE VI--TIMETABLE

Sec. 601. Revision of timetable.
                    TITLE VII--CONFORMING AMENDMENTS

Sec. 701. Conforming and technical amendments changing ``Concurrent'' 
                            to ``Joint'' Resolutions.
Sec. 702. Further conforming and technical amendments.
Sec. 703. Conforming amendments to the Impoundment Control Act of 1974.
Sec. 704. Conforming amendment to title 31, United States Code.
          TITLE VIII--DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF INTERPRETATION

Sec. 801. Definitions.
        (a) Definition of budget law.
        (b) Other definitions.
Sec. 802. Amendments to Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control 
                            Act of 1974.
Sec. 803. Use of terms.
                        TITLE IX--EFFECTIVE DATE

Sec. 901. General provision.
Sec. 902. Fiscal year.

              TITLE I--STATEMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL PURPOSE

SEC. 101. IMPROVEMENT IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESS.

    Because the Federal budget process is the principal vehicle by 
which many of the most fundamental policy choices in Government are 
made, the purpose of this Act is to facilitate rational, informed, and 
timely decisions by the Congress in the course of that process.

SEC. 102. REFORM OF FISCAL MANAGEMENT.    

    It is the sense of the Congress that a properly functioning Federal 
budget process should focus the attention of policymakers and the 
public on the aggregate impact of Federal spending on the economy, and 
on the tradeoffs that must be made among priorities in order to control 
overall levels of spending. To this end, the Act is intended to 
establish a budget process that, in each fiscal period--
            (1) requires the adoption of a budget before, not after, 
        any spending begins;
            (2) produces decisions on that budget early in the 
        budgeting cycle;
            (3) encourages cooperation between Congress and the 
        President in adopting the budget;
            (4) ties each subsequent spending decision to an overall, 
        binding budget total;
            (5) requires regular, periodic decisions on appropriate 
        spending levels for all Federal programs, not just those 
        arbitrarily deemed ``controllable''; and
            (6) produces a bias in favor of fiscal responsibility that 
        can be overcome only if the Congress expressly determines to do 
        so.

SEC. 103. SAFEGUARDS AGAINST DELAY AND INACTION.

    The Congress further finds that a properly functioning budget 
process should contain safeguards against delay and inaction, so that 
temporary shut-downs of the Federal Government may be avoided when the 
President and the Congress fail to complete work on the budget prior to 
the beginning of a fiscal period. Accordingly, this Act is intended to 
provide an enforcement mechanism that gives meaning and importance to 
the timely adoption of a budget, and a sustaining mechanism that 
ensures a continuation of the Government should the political process 
produce deadlock or a failure to act in a timely fashion.

                      TITLE II--BINDING BUDGET LAW

SEC. 201. JOINT RESOLUTION ESTABLISHING BINDING BUDGET LAW.

    To encourage early consultation and cooperation between the 
Congress and the President on decisions concerning overall spending 
levels for all Federal programs, the Congress shall enact a binding 
budget law, in the form of a joint resolution, by April 15 of the 
calendar year before that in which the fiscal period commences. The 
technical amendments contained in title VI and section 701 of this Act 
are intended to assist in the establishment of this requirement. The 
budget law itself shall fit on a single page, which sets forth specific 
budget ceilings in the following 19 major functional categories, which 
together comprise the entire Federal budget.
            Function 050: National Defense
            Function 150: International Affairs
            Function 250: General Science, Space and Technology
            Function 270: Energy
            Function 300: Natural Resources and Environment
            Function 350: Agriculture
            Function 400: Transportation
            Function 450: Community and Regional Development
            Function 500: Education, Training, Employment and Social 
        Services
            Function 550: Health
            Function 570: Medicare
            Function 600: Income Security
            Function 650: Social Security
            Function 700: Veterans Benefits and Services
            Function 750: Administration of Justice
            Function 800: General Government
            Function 900: Net Interest
            Function 920: Allowances
            Function 950: Undistributed Offsetting Receipts.
    By thus requiring that the budget process begin with highly 
generalized macroeconomic decisions about spending in 19 overall 
categories, this section is intended to facilitate agreement within 
Congress itself, and between Congress and the President, on how much 
the Federal Government should spend in the ensuing fiscal period.

SEC. 202. BUDGET REQUIRED BEFORE SPENDING BILLS MAY BE CONSIDERED.

    Unless and until a joint resolution on the budget is enacted with 
respect to any major functional category for a fiscal period, it shall 
not be in order in either the House of Representatives or the Senate, 
or any committee or subcommittee thereof, to consider any spending bill 
affecting spending in that category, except as provided in Title III of 
this Act. The purpose of this provision is to ensure that until the 
budget is signed into law, no authorization or appropriations bill 
shall be considered in the Congress.

SEC. 203. ``BASELINE'' BUDGETING PROHIBITED; UNADJUSTED YEAR-TO-YEAR 
              COMPARISONS REQUIRED IN BUDGET LAW.

    Section 301(e) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended 
by--
            (1) inserting after the second sentence the following: 
        ``The starting point for any deliberations in the Committee on 
        the Budget of each House on the joint resolution on the budget 
        for the next fiscal period shall be the estimated level of 
        outlays for the current period in each function and 
        subfunction. Any increases or decreases in the Congressional 
        budget for the next fiscal period shall be from such estimated 
        levels.'';
            (2) striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and inserting the 
        following:
            ``(2) a comparison of levels for the current fiscal period 
        with proposed spending for the subsequent fiscal periods along 
        with the proposed increase or decrease of spending in 
        percentage terms for each function and subfunction;
            ``(3) information, data, and comparisons indicating the 
        manner in which, and the basis on which, the committee 
        determined each of the matters set forth in the joint 
        resolution, including information on outlays for the current 
        fiscal period and the decisions reached to set funding for the 
        subsequent fiscal years;'';
            (3) inserting ``and'' after the semicolon in paragraph (7);
            (4) striking paragraph (8); and
            (5) redesignating paragraph (9) as paragraph (8).
    The technical amendments contained in sections 702(g) and 704(b) of 
this Act are intended to apply the same prohibition against 
``baseline'' budgeting to the budgets prepared by the President and the 
Congressional Budget Office reports to the Budget Committees.

SEC. 204. PRESIDENT'S BUDGET SUBMISSIONS.

    On or before the fifteenth day after a joint resolution on the 
budget is enacted, the President shall submit to the Congress a 
detailed budget for the fiscal period beginning on October 1 of the 
current calendar year, including all summaries and explanations 
required under section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code.

                    TITLE III--ENFORCEMENT MECHANICS

         Subtitle A--Supermajority Required to Break Budget Law

SEC. 301. TWO-THIRDS REQUIREMENT FOR ALL SPENDING BILLS IN ABSENCE OF 
              BUDGET LAW.

    Unless and until a joint resolution on the budget is enacted with 
respect to any major functional category for a fiscal period, it shall 
not be in order in either the House of Representatives or the Senate or 
any committee or subcommittee thereof, to consider any spending bill 
affecting spending in that category unless it is approved by the 
affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being 
present.

SEC. 302. TWO-THIRDS REQUIREMENT FOR OVER-BUDGET SPENDING BILLS.

    (a) Determination of Budget Effect of All Proposed Spending 
Bills.--The Congressional Budget Office shall provide to either House 
of Congress (or the appropriate committee, subcommittee, or conference 
thereof) as soon as practicable after the introduction of any spending 
bill, its estimate of the costs in each major functional category 
attributable to that bill during the fiscal period in which it is to 
become effective and in each of the next 4 fiscal years, together with 
the basis for such estimate. The Congressional Budget Office report 
shall not be required, however, if the Congressional Budget Office 
certifies that a spending bill will likely result in applicable costs 
of less than $10,000,000. For purposes of estimating the costs 
attributable to any spending bill that includes new credit authority, 
the report shall deem the market value of any loan (if it were sold by 
the Federal Government) or the assumption cost of any guarantee (if it 
were assumed at market rates) to be the costs attributable to such loan 
or guarantee in the fiscal period in which it is made.
    (b) CBO Report Required Before Consideration of Spending Bills.--It 
shall not be in order in either the House of Representatives or the 
Senate, or in any committee thereof, to consider any spending bill, 
unless and until the report referred to in subsection (a) has been made 
available to that House of Congress or the appropriate committee or 
subcommittee thereof.
    (c) Two-Thirds Requirement for All Over-Budget Spending Bills.--It 
shall not be in order in either the House of Representatives or the 
Senate (or in any committee, subcommittee, or conference) to consider 
any spending bill for a fiscal period that the report referred to in 
subsection (a) indicates would in such fiscal period exceed a budget 
ceiling, unless such bill is approved by the affirmative vote of two-
thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being present.
    (d) Determination of Spending in a Category.--A spending bill shall 
be deemed to break a budget ceiling if--
            (1) its cost in any major functional category as estimated 
        in the report referred to in subsection (a); and
            (2) all other budget authority, budget outlays, and 
        entitlement authority, if any, in that major functional 
        category for the relevant fiscal period contained in any 
        previously enacted legislation for the fiscal period; and
            (3) to the extent that new budget authority or entitlement 
        authority for the relevant fiscal period has not been granted 
        (or modified from the level of the previous fiscal period) in 
        any other enacted legislation for any program within such major 
        functional category, the amounts of budget authority and 
        entitlement authority for such major functional category (or 
        part thereof) for the previous fiscal period;
exceed the budget ceiling for such major functional category.

SEC. 303. TWO-THIRDS REQUIREMENT FOR WAIVER OF THIS ACT.

    No waiver of any provision of this Act, including the calendar 
deadlines for completion of Congressional action and the provisions 
concerning over-budget spending, shall be effective unless approved by 
the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Members of the House of 
Representatives or the Senate, as the case may be, a quorum being 
present. No committee of either the House of Representatives or the 
Senate shall have jurisdiction to report a rule governing procedures 
for consideration of spending bills covered by this Act, if such rule 
would violate the provisions of this section. Nothing in this provision 
shall be deemed to require a supermajority vote to amend this Act.

                    Subtitle B--Line Item Reduction

SEC. 304. PRESIDENT'S AUTHORITY LIMITED TO SPENDING ABOVE LIMITS OF 
              CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET LAW.

    The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.) is 
amended by redesignating sections 1013 through 1017 as sections 1014 
through 1018, respectively, and inserting after section 1012 the 
following new section:

    ``presidential line-item reduction of spending above limits of 
                        congressional budget law

    ``Sec. 1013. (a) Transmittal of Special Message.--The President may 
transmit to both Houses of Congress for consideration in accordance 
with this section one or more special messages detailing his use of 
line item reduction authority to rescind (in whole or in part) items of 
budget authority or entitlement authority sufficient to ensure that the 
levels of budget authority, entitlement authority, and outlays in a 
functional category do not exceed the levels stated in the budget law 
for the applicable fiscal period (or, in the absence of a budget law, 
do not exceed such levels in the previous fiscal period).
    ``(b) Limitations.--For purposes of this section--
            ``(1) continuing appropriations made pursuant to section 
        1311 of title 31, United States Code, shall be treated as 
        continuing appropriations for an entire fiscal period; and
            ``(2) the levels of budget authority, entitlement 
        authority, and outlays shall be determined on the basis of the 
        reports made by the Congressional Budget Office pursuant to 
        section 202 of the Budget Process Reform Act of 1990.
    ``(c) Contents of Special Message.--Each special message 
transmitted under subsection (a) shall specify, with respect to each 
item of budget authority to be rescinded under the President's line-
item reduction authority the matters referred to in paragraphs (1) 
through (5) of section 1012(a).
    ``(d) Requirement Not To Make Available for Obligation.--Any item 
of budget authority to be rescinded as set forth in such special 
message shall not be made available for obligation unless, within the 
prescribed 45-day period, Congress completes action on a bill 
disapproving the line-item reduction of the amount to be rescinded. 
Funds made available for obligation under this procedure may not be 
included in a special message again.
    ``(e) Procedures.--
            ``(1)(A) Before the close of the third day beginning after 
        the day on which a special message to rescind an item of budget 
        authority is transmitted to the House of Representatives and 
        the Senate under subsection (a), a line-item reduction bill may 
        be introduced (by request) by the majority leader or minority 
        leader of the House of the Congress in which the appropriation 
        Act providing the budget authority originated to disapprove the 
        line-item reduction set forth in the special message. If such 
        House is not in session on the day on which a special message 
        is transmitted, the line-item reduction bill may be introduced 
        in such House, as provided in the preceding sentence, on the 
        first day thereafter on which such House is in session.
            ``(B) A line-item reduction bill introduced in the House of 
        Representatives or the Senate pursuant to subparagraph (A) 
        shall be referred to the Committee on Appropriations of such 
        House. The Committee shall report the line-item reduction bill 
        without substantive revision (and with or without 
        recommendation) not later than 15 calendar days of continuous 
        session of the Congress after the date on which the bill is 
        introduced. A committee failing to report a line-item reduction 
        bill within the 15-day period referred to in the preceding 
        sentence shall be automatically discharged from consideration 
        of the bill and the bill shall be placed on the appropriate 
        calendar.
            ``(C) A vote on final passage of a line-item reduction bill 
        introduced in a House of the Congress pursuant to subparagraph 
        (A) shall be taken on or before the close of the 25th calendar 
        day of continuous session of the Congress after the date of the 
        introduction of the bill in such House. If the line-item 
        reduction bill is agreed to, the Clerk of the House of 
        Representatives (in the case of a bill agreed to in the House 
        of Representatives) or the Secretary of the Senate (in the case 
        of a bill agreed to in the Senate) shall cause the bill to be 
        engrossed, certified, and transmitted to the other House of the 
        Congress on the same calendar day on which the bill is agreed 
        to.
            ``(2)(A) A line-item reduction bill transmitted to the 
        House of Representatives or the Senate pursuant to paragraph 
        (1)(C) shall be referred to the Committee on Appropriations of 
        such House. The committee shall report the line-item reduction 
        bill without substantive revision (and with or without 
        recommendation) not later than 10 calendar days of continuous 
        session of the Congress after the bill is transmitted to such 
        House. A committee failing to report the line-item reduction 
        bill within the 10-day period referred to in the preceding 
        sentence shall be automatically discharged from consideration 
        of the bill and the bill shall be placed upon the appropriate 
        calendar.
            ``(B) A vote on the final passage of a line-item reduction 
        bill transmitted to a House of the Congress pursuant to 
        paragraph (1)(C) shall be taken on or before the close of the 
        10th calendar day of continuous session of the Congress after 
        the date on which the bill is transmitted to such House. If the 
        line-item reduction bill is agreed to in such House, the Clerk 
        of the House of Representatives (in the case of a bill agreed 
        to in the House of Representatives) or the Secretary of the 
        Senate (in the case of a bill agreed to in the Senate) shall 
        cause the engrossed bill to be returned to the House in which 
        the bill originated, together with a statement of the action 
        taken by the House acting under this paragraph.
            ``(3)(A) A motion in the House of Representatives to 
        proceed to the consideration of a line-item reduction bill 
        under this section shall be highly privileged and not 
        debatable. An amendment to the motion shall not be in order, 
        nor shall it be in order to move to reconsider the vote by 
        which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to.
            ``(B) Debate in the House of Representatives on a line-item 
        reduction bill under this section shall be limited to not more 
        than 2 hours, which shall be divided equally between those 
        favoring and those opposing the bill. A motion further to limit 
        debate shall not be debatable and shall require an affirmative 
        vote of two-thirds of the Members voting, a quorum being 
        present. It shall not be in order to move to recommit a line-
        item reduction bill under this section or to move to reconsider 
        the vote by which the line-item reduction bill is agreed to or 
        disagreed to.
            ``(C) All appeals from the decisions of the Chair relating 
        to the application of the Rules of the House of Representatives 
        to the procedure relating to a line-item reduction bill under 
        this section shall be decided without debate.
            ``(D) Except to the extent specifically provided in the 
        preceding provisions of this subsection, consideration of a 
        line-item reduction bill under this section shall be governed 
        by the Rules of the House of Representatives applicable to 
        other bills in similar circumstances.
            ``(4)(A) A motion in the Senate to proceed to the 
        consideration of a line-item reduction bill under this section 
        shall be privileged and not debatable. An amendment to the 
        motion shall not be in order, nor shall it be in order to move 
        to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to or 
        disagreed to.
            ``(B) Debate in the Senate on a line-item reduction bill 
        under this section, and all debatable motions and appeals in 
        connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than 2 
        hours. The time shall be equally divided between, and 
        controlled by, the majority leader and the minority leader or 
        their designees.
            ``(C) Debate in the Senate on any debatable motion or 
        appeal in connection with a line-item reduction bill under this 
        section shall be limited to not more than 1 hour, to be equally 
        divided between, and controlled by, the mover and the manager 
        of the bill except that in the event the manager of the bill is 
        in favor of any such motion or appeal, the time in opposition 
        thereto shall be controlled by the minority leader or his 
        designee. Such leaders, or either of them, may, from time under 
        their control on the passage of a line-item reduction bill, 
        allot additional time to any Senator during the consideration 
        of any debatable motion or appeal.
            ``(D) A motion in the Senate to further limit debate on a 
        line-item reduction bill under this section is not debatable. A 
        motion to recommit a line-item reduction bill under this 
        section is not in order.
    ``(f) Amendments Prohibited.--No amendment to a line-item reduction 
bill considered under this section shall be in order in either the 
House of Representatives or the Senate. No motion to suspend the 
application of this subsection shall be in order in either House, nor 
shall it be in order in either House for the presiding officer to 
entertain a request to suspend the application of this subsection by 
unanimous consent.''.

SEC. 305. APPLICATION.

    The amendments made by section 304 shall apply to items of budget 
authority (as defined in subsection (g)(1) of section 1013, as added by 
section 103(b) of this Act) provided by appropriation Acts (as defined 
in subsection (g)(3) of such section) that become law after the date of 
enactment of this Act.

         Subtitle C--``Blank Check'' Appropriations Prohibited

SEC. 306. INTENT OF CONGRESS.

    It is the intent of Congress, by this provision, to put an end to 
open-ended, ``blank check'' appropriations, which typically authorize 
the spending of ``such sums as may be necessary.'' By requiring 
explicit decisions concerning the desired level of spending for each 
federal program (except Social Security and interest on the debt), it 
is intended that currently uncontrolled programs will be brought within 
the discipline of an overall budget.

SEC. 307. FIXED-DOLLAR APPROPRIATIONS REQUIRED.

    (a) Fixed-Dollar Appropriations.--For every account except Social 
Security and interest on the debt, every appropriation for a fiscal 
period for any program, project, or activity (including claims, 
judgments, and relief acts) shall be for a specific, fixed dollar 
amount. Any appropriations of ``such sums as may be necessary'' (except 
with respect to the automatic continuing resolution provided for by 
section 401 of this Act) are hereby prohibited.
    (b) Point of Order.--It shall not be in order in either the House 
of Representatives or the Senate (or in any committee, subcommittee, or 
conference) to consider any appropriation that is in violation of 
subsection (a).

SEC. 308. AGENCY AUTHORITY TO ADJUST EXPENDITURES TO APPROPRIATED 
              AMOUNTS.

    (a) The head of each Executive agency that administers any 
entitlement program is authorized to adjust benefit levels and 
eligibility requirements, or both, with respect to the program such 
that aggregate outlays for a fiscal period do not exceed the fixed-
dollar appropriation provided pursuant to this title for such fiscal 
period. Such adjustment shall be made by rule or, pending adoption of 
appropriate rules, informal guideline. The purpose of any such rule or 
guideline shall be to ensure that the fixed-dollar appropriations for 
the program authorized by Congress are not exceeded.
    (b) In the event that any claim or judgment against the United 
States exceeds the amount available therefor, the aggregate 
appropriations for claims, judgments, and relief for the current fiscal 
period, then the excess shall be paid first out of discretionary funds 
appropriated in such fiscal year to the department or agency against 
which the judgment or claim is due, next out of unobligated funds 
appropriated to that department or agency in such fiscal year, and 
finally out of funds appropriated to that department or agency for the 
next fiscal year. The obligation set forth herein of a department or 
agency to pay such claims or judgments in excess of amounts authorized 
therefor in applicable judgment, claim and relief acts shall supersede 
all other budget requirements for that department or agency, any other 
provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding.

SEC. 309. BUDGET AUTHORITY AND ENTITLEMENT AUTHORITY MAY COVER ONLY A 
              SINGLE FISCAL PERIOD.

    Chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1312 the following new section:
``Sec. 1313. Budget authority and entitlement authority must cover 
              single fiscal period
    ``(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law and except as 
provided by subsection (b), no budget authority or entitlement 
authority--
            ``(1) enacted on or after the date of enactment of this 
        section shall be effective for more than one fiscal period; or
            ``(2) enacted before the date of enactment of this section 
        shall continue in effect beyond the end of the first fiscal 
        period beginning after the date of enactment of this section.
    ``(b) Subsection (a) does not apply with respect to appropriations 
for the repayment of indebtedness incurred under chapter 31 or benefits 
payable under the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program 
established under title II of the Social Security Act.''.

       Subtitle D--``Pay As You Go'' Requirement for New Spending

SEC. 310. SPENDING OFFSETS REQUIRED.

    It shall not be in order in either the House of Representatives or 
the Senate to consider any supplemental appropriation measure, or any 
other bill, resolution, or amendment which authorizes, requires, or 
provides new entitlements/mandatory spending as defined in section 3 
(12)(A) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 
1974, or which authorizes spending for a fiscal period that the report 
referred to in section 302(a) of this Act indicates would in such 
fiscal period exceed a budget ceiling, unless any such increased 
spending called for therein is offset fully in each such fiscal period 
in such measure, bill, resolution or amendment by an equal amount of 
reductions in existing spending.

SEC. 311. TWO-THIRDS VOTE REQUIRED TO WAIVE POINT OF ORDER.

    The point of order established by this subtitle may be waived or 
suspended in the Senate or in the House of Representatives, and an 
appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under this 
section may be sustained, only by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of 
the Members voting, a quorum being present.

                     TITLE IV--SUSTAINING MECHANISM

SEC. 401. AUTOMATIC CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

    Chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1310 the following new section:
``Sec. 1311. Continuing appropriation
    ``(a) If for any account an appropriation for a fiscal period does 
not become law before the beginning of such fiscal period, there are 
hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the Treasury not otherwise 
appropriated, and out of applicable corporate or other revenues, 
receipts, and funds, such sums as may be necessary to continue any 
program, project, or activity provide for in the most recent 
appropriation Act at a rate of operations not in excess of the rate of 
operations provided for such program, project, or activity in such Act. 
In no case shall the total dollar amount of appropriations for any 
program, project or activity pursuant to this section exceed the 
appropriation for such program, project, or activity in the most recent 
appropriation Act, determined on a fiscal-period basis.
    ``(b) Amounts appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) for a 
program, project, or activity shall be available during a fiscal period 
until the earlier of--
            ``(1) the day on which the appropriation bill for such 
        fiscal period which would include the program, project, or 
        activity takes effect; or
            ``(2) the last day of such fiscal period.''.

SEC. 402. CONTINGENCY REGULATIONS.

    Chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1311 the following new section:
``Sec. 1312. Contingency regulations
    ``(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law and except as 
provided by subsection (b), the head of each Executive agency that 
administers any entitlement program shall, by rule (or informal 
guideline, pending adoption of appropriate rules), provide for the 
adjustments of benefit levels or eligibility requirements, or both, 
with respect to the program such that aggregate outlays for a fiscal 
period do not exceed the fixed-dollar appropriation provided pursuant 
to section 307? (requiring fixed-dollar appropriations) or section 401 
(providing for an Automatic Continuing Resolution) of this Act for such 
fiscal period.
    ``(b) In the case of social safety net programs, the rules shall 
provide each State the option of receiving an aggregate amount for the 
fiscal period for such programs equal to the amount it received for the 
preceding fiscal period for such programs (in which case such State 
could, in its discretion, allocate the benefits among such programs to 
best meet the needs of recipients in its State) or the amounts it 
received for each such program for such preceding fiscal period.
    ``(c) As used in this section--
            ``(1) the term `Executive agency' has the meaning given 
        such term in section 105 of title 5, United States Code;
            ``(2) the term `entitlement program' means any spending 
        authority as defined in section 401(c)(2)(C) of the 
        Congressional Budget Act of 1974; and
            ``(3) the term `social safety net programs' means the 
        following programs: family support payments, adoption 
        assistance, child support enforcement, food stamps, foster 
        care, Medicaid, child nutrition programs, social services block 
        grant, and supplemental security income (SSI).''.

SEC. 403. UNAUTHORIZED APPROPRIATIONS PROHIBITED.

    Section 401(b) is amended to read as follows:
    ``(b) Controls on Legislation Providing Funding.--(1) It shall not 
be in order in either the House of Representatives or the Senate to 
consider any bill, resolution, or conference report that provides 
budget authority or spending authority described in subsection 
(c)(2)(C) except a bill or resolution reported by the Committee on 
Appropriations of that House or a conference report made by a committee 
or conference all of whose conferees are member of the Committee on 
Appropriations.
    ``(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to benefits payable under the 
old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program established under 
title II of the Social Security Act.''.

                 TITLE V--PROTECTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY

SEC. 501. BENEFITS PROTECTED AGAINST DEFICIT REDUCTION.

    Nothing in this Act shall be construed to require or permit 
reductions in Social Security benefits otherwise payable pursuant to 
applicable law or regulations.

SEC. 502. CONFORMING AMENDMENT.

    Chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after section 1313 the following new section:
``Sec. 1314. Protection of social security from budget deficit 
              reduction measures
    ``No reductions in benefits payable under the old-age, survivors, 
and disability insurance program established under title II of the 
Social Security Act shall be made as a consequence of the Budget 
Process Reform Act''.

                          TITLE VI--TIMETABLE

SEC. 601. REVISION OF TIMETABLE.

    Section 300 (2 U.S.C. 631) is amended to read as follows:

                              ``timetable

    ``Sec. 300. The timetable with respect to the Congressional budget 
process for any Congress (beginning with the One Hundred Fourth 
Congress) is as follows:

``On or before:                     Action to be completed:
    First Monday in February.......
                                        President submits short-form 
                                                budget recommendations.
    February 15....................
                                        Congressional Budget Office 
                                                submits report to 
                                                Budget Committees.
    February 25....................
                                        Committees submit views and 
                                                estimates to Budget 
                                                Committees.
    March 31.......................
                                        Budget Committees report joint 
                                                resolution on the 
                                                budget.
    April 15.......................
                                        Congress completes action on 
                                                joint resolution on the 
                                                budget and transmits it 
                                                to the President for 
                                                signature or veto.
    President signs joint 
        resolution, or Congress 
        overrides veto.
                                        Authorization and 
                                                appropriations bills 
                                                may be considered in 
                                                the Congress.
    15th day after enactment of 
        joint budget resolution.
                                        President submits complete 
                                                budget and support 
                                                documents.
    June 10........................
                                        Appropriations Committees 
                                                report last of annual 
                                                appropriation bills.
    September 30...................
                                        Congress completes action on 
                                                reconciliation 
                                                legislation and annual 
                                                appropriation bills.
    October 1......................
                                        Fiscal period begins. Congress 
                                                completes all necessary 
                                                action on budget, 
                                                authorizations and 
                                                appropriations, or 
                                                automatic continuing 
                                                resolution takes 
                                                effect.''.

                    TITLE VII--CONFORMING AMENDMENTS

SEC. 701. CONFORMING AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS CHANGING ``CONCURRENT'' 
              TO ``JOINT'' RESOLUTIONS.

    (a) Sections 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 308, 310, and 311 (2 
U.S.C. 631 et seq.) are amended by striking ``concurrent resolutions'' 
each place it appears and by inserting ``joint resolution''.
    (b) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b) is amended by 
striking ``Concurrent'' in the items relating to sections 301, 303, and 
304 and inserting ``Joint''.
    (c) Clauses 4(a)(2), 4(b)(2), 4(g), and 4(h) of rule X, clause 8 of 
rule XXIII, and rule XLIX of the Rules of the House of Representatives 
are amended by striking ``concurrent'' and by inserting in its place 
``joint''.
    (d) Section 258C(b)(1) of the Deficit Control Action of 1985 is 
amended by striking ``concurrent'' and by inserting ``joint''.

SEC. 702. FURTHER CONFORMING AND TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Section 302(f) (2 U.S.C. 633(f)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1) by striking ``(1) In the house of 
        representatives.--'', by striking ``new budget authority for 
        such fiscal year, new entitlement authority effective during 
        such fiscal year, or'' and by striking ``new discretionary 
        budget authority, new entitlement authority, or''; and
            (2) by striking paragraph (2).
    (b) Section 303 is amended--
            (1) in its heading by striking ``new budget authority, new 
        spending authority,'' and the comma before ``or changes'';
            (2) in subsection (a) by striking paragraphs (1), (4) and 
        (5) and by redesignating paragraphs (2), (3), and (6) as 
        paragraphs (1), (2), and (3), respectively; and
            (3) in subsection (b) by striking paragraph (1)(A), by 
        striking ``(B)'', by striking the dash after ``resolution'', 
        and by striking the last sentence.
    (c) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b) is amended by 
striking ``new budget authority, new spending authority,'' and the 
comma before ``or changes'' in the item relating to section 303.
    (d) Section 311 is amended--
            (1) in its heading by striking ``new budget authority, new 
        spending authority, and'';
            (2) in subsection (a)(1) by striking ``providing new budget 
        authority for such fiscal year, providing new entitlement 
        authority effective during such fiscal year, or''; by striking 
        ``the appropriate level of total new budget authority or total 
        budget outlays set forth in the most recently agreed to 
        concurrent resolution on the budget to be exceeded, or'';
            (3) by repealing subsection (b); and
            (4) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (b), and 
        by striking ``new budget authority, budget outlays, new 
        entitlement authority, and'' in subsection (c) (as 
        redesignated).
    (e) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b) is amended by 
striking ``new budget authority, new spending authority, and'' in the 
item relating to section 311.
    (f) The last sentence of clause 4(b) of rule XI of the Rules of the 
House of Representatives is amended by inserting before the period at 
the end of the following: ``; nor shall it report any rule or order 
which would waive any point of order set forth in title III of the 
Budget Process Reform Act''.
    (g) The first sentence of section 202(f)(1) of the Congressional 
Budget Act of 1974 is amended to read as follows: ``On or before 
February 15 of each year, the Director shall submit to the Committees 
on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate a report, 
for the fiscal year commencing on October 1 of that year, with respect 
to fiscal policy, including (A) estimated budget outlays in all 
functions and subfunctions for appropriated accounts for the current 
fiscal year and estimated budget outlays under current law for all 
entitlement programs for the next fiscal year, (B) alternative levels 
of total revenues, total new budget authority, and total outlays 
(including related surpluses and deficits), and (C) the levels of tax 
expenditures under existing law, taking into account projected economic 
factors and any changes in such levels based on proposals in the budget 
submitted by the President for such fiscal year.''.

SEC. 703. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS TO THE IMPOUNDMENT CONTROL ACT OF 1974.

    (a) Section 1011(5) (2 U.S.C. 682(5)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``1012, and'' and inserting ``1012, the 20-
        day periods referred to in paragraphs (1)(b) and (2)(A) of 
        section 1013(c), the 45-day period referred to in section 
        1013(b), and'';
            (2) by striking ``1012 during'' and inserting ``1012 or 
        1013 during'';
            (3) by striking ``of 45'' and inserting ``of the applicable 
        number of''; and
            (4) by striking ``45-day period referred to in paragraph 
        (3) of this section and in section 1012'' and inserting 
        ``period or periods of time applicable under such section''.
    (b) Section 1011 is further amended--
            (1) in paragraph (4) by striking ``1013'' and inserting 
        ``1014''; and
            (2) in paragraph (5)--
                    (A) by striking ``1016'' and inserting ``1017''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``1017(b)(1)'' and inserting 
                ``1018(b)(1)''.
    (c) Section 1015 (as redesignated) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``1012 or 1013'' each place it appears and 
        inserting ``1012, 1013, or 1014'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1) by striking ``1012'' and inserting 
        ``1012 or 1013'';
            (3) in subsection (b)(2) by striking ``1013'' and inserting 
        ``1014''; and
            (4) in subsection (e)(1)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph 
                (A),
                    (B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
                subparagraph (C),
                    (C) by striking ``1013'' in subparagraph (C) (as 
                redesignated), and
                    (D) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the 
                following new subparagraph:
                    ``(B) he has transmitted a special message under 
                section 1013 with respect to a proposed rescission; 
                and''.
    (d) Section 1016 (as redesignated) is amended by striking ``1012 or 
1013'' each place it appears and inserting ``1012, 1013, or 1014''.
    (e) Section 1012(b) is amended by inserting before the last 
sentence the following new sentence: ``The preceding sentence shall not 
apply to any item of budget authority proposed by the President to be 
rescinded under this section that the President has also proposed to 
rescind under section 1013 and with respect to which the 45-day period 
referred to in subsection (e) of such section has not expired.''.
    (f) The table of sections set forth in section 1(b) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating the items relating to sections 1013 
        through 1017 as items relating to sections through 1018, 
        respectively; and
            (2) by inserting after the item relating to section 1012 
        the following new item:

``Sec. 1013. Rescission of spending outside of congressional budget.''.

SEC. 704. CONFORMING AMENDMENT TO TITLE 31, UNITED STATES CODE.

    (a) The analysis of chapter 13 of title 31, United States Code, is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1310 the 
following new items:

``Sec. 1311. Continuing appropriation.
``Sec. 1312. Contingency regulations.
``Sec. 1313. Appropriations must be biennial.
``Sec. 1314. Protection of Social Security from budget deficit 
                            reduction measures.''.
    (b) Paragraph (5) of section 1105(a) of title 31, United States 
Code, is amended to read as follows:
            ``(5) except as provided in subsection (b) of this 
        section--
                    ``(A) estimated expenditures and proposed 
                appropriations for each function and subfunction in the 
                current fiscal year;
                    ``(B) estimated expenditures and proposed 
                appropriations the President decides are necessary to 
                support the Government for each function and 
                subfunction in the fiscal year for which the budget is 
                submitted; and
                    ``(C) a comparison of levels of estimated 
                expenditures and proposed appropriations for each 
                function and subfunction in the current fiscal year and 
                the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted, 
                along with the proposed increase or decrease of 
                spending in percentage terms for each function and 
                subfunction;''.
    (b) Section 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, is amended--
            (1) in the first sentence, by inserting ``on a single page, 
        which sets forth specific budget ceilings for that fiscal 
        period in the nineteen major functional categories described in 
        section 201 of the Budget Process Reform Act'' before the 
        period; and
            (2) by repealing the second sentence and all of the third 
        sentence preceding the colon and inserting the following: ``On 
        or before the fifteenth day after a joint resolution on the 
        budget for that budget period is enacted, the President shall 
        submit a detailed budget for that fiscal period, including a 
        budget message and summary and supporting information, as 
        follows''.

          TITLE VIII--DEFINITIONS AND RULES OF INTERPRETATION

SEC. 801. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) Definition of Budget Law.--Section 3(4) (2 U.S.C. 622(4)), 
containing general definitions under the Budget Act is amended to read 
as follows:
            ``(4) The term `budget law' or `joint resolution on the 
        budget' means--
                    ``(A) a joint resolution setting forth the 
                simplified budget for the United States Government for 
                a fiscal period as provided in section 301; and
                    ``(B) any other joint resolution revising the 
                budget for the United States Government for a fiscal 
                period as described in section 304.''.
    (b) Other Definitions.--Section 3 (2 U.S.C. 622) is further amended 
by adding at the end the following new paragraphs:
            ``(11) The term `major functional category' refers to the 
        groupings of budget authority, budget outlays, and credit 
        authority (including continuing appropriations pursuant to 
        section 1331 of title 31, United States Code) into any one of 
        the following:
                    ``Function 050: National Defense
                    ``Function 150: International Affairs
                    ``Function 250: General Science, Space and 
                Technology
                    ``Function 270: Energy
                    ``Function 300: Natural Resources and Environment
                    ``Function 350: Agriculture
                    ``Function 400: Transportation
                    ``Function 450: Community and Regional Development
                    ``Function 500: Education, Training, Employment and 
                Social Services
                    ``Function 550: Health
                    ``Function 570: Medicare
                    ``Function 600: Income Security
                    ``Function 650: Social Security
                    ``Function 700: Veterans Benefits and Services
                    ``Function 750: Administration of Justice
                    ``Function 800: General Government
                    ``Function 900: Net Interest
                    ``Function 920: Allowances
                    ``Function 950: Undistributed Offsetting 
                Receipts.''.
            ``(12) The term `budget ceiling' means the dollar amount 
        set forth in a budget law for a major functional category.
            ``(13) The term `spending bill' means any bill or 
        resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, 
        which provides budget authority, spending authority, credit 
        authority, or outlays.
            ``(14) The term `fiscal period' means the twelve-month 
        fiscal year beginning October 1 currently in use, or any other 
        fiscal period (such as a biennial period) that may subsequently 
        be adopted for the management of the budget of the United 
        States.''.

SEC. 802. AMENDMENTS TO CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET AND IMPOUNDMENT CONTROL 
              ACT OF 1974.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, whenever any provision of 
this Act is expressed as an amendment to a section or other provision, 
the reference shall be deemed to be made to a section or other 
provision of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 
1974.

SEC. 803. USE OF TERMS.

    Whenever any term is used in this Act which is defined in section 3 
of the Congressional Budget Impoundment Control Act of 1974, the term 
shall have the meaning given to such term in that Act.

                        TITLE IX--EFFECTIVE DATE

SEC. 901. GENERAL PROVISION.

    Except as provided in section 902, this Act and the amendments made 
by it shall become effective January 1, 1995, and shall apply to fiscal 
periods beginning after September 30, 1995.

SEC. 902. FISCAL YEAR 1995.

    Notwithstanding subsection (a), the provisions of--
            (1) the Congressional Budget Impoundment Control Act of 
        1974,
            (2) title 31, United States Code, and
            (3) the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 
        of 1985 (as such provisions were in effect on the day before 
        the effective date of this Act),
shall apply to the fiscal year beginning on October 1, 1994.
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