II 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 554 

To provide for a biennial budget process and a biennial appropriations process 

and to enhance oversight and the performance of the Federal Government. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 13, 2013 

Mr. ISAKSON (for himself, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. ENZI, Mr. MANCHIN, Ms. 

KLOBUCHAR, and Mr. KING) introduced the following bill; which was read 

twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget 

A BILL 

To provide for a biennial budget process and a biennial 

appropriations process and to enhance oversight and the 

performance of the Federal Government. 

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 ‘‘Biennial Budgeting 

5 and Appropriations Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REVISION OF TIMETABLE. 

7 Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 

8 (2 U.S.C. 631) is amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘TIMETABLE

2 ‘‘SEC. 300. (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by 

3 subsection (b), the timetable with respect to the congres4 sional budget process for any Congress (beginning with 

5 the One Hundred Thirteenth Congress) is as follows: 

‘‘First Session 

On or before: Action to be completed: 

First Monday in February ........ President submits budget recommendations. 

February 15 ............................... Congressional Budget Office submits report 

to Budget Committees. 

Not later than 6 weeks after 

budget submission.

Committees submit views and estimates to 

Budget Committees. 

April 1 ....................................... Budget Committees report concurrent resolution on the biennial budget. 

May 15 ....................................... Congress completes action on concurrent resolution on the biennial budget. 

May 15 ....................................... Biennial appropriation bills may be considered in the House. 

June 10 ...................................... House Appropriations Committee reports last 

biennial appropriation bill. 

June 30 ...................................... House completes action on biennial appropriation bills. 

August 1 .................................... Congress completes action on reconciliation 

legislation. 

October 1 ................................... Biennium begins. 

‘‘Second Session 

On or before: Action to be completed: 

February 15 ............................... President submits budget review. 

Not later than 6 weeks after 

President submits budget review.

Congressional Budget Office submits report 

to Budget Committees. 

The last day of the session ........ Congress completes action on bills and resolutions authorizing new budget authority 

for the succeeding biennium. 

6 ‘‘(b) SPECIAL RULE.—In the case of any first session 

7 of Congress that begins in any year immediately following 

8 a leap year and during which the term of a President (ex9 cept a President who succeeds himself or herself) begins, 


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1 the following dates shall supersede those set forth in sub2 section (a): 

‘‘First Session 

On or before: Action to be completed: 

First Monday in April ............... President submits budget recommendations. 

April 20 ..................................... Committees submit views and estimates to 

Budget Committees. 

May 15 ....................................... Budget Committees report concurrent resolution on the biennial budget. 

June 1 ........................................ Congress completes action on concurrent resolution on the biennial budget. 

July 1 ......................................... Biennial appropriation bills may be considered in the House. 

July 20 ....................................... House completes action on biennial appropriation bills. 

August 1 .................................... Congress completes action on reconciliation 

legislation. 

October 1 ................................... Biennium begins.’’. 

3 SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET 

4 AND IMPOUNDMENT CONTROL ACT OF 1974. 

5 (a) DECLARATION OF PURPOSE.—Section 2(2) of the 

6 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 

7 1974 (2 U.S.C. 621(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘each 

8 year’’ and inserting ‘‘biennially’’. 

9 (b) DEFINITIONS.— 

10 (1) BUDGET RESOLUTION.—Section 3(4) of 

11 such Act (2 U.S.C. 622(4)) is amended by striking 

12 ‘‘fiscal year’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘bi13 ennium’’. 

14 (2) BIENNIUM.—Section 3 of such Act (2 

15 U.S.C. 622) is further amended by adding at the 

16 end the following new paragraph: 


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1 ‘‘(12) The term ‘biennium’ means the period of 

2 2 consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of 

3 any odd-numbered year.’’. 

4 (c) BIENNIAL CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE

5 BUDGET.— 

6 (1) SECTION HEADING.—The section heading of 

7 section 301 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 632) is amended 

8 by striking ‘‘ANNUAL’’ and inserting ‘‘BIENNIAL’’. 

9 (2) CONTENTS OF RESOLUTION.—Section 

10 301(a) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 632(a)) is amended— 

11 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1) 

12 by— 

13 (i) striking ‘‘April 15 of each year’’ 

14 and inserting ‘‘May 15 of each odd-num15 bered year’’; 

16 (ii) striking ‘‘the fiscal year beginning 

17 on October 1 of such year’’ the first place 

18 it appears and inserting ‘‘the biennium be19 ginning on October 1 of such year’’; and 

20 (iii) striking ‘‘the fiscal year beginning 

21 on October 1 of such year’’ the second 

22 place it appears and inserting ‘‘each fiscal 

23 year in such period’’; 

24 (B) in paragraph (6)— 


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1 (i) by striking ‘‘For purposes’’ and in2 serting ‘‘for purposes’’; and 

3 (ii) by striking ‘‘for the fiscal year’’ 

4 and inserting ‘‘for each fiscal year in the 

5 biennium’’; and 

6 (C) in paragraph (7)— 

7 (i) by striking ‘‘For purposes’’ and in8 serting ‘‘for purposes’’; and 

9 (ii) by striking ‘‘for the fiscal year’’ 

10 and inserting ‘‘for each fiscal year in the 

11 biennium’’. 

12 (3) ADDITIONAL MATTERS.—Section 301(b)(3) 

13 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 632(b)(3)) is amended by 

14 striking ‘‘for such fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘for ei15 ther fiscal year in such biennium’’. 

16 (4) VIEWS OF OTHER COMMITTEES.—Section 

17 301(d) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 632(d)) is amended by 

18 inserting ‘‘(or, if applicable, as provided by section 

19 300(b))’’ after ‘‘United States Code’’. 

20 (5) HEARINGS.—Section 301(e)(1) of such Act 

21 (2 U.S.C. 632(e)(1)) is amended by— 

22 (A) striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ and inserting 

23 ‘‘biennium’’; and 

24 (B) inserting after the second sentence the 

25 following: ‘‘On or before April 1 of each oddVerDate Mar 14 2013 04:23 Mar 20, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S554.IS S554

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1 numbered year (or, if applicable, as provided by 

2 section 300(b)), the Committee on the Budget 

3 of each House shall report to its House the con4 current resolution on the budget referred to in 

5 subsection (a) for the biennium beginning on 

6 October 1 of that year.’’. 

7 (6) GOALS FOR REDUCING UNEMPLOYMENT.— 

8 Section 301(f) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 632(f)) is 

9 amended by striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ each place it ap10 pears and inserting ‘‘biennium’’. 

11 (7) ECONOMIC ASSUMPTIONS.—Section 

12 301(g)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 632(g)(1)) is 

13 amended by striking ‘‘for a fiscal year’’ and insert14 ing ‘‘for a biennium’’. 

15 (8) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of con16 tents set forth in section 1(b) of such Act is amend17 ed by striking the item relating to section 301 and 

18 inserting the following: 

‘‘Sec. 301. Biennial adoption of concurrent resolution on the budget.’’. 

19 (d) COMMITTEE ALLOCATIONS.—Section 302 of such 

20 Act (2 U.S.C. 633) is amended— 

21 (1) in subsection (a) 

22 (A) in paragraph (1), by— 

23 (i) striking ‘‘for the first fiscal year of 

24 the resolution,’’ and inserting ‘‘for each 

25 fiscal year in the biennium,’’; 


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1 (ii) striking ‘‘for that period of fiscal 

2 years’’ and inserting ‘‘for all fiscal years 

3 covered by the resolution’’; and 

4 (iii) striking ‘‘for the fiscal year of 

5 that resolution’’ and inserting ‘‘for each 

6 fiscal year in the biennium’’; and 

7 (B) in paragraph (5)(A), by striking ‘‘April 

8 15’’ and inserting ‘‘May 15 or June 1 (under 

9 section 300(b))’’; 

10 (2) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘budget year’’ 

11 and inserting ‘‘biennium’’; 

12 (3) in subsection (c) by striking ‘‘for a fiscal 

13 year’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘for each 

14 fiscal year in the biennium’’; 

15 (4) in subsection (f)(1), by striking ‘‘for a fiscal 

16 year’’ and inserting ‘‘for a biennium’’; 

17 (5) in subsection (f)(1), by striking ‘‘the first 

18 fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year of the bi19 ennium’’; 

20 (6) in subsection (f)(2)(A), by— 

21 (A) striking ‘‘the first fiscal year’’ and in22 serting ‘‘each fiscal year of the biennium’’; and 

23 (B) striking ‘‘the total of fiscal years’’ and 

24 inserting ‘‘the total of all fiscal years covered by 

25 the resolution’’; and 


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1 (7) in subsection (g)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘April’’ 

2 and inserting ‘‘May’’. 

3 (e) SECTION 303 POINT OF ORDER.— 

4 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 303(a) of such Act 

5 (2 U.S.C. 634(a)) is amended by— 

6 (A) striking ‘‘for a fiscal year’’ and insert7 ing ‘‘for a biennium’’; 

8 (B) striking ‘‘the first fiscal year’’ and in9 serting ‘‘each fiscal year of the biennium’’; and 

10 (C) striking ‘‘that fiscal year’’ each place it 

11 appears and inserting ‘‘that biennium’’. 

12 (2) EXCEPTIONS IN THE HOUSE.—Section 

13 303(b)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 634(b)(1)) is 

14 amended— 

15 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘the 

16 budget year’’ and inserting ‘‘the biennium’’; 

17 and 

18 (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘the 

19 fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘the biennium’’. 

20 (3) APPLICATION TO THE SENATE.—Section 

21 303(c)(1) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 634(c)(1)) is 

22 amended by— 

23 (A) striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ and inserting 

24 ‘‘biennium’’; and 


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1 (B) striking ‘‘that year’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘each fiscal year of that biennium’’. 

3 (f) PERMISSIBLE REVISIONS OF CONCURRENT RESO4 LUTIONS ON THE BUDGET.—Section 304 of such Act (2 

5 U.S.C. 635) is amended— 

6 (1) by striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ the first two places 

7 it appears and inserting ‘‘biennium’’; and 

8 (2) by striking ‘‘for such fiscal year’’ and in9 serting ‘‘for such biennium’’. 

10 (g) PROCEDURES FOR CONSIDERATION OF BUDGET

11 RESOLUTIONS.—Section 305 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 636) 

12 is amended— 

13 (1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘‘fiscal 

14 year’’ and inserting ‘‘biennium’’; and 

15 (2) in subsection (b)(3), by striking ‘‘fiscal 

16 year’’ and inserting ‘‘biennium’’. 

17 (h) COMPLETION OF HOUSE ACTION ON APPROPRIA18 TION BILLS.—Section 307 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 638) is 

19 amended— 

20 (1) by striking ‘‘each year’’ and inserting ‘‘each 

21 odd-numbered year’’; 

22 (2) by striking ‘‘annual’’ and inserting ‘‘bien23 nial’’; 

24 (3) by striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘bi25 ennium’’; and 


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1 (4) by striking ‘‘that year’’ and inserting ‘‘that 

2 odd-numbered year’’. 

3 (i) COMPLETION OF ACTION ON REGULAR APPRO4 PRIATION BILLS.—Section 309 of such Act (2 U.S.C. 

5 640) is amended— 

6 (1) by inserting ‘‘of any odd-numbered year’’ 

7 after ‘‘July’’; 

8 (2) by striking ‘‘annual’’ and inserting ‘‘bien9 nial’’; 

10 (3) by striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘bi11 ennium’’; and 

12 (4) by striking ‘‘such year’’ and inserting ‘‘such 

13 odd-numbered year’’. 

14 (j) RECONCILIATION PROCESS.—Section 310(a) of 

15 such Act (2 U.S.C. 641(a)) is amended— 

16 (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 

17 striking ‘‘any fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘any bien18 nium’’; and 

19 (2) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘such fiscal 

20 year’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘any fiscal 

21 year covered by such resolution’’. 

22 (k) SECTION 311 POINT OF ORDER.— 

23 (1) IN THE HOUSE.—Section 311(a)(1) of such 

24 Act (2 U.S.C. 642(a)(1)) is amended— 


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1 (A) by striking ‘‘for a fiscal year’’ and in2 serting ‘‘for a biennium’’; 

3 (B) by striking ‘‘the first fiscal year’’ each 

4 place it appears and inserting ‘‘either fiscal 

5 year of the biennium’’; and 

6 (C) by striking ‘‘that first fiscal year’’ and 

7 inserting ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium’’. 

8 (2) IN THE SENATE.—Section 311(a)(2) of 

9 such Act (2 U.S.C. 642(a)(2)) is amended— 

10 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘for 

11 the first fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘for either 

12 fiscal year of the biennium’’; and 

13 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

14 (i) by striking ‘‘that first fiscal year’’ 

15 the first place it appears and inserting 

16 ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium’’; and 

17 (ii) by striking ‘‘that first fiscal year 

18 and the ensuing fiscal years’’ and inserting 

19 ‘‘all fiscal years’’. 

20 (3) SOCIAL SECURITY LEVELS.—Section 

21 311(a)(3) of such Act (2 U.S.C. 642(a)(3)) is 

22 amended by— 

23 (A) striking ‘‘for the first fiscal year’’ and 

24 inserting ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium’’; 

25 and 


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1 (B) striking ‘‘that fiscal year and the ensu2 ing fiscal years’’ and inserting ‘‘all fiscal 

3 years’’. 

4 (l) MDA POINT OF ORDER.—Section 312(c) of such 

5 Act (2 U.S.C. 643) is amended— 

6 (1) by striking ‘‘for a fiscal year’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘for a biennium’’; 

8 (2) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘the first fis9 cal year’’ and inserting ‘‘either fiscal year in the bi10 ennium’’; 

11 (3) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘that fiscal 

12 year’’ and inserting ‘‘either fiscal year in the bien13 nium’’; and 

14 (4) in the matter following paragraph (2), by 

15 striking ‘‘that fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘the appli16 cable fiscal year’’. 

17 SEC. 4. AMENDMENTS TO TITLE 31, UNITED STATES CODE. 

18 (a) DEFINITION.—Section 1101 of title 31, United 

19 States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol20 lowing: 

21 ‘‘(3) ‘biennium’ has the meaning given that 

22 term in paragraph (12) of section 3 of the Congres23 sional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 

24 1974 (2 U.S.C. 622).’’. 


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1 (b) BUDGET CONTENTS AND SUBMISSION TO THE

2 CONGRESS.— 

3 (1) SCHEDULE.—The matter preceding para4 graph (1) in section 1105(a) of title 31, United 

5 States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

6 ‘‘(a) On or before the first Monday in February of 

7 each odd-numbered year (or, if applicable, as provided by 

8 section 300(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974), 

9 beginning with the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, 

10 the President shall transmit to the Congress, the budget 

11 for the biennium beginning on October 1 of such calendar 

12 year. The budget of the United States Government trans13 mitted under this subsection shall include a budget mes14 sage and summary and supporting information. The 

15 President shall include in each budget the following:’’. 

16 (2) EXPENDITURES.—Section 1105(a)(5) of 

17 title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking 

18 ‘‘the fiscal year for which the budget is submitted 

19 and the 4 fiscal years after that year’’ and inserting 

20 ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium for which the 

21 budget is submitted and in the succeeding 4 fiscal 

22 years’’. 

23 (3) RECEIPTS.—Section 1105(a)(6) of title 31, 

24 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘the fis25 cal year for which the budget is submitted and the 


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1 4 fiscal years after that year’’ and inserting ‘‘each 

2 fiscal year in the biennium for which the budget is 

3 submitted and in the succeeding 4 years’’. 

4 (4) BALANCE STATEMENTS.—Section 

5 1105(a)(9)(C) of title 31, United States Code, is 

6 amended by striking ‘‘the fiscal year’’ and inserting 

7 ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium’’. 

8 (5) FUNCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES.—Section 

9 1105(a)(12)(A) of title 31, United States Code, is 

10 amended by striking ‘‘the fiscal year’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium’’. 

12 (6) ALLOWANCES.—Section 1105(a)(13) of title 

13 31, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘the 

14 fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year in the bi15 ennium’’. 

16 (7) ALLOWANCES FOR UNCONTROLLED EX17 PENDITURES.—Section 1105(a)(14) of title 31, 

18 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘that 

19 year’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year in the bien20 nium for which the budget is submitted’’. 

21 (8) TAX EXPENDITURES.—Section 1105(a)(16) 

22 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by strik23 ing ‘‘the fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year 

24 in the biennium’’. 


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1 (9) FUTURE YEARS.—Section 1105(a)(17) of 

2 title 31, United States Code, is amended— 

3 (A) by striking ‘‘the fiscal year following 

4 the fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year 

5 in the biennium following the biennium’’; 

6 (B) by striking ‘‘that following fiscal year’’ 

7 and inserting ‘‘each such fiscal year’’; and 

8 (C) by striking ‘‘fiscal year before the fis9 cal year’’ and inserting ‘‘biennium before the bi10 ennium’’. 

11 (10) PRIOR YEAR OUTLAYS.—Section 

12 1105(a)(18) of title 31, United States Code, is 

13 amended— 

14 (A) by striking ‘‘the prior fiscal year’’ and 

15 inserting ‘‘each of the 2 most recently com16 pleted fiscal years,’’; 

17 (B) by striking ‘‘for that year’’ and insert18 ing ‘‘with respect to those fiscal years’’; and 

19 (C) by striking ‘‘in that year’’ and insert20 ing ‘‘in those fiscal years’’. 

21 (11) PRIOR YEAR RECEIPTS.—Section 

22 1105(a)(19) of title 31, United States Code, is 

23 amended— 


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1 (A) by striking ‘‘the prior fiscal year’’ and 

2 inserting ‘‘each of the 2 most recently com3 pleted fiscal years’’; 

4 (B) by striking ‘‘for that year’’ and insert5 ing ‘‘with respect to those fiscal years’’; and 

6 (C) by striking ‘‘in that year’’ each place 

7 it appears and inserting ‘‘in those fiscal years’’. 

8 (12) HOMELAND SECURITY.—Section 

9 1105(a)(35)(A)(i) of title 31, United States Code, is 

10 amended in the matter preceding subclause (I), by 

11 striking ‘‘the fiscal years for which the budget is 

12 submitted’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year in the bi13 ennium for which the budget is submitted’’. 

14 (13) EESA.—Section 1105(a)(36) of title 31, 

15 United States Code, is amended in the matter pre16 ceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘the fiscal year 

17 for which the budget is submitted’’ and inserting 

18 ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium for which the 

19 budget is submitted’’. 

20 (14) VETERANS HEALTH.—Section 1105(a) of 

21 title 31, United States Code, is amended in the first 

22 paragraph designated as paragraph (37) (relating to 

23 medical care accounts of the Veterans Health Ad24 ministration), by striking ‘‘the fiscal year for which 

25 the budget is submitted’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal 


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1 year in the biennium for which the budget is sub2 mitted’’. 

3 (A) TECHNICAL AMENDMENT.—Section 

4 1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, is 

5 amended by redesignating the second paragraph 

6 designated as paragraph (37) (relating to plans 

7 and reports identified for elimination or consoli8 dation) as paragraph (39). 

9 (c) ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES OF LEGISLATIVE

10 AND JUDICIAL BRANCHES.—Section 1105(b) of title 31, 

11 United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘each year’’ 

12 and inserting ‘‘each even-numbered year’’. 

13 (d) RECOMMENDATIONS TO MEET ESTIMATED DE14 FICIENCIES.—Section 1105(c) of title 31, United States 

15 Code, is amended— 

16 (1) by striking ‘‘the fiscal year for’’ the first 

17 place it appears and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year in 

18 the biennium for’’; 

19 (2) by striking ‘‘the fiscal year for’’ the second 

20 place it appears and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year of 

21 the biennium, as the case may be, for’’; and 

22 (3) by striking ‘‘for that year’’ and inserting 

23 ‘‘for each fiscal year of the biennium’’. 

24 (e) CAPITAL INVESTMENT ANALYSIS.—Section 

25 1105(e)(1) of title 31, United States Code, is amended 


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1 by striking ‘‘ensuing fiscal year’’ and inserting ‘‘biennium 

2 to which such budget relates’’. 

3 (f) SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET ESTIMATES AND

4 CHANGES.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1106(a) of title 31, 

6 United States Code, is amended— 

7 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 

8 by— 

9 (i) inserting after ‘‘Before July 16 of 

10 each year’’ the following: ‘‘and February 

11 15 of each even-numbered year’’; and 

12 (ii) striking ‘‘fiscal year’’ and insert13 ing ‘‘biennium’’; 

14 (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘that fis15 cal year’’ and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year in 

16 such biennium’’; 

17 (C) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘fiscal 

18 year’’ and inserting ‘‘biennium’’; and 

19 (D) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘fiscal 

20 year’’ and inserting ‘‘biennium’’. 

21 (2) CHANGES.—Section 1106(b) of title 31, 

22 United States Code, is amended by— 

23 (A) inserting after ‘‘Before July 16 of each 

24 year’’ the following: ‘‘and February 15 of each 

25 even-numbered year’’; 


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1 (B) striking ‘‘the fiscal year’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘each fiscal year in the biennium’’; and 

3 (C) striking ‘‘submitted before July 16’’ 

4 and inserting ‘‘required by this subsection’’. 

5 (g) CURRENT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES ESTI6 MATES.— 

7 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1109(a) of title 31, 

8 United States Code, is amended— 

9 (A) by striking ‘‘On or before the first 

10 Monday after January 3 of each year (on or be11 fore February 5 in 1986)’’ and inserting ‘‘At 

12 the same time the budget required by section 

13 1105 is submitted for a biennium’’; and 

14 (B) by striking ‘‘the following fiscal year’’ 

15 and inserting ‘‘each fiscal year of such period’’. 

16 (2) JOINT ECONOMIC COMMITTEE.—Section 

17 1109(b) of title 31, United States Code, is amended 

18 by striking ‘‘before March 1 of each year’’ and in19 serting ‘‘within 6 weeks of the President’s budget 

20 submission for each odd-numbered year (or, if appli21 cable, as provided by section 300(b) of the Congres22 sional Budget Act of 1974)’’. 

23 (h) YEAR-AHEAD REQUESTS FOR AUTHORIZING

24 LEGISLATION.—Section 1110 of title 31, United States 

25 Code, is amended by— 


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1 (1) striking ‘‘May 16’’ and inserting ‘‘March 

2 31’’; and 

3 (2) striking ‘‘year before the year in which the 

4 fiscal year begins’’ and inserting ‘‘calendar year pre5 ceding the calendar year in which the biennium be6 gins’’. 

7 SEC. 5. TWO-YEAR APPROPRIATIONS; TITLE AND STYLE OF 

8 APPROPRIATIONS ACTS. 

9 Section 105 of title 1, United States Code, is amend10 ed to read as follows: 

11 ‘‘§ 105. Title and style of appropriations Acts 

12 ‘‘(a) The style and title of all Acts making appropria13 tions for the support of the Government shall be as fol14 lows: ‘An Act making appropriations (here insert the ob15 ject) for each fiscal year in the biennium of fiscal years 

16 (here insert the fiscal years of the biennium).’. 

17 ‘‘(b) All Acts making regular appropriations for the 

18 support of the Government shall be enacted for a biennium 

19 and shall specify the amount of appropriations provided 

20 for each fiscal year in such period. 

21 ‘‘(c) For purposes of this section, the term ‘biennium’ 

22 has the same meaning as in section 3(12) of the Congres23 sional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 

24 U.S.C. 622(12)).’’. 


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1 SEC. 6. MULTIYEAR AUTHORIZATIONS. 

2 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Congressional 

3 Budget Act of 1974 is amended by adding at the end the 

4 following: 

5 ‘‘AUTHORIZATIONS OF APPROPRIATIONS

6 ‘‘SEC. 316. (a) POINT OF ORDER.—It shall not be 

7 in order in the House of Representatives or the Senate 

8 to consider— 

9 ‘‘(1) any bill, joint resolution, amendment, mo10 tion, or conference report that authorizes appropria11 tions for a period of less than 2 fiscal years, unless 

12 the program, project, or activity for which the ap13 propriations are authorized will require no further 

14 appropriations and will be completed or terminated 

15 after the appropriations have been expended; and 

16 ‘‘(2) in any odd-numbered year, any authoriza17 tion or revenue bill or joint resolution until Congress 

18 completes action on the biennial budget resolution, 

19 all regular biennial appropriations bills, and all rec20 onciliation bills. 

21 ‘‘(b) APPLICABILITY.—In the Senate, subsection (a) 

22 shall not apply to— 

23 ‘‘(1) any measure that is privileged for consid24 eration pursuant to a rule or statute; 

25 ‘‘(2) any matter considered in Executive Ses26 sion; or 


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1 ‘‘(3) an appropriations measure or reconcili2 ation bill.’’. 

3 (b) AMENDMENT TO TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The 

4 table of contents in section 1(b) of the Congressional 

5 Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amend6 ed by inserting after the item relating to section 315 the 

7 following: 

‘‘Sec. 316. Authorizations of appropriations.’’. 

8 SEC. 7. GOVERNMENT PLANS ON A BIENNIAL BASIS. 

9 (a) MANAGERIAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND FLEXI10 BILITY.—Section 9703 of title 31, United States Code, re11 lating to managerial accountability, is amended— 

12 (1) in subsection (a)— 

13 (A) in the first sentence by striking ‘‘an14 nual’’; and 

15 (B) by striking ‘‘section 1105(a)(29)’’ and 

16 inserting ‘‘section 1105(a)(28)’’; and 

17 (2) in subsection (e)— 

18 (A) in the first sentence by striking ‘‘one 

19 or’’; 

20 (B) in the second sentence by striking ‘‘a 

21 subsequent year’’ and inserting ‘‘a subsequent 

22 2-year period’’; and 

23 (C) in the third sentence by striking 

24 ‘‘three’’ and inserting ‘‘4’’. 


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1 (b) PILOT PROJECTS FOR PERFORMANCE BUDG2 ETING.—Section 1119 of title 31, United States Code, is 

3 amended— 

4 (1) in subsection (d)(1), by striking ‘‘annual’’ 

5 and inserting ‘‘biennial’’; and 

6 (2) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘annual’’ and 

7 inserting ‘‘biennial’’. 

8 (c) STRATEGIC PLANS.—Section 2802 of title 39, 

9 United States Code, is amended— 

10 (1) is subsection (a), by striking ‘‘September 

11 30, 1997’’ and inserting ‘‘September 30, 2015’’; 

12 (2) in subsection (b)— 

13 (A) by striking ‘‘five years forward’’ and 

14 inserting ‘‘6 years forward’’; and 

15 (B) by striking ‘‘at least every three years’’ 

16 and inserting ‘‘at least every 4 years’’; and 

17 (3) in subsection (c)— 

18 (A) by striking ‘‘section’’ the second place 

19 it appears and inserting ‘‘section, including a 

20 strategic plan submitted by September 30, 

21 2015 meeting the requirements of subsection 

22 (a)’’. 

23 (d) PERFORMANCE PLANS.—Section 2803(a) of title 

24 39, United States Code, is amended— 


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1 (1) in the matter before paragraph (1), by 

2 striking ‘‘an annual’’ and inserting ‘‘a biennial’’; 

3 (2) in paragraph (1), by inserting after ‘‘pro4 gram activity’’ the following: ‘‘for each years 1 and 

5 2 of the biennial plan’’; 

6 (3) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ after 

7 the semicolon; 

8 (4) in paragraph (6), by striking the period and 

9 inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

10 (5) by adding after paragraph (6) the following: 

11 ‘‘(7) cover a 2-year period beginning with the 

12 first fiscal year of the next biennial budget cycle.’’. 

13 (e) COMMITTEE VIEWS OF PLANS AND REPORTS.— 

14 Section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act (2 U.S.C. 

15 632(d)) is amended by adding at the end ‘‘Each committee 

16 of the Senate or the House of Representatives shall review 

17 the strategic plans, performance plans, and performance 

18 reports, required under section 306 of title 5, United 

19 States Code, and sections 1115 and 1116 of title 31, 

20 United States Code, of all agencies under the jurisdiction 

21 of the committee. Each committee may provide its views 

22 on such plans or reports to the Committee on the Budget 

23 of the applicable House.’’. 

24 (f) EFFECTIVE DATE.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by 

2 this section shall take effect on March 1, 2015. 

3 (2) AGENCY ACTIONS.—Effective on and after 

4 the date of enactment of this Act, each agency shall 

5 take such actions as necessary to prepare and sub6 mit any plan or report in accordance with the 

7 amendments made by this Act. 

8 SEC. 8. BIENNIAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS. 

9 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title III of the Congressional 

10 Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 631 et seq.), as amended 

11 by section 6(a), is amended by adding at the end the fol12 lowing: 

13 ‘‘CONSIDERATION OF BIENNIAL APPROPRIATIONS BILLS

14 ‘‘SEC. 317. It shall not be in order in the House of 

15 Representatives or the Senate in any odd-numbered year 

16 to consider any regular bill providing new budget authority 

17 or a limitation on obligations under the jurisdiction of any 

18 of the subcommittees of the Committees on Appropria19 tions for only the first fiscal year of a biennium, unless 

20 the program, project, or activity for which the new budget 

21 authority or obligation limitation is provided will require 

22 no additional authority beyond 1 year and will be com23 pleted or terminated after the amount provided has been 

24 expended.’’. 

25 (b) AMENDMENT TO TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The 

26 table of contents in section 1(b) of the Congressional 


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1 Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amend2 ed by inserting after the item relating to section 316, as 

3 added by section 6(b) the following: 

‘‘Sec. 317. Consideration of biennial appropriations bills.’’. 

4 SEC. 9. REPORT ON TWO-YEAR FISCAL PERIOD. 

5 Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

6 of this Act, the Director of the Office of Management and 

7 Budget shall— 

8 (1) determine the impact and feasibility of 

9 changing the definition of a fiscal year and the 

10 budget process based on that definition to a 2-year 

11 fiscal period with a biennial budget process based on 

12 the 2-year period; and 

13 (2) report the findings of the study to the Com14 mittee on the Budget of the House of Representa15 tives and the Committee on the Budget of Senate. 

16 SEC. 10. EFFECTIVE DATE. 

17 Except as provided in section 7, this Act and the 

18 amendments made by this Act shall take effect on January 

19 1, 2015, and shall apply to budget resolutions and appro20 priations for the biennium beginning with fiscal year 

21 2016. 

Æ 


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