III 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 474 

Prohibiting consideration of appropriations that are not authorized. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 25, 2016 

Mr. FLAKE (for himself, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. LEE, Mr. RUBIO, and Mr. CRUZ) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Rules and Administration 

RESOLUTION 

Prohibiting consideration of appropriations that are not 

authorized. 

1 Resolved, 

2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

3 This resolution may be cited as the ‘‘Steermark Ac4 countability Resolution’’. 

5 SEC. 2. UNAUTHORIZED APPROPRIATIONS. 

6 (a) POINT OF ORDER.—It shall not be in order in 

7 the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, motion, 

8 amendment, amendment between the Houses, or con9 ference report containing a provision making an appro10 priation— 


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•SRES 474 IS 

1 (1) that is not made to carry out the provisions 

2 of some existing law, or treaty stipulation, or act or 

3 resolution previously passed by the Senate during 

4 that session; or 

5 (2) that is made to carry out a program, 

6 project, or activity for which an authorization of ap7 propriations is not in effect. 

8 (b) FORM OF THE POINT OF ORDER.—In the Senate, 

9 a point of order under subsection (a) may be raised by 

10 a Senator as provided in section 313(e) of the Congres11 sional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 644(e)). 

12 (c) CONFERENCE REPORTS.—When the Senate is 

13 considering a conference report on, or an amendment be14 tween the Houses in relation to, a joint resolution, upon 

15 a point of order being made by any Senator pursuant to 

16 subsection (a), and such point of order being sustained, 

17 such material contained in such conference report or 

18 House amendment shall be stricken, and the Senate shall 

19 proceed to consider the question of whether the Senate 

20 shall recede from its amendment and concur with a fur21 ther amendment, or concur in the House amendment with 

22 a further amendment, as the case may be, which further 

23 amendment shall consist of only that portion of the con24 ference report or House amendment, as the case may be, 

25 not so stricken. Any such motion in the Senate shall be 


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•SRES 474 IS 

1 decided under the same debate limitation, if any, as the 

2 conference report or amendment between the Houses. In 

3 any case in which such point of order is sustained against 

4 a conference report (or Senate amendment derived from 

5 such conference report by operation of this subsection), 

6 no further amendment shall be in order. 

7 (d) WAIVER AND APPEAL.— 

8 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) may be 

9 waived or suspended in the Senate only by an af10 firmative vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly 

11 chosen and sworn. An affirmative vote of three-fifths 

12 of the Members of the Senate, duly chosen and 

13 sworn, shall be required to sustain an appeal of the 

14 ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised under 

15 subsection (a). 

16 (2) DEBATE.—A motion to waive or suspend 

17 subsection (a) or to appeal the ruling of the Chair 

18 under subsection (a) shall be decided under the same 

19 debate limitation, if any, as the bill, joint resolution, 

20 motion, amendment, amendment between the 

21 Houses, or conference report containing the applica22 ble provision. 

23 (e) IDENTIFICATION BY COMMITTEE.— 

24 (1) STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD.—If a com25 mittee reports a bill or joint resolution containing an 


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•SRES 474 IS 

1 appropriation described in paragraph (1) or (2) of 

2 subsection (a), the Chairman of the committee shall 

3 submit for printing in the Congressional Record a 

4 statement identifying each such appropriation 

5 through lists, charts, or other similar means. 

6 (2) PUBLICATION.—As soon as practicable after 

7 submitting a statement under paragraph (1), the 

8 Chairman of a committee shall make available on a 

9 publicly accessible congressional website the informa10 tion described in paragraph (1). To the extent tech11 nically feasible, information made available on a 

12 publicly accessible congressional website under this 

13 subsection shall be provided in a searchable format. 

Æ 


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