I 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4883 

To amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 

to establish a sequestration to reduce all nonexempt programs, projects, 

and activities by 2 percent each fiscal year in which the Federal budget 

is in deficit, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 18, 2010 

Mr. BARTON of Texas (for himself, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. GRAVES, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. SOUDER, and Mr. OLSON) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the 

Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 

Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 

the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 to establish a sequestration to reduce 

all nonexempt programs, projects, and activities by 2 

percent each fiscal year in which the Federal budget 

is in deficit, and for other purposes. 

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 ‘‘STRONG Budget Act 

5 of 2010’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. SEQUESTRATION TO ACHIEVE A BALANCED FED2 ERAL BUDGET. 

3 (a) SEQUESTRATION TO ACHIEVE A BALANCED FED4 ERAL BUDGET.—Part C of the Balanced Budget and 

5 Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended by 

6 adding after section 253 the following new section: 

7 ‘‘SEC. 253A. SEQUESTRATION TO ACHIEVE A BALANCED 

8 FEDERAL BUDGET. 

9 ‘‘(a) SEQUESTRATION.—Notwithstanding sections 

10 255 and 256, within 15 days after Congress adjourns to 

11 end a session, and on the same day as sequestration (if 

12 any) under section 5 of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act 

13 of 2010, but after any sequestration required by that sec14 tion, there shall be a sequestration equivalent to 2 percent 

15 of the budget baseline for the fiscal year beginning on Oc16 tober 1 of the calendar year during which such sequestra17 tion occurs. 

18 ‘‘(b) APPLICABILITY.— 

19 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by 

20 paragraph (2), each account of the United States 

21 shall be reduced by a dollar amount calculated by 

22 multiplying the level of budgetary resources in that 

23 account at that time by the uniform percentage nec24 essary to carry out subsection (a). All obligational 

25 authority reduced under this section shall be done in 

26 a manner that makes such reductions permanent. 


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1 ‘‘(2) EXEMPT ACCOUNTS.—(A) No order issued 

2 to carry out this section may— 

3 ‘‘(i) reduce benefits payable under the old4 age, survivors, and disability insurance program 

5 established under title II of the Social Security 

6 Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.), and benefits pay7 able under section 231b(a), 231b(f)(2), 231c(a), 

8 and 231c(f) of title 45, United States Code, 

9 shall be exempt from reduction under any order 

10 issued under this part; 

11 ‘‘(ii) reduce benefits payable under any 

12 program administered by the Department of 

13 Veterans Affairs or Special Benefits for Certain 

14 World War II Veterans (28–0401–0–1–701); 

15 ‘‘(iii) reduce benefits payable under part A 

16 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395c et 

17 seq.) (relating to hospital insurance benefits for 

18 the aged and disabled); or 

19 ‘‘(iv) reduce payments for net interest (all 

20 of major functional category 900). 

21 ‘‘(B) The following Federal retirement and dis22 ability accounts and activities shall be exempt from 

23 reduction under any order issued to carry out this 

24 section: 


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1 ‘‘Black Lung Disability Trust Fund (20– 

2 8144–0–7–601). 

3 ‘‘Central Intelligence Agency Retirement 

4 and Disability System Fund (56–3400–0–1– 

5 054). 

6 ‘‘Civil Service Retirement and Disability 

7 Fund (24–8135–0–7–602). 

8 ‘‘Comptrollers general retirement system 

9 (05–0107–0–1–801). 

10 ‘‘Contributions to U.S. Park Police annu11 ity benefits, Other Permanent Appropriations 

12 (14–9924–0–2–303). 

13 ‘‘Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Re14 tirement Fund (95–8290–0–7–705). 

15 ‘‘Department of Defense Medicare-Eligible 

16 Retiree Health Care Fund (97–5472–0–2–551). 

17 ‘‘District of Columbia Federal Pension 

18 Fund (20–5511–0–2–601). 

19 ‘‘District of Columbia Judicial Retirement 

20 and Survivors Annuity Fund (20–8212–0–7– 

21 602). 

22 ‘‘Energy Employees Occupational Illness 

23 Compensation Fund (16–1523–0–1–053). 

24 ‘‘Foreign National Employees Separation 

25 Pay (97–8165–0–7–051). 


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1 ‘‘Foreign Service National Defined Con2 tributions Retirement Fund (19–5497–0–2– 

3 602). 

4 ‘‘Foreign Service National Separation Li5 ability Trust Fund (19–8340–0–7–602). 

6 ‘‘Foreign Service Retirement and Dis7 ability Fund (19–8186–0–7–602). 

8 ‘‘Government Payment for Annuitants, 

9 Employees Health Benefits (24–0206–0–1– 

10 551). 

11 ‘‘Government Payment for Annuitants, 

12 Employee Life Insurance (24–0500–0–1–602). 

13 ‘‘Judicial Officers’ Retirement Fund (10– 

14 8122–0–7–602). 

15 ‘‘Judicial Survivors’ Annuities Fund (10– 

16 8110–0–7–602). 

17 ‘‘Military Retirement Fund (97–8097–0– 

18 7–602). 

19 ‘‘National Railroad Retirement Investment 

20 Trust (60–8118–0–7–601). 

21 ‘‘National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad22 ministration retirement (13–1450–0–1–306). 

23 ‘‘Pensions for former Presidents (47– 

24 0105–0–1–802). 


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1 ‘‘Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits 

2 Fund (24–5391–0–2–551). 

3 ‘‘Public Safety Officer Benefits (15–0403– 

4 0–1–754). 

5 ‘‘Rail Industry Pension Fund (60–8011– 

6 0–7–601). 

7 ‘‘Retired Pay, Coast Guard (70–0602–0– 

8 1–403). 

9 ‘‘Retirement Pay and Medical Benefits for 

10 Commissioned Officers, Public Health Service 

11 (75–0379–0–1–551). 

12 ‘‘Special Benefits for Disabled Coal Miners 

13 (16–0169–0–1–601). 

14 ‘‘Special Benefits, Federal Employees’ 

15 Compensation Act (16–1521–0–1–600). 

16 ‘‘Special Workers Compensation Expenses 

17 (16–9971–0–7–601). 

18 ‘‘Tax Court Judges Survivors Annuity 

19 Fund (23–8115–0–7–602). 

20 ‘‘United States Court of Federal Claims 

21 Judges’ Retirement Fund (10–8124–0–7–602). 

22 ‘‘United States Secret Service, DC Annuity 

23 (70–0400–0–1–751). 

24 ‘‘Voluntary Separation Incentive Fund 

25 (97–8335–0–7–051). 


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1 ‘‘(c) SEQUESTRATION REPORT.—Not later than 14 

2 days (excluding weekends and holidays) after Congress ad3 journs to end a session, OMB shall make publicly available 

4 and cause to be printed in the Federal Register an annual 

5 deficit reduction report. The report shall include the 

6 amount of reductions required under section 253A and the 

7 deficit remaining after those reductions have been made, 

8 and the sequestration percentage necessary to achieve the 

9 required reduction in accounts under section 253A(b). The 

10 report shall also include a determination of whether the 

11 budget of the Government is in deficit. 

12 ‘‘(d) SEQUESTRATION ORDER.—If the annual report 

13 issued at the end of a session of Congress under sub14 section (c) requires a sequestration, OMB shall prepare 

15 and the President shall issue and include in that report 

16 a sequestration order that, upon issuance, shall reduce all 

17 nonexempt accounts by enough to eliminate the deficit, 

18 but no such reduction shall exceed two percent. 

19 ‘‘(e) SUSPENSION OF SEQUESTRATION PROCE20 DURES.—Upon a determination by OMB that the budget 

21 of the Government is not in deficit, the subsequent 

22 issuance of any sequestration report or sequestration 

23 order is precluded and this section is suspended. 

24 ‘‘(f) RESTORATION OF SEQUESTRATION PROCE25 DURES.—Effective with regard to the first fiscal year beVerDate Nov 24 2008 03:33 Mar 19, 2010 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4883.IH H4883

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1 ginning after OMB determines that the budget of the Gov2 ernment is in deficit, the provisions of subsection (e) are 

3 no longer effective and this section is no longer sus4 pended.’’. 

5 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—Notwithstanding section 

6 275(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 

7 Control Act of 1985, the expiration date set forth in that 

8 section shall not apply to the amendment made by sub9 section (a). 

10 SEC. 3. PASSAGE OF EXEMPTIONS FROM SEQUESTRATIONS 

11 TO ACHIEVE A BALANCED BUDGET. 

12 Rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representa13 tives is amended by adding at the end the following new 

14 clause: 

15 ‘‘ Passage of exemptions from sequestrations to 

16 achieve a balanced budget 

17 ‘‘11. A bill or joint resolution, amendment, or con18 ference report carrying an additional exemption to section 

19 253A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit 

20 Control Act of 1985 may not be considered as passed or 

21 agreed to unless so determined by a vote of not less than 

22 three-fifths of the Members voting, a quorum being 

23 present.’’. 

Æ 


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