A bill to require agencies submit zero-based budgets.

Subjects: Economics and Public Finance, Appropriations, Budget deficits and national debt, Budget process, Congressional oversight, Executive agency funding and structure

Summary:  <p>This bill requires federal agencies to submit zero-based budgets to the Office of Management and Budget and the congressional budget committees<em>. </em>A<em> zero-based budget</em> is a systematic budget analysis in which managers (1) examine current objectives, operations, and costs; (2) consider alternative ways of carrying out programs or activities; and (3) rank different programs or activities by order of importance.</p> <p>The bill also requires federal agencies to submit recommendations to reduce spending by at least 2% from the previous year's levels. The Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration are exempt from this requirement. </p>

<html><body><pre>[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 201 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

&lt;DOC&gt;






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 201

             To require agencies submit zero-based budgets.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            February 1, 2023

Mr. Risch (for himself, Mr. Cruz, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Scott of Florida, Mr. 
  Braun, and Mr. Budd) introduced the following bill; which was read 
     twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and 
                          Governmental Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
             To require agencies submit zero-based budgets.

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

SECTION 1. ZERO-BASED BUDGETS.

    (a) Definition.--In this Act:
            (1) Agency.--The term ``agency'' has the meaning given the 
        term in section 551 of title 5, United States Code.
            (2) Zero-based budget.--The term ``zero-based budget'' 
        means a systematic budget analysis in support of decision 
        making in which managers--
                    (A) examine current objectives, operations, and 
                costs;
                    (B) consider alternative ways of carrying out a 
                program or activity; and
                    (C) rank different programs or activities by order 
                of importance to the organization.
    (b) Zero-Based Budgets.--Every sixth year, each agency shall submit 
to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget and the 
Committee on the Budget of the Senate and the Committee on the Budget 
of the House of Representatives a zero-based budget for the next fiscal 
year and each of the 4 ensuing fiscal years.
    (c) Recommendations.--In addition to the zero-based budget required 
under subsection (b), each agency, except the Department of Defense and 
the National Nuclear Security Administration shall submit 
recommendations for which programs Congress should cut or reduce 
appropriations in an amount that equals not less than a 2-percent 
reduction from the previous year appropriation in discretionary 
spending.
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