Legally Binding Budget Act of 2015

To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to establish joint resolutions on the budget, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Legally Binding Budget Act of 2015 2. Definitions Section 3 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following new paragraph: (4) The term joint resolution on the budget (A) a joint resolution setting forth the budget for the United States Government for a fiscal year as provided in section 301; and (B) any other joint resolution revising the budget for the United States Government for a fiscal year as described in section 304. . 3. Revision of timetable Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 ( 2 U.S.C. 631 300. Timetable The timetable with respect to the congressional budget process for any Congress (beginning with the One Hundred Fifteenth) is as follows: 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 joint resolution on the budget. April 15 Congress completes action on joint resolution on the budget. May 15 Appropriation bills may be considered in the House of Representatives. June 10 House Appropriations Committee reports last appropriation bill. June 30 House completes action on appropriation bills. October 1 Fiscal year begins. . 4. Amendments to sections 301 and 303 (a) In general Section 303 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended— (1) by striking (a) In General has been agreed to takes effect (2) by striking its section heading and inserting the following new section heading: Consideration of budget-related legislation before budget becomes law (b) Technical amendment Section 301(a)(5) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by inserting for display purposes only, the public debt (c) Conforming amendment The item relating to section 303 in the table of contents set forth in section 1(b) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended to read as follows: Sec. 303. Consideration of budget-related legislation before budget becomes law. . 5. Permissible revisions of budget resolutions Section 304 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended to read as follows: 304. Permissible revisions of budget resolutions At any time after the joint resolution on the budget for a fiscal year has been enacted pursuant to section 301, and before the end of such fiscal year, the two Houses and the President may enact a joint resolution on the budget which revises or reaffirms the joint resolution on the budget for such fiscal year most recently enacted, and for purposes of the enforcement of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the chairman of the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate, as applicable, may adjust levels as needed for the enforcement of the budget resolution. . 6. Limitation on the content of budget resolutions Section 305 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: (e) Limitation on Contents (1) It shall not be in order in the House of Representatives or in the Senate to consider any joint resolution on the budget or any amendment thereto or conference report thereon that contains any matter referred to in paragraph (2). (2) Any joint resolution on the budget or any amendment thereto or conference report thereon that contains any matter not permitted in section 301 (a) or (b) shall not be treated in the House of Representatives or the Senate as a budget resolution under subsection (a) or (b) or as a conference report on a budget resolution under subsection (c) of this section. . 7. Deeming of budgetary aggregates, allocations, and reconciliation instructions in the House and Senate upon veto of joint resolution on the budget (a) In general Title III of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by adding after section 315 the following new section: 316. Automatic standing order upon veto of joint resolution on the budget For purposes of congressional enforcement under titles III and IV of this Act and the rules of the House and the Senate, the joint resolution shall be considered as enforceable upon enactment or 15 days following presentment to the President, whichever occurs earlier. . (b) Conforming amendment The table of contents set forth in section 1(b) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 315 the following new item: Sec. 316. Automatic standing order upon veto of joint resolution on the budget. . 8. Additional amendments to the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to effectuate joint resolutions on the budget (a) Additional amendments to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (1) (A) Sections 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 308, 310, 311, 312, 314, 405, and 904 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 ( 2 U.S.C. 621 et seq. concurrent joint (B) (i) Sections 302(d), 302(g), 308(a)(1)(A), and 310(d)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 are amended by striking most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget most recently enacted joint resolution on the budget (ii) The section heading of section 301 of such Act is amended by striking annual adoption of concurrent resolution joint resolutions (C) Sections 302, 303, 304, 310, and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 are amended by striking agreed to enacted (2) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b) of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended— (A) in the item relating to section 301, by striking Annual adoption of concurrent resolution Joint resolutions (B) by striking concurrent joint (b) Conforming amendment Any side heading within any section of title III of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended by striking Concurrent Joint concurrent joint 9. Amendments to the Rules of the House of Representatives to effectuate joint budget resolutions Clauses 1(d)(1), 4(a)(4), 4(b)(2), 4(f)(1)(A), and 4(f)(2) of rule X, clause 10 of rule XVIII, clause 10 of rule XX, and clauses 7 and 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives are amended by striking concurrent joint 10. Conforming amendments to the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 Section 258C(b)(1) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 ( 2 U.S.C. 907d(b)(1) concurrent joint

Summary: Legally Binding Budget Act of 2015 This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to replace the concurrent resolution on the budget required under current law with a legally binding joint resolution on the budget. (Concurrent resolutions, which are currently used for congressional budget resolutions, address internal congressional matters, are not presented to the President for approval, and are not legally binding. A joint resolution is presented to the President after passing both chambers of Congress and has the force of law.) At any time after the annual budget resolution has been enacted and before the end of the fiscal year, Congress and the President may enact a new budget resolution revising or reaffirming the most recently enacted budget resolution. The contents of a budget resolution are limited to material that is permitted by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. For purposes of congressional budget enforcement and the rules of the House and the Senate, the budget resolution is enforceable upon the earlier of enactment or 15 days following presentment to the President.