I 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5954 
To increase the long-term fiscal accountability of direct spending legislation. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 29, 2010 
Ms. GIFFORDS (for herself, Mr. DJOU, Mr. TANNER, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. 
PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. COOPER, Mr. MOORE of Kan-
sas, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. NYE, Mr. MURPHY of 
New York, Mr. BOYD, Mr. BOREN, Mr. HOLDEN, Mr. ALTMIRE, Mr. 
BOSWELL, Mr. CARNEY, Mr. CHILDERS, Mr. MINNICK, Mr. ROSS, Mr. 
MICHAUD, Mr. CUELLAR, Mr. POMEROY, Mr. HILL, Ms. HERSETH 
SANDLIN, Mr. SHULER, Mr. WILSON of Ohio, Ms. MARKEY of Colorado, 
Mr. KRATOVIL, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. GORDON of Tennessee, Mr. 
MATHESON, Mr. ADLER of New Jersey, Mr. LARSEN of Washington, Mr. 
QUIGLEY, and Mr. KIND) introduced the following bill; which was re-
ferred 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 jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To increase the long-term fiscal accountability of direct 
spending legislation. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; PURPOSE. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Truth in Spending Act of 2010’’. 
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(b) PURPOSE.—It is the purpose of this Act to— 
(1) improve congressional control over the Fed-
eral budget process; 
(2) to facilitate the determination each year of 
the appropriate level of Federal revenues and ex-
penditures by the Congress and the President; and 
(3) to provide for the furnishing of information 
that will assist the Congress in controlling growth of 
direct spending programs. 
SEC. 2. PRESIDENTS’ BUDGET SUBMISSIONS. 
(a) OMB REPORT REGARDING DIFFERENCE BE-
TWEEN ACTUAL
AND ESTIMATED COSTS
OF DIRECT 
SPENDING LEGISLATION.—Section 1105(a) of title 31, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(37) the most recent reports of the Director of 
the Office of Management and Budget under sub-
sections (a) and (b) of section 3 of the Truth in 
Spending Act of 2010 regarding the difference be-
tween the actual costs and the estimated costs of di-
rect spending legislation, including proposed legisla-
tive language, if any, in such reports.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
subsection (a) shall apply to budget submissions made by 
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the President beginning with the submission for fiscal year 
2012. 
SEC. 3. LONG-TERM FISCAL ACCOUNTABILITY OF DIRECT 
SPENDING LEGISLATION. 
(a) INITIAL FIVE-YEAR REPORT.—Not later than 
January 15 of calendar year 2011 and each subsequent 
calendar year, the Director of the Office of Management 
and Budget shall submit to the President for inclusion in 
his annual budget submission under section 1105(a) of 
title 31, United States Code, a report setting forth the 
following: 
(1) For all Acts affecting direct spending rel-
ative to the baseline enacted during the sixth cal-
endar year before the calendar year in which this re-
port is submitted, the total cost as estimated by the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office for the 
then budget year and four outyears. 
(2) For all Acts affecting direct spending rel-
ative to the baseline enacted during the sixth cal-
endar year before the calendar year in which this re-
port is submitted, the actual total cost as computed 
by the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget for the then budget year and four outyears. 
(3) For such 5 fiscal-year period, the net 
amount by which the actual cost of all such Acts ex-
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ceeds the estimated cost of all such Acts, or the net 
amount by which the estimated cost of all such Acts 
exceeds the actual cost of all such Acts, as the case 
may be. 
(4) If the actual total cost of all such Acts ex-
ceeds the estimated total cost, then propose legisla-
tive language to eliminate such excess cost. 
(5) If the actual total cost of all such Acts ex-
ceeds the estimated total cost, then a detailed state-
ment of the most likely reasons why that occurred. 
(b) FOLLOW-UP FIVE-YEAR REPORT.—Not later 
than January 15 of calendar year 2016 and each subse-
quent calendar year, the Director of the Office of Manage-
ment and Budget shall submit to the President for inclu-
sion in his annual budget submission under section 
1105(a) of title 31, United States Code, a report setting 
forth the following: 
(1) For all Acts affecting direct spending rel-
ative to the baseline enacted during the eleventh cal-
endar year before the calendar year in which this re-
port is submitted, the total cost as estimated by the 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office for the 
5 fiscal-year period, the last fiscal year of which 
ends on September 30 of the preceding calendar 
year. 
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(2) For all Acts affecting direct spending rel-
ative to the baseline enacted during the eleventh cal-
endar year before the calendar year in which this re-
port is submitted, the actual total cost as computed 
by the Director of the Office of Management and 
Budget for the 5 fiscal-year period, the last fiscal 
year of which ends on September 30 of the pre-
ceding calendar year. 
(3) For such 5 fiscal-year period, the net 
amount by which the actual cost of all such Acts ex-
ceeds the estimated cost of all such Acts, or the net 
amount by which the estimated cost of all such Acts 
exceeds the actual cost of all such Acts, as the case 
may be. 
(4) If the actual total cost of all such Acts ex-
ceeds the estimated total cost, then propose legisla-
tive language to eliminate such excess cost. 
(5) If the actual total cost of all such Acts ex-
ceeds the estimated total cost, then a detailed state-
ment of the most likely reasons why that occurred. 
(c) DEFINITION.—As used in this section, the term 
‘‘direct spending’’ has the meaning given such term in sec-
tion 250(c)(8) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency 
Deficit Control Act of 1985. 
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vided in subparagraph (A), on the first day 
thereafter on which that House is in session. 
(C) ANY MEMBER.—If the legislative pro-
posal is not introduced in either House within 
5 days on which that House is in session after 
the day on which the legislative proposal is sub-
mitted, then any Member of that House may 
introduce the legislative proposal. 
(D) REFERRAL.—The legislation intro-
duced under this paragraph shall be referred by 
the Presiding Officers of the respective Houses 
to the appropriate committees. 
(2) COMMITTEE
CONSIDERATION
OF
PRO-
POSAL.— 
(A) REPORTING
BILL.—Not later than 
April 1 of any year in which a proposal is sub-
mitted by the President to Congress under this 
section, the applicable committees of the House 
of Representatives and of the Senate may re-
port the bill referred to them under paragraph 
(1)(D) with committee amendments, such that 
the bill, as amended, achieves the cost savings 
in the original submission. 
(B) DISCHARGE.—If, with respect to the 
House involved, the committee has not reported 
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the bill by the date required by subparagraph 
(A), the committee shall be discharged from 
further consideration of the proposal. 
(3) 
LIMITATION
ON
CHANGES
TO
REC-
OMMENDATIONS.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be in order 
in the Senate or the House of Representatives 
to consider any bill, resolution, or amendment 
pursuant to this subsection or conference report 
thereon that fails to achieve the cost savings set 
forth in the original submission by the Presi-
dent. 
(B) WAIVER.—This paragraph may be 
waived or suspended in the Senate only by the 
affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members, 
duly chosen and sworn. 
(C) APPEALS.—An affirmative vote of 
three-fifths of the Members of the Senate, duly 
chosen and sworn, shall be required in the Sen-
ate to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the 
Chair on a point of order raised under this 
paragraph. 
(4) EXPEDITED PROCEDURE.— 
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(A) CONSIDERATION.—A motion to pro-
ceed to the consideration of the bill in the Sen-
ate is not debatable. 
(B) AMENDMENT.— 
(i) TIME LIMITATION.—Debate in the 
Senate on any amendment to a bill under 
this section shall be limited to 1 hour, to 
be equally divided between, and controlled 
by, the mover and the manager of the bill, 
and debate on any amendment to an 
amendment, debatable motion, or appeal 
shall be limited to 30 minutes, to be equal-
ly divided between, and controlled by, the 
mover and the manager of the bill, except 
that in the event the manager of the bill 
is in favor of any such amendment, mo-
tion, or appeal, the time in opposition 
thereto shall be controlled by the minority 
leader or such leader’s designee. 
(ii) GERMANE.—No amendment that 
is not germane to the provisions of such 
bill shall be received. 
(iii) ADDITIONAL TIME.—The leaders, 
or either of them, may, from the time 
under their control on the passage of the 
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bill, allot additional time to any Senator 
during the consideration of any amend-
ment, debatable motion, or appeal. 
(iv) AMENDMENT NOT IN ORDER.—It 
shall not be in order to consider an amend-
ment that would cause the bill to have cost 
savings that are less than the cost savings 
set forth in the original submission by the 
President. 
(v) WAIVER
AND
APPEALS.—This 
paragraph may be waived or suspended in 
the Senate only by the affirmative vote of 
three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen 
and sworn. An affirmative vote of three- 
fifths of the Members of the Senate, duly 
chosen and sworn, shall be required in the 
Senate to sustain an appeal of the ruling 
of the Chair on a point of order raised 
under this section. 
(C) CONSIDERATION
BY
THE
OTHER 
HOUSE.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—The expedited pro-
cedures provided in this subsection for the 
consideration of a bill introduced pursuant 
to paragraph (1) shall not apply to such a 
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bill that is received by one House from the 
other House if such a bill was not intro-
duced in the receiving House. 
(ii) BEFORE PASSAGE.—If a bill that 
is introduced pursuant to paragraph (1) is 
received by one House from the other 
House, after introduction but before dis-
position of such a bill in the receiving 
House, then the following shall apply: 
(I) The receiving House shall 
consider the bill introduced in that 
House through all stages of consider-
ation up to, but not including, pas-
sage. 
(II) The question on passage 
shall be put on the bill of the other 
House as amended by the language of 
the receiving House. 
(iii) AFTER PASSAGE.—If a bill intro-
duced pursuant to paragraph (1) is re-
ceived by one House from the other House, 
after such a bill is passed by the receiving 
House, then the vote on passage of the bill 
that originates in the receiving House shall 
be considered to be the vote on passage of 
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the bill received from the other House as 
amended by the language of the receiving 
House. 
(iv) DISPOSITION.—Upon disposition 
of a bill introduced pursuant to paragraph 
(1) that is received by one House from the 
other House, it shall no longer be in order 
to consider the bill that originates in the 
receiving House. 
(v) LIMITATION.—Clauses (ii), (iii), 
and (iv) shall apply only to a bill received 
by one House from the other House if the 
bill would have cost savings that are not 
less than the cost savings set forth in the 
original submission by the President. 
(D) SENATE LIMITS ON DEBATE.— 
(i) IN GENERAL.—In the Senate, con-
sideration of the bill and on all debatable 
motions and appeals in connection there-
with shall not exceed a total of 20 hours, 
which shall be divided equally between the 
majority and minority leaders or their des-
ignees. 
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(ii) MOTION TO FURTHER LIMIT DE-
BATE.—A motion to further limit debate 
on the bill is in order and is not debatable. 
(iii) MOTION OR APPEAL.—Any debat-
able motion or appeal is debatable for not 
to exceed 1 hour, to be divided equally be-
tween those favoring and those opposing 
the motion or appeal. 
(iv) FINAL
DISPOSITION.—After 20 
hours of consideration, the Senate shall 
proceed, without any further debate on any 
question, to vote on the final disposition 
thereof to the exclusion of all amendments 
not then pending before the Senate at that 
time and to the exclusion of all motions, 
except a motion to table, or to reconsider 
and one quorum call on demand to estab-
lish the presence of a quorum (and mo-
tions required to establish a quorum) im-
mediately before the final vote begins. 
(E) CONSIDERATION IN CONFERENCE.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—Consideration in 
the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives on the conference report or any mes-
sages between Houses shall be limited to 
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10 hours, equally divided and controlled by 
the majority and minority leaders of the 
Senate or their designees and the Speaker 
of the House of Representatives and the 
minority leader of the House of Represent-
atives or their designees. 
(ii) TIME LIMITATION.—Debate in the 
Senate on any amendment under this sub-
paragraph shall be limited to 1 hour, to be 
equally divided between, and controlled by, 
the mover and the manager of the bill, and 
debate on any amendment to an amend-
ment, debatable motion, or appeal shall be 
limited to 30 minutes, to be equally divided 
between, and controlled by, the mover and 
the manager of the bill, except that in the 
event the manager of the bill is in favor of 
any such amendment, motion, or appeal, 
the time in opposition thereto shall be con-
trolled by the minority leader or such lead-
er’s designee. 
(iii) FINAL
DISPOSITION.—After 10 
hours of consideration, the Senate shall 
proceed, without any further debate on any 
question, to vote on the final disposition 
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thereof to the exclusion of all motions not 
then pending before the Senate at that 
time or necessary to resolve the differences 
between the Houses and to the exclusion of 
all other motions, except a motion to table, 
or to reconsider and one quorum call on 
demand to establish the presence of a 
quorum (and motions required to establish 
a quorum) immediately before the final 
vote begins. 
(iv) LIMITATION.—Clauses (i) through 
(iii) shall only apply to a conference report, 
message or the amendments thereto if the 
conference report, message, or an amend-
ment thereto— 
(I) is related only to the program 
under this title; and 
(II) satisfies the requirements of 
subparagraphs (A)(i) and (C) of sub-
section (c)(2). 
(F) VETO.—If the President vetoes the 
bill, debate on a veto message in the Senate 
under this subsection shall be 1 hour equally di-
vided between the majority and minority leaders 
or their designees. 
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(5) RULES OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF 
REPRESENTATIVES.—This section is enacted by Con-
gress— 
(A) as an exercise of the rulemaking power 
of the Senate and the House of Representa-
tives, respectively, and is deemed to be part of 
the rules of each House, respectively, but appli-
cable only with respect to the procedure to be 
followed in that House in the case of a bill 
under this section, and it supersedes other rules 
only to the extent that it is inconsistent with 
such rules; and 
(B) with full recognition of the constitu-
tional right of either House to change the rules 
(so far as they relate to the procedure of that 
House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
to the same extent as in the case of any other 
rule of that House. 
Æ 
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