I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 981
To provide a biennial budget for the United State Government.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 13, 2001
Mr. BASS (for himself, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BOEH-
LERT, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. BURR of North Carolina, Mr. CASTLE,
Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DREIER, Ms. DUNN,
Mr. EHLERS, Mr. ENGLISH, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GOODE,
Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. GOSS, Mr. GREEN of Wisconsin, Ms. HART, Mr.
HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. HOUGH-
TON, Mr. ISSA, Mr. JENKINS, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr.
LARGENT, Mr. LATOURETTE, Mr. LINDER, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri,
Mrs. MORELLA, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEY, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. OSE, Mr.
OXLEY, Ms. PRYCE of Ohio, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. REGULA, Mr. REY-
NOLDS, Mr. RILEY, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Mr. ROYCE, Mr.
RYUN of Kansas, Mr. SCHAFFER, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SESSIONS,
Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr.
SUNUNU, Mr. TANCREDO, Mr. TERRY, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. THUNE,
Mr. TRAFICANT, Mr. UPTON, Mr. WAMP, and Mr. WHITFIELD) intro-
duced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the
Budget for a period ending not later than April 13, 2001, and in addition
to the Committee on Rules and the Committee on Government Reform,
for a period to be determined subsequently by the Speaker, in each case
for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the
committee concerned.
A BILL
To provide a biennial budget for the United State
Government.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; FINDINGS.
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
‘‘Budget Responsibility and Efficiency Act of 2001’’.
(b) FINDINGS.—The Congress finds that—
(1) the annual appropriations and budget proc-
ess increasingly dominates the congressional agenda
and Congress regularly fails to meet the deadlines of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974;
(2) the design of the budget process has led to
repetitive and time-consuming budget votes, decreas-
ing the time available for the systematic and pro-
grammatic oversight of Federal programs and delay-
ing the enactment of legislation necessary to fund
the Government;
(3) Congress’ responsibility to improve the effi-
ciency, economy, and effectiveness of governmental
operations, evaluate programs and performance, de-
tect and prevent poor administration, waste, or
abuse in Government programs, ensure that execu-
tive policies reflect the public interest, ensure admin-
istrative compliance with legislative intent, and pre-
vent executive encroachment on legislative authority
and prerogatives is undermined by the current time-
consuming and repetitive budget process;
(4) an annual budget process encourages ineffi-
ciency in the management, stability, and predict-
ability of Federal funding, particularly for States
and localities;
(5) a biennial budget process will reduce the
number of budget-related votes during each Con-
gress, enhance congressional oversight of Govern-
ment operations, encourage longer time horizons in
policy planning and greater stability in fiscal policy;
(6) a biennial budget process was a principal
recommendation of the 1993 Joint Committee on
the Organization of Congress and the Vice Presi-
dent’s National Performance Review;
(7) since the enactment of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974, more than 50 bills addressing
a two-year budget cycle have been introduced, 10 bi-
ennial budget related provisions were reported by
congressional committees, 7 passed either chamber
and 4 were enacted; more than 40 congressional or
special committee hearings addressed the issue of bi-
ennial budgeting; and the Congressional Budget Of-
fice, the Office of Management and Budget, and 5
different special task forces or joint committees of
Congress have either recommended biennial budg-
eting or further studies of it;
(8) the adoption of a biennial budget process
was recommended by President Reagan in the fiscal
year 1989 budget submission, by President Bush in
the fiscal year 1990 and 1991 budget submissions,
by President Clinton in the fiscal year 1995, 2000,
and 2001 budget submissions, and by President
Bush in the fiscal year 2002 budget submission; and
(9) a bipartisan majority of Members of the
House of Representatives support a biennial budget
process.
SEC. 2. REVISION OF TIMETABLE.
Section 300 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974
(2 U.S.C. 631) is amended to read as follows:
‘‘TIMETABLE
‘‘SEC. 300. (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided by
subsection (b), the timetable with respect to the congres-
sional budget process for any Congress (beginning with
the One Hundred Ninth Congress) is as follows:
‘‘First Session
‘‘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 concurrent resolu-
tion on the biennial budget.
May 15 .....................................
Congress completes action on concurrent reso-
lution on the biennial budget.
May 15 .....................................
Biennial appropriation bills may be consid-
ered in the House.
June 10 ....................................
House Appropriations Committee reports last
biennial appropriation bill.
June 30 ....................................
House completes action on biennial appropria-
tion bills.
October 1 ..................................
Biennium begins.
‘‘Second Session
‘‘On or before:
Action to be completed:
February 15 .............................
President submits budget review.
Not later than 6 weeks after
President submits budget re-
view.
Congressional Budget Office submits report
to Budget Committees.
The last day of the session .......
Congress completes action on bills and resolu-
tions authorizing new budget authority for
the succeeding biennium.
‘‘(b) SPECIAL RULE.—In the case of any first session
of Congress that begins in any year during which the term
of a President (except a President who succeeds himself)
begins, the following dates shall supersede those set forth
in subsection (a):
‘‘First Session
‘‘On or before:
Action to be completed:
First Monday in April ..............
President submits budget recommendations.
April 20 ....................................
Committees submit views and estimates to
Budget Committees.
May 15 .....................................
Budget Committees report concurrent resolu-
tion on the biennial budget.
June 1 ......................................
Congress completes action on concurrent reso-
lution on the biennial budget.
June 1 ......................................
Biennial appropriation bills may be consid-
ered in the House.
July 1 .......................................
House Appropriations Committee reports last
biennial appropriation bill.
July 20 .....................................
House completes action on biennial appropria-
tion bills.
October 1 ..................................
Biennium begins.’’.