I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 4249 
To establish a commission to develop legislation designed to reform entitle-
ment benefit programs and ensure a sound fiscal future for the United 
States, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 9, 2009 
Mr. MCHENRY introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee 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 com-
mittee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a commission to develop legislation designed 
to reform entitlement benefit programs and ensure a 
sound fiscal future for the United States, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Commission On Re-
forming Entitlement Spending Act’’ or the ‘‘CORE Spend-
ing Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT. 
There is established a commission to be known as the 
‘‘Commission On Reforming Entitlement Spending’’ 
(hereinafter in this Act referred to as the ‘‘Commission’’). 
SEC. 3. DUTIES OF COMMISSION. 
(a) MANDATORY LEGISLATION DEVELOPMENT.— 
(1) ISSUES
TO
ADDRESS.—The Commission 
shall examine the long-term fiscal challenges facing 
the United States and develop legislation designed to 
address the following issues: 
(A) The unsustainable imbalance between 
long-term Federal spending commitments and 
projected revenues. 
(B) Increasing net national savings to pro-
vide for domestic investment and economic 
growth. 
(C) The implications of foreign ownership 
of debt instruments issued by the United States 
Government. 
(D) Improving the budget process to place 
greater emphasis on long-term fiscal issues. 
(2) POLICY SOLUTIONS.—Legislation developed 
to address the issues described in paragraph (1) may 
include the following: 
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(A) Reforms that limit the growth of enti-
tlement spending to ensure that the programs 
are fiscally sustainable. 
(B) Reforms that strengthen the safety net 
functions of entitlement programs to provide 
assistance to the neediest people. 
(C) Incentives to increase private savings. 
(D) Automatic stabilizers or triggers to en-
force spending and revenue targets. 
(E) Any other reforms designed to address 
the issues described in paragraph (1). 
(3) LIMITATION.—The legislation developed 
under this subsection may not include any new, or 
any increase in an existing, Federal tax. 
(b) OPTIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF COST ESTIMATE 
ALTERNATIVES.—The Commission shall by an affirmative 
vote of 5 members develop not more than 2 methods for 
estimating the cost of legislation as an alternative to the 
method currently used by the Congressional Budget Of-
fice. Any such alternative method must be designed to ad-
dress any flaws in the method currently used with regard 
to estimating the positive economic effects of legislation. 
SEC. 4. INITIAL TOWN HALL STYLE PUBLIC HEARINGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall hold at 
least 1 town hall style public hearing within each Federal 
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reserve district, and shall, to the extent feasible, ensure 
that there is broad public participation in the hearings. 
(b) HEARING FORMAT.—During each hearing, the 
Commission shall present to the public, and generate com-
ments and suggestions regarding, the issues described in 
section 3, policies designed to address the issues, and 
tradeoffs between the policies. 
SEC. 5. REPORT. 
The Commission shall, not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, submit a report to Con-
gress and the President containing the following: 
(1) A detailed description of the activities of the 
Commission. 
(2) A summary of comments and suggestions 
generated from the town hall style public hearings. 
(3) A detailed statement of any findings of the 
Commission as to public preferences regarding the 
issues, policies, and tradeoffs presented in the town 
hall style public hearings. 
(4) A detailed description of the long-term fis-
cal problems faced by the United States. 
(5) A list of policy options for addressing those 
problems. 
(6) Criteria for the legislative proposal to be de-
veloped by the Commission. 
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SEC. 6. LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the 
date the report is submitted under section 5 and by a vote 
of two-thirds of the members, the Commission shall sub-
mit a legislative proposal to Congress and the President 
designed to address the issues described section 3. 
(b) PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS.—The proposal must, 
to the extent feasible, be designed— 
(1) to achieve generational equity and long-term 
economic stability; 
(2) to address the comments and suggestions of 
the public; and 
(3) to meet the criteria set forth in the Com-
mission report. 
(c) INCLUSION OF COST ESTIMATE.—The Commis-
sion shall submit with the proposal— 
(1) a long-term CBO cost estimate prepared 
under section 14 for the proposal; and 
(2) if an alternative cost estimate method is de-
veloped by the Commission, a 50-year cost estimate 
using such method. 
SEC. 7. MEMBERSHIP AND MEETINGS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall be com-
posed of 15 voting members appointed pursuant to para-
graph (1) and 2 nonvoting members described in para-
graph (2). 
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(1) VOTING
MEMBERS.—(A) The President 
shall appoint 3 members, one of which the President 
shall appoint as chairperson of the Commission. 
(B) The Speaker of the House of Representa-
tives shall appoint 3 members. 
(C) The minority leader of the House of Rep-
resentatives shall appoint 3 members. 
(D) The majority leader of the Senate shall ap-
point 3 members. 
(E) The minority leader of the Senate shall ap-
point 3 members. 
(2) NONVOTING
MEMBERS.—The Comptroller 
General of the United States and the Director of the 
Congressional Budget Office shall each be nonvoting 
members of the Commission and shall advise and as-
sist at the request of the Commission. 
(b) LIMITATION AS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.— 
Each appointing authority described in subsection (a)(1) 
who is a Member of Congress may only appoint 1 Member 
of Congress to the Commission. 
(c) DATE FOR ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT.—The ap-
pointing authorities described in subsection (a)(1) shall 
appoint the initial members of the Commission not later 
than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(d) TERMS.— 
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(1) IN GENERAL.—The term of each member is 
for the life of the Commission. 
(2) VACANCIES.—A vacancy in the Commission 
shall be filled not later than 30 days after such va-
cancy occurs and in the manner in which the origi-
nal appointment was made. 
(e) PAY AND REIMBURSEMENT.— 
(1) NO COMPENSATION FOR MEMBERS OF COM-
MISSION.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), a 
member of the Commission may not receive pay, al-
lowances, or benefits by reason of their service on 
the Commission. 
(2) TRAVEL
EXPENSES.—Each member shall 
receive travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of 
subsistence under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 
5, United States Code. 
(f) MEETINGS.—The Commission shall meet upon 
the call of the chairperson or a majority of its voting mem-
bers. 
(g) QUORUM.—Six voting members of the Commis-
sion shall constitute a quorum, but a lesser number may 
hold hearings. 
SEC. 8. DIRECTOR AND STAFF OF COMMISSION. 
(a) DIRECTOR.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (c) 
and to the extent provided in advance in appropria-
tion Acts, the Commission shall appoint and fix the 
pay of a director. 
(2) DUTIES.—The director of the Commission 
shall be responsible for the administration and co-
ordination of the duties of the Commission and shall 
perform other such duties as the Commission may 
direct. 
(b) STAFF.—In accordance with rules agreed upon 
by the Commission, subject to subsection (c), and to the 
extent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the di-
rector may appoint and fix the pay of additional personnel. 
(c) APPLICABILITY
OF CERTAIN CIVIL SERVICE 
LAWS.—The director and staff of the Commission may be 
appointed without regard to the provisions of title 5, 
United States Code, governing appointments in the com-
petitive service, and may be paid without regard to the 
provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 
of that title relating to classification and General Schedule 
pay rates, except that pay fixed under subsection (a) may 
not exceed $150,000 per year and pay fixed under sub-
section (b) may not exceed a rate equal to the daily equiva-
lent of the annual rate of basic pay for level V of the Exec-
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utive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States 
Code. 
(d) DETAILEES.—Any Federal Government employee 
may be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement 
from the Commission, and such detailee shall retain the 
rights, status, and privileges of their regular employment 
without interruption. 
(e) EXPERTS
AND CONSULTANTS.—In accordance 
with rules agreed upon by the Commission and to the ex-
tent provided in advance in appropriation Acts, the direc-
tor may procure the services of experts and consultants 
under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but 
at rates not to exceed the daily equivalent of the annual 
rate of basic pay for level V of the Executive Schedule 
under section 5316 of title 5, United States Code. 
SEC. 9. POWERS OF COMMISSION. 
(a) HEARINGS
AND EVIDENCE.—The Commission 
may, for the purpose of carrying out this Act, hold such 
hearings in addition to the town hall style public hearings, 
sit and act at such times and places, take such testimony, 
and receive such evidence as the Commission considers ap-
propriate. The Commission may administer oaths or affir-
mations to witnesses appearing before it. 
(b) POWERS OF MEMBERS AND AGENTS.—Any mem-
ber or agent of the Commission may, if authorized by the 
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Commission, take any action which the Commission is au-
thorized to take under this section. 
(c) MAILS.—The Commission may use the United 
States mails in the same manner and under the same con-
ditions as other departments and agencies of the United 
States. 
(d) ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES.—Upon 
the request of the Commission, the Administrator of Gen-
eral Services shall provide to the Commission, on a reim-
bursable basis, the administrative support services nec-
essary for the Commission to carry out its responsibilities 
under this Act. 
(e) CONTRACT AUTHORITY.—To the extent provided 
in advance in appropriation Acts, the Commission may 
enter into contracts to enable the Commission to discharge 
its duties under this Act. 
(f) GIFTS.—The Commission may accept, use, and 
dispose of gifts or donations of services or property. 
SEC. 10. TERMINATION. 
The Commission shall terminate 60 days after sub-
mitting its legislative proposal. 
SEC. 11. ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL OF PRESI-
DENT. 
The President may, not later than 60 days after the 
Commission submits its legislative proposal, submit to 
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Congress an alternative to the legislative proposal sub-
mitted by the Commission. 
SEC. 12. ALTERNATIVE LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL OF THE 
COMMITTEE ON THE BUDGET. 
The Committee on the Budget of either House may, 
in consultation with the relevant committees of their re-
spective House and not later than 60 days after the Com-
mission submits its legislative proposal, have published in 
the Congressional Record an alternative to the legislative 
proposal submitted by the Commission. 
SEC. 13. CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION. 
(a) INTRODUCTION.—On the first legislative day 
after the Commission submits its legislative proposal, the 
Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Majority 
Leader of the Senate shall introduce (by request) the legis-
lation submitted by the Commission. 
(b) IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.— 
(1) 
PRIVILEGED
CONSIDERATION.—In 
the 
House of Representatives, if a committee to which 
the legislation has been referred has not reported 
the legislation before the expiration of the 60-day 
period described in section 12, then— 
(A) that committee shall be discharged 
from consideration of the legislation; 
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(B) the legislation shall be placed on the 
appropriate calendar; and 
(C) a motion to proceed to the consider-
ation of the legislation is highly privileged and 
is not debatable. 
(2) AMENDMENTS LIMITED.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 
subparagraph (B), an amendment to the legis-
lation may not be offered in the House of Rep-
resentatives. 
(B) PERMITTED
AMENDMENTS.—(i) Any 
Member may offer, as an amendment in the na-
ture of a substitute, the alternative legislative 
proposal submitted by the President. 
(ii) Any Member may offer, as an amend-
ment in the nature of a substitute, the alter-
native legislative proposal submitted by the 
Commission. 
(iii) The chairman of the House Com-
mittee on the Budget may offer, as an amend-
ment in the nature of a substitute, the alter-
native legislative proposal published in the Con-
gressional Record by the House Committee on 
the Budget. 
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(C) POINTS OF ORDER.—An amendment 
offered under subparagraph (B) is subject to a 
point of order if— 
(i) the amendment is not accompanied 
by a long-term CBO cost estimate of the 
amendment; or 
(ii) the long-term CBO cost estimate 
of the amendment exceeds the long-term 
CBO cost estimate of the legislative pro-
posal submitted by the Commission. 
(D) MULTIPLE
AMENDMENTS.—If more 
than one amendment is offered under this para-
graph, then each amendment shall be consid-
ered separately, and the amendment receiving 
both a majority and the highest number of 
votes shall be the amendment adopted. 
SEC. 14. LONG-TERM CBO COST ESTIMATE. 
(a) PREPARATION
AND
SUBMISSION.—When the 
Commission, the President, or the chairman of the Com-
mittee on the Budget of either House submits a written 
request to the Director of the Congressional Budget Office 
for a long-term CBO cost estimate of legislation proposed 
under this Act or an amendment referred to in section 
13(b)(2)(B), the Director shall prepare the estimate and 
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have it published in the Congressional Record as expedi-
tiously as possible. 
(b) CONTENT.—A long-term CBO cost estimate shall 
include— 
(1) an estimate of the cost of each provision of 
the legislation or amendment for first fiscal year it 
would take effect and for each of the 50 fiscal years 
thereafter; and 
(2) a statement of any estimated future costs 
not reflected by the estimate described in paragraph 
(1). 
Æ 
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