I 
111TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3964 
To reform Federal budget procedures, to impose spending and deficit limits, 
to provide for a sustainable fiscal future, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 29, 2009 
Mr. HENSARLING (for himself, Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin, Mr. GARRETT of New 
Jersey, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. JORDAN of Ohio, Mrs. LUMMIS, Mr. LATTA, 
Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. 
BRADY of Texas, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. COLE, Mr. FRANKS of Ari-
zona, Mr. HERGER, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. MARCHANT, 
Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. PITTS, and Mr. SHADEGG) introduced the fol-
lowing bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in 
addition to the Committees on Rules, Appropriations, Oversight and Gov-
ernment Reform, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently 
determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provi-
sions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To reform Federal budget procedures, to impose spending 
and deficit limits, to provide for a sustainable fiscal 
future, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 
‘‘Spending, Deficit, and Debt Control Act of 2009’’. 
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(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.— 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Findings. 
Sec. 3. Purposes. 
Sec. 4. Effective date. 
TITLE I—A BINDING FEDERAL BUDGET 
Sec. 100. Short title. 
Subtitle A—Joint Budget Resolution 
Sec. 101. Purposes. 
Sec. 102. Timetable. 
Sec. 103. Joint resolution on the budget. 
Sec. 104. Budget required before spending bills may be considered. 
Sec. 105. Amendments to joint resolutions on the budget. 
Subtitle B—Budgeting for Emergencies 
Sec. 111. Repeal of adjustments for emergencies. 
Sec. 112. Emergency criteria. 
Sec. 113. Development of guidelines for application of emergency definition. 
Sec. 114. Reserve fund for emergencies in President’s budget. 
Sec. 115. Adjustments and reserve rund for emergencies in joint budget resolu-
tions. 
Sec. 116. Application of section 306 to emergencies in excess of amounts in re-
serve fund. 
Sec. 117. Up-to-date tabulations. 
Sec. 118. Prohibition on amendments to the emergency reserve fund. 
Subtitle C—Biennial Budget 
Sec. 121. Effective date. 
Sec. 122. Revision of timetable. 
Sec. 123. Amendments to the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control 
Act of 1974. 
Sec. 124. Amendments to Rules of the House of Representatives. 
Sec. 125. Two-year appropriations; title and style of appropriation Acts. 
Sec. 126. Multiyear authorizations. 
Sec. 127. Government strategic and performance plans on a biennial basis. 
Sec. 128. Biennial appropriation bills. 
Sec. 129. Assistance by Federal agencies to standing committees of the Senate 
and the House of Representatives. 
Subtitle D—Prevention of Government Shutdown 
Sec. 131. Amendment to Title 31. 
Subtitle E—The Baseline 
Sec. 141. Elimination of inflation adjustment. 
Sec. 142. The President’s budget. 
Sec. 143. The congressional budget. 
Sec. 144. Congressional Budget Office reports to committees. 
Sec. 145. Treatment of emergencies. 
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TITLE II—SPENDING LIMITS AND DEFICIT CONTROL 
Sec. 200. Short title. 
Subtitle A—Spending Limits and Deficit Control 
Sec. 201. Discretionary spending limits. 
Sec. 202. Direct spending limits. 
Sec. 203. Total spending limits. 
Sec. 204. Deficit limits. 
Subtitle B—Reports and Orders 
Sec. 211. Reports and orders. 
Sec. 212. Spending and deficit limits enforcement. 
Sec. 213. Spending reduction orders. 
TITLE III—LONG-TERM BUDGETING 
Sec. 300. Short title; purposes. 
Sec. 301. CBO and OMB projections. 
Sec. 302. GAO and OMB statements of the Federal Government’s financial 
condition. 
Sec. 303. Five-year Fiscal Sustainability Review. 
Sec. 304. Long-term reconciliation. 
Sec. 305. Long-term spending increase point of order. 
TITLE IV—SPENDING REFORM 
Subtitle A—Federal Program Sunset 
Sec. 400. Short title. 
Sec. 401. Review and abolishment of Federal agencies. 
Sec. 402. Establishment of commission. 
Sec. 403. Review of efficiency and need for Federal agencies. 
Sec. 404. Criteria for review. 
Sec. 405. Commission oversight. 
Sec. 406. Rulemaking authority. 
Sec. 407. Relocation of Federal employees. 
Sec. 408. Program inventory. 
Sec. 409. Definition of agency. 
Subtitle B—Legislative Line-Item Veto 
Sec. 410. Short title. 
Sec. 411. Legislative line-item veto. 
Sec. 412. Technical and conforming amendments. 
Sec. 413. Rescission measures considered. 
Subtitle C—Commission to Eliminate Waste, Fraud, and Abuse 
Sec. 420. Short title. 
Sec. 421. Establishment of Commission. 
Sec. 422. Duties of the Commission. 
Sec. 423. Powers of the Commission. 
Sec. 424. Commission personnel matters. 
Sec. 425. Termination of the Commission. 
Sec. 426. Congressional consideration of reform proposals. 
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