I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5211 
To establish a national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 21, 2019 
Mr. CASE (for himself and Mr. WOMACK) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred 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 jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To establish a national commission on fiscal responsibility 
and reform, 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 ‘‘Sustainable Budget 
Act of 2019’’. 
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after 
the date of the enactment of this Act, there shall be estab-
lished within the legislative branch a commission to be 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
known as the National Commission on Fiscal Responsi-
bility and Reform (referred to in this Act as the ‘‘Commis-
sion’’). 
(b) MEMBERSHIP.— 
(1) COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION.—A Commis-
sion shall be composed of 18 members of whom— 
(A) six members shall be appointed by the 
President, of whom not more than 4 shall be 
from the same political party; 
(B) three members shall be appointed by 
the majority leader of the Senate, from among 
current Members of the Senate; 
(C) three members shall be appointed by 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, 
from among current Members of the House of 
Representatives; 
(D) three members shall be appointed by 
the minority leader of the Senate, from among 
current Members of the Senate; and 
(E) three members shall be appointed by 
the minority leader of the House of Representa-
tives, from among current Members of the 
House of Representatives. 
(2) INITIAL
APPOINTMENTS.—Initial appoint-
ments to the Commission shall be made not later 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
than 60 days after the establishment of the Commis-
sion. 
(3) VACANCY.—A vacancy on the Commission 
shall be filled in the same manner as the initial ap-
pointment. 
(c) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—From among the members 
appointed under paragraph (1), the President shall des-
ignate 2 members, who shall not be of the same political 
party, to serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Commission. 
(d) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members appointed to the 
Commission shall have significant depth of experience and 
responsibilities in matters relating to government service, 
fiscal policy, economics, Federal agency management or 
private sector management, public administration, and 
law. 
(e) DUTIES.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall iden-
tify policies to improve the fiscal situation in the me-
dium term and to achieve fiscal sustainability over 
the long term. 
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out para-
graph (1), the Commission shall— 
(A) propose recommendations designed to 
balance the budget, excluding interest payments 
on the debt, by the end of the 10-year period 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
beginning on the date on which the Commission 
is established, in order to stabilize the debt-to- 
GDP ratio at an acceptable level; and 
(B) propose recommendations that mean-
ingfully improve the long-term fiscal outlook, 
including changes to address the growth of enti-
tlement spending and the gap between the pro-
jected revenues and expenditures of the Federal 
Government. 
(f) REPORTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.— 
(A) FINAL
REPORT.—Not later than 1 
year after the date on which members are ap-
pointed to the Commission under subsection 
(b), the Commission shall vote on the approval 
of a final report containing the recommenda-
tions required under subsection (e). 
(B) INTERIM REPORTS.—At any time after 
the date on which members are appointed and 
prior to voting on the approval of a final report 
under subparagraph (A), the Commission may 
vote on the approval of an interim report con-
taining such recommendations described in sub-
section (e) as the Commission may provide. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(2) APPROVAL OF REPORT.—The Commission 
may only issue a report under this subsection if— 
(A) the report is approved by not less than 
12 members of the Commission; and 
(B) of the members approving the report, 
at least 4 are members of the same political 
party to which the Speaker of the House of 
Representatives belongs and at least 4 are 
members of the same political party to which 
the minority leader of the House of Representa-
tives belongs. 
(3) SUBMISSION OF REPORT TO CONGRESS.— 
Each report approved under this subsection shall be 
submitted to Congress and made available to the 
public. 
(g) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.— 
(1) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold 
such hearings, sit and act at such times and places, 
take such testimony, and receive such evidence as 
the Commission considers advisable to carry out the 
duties of the Commission described in subsection (e). 
(2) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.— 
The Commission may secure directly from any Fed-
eral agency such information as the Commission 
considers necessary to carry out the duties of the 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
Commission described in subsection (e). Upon re-
quest from the Co-Chairpersons of the Commission, 
the head of the Federal agency shall provide the in-
formation requested to the Commission. 
(3) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may 
use the United States mail in the same manner and 
under the same conditions as other departments and 
agencies of the Federal Government. 
(4) WEBSITE.— 
(A) CONTENTS.—The Commission shall es-
tablish a website that shall contain— 
(i) 
the 
recommendations 
required 
under subsection (e); and 
(ii) the records of attendance of the 
members of the Commission for each meet-
ing of the Commission. 
(B) DATE
OF
PUBLICATION.—The Com-
mission shall publish a recommendation or 
record of attendance described under subpara-
graph (A) on the website established under 
such subparagraph not later than 72 hours 
after the conclusion of the meeting at which 
such recommendation is made or at which such 
record of attendance is taken. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
(h) ASSISTANCE OF OTHER LEGISLATIVE BRANCH 
ENTITIES.— 
(1) GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE.— 
The Comptroller General shall provide technical as-
sistance to the Commission, as the Commission con-
ducts the work of the Commission, on the findings 
and recommendations of the Government Account-
ability Office. 
(2) CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET
OFFICE.—The 
Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall 
provide technical assistance to the Commission, as 
the Commission conducts the work of the Commis-
sion, on the findings and recommendations of the 
Congressional Budget Office. 
(3) JOINT
COMMITTEE
ON
TAXATION.—The 
chair of the Joint Committee on Taxation shall pro-
vide technical assistance to the Commission, as the 
Commission conducts the work of the Commission, 
on the findings and recommendations of the Joint 
Committee on Taxation. 
(i) PERSONNEL MATTERS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Commission 
shall serve without any additional compensation. 
(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members of the Com-
mission shall be allowed travel expenses, including 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
per diem in lieu of subsistence, as rates authorized 
for employees of agencies under subchapter I of 
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while 
away from their homes or regular places of business 
in the performance of services for the Commission. 
(3) STAFF.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Co-Chairpersons of 
the Commission, may without regard to the civil 
service laws and regulations, appoint and termi-
nate an executive director and such other addi-
tional personnel as may be necessary to enable 
the Commission to perform its duties. The em-
ployment of an executive director shall be sub-
ject to confirmation by the Commission. 
(B) 
COMPENSATION.—The 
Co-Chair-
persons of the Commission may fix the com-
pensation of the executive director and other 
personnel without regard to the provisions of 
chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of 
title 5, United States Code, relating to the clas-
sification of positions and General Schedule pay 
rates, except that the rate of pay for the execu-
tive director and other personnel may not ex-
ceed the rate payable for level V of the Execu-
tive Schedule under section 5613 of such title. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Dec 03, 2019
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5211.IH
H5211
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS