I
103D CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 5282
To provide a mechansim for dedicating spending cuts in discretionary
spending programs to deficit reduction.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
OCTOBER 7, 1994
Mr. SPRATT introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to the
Committees on Government Operations and Rules
A BILL
To provide a mechansim for dedicating spending cuts in
discretionary spending programs to deficit reduction.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. ADJUSTMENTS OF DISCRETIONARY SPENDING
LIMITS.
(a) ADJUSTMENTS.—The Director shall reduce the
discretionary spending limit for new budget authority for
a fiscal year set forth in section 601(a)(2) of the Congres-
sional Budget Act of 1974, as adjusted in strict conform-
ance with section 251 of the Balanced Budget and Emer-
gency Deficit Control Act of 1985, by the net aggregate
amount for that fiscal year in all deficit reduction line
items set forth in each appropriation bill or rescission bill.
The Director shall reduce the adjusted discretionary
spending limit for outlays for that fiscal year and each
outyear as set forth in such section 601(a)(2) as a result
of the reduction of such budget authority, based upon the
spendout rates applicable to the discretionary spending
programs to which the deficit reduction line items apply.
Reductions (if any) shall occur on the day that each such
appropriation bill is enacted into law. For purposes of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985, amounts in deficit reduction line items and outlay
reductions associated with them shall be taken into ac-
count only to make the adjustments specified in this sub-
section. For purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, amounts in deficit reduction line items and outlay
reductions associated with them shall be considered budg-
et authority and outlays. For all other purposes, including
subchapter I of chapter 15 of title 31, United States Code
(popularly known as the Anti-Deficiency Act), the amount
in deficit reduction line items shall not be considered to
provide authority to enter into obligations. Whenever the
Director makes any adjustment required by this sub-
section, he shall notify the House of Representatives, the
Senate, and the President on the day such adjustment is
made.
(b) DEFINITION.—As used in this section—
(1) the term ‘‘appropriation bill’’ means any
general or supplemental appropriation bill;
(2) the term ‘‘Director’’ means the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget; and
(3) the term ‘‘rescission bill’’ means any bill
which rescinds budget authority, including a bill re-
ferred to by section 1012 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974.
SEC. 2. DEFICIT REDUCTION LINE ITEMS IN APPROPRIA-
TION MEASURES AND IN RESCISSION BILLS.
(a) DEFICIT REDUCTION LINE ITEMS.—Title III of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by add-
ing at the end the following new section:
‘‘DEFICIT REDUCTION LINE ITEMS IN APPROPRIATION
BILLS AND RESCISSION BILLS
‘‘SEC. 314. (a) Whenever the Committee on Appro-
priations of the House of Representatives reports an ap-
propriation bill or a rescission bill, that bill may contain
provisions entitled ‘Deficit Reduction Line Item’, com-
prised solely of an amount of deficit reduction associated
with a reduction in a specified discretionary appropriation.
‘‘(b)(1) Any amendment offered in the Committee on
Appropriations (or any subcommittee thereof) of either
House of Congress or in either House of Congress to an
appropriation bill or rescission bill to reduce a particular
appropriation for a discretionary spending program may
include a provision designating an amount (not to exceed
the amount of the reduction) for a deficit reduction line
item associated with that appropriation.
‘‘(2) Any amendment offered in the Committee on
Appropriations (or any subcommittee thereof) of either
House of Congress or in either House of Congress to an
appropriation bill or rescisison bill to increase a particular
appropriation or reduce a rescission for a discretionary
spending program may include a provision designating an
amount (not to exceed the amount of the increase in the
appropriation or reduction in the rescission) by which the
amount for one or more specified deficit reduction line
items is to be reduced (but the resulting amount may not
be less than zero), notwithstanding that any such deficit
reduction line item has been changed by an amendment.
‘‘(3) No amendment establishing or increasing the
amount for a deficit reduction line item shall be in order
in the House of Representatives or Senate unless it is
printed in the Congressional Record at least one day be-
fore it is offered.
‘‘(c) It shall not be in order in the House of Rep-
resentatives or in the Senate to offer an amendment estab-
lishing or increasing the amount for a deficit reduction
line item unless the amendment reduces an appropriation
for a discretionary spending program associated with that
line item by at least an equivalent amount.
‘‘(d) It shall not be in order in the House of Rep-
resentatives or the Senate to consider a conference report
proposing an amendment to a deficit reduction line item
respecting a particular discretionary spending program
that is beyond the scope of that deficit reduction line item
as so committed to the conference committee.
‘‘(e) As used in this section—
‘‘(1) the term ‘appropriation bill’ means any
general or supplemental appropriation bill; and
‘‘(2) the term ‘rescission bill’ means any bill
which rescinds budget authority, including a bill re-
ferred to by section 1012.’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of con-
tents set forth in section 1(b) of the Congressional Budget
and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended by in-
serting after the item relating to section 313 the following
new item:
‘‘Sec. 314. Deficit reduction line items in appropriation bills.’’.
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