I
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 1131
To balance the Federal budget by fiscal year 2002 through the establishment
of Federal spending limits.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 3, 1995
Mr. MCCRERY (for himself, Mr. HANCOCK, Mr. SHADEGG, and Mr. SMITH of
Michigan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Budget and, in addition, to the Committees on Rules and
Government Reform and Oversight, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To balance the Federal budget by fiscal year 2002 through
the establishment of Federal spending limits.
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 ‘‘Balanced Budget/
Spending Limitation Act of 1995’’.
SEC. 2. EFFECTIVE DATES.
Except as otherwise specified, this Act and the
amendments made by it shall take effect on its date of
enactment and shall apply to fiscal year 1996 and subse-
quent fiscal years.
TITLE I—JOINT BUDGET
RESOLUTION
SEC. 101. JOINT BUDGET RESOLUTION.
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Paragraph (4) of section 3 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘(4) the term ‘joint resolution on the budget’
means—
‘‘(A) a joint resolution setting forth the
congressional budget for the United States Gov-
ernment for a fiscal year as provided in section
301; and
‘‘(B) any other joint resolution revising the
congressional budget for the United States Gov-
ernment for a fiscal year as described in section
304.’’.
(b) JOINT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET.—(1) Sec-
tion 300 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent resolution’’
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint resolution’’.
(2) Section 301(a) of the Congressional Budget Act
of 1974 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent resolution’’
each place it appears including in the caption and insert-
ing ‘‘joint resolution’’.
(3) Section 301(b) is amended by striking ‘‘concur-
rent resolution’’ each place it appears including in the cap-
tion and inserting ‘‘joint resolution’’.
(4) Section 301(c) is amended by striking ‘‘concur-
rent resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint
resolution’’.
(5) Section 301(e) is amended by striking ‘‘concur-
rent resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint
resolution’’.
(6) Section 301(f) is amended by striking ‘‘concur-
rent resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint
resolution’’.
(7) Section 301(g) is amended by striking ‘‘concur-
rent resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint
resolution’’.
(8) Section 301(h) is amended by striking ‘‘concur-
rent resolution’’ and inserting ‘‘joint resolution’’.
(9) Section 301(i) is amended by striking ‘‘concur-
rent resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint
resolution’’.
(10) The section heading of section 301 is amended
by striking ‘‘ANNUAL ADOPTION OF CONCURRENT’’
and inserting ‘‘ANNUAL ADOPTION OF JOINT’’.
(11) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b)
of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control
Act of 1974 is amended by striking ‘‘Annual adoption of
the concurrent’’ in the item relating to section 301 and
inserting ‘‘Annual adoption of the joint’’.
(12) Section 302 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent
resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint reso-
lution’’.
(13) Section 303, including the heading, is amended
by striking ‘‘concurrent resolution’’ each place it appears
and inserting ‘‘joint resolution’’.
(14) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b)
of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control
Act of 1974 is amended by striking ‘‘Concurrent’’ in the
item relating to section 303 and inserting ‘‘Joint’’.
(15) Section 304 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent
resolution’’, including in the heading, each place it appears
and inserting ‘‘joint resolution’’.
(16) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b)
of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control
Act of 1974 is amended by striking ‘‘Concurrent’’ in the
item relating to section 304 and inserting ‘‘Joint’’.
(17) Section 305 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent
resolution’’, including in the heading, each place it appears
and inserting ‘‘joint resolution’’.
(18) Section 308 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent
resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint reso-
lution’’.
(19) Section 310 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent
resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint reso-
lution’’.
(20) Section 311 is amended by striking ‘‘concurrent
resolution’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘joint reso-
lution’’.
TITLE II—BALANCED BUDGET
AND SPENDING RESTRAINTS
SEC. 201. BALANCED BUDGET AND SPENDING RESTRAINTS.
(a) FEDERAL SPENDING LIMIT.—Section 601(a) of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by add-
ing at the end the following:
‘‘(3) FEDERAL
SPENDING
LIMIT.—The term
‘Federal spending limit’ means—
‘‘(A) with respect to fiscal year 1996, out-
lays not exceeding 21.5 per centum of the GDP;
‘‘(B) with respect to fiscal year 1997, out-
lays not exceeding 21 per centum of the GDP;
‘‘(C) with respect to fiscal year 1998, out-
lays not exceeding 20.5 per centum of the GDP;
‘‘(D) with respect to fiscal year 1999, out-
lays not exceeding 20 per centum of the GDP;
‘‘(E) with respect to fiscal year 2000, out-
lays not exceeding 19.5 per centum of the GDP;
‘‘(F) with respect to fiscal year 2001, out-
lays not exceeding 19 per centum of the GDP;
and
‘‘(G) with respect to fiscal year 2002 and
each fiscal year thereafter, outlays not exceed-
ing 19 per centum of the GDP or the maximum
deficit amount whichever is less.
‘‘(4) GDP.—The term ‘GDP’ means the gross
domestic product for the relevant fiscal year.’’.
(b) MAXIMUM DEFICIT AMOUNT.—Section 601(a)(1)
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended to
read as follows:
‘‘(1) MAXIMUM
DEFICIT
AMOUNT.—The term
‘maximum deficit amount’ means—
‘‘(A) with respect to fiscal years 1996
through 2001, the excess of the Federal spend-
ing limit over revenues; and
‘‘(B) with respect to fiscal year 2002, and
each fiscal year thereafter, zero.’’.
(c) TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS.—Part C of the Bal-
anced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985
is amended—
(1) in the heading for such part by inserting
‘‘Federal spending limit and’’ after ‘‘excess of’’;
(2) in section 250(c)(1) by inserting ‘‘ , ‘Federal
spending limit’, ’’ after ‘‘deficit amount’ ’’;
(3) in section 253(b)(1) by inserting ‘‘or Fed-
eral spending limit, as applicable,’’ after ‘‘deficit
amount’’; and
(4) in section 254(d)(4)(A) by inserting ‘‘the
Federal spending limit,’’ after ‘‘deficit amount,’’.
SEC. 202. MAXIMUM DEFICIT AND FEDERAL SPENDING
LIMIT POINT OF ORDER.
(a) MDSA POINT OF ORDER.—Section 605(b) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended to read as
follows:
‘‘(b) MAXIMUM DEFICIT AND FEDERAL SPENDING
LIMIT POINT OF ORDER.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be in order in
the House of Representatives or the Senate to con-
sider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or con-
ference report that includes any provision that would
result in a deficit for a fiscal year that exceeds the
maximum deficit amount or Federal spending limit,
as applicable, for such fiscal year.
‘‘(2) WAIVER OR SUSPENSION.—This subsection
may be waived or suspended in the House of Rep-
resentatives or the Senate only by the affirmative
rollcall vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly cho-
sen and sworn.’’.
(b) LIMIT ON PUBLIC DEBT.—Section 605 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is amended by adding
at the end thereof the following:
‘‘(c) LIMIT ON PUBLIC DEBT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—
‘‘(A) FISCAL YEARS 1996 THROUGH 2001.—
For fiscal years 1996 through 2001, it shall not
be in order in the House of Representatives or
the Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution,
amendment, or conference report that includes
any provision that increases the national debt
held by the public established in the joint reso-
lution on the budget for a fiscal year in excess
of the Federal spending limit.
‘‘(B) FISCAL
YEAR
2002
AND
THERE-
AFTER.—Notwithstanding any other provision
of law and for fiscal year 2002 and fiscal years
thereafter, there shall be no increase in the na-
tional debt held by the public.
‘‘(2) WAIVER
OR
SUSPENSION.—Paragraphs
(1)(A) and (1)(B) may be waived or suspended in
the House of Representatives or the Senate only by