Budgetary Quid Pro Quo Act
Bill: H.R.9506 | Sponsor: Rep. Donalds, Byron (R-FL)
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance

Summary:
Budgetary Quid Pro Quo Act
This bill generally prohibits Congress from considering legislation that authorizes appropriations for a program unless the legislation also includes a provision that reduces an authorization of appropriations for the program or another program by at least the same amount.
The bill also requires the Government Publishing Office to establish and maintain an online portal through which members of the public may access information about authorizations of appropriations, including (1) specified details about laws enacted during a Congress that authorize appropriations, and (2) a statement of the total amount of funds authorized to be appropriated during a Congress.

To prohibit the consideration in the House of Representatives and 
   Senate of legislation which includes a provision authorizing the 
   appropriation of an amount of funds for a program which does not 
  include a provision reducing by at least the same amount the amount 
otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the same program or for any 
                 other program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Budgetary Quid Pro Quo Act''.

SEC. 2. PROHIBITION AGAINST CONSIDERATION OF LEGISLATION AUTHORIZING 
              FUNDING FOR PROGRAMS NOT OFFSET BY REDUCTIONS IN OTHER 
              FUNDING.

    (a) Prohibition.--It shall not be in order in the House of 
Representatives or Senate to consider any bill, joint resolution, 
conference report, or an amendment thereto, that authorizes the 
appropriation of an amount of funds for a program unless the measure 
includes a provision reducing by at least the same amount the amount 
otherwise authorized to be appropriated for the program or for any 
other program.
    (b) Special Rules.--In carrying out subsection (a), the following 
rules shall apply:
            (1) Subsection (a) shall apply with respect to the National 
        Defense Authorization Act for a fiscal year only to the extent 
        that the aggregate amount authorized to be appropriated under 
        the Act for programs described within the same defense function 
        under the budget resolution for that fiscal year exceeds the 
        aggregate amount of budget authority for such function under 
        the budget resolution.
            (2) A provision of a measure that directs, requires, or 
        permits an agency to undertake a particular activity that can 
        reasonably be carried out with funds available from the 
        agency's regular administrative budget, and for which the 
        measure does not provide a specific authorization of 
        appropriations for such activity, may be included in the 
        measure without violating subsection (a).
            (3) A provision of a measure that expands the permissible 
        use of an existing authorization of appropriation of funds, but 
        does not itself require or authorize an increase in the amount 
        authorized to be appropriated, may be included in the measure 
        without violating subsection (a).
            (4) A provision of a measure that extends the period during 
        which funds may be provided under an existing authorization of 
        appropriations, but does not increase the amount authorized to 
        be appropriated, may be included in the measure without 
        violating subsection (a).
            (5) A provision of a measure that provides an authorization 
        of appropriations for a program for a fiscal year in the same 
        amount as the amount appropriated for the most recent fiscal 
        year for which funds were appropriated for the program may be 
        included in the measure without violating subsection (a).
    (c) Program Defined.--In this section, the term ``program'' has the 
meaning given such term in section 1122(a) of title 31, United States 
Code.
    (d) Rules of the House and Senate.--This section is enacted by 
Congress--
            (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate 
        and the House of Representatives, respectively, and as such is 
        deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but 
        applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in 
        the House in the case of joint resolutions described in this 
        section, and supersedes other rules only to the extent that it 
        is inconsistent with such other rules; and
            (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of 
        either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the 
        procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and 
        to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that 
        House.

SEC. 3. ONLINE PORTAL FOR LAWS ENACTED TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) Establishment and Operation of Online Portal.--The Director of 
the Government Publishing Office (hereafter in this section referred to 
as the ``Director'') shall establish and operate on the official public 
website of the Government Publishing Office a dedicated online portal 
through which members of the public may find in electronic form--
            (1) each of the laws enacted during a Congress which 
        authorize appropriations of funds, together with the 
        information described in subsection (b); and
            (2) a statement of the total amount of funds authorized to 
        be appropriated during the Congress.
    (b) Additional Information To Be Included.--The information 
described in this subsection is, with respect to a law which authorizes 
the appropriation of funds, the following:
            (1) A statement of the amount of funds authorized to be 
        appropriated for each program or activity for which funds are 
        authorized to be appropriated by the law.
            (2) A statement of the amount of funds, if any, 
        subsequently appropriated or otherwise made available for each 
        such program or activity.
            (3) A citation to the provision of law, rule, or regulation 
        which provides the authority for appropriating funds for each 
        such program or activity.
            (4) Such other information as the Director considers 
        appropriate for inclusion in the online portal.
    (c) Consultation.--The Director shall carry out this section in 
consultation with the Clerk of the House of Representatives, the 
Secretary of the Senate, and the Librarian of Congress.
    (d) Effective Date.--
            (1) Establishment of portal.--The Director shall establish 
        and operate the online portal under this section not later than 
        1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.
            (2) Congresses covered.--The online portal shall include 
        information on laws enacted during the most recent Congress 
        which ends before the date of the enactment of this Act and 
        each subsequent Congress.
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