Title: Mandatory Spending Control and Accountability Act
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance

Summary:
Mandatory Spending Control and Accountability Act
This bill requires certain direct spending programs (also known as mandatory spending programs) to be funded through the annual appropriations process. The bill excludes Social Security retirement benefits, Medicare, the TRICARE program, and all programs administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5538 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 5538

To amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to subject certain direct 
  spending programs to annual appropriations, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2020

  Mr. Byrne introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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 amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to subject certain direct 
  spending programs to annual appropriations, 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 ``Mandatory Spending Control and 
Accountability Act''.

SEC. 2. ANNUAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUIRED FOR DIRECT SPENDING PROGRAMS.

    (a) In General.--Title III of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
(2 U.S.C. 632 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 315 the 
following:

     ``annual appropriations required for direct spending programs

    ``Sec. 316.  (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in 
fiscal year 2021 and each fiscal year thereafter--
    ``(1) each direct spending program shall be subject to annual 
discretionary appropriations; and
    ``(2) no funds may be obligated for any such program using any 
amounts other than amounts provided in advance in appropriations Acts.
    ``(b) In this section, the term `direct spending program'--
            ``(1) means--
                    ``(A) any program with respect to which budget 
                authority is provided (before the date of enactment of 
                this section) by law other than appropriation Acts;
                    ``(B) any program that is funded (before the date 
                of enactment of this section) through entitlement 
                authority; and
                    ``(C) the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
                Program; and
            ``(2) does not include--
                    ``(A) the old-age and survivors insurance program 
                established under title II of the Social Security Act 
                (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.), but not including disability 
                insurance benefits under section 223 of such Act (42 
                U.S.C. 423);
                    ``(B) Medicare programs;
                    ``(C) all programs administered by the Department 
                of Veterans Affairs; and
                    ``(D) the TRICARE program (as defined in section 
                1072 of title 10, United States Code).''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of contents of such Act is 
amended by inserting after the item relating to section 316 the 
following new item:

``Sec. 316. Annual appropriations required for direct spending 
                            programs.''.
    (c) President's Budget Submission.--Section 1105(a) of title 31, 
United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(40) such information as is necessary for the making of 
        accurate appropriations for direct spending programs subject to 
        the appropriations process, and recommendations on legislative 
        changes to bring spending on such programs to a sustainable 
        basis, if applicable.''.
    (d) Rules Committee Recommendations.--Not later than 180 days after 
the date of enactment of this Act, the Committee on Rules of the House 
of Representatives shall submit to the House conforming amendments to 
the Rules of the House of Representatives to effectuate this title, 
including the requirement that the authority to appropriate funds for 
direct spending programs subject to the appropriations process is with 
the Committee on Appropriations.
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