Bipartisan Budget Reform Bill Passes out of Senate Committee
The Senate Budget Committee advanced legislation last week to reform the congressional budget process, the first bipartisan budget reform bill to pass the Committee since 1990. The Bipartisan Congressional Budget Reform Act is meant to provide for a more “orderly and deliberative budget process focused on long term fiscal planning,” according to committee leadership.
Since 2015, the committee reported having more than a dozen hearings on the budget process. This legislation, introduced by Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY) is cosponsored by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Angus King (I-ME), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Barrasso (R-WY), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Ron Johnson (R-WI), David Perdue (R-GA), John Kennedy (R-LA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Braun (R-IN), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Rick Scott (R-FL).
The legislation would make reforms to the budget process. Some high-level reforms include:
Budget resolutions would outline spending levels over a two-year, “biennial” budgeting cycle rather than the one-year budget resolutions that are currently required. The two-year budget resolutions would also include longer-term fiscal targets.
The appropriations process would remain annual, so Congress would provide funding each fiscal year based on the levels established in the biennial budget.
Legislation to conform the debt limit to budget resolution levels would be given an expedited path through Congress to the president’s desk to reduce the risk of default.
A new reconciliation process would be created that could only be used for legislation to reduce the budget deficit.
A new pathway would be created for Congress to pass a bipartisan budget resolution.
Up-to-date scorekeeping tabulations would be made public so the American people can track government’s adherence to its budget.
The legislation passed out of committee on a 15 to 6 vote.
APPROPS UPDATE:
The Senate last week approved a package of appropriations measures to fund the departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Agriculture, Interior, Commerce, Justice, and other agencies. The chamber, however, rejected a second “minibus” that included funding for the departments of Defense, Health and Human Services, and Labor due to Democratic concerns over funding for barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border, abortion-related policy riders, and other issues.
The Senate-passed legislation differs from the House appropriations packages for the same agencies. The House and Senate will have to go to conference to work out the discrepancies. Some lawmakers have indicated an additional continuing resolution is on the horizon if the two chambers fail to reach an agreement before the current resolution expires on November 21. The president announced this week he has not ruled out another government shutdown.
