[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2855 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2855

   To amend the Budget Control Act of 2011 to reduce the deficit and 
               restore the middle class by creating jobs.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 7, 2011

 Mr. Ellison introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget and 
   Ways and Means, 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 Budget Control Act of 2011 to reduce the deficit and 
               restore the middle class by creating jobs.

    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 ``Emergency Jobs Now Act''.

SEC. 2. AMENDMENTS TO THE BUDGET CONTROL ACT OF 2011 RELATING TO JOB 
              CREATION.

    (a) Renaming of Joint Committee.--(1) The title of title IV of the 
Budget Control Act of 2011 is amended by striking ``JOINT SELECT 
COMMITTEE ON DEFICIT REDUCTION'' and inserting ``JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE 
ON EMERGENCY JOB CREATION AND DEFICIT REDUCTION''.
    (2) Subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) of section 401 of such Act are 
amended by striking ``Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction'' and 
inserting ``Joint Select Committee on Emergency Job Creation and 
Deficit Reduction'' each place it appears.
    (3) The table of contents set forth in section 1(b) of such Act is 
amended by striking the item relating to title IV and inserting the 
following:

   ``TITLE IV--JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE ON EMERGENCY JOB CREATION AND 
                          DEFICIT REDUCTION''.

    (b) Additional Amendments to Section 401.--(1) Amend subsection 
401(b)(2) of the Budget Control Act of 2011 to read as follows:
            ``(2) Goal.--The goal of the joint committee shall be to 
        enact emergency jobs legislation that will create an additional 
        3 million jobs during each of the calendar years 2012 and 2013, 
        thereby reducing unemployment rates over the short-term and 
        long-term, and to reduce the deficit by at least 
        $1,500,000,000,000 over the period of fiscal years 2014 through 
        2021.''.
    (2) Subsection (b)(3) of such section is amended to read as 
follows:
            ``(3) Duties.--
                    ``(A) Emergency jobs legislation.--
                            ``(i) Enacting emergency jobs legislation 
                        and reducing the unemployment rate.--The joint 
                        committee shall provide recommendations and 
                        legislative language to enact emergency jobs 
                        legislation that will create an additional 3 
                        million jobs during each of the calendar years 
                        2012 and 2013, thereby reducing unemployment 
                        rates over the short-term and long-term.
                            ``(ii) Recommendations of the committees.--
                        Not later than September 23, 2011, each 
                        committee of the House of Representatives and 
                        the Senate may transmit to the joint committee 
                        its recommendations to enact emergency jobs 
                        legislation consistent with the goal described 
                        in paragraph (2) for the joint committee's 
                        consideration.
                    ``(B) Deficit reduction measures.--
                            ``(i) Improving the short-term and long-
                        term fiscal imbalance.--The joint committee 
                        shall provide recommendations and legislative 
                        language that will significantly improve the 
                        short-term and long-term fiscal imbalance of 
                        the Federal Government.
                            ``(ii) Recommendations of committees.--Not 
                        later than October 14, 2011, each committee of 
                        the House of Representatives and the Senate may 
                        transmit to the joint committee its 
                        recommendations for changes in law to reduce 
                        the deficit consistent with the goal described 
                        in paragraph (2) for the joint committee's 
                        consideration.
                    ``(C) Report, recommendations, and legislative 
                language for emergency jobs legislation.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than October 
                        14, 2011, the joint committee shall vote on--
                                    ``(I) a report that contains a 
                                detailed statement of the findings, 
                                conclusions, and recommendations of the 
                                joint committee on emergency jobs 
                                legislation and the estimate of the 
                                Joint Economic Committee required by 
                                paragraph (5)(D)(ii); and
                                    ``(II) proposed legislative 
                                language to carry out such 
                                recommendations as described in 
                                subclause (I), which shall include a 
                                statement of the jobs created by the 
                                legislation over the period of calendar 
                                years 2012 and 2013.
                        Any change to the Rules of the House of 
                        Representatives or the Standing Rules of the 
                        Senate included in the report or legislative 
                        language shall be considered to be merely 
                        advisory.
                            ``(ii) Approval of report and legislative 
                        language.--The report of the joint committee 
                        and the proposed legislative language described 
                        in clause (i) shall require the approval of a 
                        majority of the members of the joint committee.
                            ``(iii) Additional views.--A member of the 
                        joint committee who gives notice of an 
                        intention to file supplemental, minority, or 
                        additional views at the time of final joint 
                        committee language under clause (ii) shall be 
                        entitled to 3 calendar days in which to file 
                        such views in writing with the staff director 
                        of the joint committee. Such views shall then 
                        be included in the joint committee report and 
                        printed in the same volume, or part thereof, 
                        and their inclusion shall be noted on the cover 
                        of the report. In the absence of timely notice, 
                        the joint committee report may be printed and 
                        transmitted immediately without such views.
                            ``(iv) Transmission of report and 
                        legislative language.--If the report and 
                        legislative language are approved by the joint 
                        committee pursuant to clause (ii), then not 
                        later than October 17, 2011, the joint 
                        committee shall submit the joint committee 
                        report and legislative language to the 
                        President, the Vice President, the Speaker of 
                        the House of Representatives, and the majority 
                        and minority leaders of each House of Congress.
                            ``(v) Report and legislative language to be 
                        made public.--Upon the approval or disapproval 
                        of the joint committee report and legislative 
                        language pursuant to clause (ii), the joint 
                        committee shall promptly make the full report 
                        and legislative language, and a record of the 
                        vote, available to the public.
                    ``(D) Report, recommendations, and legislative 
                language for deficit reduction.--
                            ``(i) In general.--Not later than November 
                        23, 2011, the joint committee shall vote on--
                                    ``(I) a report that contains a 
                                detailed statement of the findings, 
                                conclusions, and recommendations of the 
                                joint committee on deficit reduction 
                                and the estimate of the Congressional 
                                Budget Office required by paragraph 
                                (5)(D)(iii); and
                                    ``(II) proposed legislative 
                                language to carry out such 
                                recommendations as described in 
                                subclause (I), which shall include a 
                                statement of the deficit reduction 
                                achieved by the legislation over the 
                                period of fiscal years 2014 to 2021.
                        Any change to the Rules of the House of 
                        Representatives or the Standing Rules of the 
                        Senate included in the report or legislative 
                        language shall be considered to be merely 
                        advisory.
                            ``(ii) Approval of report and legislative 
                        language.--The report of the joint committee 
                        and the proposed legislative language described 
                        in clause (i) shall require the approval of a 
                        majority of the members of the joint committee.
                            ``(iii) Additional views.--A member of the 
                        joint committee who gives notice of an 
                        intention to file supplemental, minority, or 
                        additional views at the time of final joint 
                        committee vote on the approval of the report 
                        and legislative language under clause (ii) 
                        shall be entitled to 3 calendar days in which 
                        to file such views in writing with the staff 
                        director of the joint committee. Such views 
                        shall then be included in the joint committee 
                        report and printed in the same volume, or part 
                        thereof, and their inclusion shall be noted on 
                        the cover of the report. In the absence of 
                        timely notice, the joint committee report may 
                        be printed and transmitted immediately without 
                        such views.
                            ``(iv) Transmission of report and 
                        legislative language.--If the report and 
                        legislative language are approved by the joint 
                        committee pursuant to clause (ii), then not 
                        later than December 2, 2011, the joint 
                        committee shall submit the joint committee 
                        report and legislative language described in 
                        clause (i) to the President, the Vice 
                        President, the Speaker of the House of 
                        Representatives, and the majority and minority 
                        leaders of each House of Congress.
                            ``(v) Report and legislative language to be 
                        made public.--Upon the approval or disapproval 
                        of the joint committee report and legislative 
                        language pursuant to clause (ii), the joint 
                        committee shall promptly make the full report 
                        and legislative language, and a record of the 
                        vote, available to the public.''.
    (3) In subsection (b)(5)(D) of such section, strike clause (ii) and 
insert the following new clauses:
                            ``(ii) Joint economic committee 
                        estimates.--The Joint Economic Committee shall 
                        provide job creation estimates of the 
                        legislation (as described in paragraph (3)(C)) 
                        in accordance with the Employment Act of 1946 
                        and the unemployment rate as determined by the 
                        Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, the 
                        Joint Economic Committee shall provide 
                        information on the employment effect of the 
                        legislation beyond calendar years 2012 and 2013 
                        and shall determine the impact of job creation 
                        measures approved by the Joint Committee on 
                        growth and deficit projections. The joint 
                        committee may not vote any version of the 
                        report, recommendations, or legislative 
                        language as described in paragraph (3)(C) 
                        unless such estimates are available for 
                        consideration by all members of the joint 
                        committee at least 48 hours prior to the vote 
                        as certified by the Co-Chairs.
                            ``(iii) Congressional budget office 
                        estimates.--The Congressional Budget Office 
                        shall provide estimates of the legislation (as 
                        described in paragraph (3)(D)) in accordance 
                        with sections 308(a) and 201(f) of the 
                        Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 
                        639(a) and 601(f)) (including estimates of the 
                        effect of interest payment on the debt). In 
                        addition, the Congressional Budget Office shall 
                        provide information on the budgetary effect of 
                        the legislation beyond year 2021. The joint 
                        committee may not vote any version of the 
                        report, recommendations, or legislative 
                        language as described in paragraph (3)(D) 
                        unless such estimates are available for 
                        consideration by all members of the joint 
                        committee at least 48 hours prior to the vote 
                        as certified by the Co-Chair.
                            ``(iv) Timing.--The joint committee may not 
                        vote on any version of the report, 
                        recommendations, or legislative language unless 
                        such estimates (as described in clauses (ii) 
                        and (iii)) are available for consideration by 
                        all members of the joint committee at least 48 
                        hours prior to the vote as certified by the Co-
                        Chairs.''.
    (4) In subsection (b)(5)(F)(i) of such section is amended to read 
as follows:
                            ``(i) In general.--The joint committee 
                        shall, for the purpose of carrying out this 
                        section, hold hearings on emergency jobs 
                        legislation and deficit reduction. In doing so, 
                        the joint committee shall sit and act at such 
                        times and places, require attendance of 
                        witnesses and production of books, papers, and 
                        documents, take such testimony, receive such 
                        evidence, and administer such oaths as the 
                        joint committee considers advisable.''.

SEC. 3. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF JOINT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 
              EMERGENCY JOBS LEGISLATION.

    (a) In General.--Section 402 of the Budget Control Act of 2011 is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a), by striking ``401(b)(3)(B)(ii)'' and 
        inserting ``401(b)(3)(C)(ii)'' and by striking 
        ``401(b)(3)(B)(iv)'' and inserting ``401(b)(3)(C)(iv)'';
            (2) in subsection (b)(1), by striking ``December 9, 2011'' 
        and inserting ``October 24, 2011'';
            (3) in subsection (b)(4), by striking ``December 23, 2011'' 
        and inserting ``October 31, 2011'';
            (4) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ``December 9, 2011'' 
        and inserting ``October 24, 2011'';
            (5) in subsection (c)(5), by striking ``December 23, 2011'' 
        and inserting ``October 31, 2011'';
            (6) in subsection (g)(1), by striking ``November 23, 2011'' 
        and inserting ``October 14, 2011'' and by striking 
        ``401(b)(3)(B)(i)'' and inserting ``401(b)(3)(C)(i)''; and
            (7) in subsection (g)(2), by striking ``December 23, 2011'' 
        and inserting ``October 31, 2011''.
    (b) Conforming Amendment.--The section heading of section 402 of 
the Budget Control Act of 2011 is amended by adding at the end ``for 
emergency jobs legislation''.

SEC. 4. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF JOINT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 
              DEFICIT REDUCTION.

    Title IV of the Budget Control Act of 2011 is amended by 
redesignating sections 403 and 404 as sections 404 and 405, 
respectively, and by inserting after section 402 the following new 
section:

``SEC. 403. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF JOINT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATIONS 
              FOR DEFICIT REDUCTION.

    ``(a) Introduction.--If approved by the majority required by 
section 401(b)(3)(D)(ii), the proposed legislative language submitted 
pursuant to section 401(b)(3)(D)(iv) shall be introduced in the Senate 
(by request) on the next day on which the Senate is in session by the 
majority leader of the Senate or by a Member of the Senate designated 
by the majority leader of the Senate and shall be introduced in the 
House of Representatives (by request) on the next legislative day by 
the majority leader of the House or by a Member of the House designated 
by the majority leader of the House.
    ``(b) Consideration in the House of Representatives.--
            ``(1) Referral and reporting.--Any committee of the House 
        of Representatives to which the joint committee bill is 
        referred shall report it to the House without amendment not 
        later than December 9, 2011. If a committee fails to report the 
        joint committee bill within that period, it shall be in order 
        to move that the House discharge the committee from further 
        consideration of the bill. Such a motion shall not be in order 
        after the last committee authorized to consider the bill 
        reports it to the House or after the House has disposed of a 
        motion to discharge the bill. The previous question shall be 
        considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without 
        intervening motion except 20 minutes of debate equally divided 
        and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. If such a 
        motion is adopted, the House shall proceed immediately to 
        consider the joint committee bill in accordance with paragraphs 
        (2) and (3). A motion to reconsider the vote by which the 
        motion is disposed of shall not be in order.
            ``(2) Proceeding to consideration.--After the last 
        committee authorized to consider a joint committee bill reports 
        it to the House or has been discharged (other than by motion) 
        from its consideration, it shall be in order to move to proceed 
        to consider the joint committee bill in the House. Such a 
        motion shall not be in order after the House has disposed of a 
        motion to proceed with respect to the joint committee bill. The 
        previous question shall be considered as ordered on the motion 
        to its adoption without intervening motion. A motion to 
        reconsider the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall 
        not be in order.
            ``(3) Consideration.--The joint committee bill shall be 
        considered as read. All points of order against the joint 
        committee bill and against its consideration are waived. The 
        previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint 
        committee bill to its passage without intervening motion except 
        2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the 
        proponent and an opponent and one motion to limit debate on the 
        joint committee bill. A motion to reconsider the vote on 
        passage of the joint committee bill shall not be in order.
            ``(4) Vote on passage.--The vote on passage of the joint 
        committee bill shall occur not later than December 23, 2011.
    ``(c) Expedited Procedure in the Senate.--
            ``(1) Committee consideration.--A joint committee bill 
        introduced in the Senate under subsection (a) shall be jointly 
        referred to the committee or committees of jurisdiction, which 
        committees shall report the bill without any revision and with 
        a favorable recommendation, an unfavorable recommendation, or 
        without recommendation, not later than December 9, 2011. If any 
        committee fails to report the bill within that period, that 
        committee shall be automatically discharged from consideration 
        of the bill, and the bill shall be placed on the appropriate 
        calendar.
            ``(2) Motion to proceed.--Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the 
        Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order, not later than 2 
        days of session after the date on which a joint committee bill 
        is reported or discharged from all committees to which it was 
        referred, for the majority leader of the Senate or the majority 
        leader's designee to move to proceed to the consideration of 
        the joint committee bill. It shall also be in order for any 
        Member of the Senate to move to proceed to the consideration of 
        the joint committee bill at any time after the conclusion of 
        such 2-day period. A motion to proceed is in order even though 
        a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to. All 
        points of order against the motion to proceed to the joint 
        committee bill are waived. The motion to proceed is not 
        debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to postpone. A 
        motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to 
        or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed 
        to the consideration of the joint committee bill is agreed to, 
        the joint committee bill shall remain the unfinished business 
        until disposed of.
            ``(3) Consideration.--All points of order against the joint 
        committee bill and against consideration of the joint committee 
        bill are waived. Consideration of the joint committee bill and 
        of all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith 
        shall not exceed a total of 30 hours which shall be divided 
        equally between the majority and minority leaders or their 
        designees. A motion further to limit debate on the joint 
        committee bill is in order, shall require an affirmative vote 
        of three-fifths of the Members duly chosen and sworn, and is 
        not debatable. Any debatable motion or appeal is debatable for 
        not to exceed 1 hour, to be divided equally between those 
        favoring and those opposing the motion or appeal. All time used 
        for consideration of the joint committee bill, including time 
        used for quorum calls and voting, shall be counted against the 
        total 30 hours of consideration.
            ``(4) No amendments.--An amendment to the joint committee 
        bill, or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the 
        consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit the 
        joint committee bill, is not in order.
            ``(5) Vote on passage.--If the Senate has voted to proceed 
        to the joint committee bill, the vote on passage of the joint 
        committee bill shall occur immediately following the conclusion 
        of the debate on a joint committee bill, and a single quorum 
        call at the conclusion of the debate if requested. The vote on 
        passage of the joint committee bill shall occur not later than 
        December 23, 2011.
            ``(6) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals from the 
        decisions of the Chair relating to the application of the rules 
        of the Senate, as the case may be, to the procedure relating to 
        a joint committee bill shall be decided without debate.
    ``(d) Amendment.--The joint committee bill shall not be subject to 
amendment in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.
    ``(e) Consideration by the Other House.--
            ``(1) In general.--If, before passing the joint committee 
        bill, one House receives from the other a joint committee 
        bill--
                    ``(A) the joint committee bill of the other House 
                shall not be referred to a committee; and
                    ``(B) the procedure in the receiving House shall be 
                the same as if no joint committee bill had been 
                received from the other House until the vote on 
                passage, when the joint committee bill received from 
                the other House shall supplant the joint committee bill 
                of the receiving House.
            ``(2) Revenue measure.--This subsection shall not apply to 
        the House of Representatives if the joint committee bill 
        received from the Senate is a revenue measure.
    ``(f) Rules To Coordinate Action With Other House.--
            ``(1) Treatment of joint committee bill of other house.--If 
        the Senate fails to introduce or consider a joint committee 
        bill under this section, the joint committee bill of the House 
        shall be entitled to expedited floor procedures under this 
        section.
            ``(2) Treatment of companion measures in the senate.--If 
        following passage of the joint committee bill in the Senate, 
        the Senate then receives the joint committee bill from the 
        House of Representatives, the House-passed joint committee bill 
        shall not be debatable. The vote on passage of the joint 
        committee bill in the Senate shall be considered to be the vote 
        on passage of the joint committee bill received from the House 
        of Representatives.
            ``(3) Vetoes.--If the President vetoes the joint committee 
        bill, debate on a veto message in the Senate under this section 
        shall be 1 hour equally divided between the majority and 
        minority leaders or their designees.
    ``(g) Loss of Privilege.--The provisions of this section shall 
cease to apply to the joint committee bill if--
            ``(1) the joint committee fails to vote on the report or 
        proposed legislative language required under section 
        401(b)(3)(D)(i) not later than November 23, 2011; or
            ``(2) the joint committee bill does not pass both Houses 
        not later than December 23, 2011.''.

SEC. 5. DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LIMITS.

    (a) In General.--Section 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and 
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended by striking paragraphs 
(1) and (2) and redesignating paragraphs (3) through (10) as paragraphs 
(1) through (8), respectively.
    (b) Conforming Amendments to Adjustments.--Section 251(b)(2) of the 
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended--
            (1) in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking subclauses (I) and 
        (II) and by redesignating subclauses (III) through (X) as 
        subclauses (I) through (VIII), respectively;
            (2) in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking subclauses (I) and 
        (II) and by redesignating subclauses (III) through (X) as 
        subclauses (I) through (VIII), respectively; and
            (3) in subparagraph (D), by striking ``2012'' and inserting 
        ``2014''.
    (c) Revised Discretionary Spending Limits.--Section 251A of the 
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ``for fiscal years 2013 
        through 2021'' and inserting ``for fiscal years 2014 through 
        2021'' and by striking subparagraph (A) and redesignating 
        subparagraphs (B) through (I) as (A) through (H), respectively;
            (2) in paragraph (3), by striking ``2013'' and inserting 
        ``2014'';
            (3) in paragraph (4), by striking ``2013'' each place it 
        appears and inserting ``2014'' and by striking ``2014 through 
        2021'' and inserting ``2015 through 2021'';
            (4) in paragraphs (5), (6), and (7), by striking ``2013'' 
        each place it appears and inserting ``2014''; and
            (5) in paragraph (7)(B), by striking ``2014'' each place it 
        appears and inserting ``2015''.

SEC. 6. ADJUSTMENT TO STATUTORY DEBT LIMIT FOR EMERGENCY JOBS 
              LEGISLATION.

    Title III of the Budget Control Act of 2011 is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section:

``SEC. 303. ADJUSTMENT TO STATUTORY DEBT LIMIT FOR EMERGENCY JOBS 
              LEGISLATION.

    ``If emergency jobs legislation is approved by the joint committee 
pursuant to section 401(b)(3)(C)(ii) and is enacted into law, then the 
limit on debt provided in section 3101(b) of title 31, United States 
Code, is increased by an amount equal to the amount of new budget 
authority provided in such emergency jobs legislation.''.

SEC. 7. CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    The table of contents set forth in section 1(b) of the Budget 
Control Act of 2011 is amended--
            (1) by inserting after the item relating to section 302 the 
        following new item:

``Sec. 303. Adjustment to statutory debt limit for emergency jobs 
                            legislation.'';
        and
            (2) by striking the items relating to sections 402 through 
        404 and inserting the following new items:

``Sec. 402. Expedited consideration of joint committee recommendations 
                            for emergency jobs legislation.
``Sec. 403. Expedited consideration of joint committee recommendations 
                            for deficit reduction.
``Sec. 404. Funding.
``Sec. 405. Rulemaking.''.
                                 <all>