[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 71 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
Union Calendar No. 172
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 71
[Report No. 115-240]
Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government
for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels
for fiscal years 2019 through 2027.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 21, 2017
Mrs. Black, from the Committee on the Budget, reported the following
concurrent resolution; which was committed to the Committee of the
Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government
for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels
for fiscal years 2019 through 2027.
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018.
(a) Declaration.--The Congress determines and declares that prior
concurrent resolutions on the budget are replaced as of fiscal year
2018 and that this concurrent resolution establishes the budget for
fiscal year 2018 and sets forth the appropriate budgetary levels for
fiscal years 2019 through 2027.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this concurrent
resolution is as follows:
Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts.
Sec. 102. Major functional categories.
TITLE II--RECONCILIATION AND RELATED MATTERS
Sec. 201. Reconciliation in the House of Representatives.
TITLE III--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Subtitle A--Budget Enforcement
Sec. 301. Point of order against increasing long-term direct spending.
Sec. 302. Allocation for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on
Terrorism.
Sec. 303. Limitation on changes in certain mandatory programs.
Sec. 304. Limitation on advance appropriations.
Sec. 305. Estimates of debt service costs.
Sec. 306. Fair-value credit estimates.
Sec. 307. Estimates of macroeconomic effects of major legislation.
Sec. 308. Adjustments for improved control of budgetary resources.
Sec. 309. Scoring rule for Energy Savings Performance Contracts.
Sec. 310. Limitation on transfers from the general fund of the Treasury
to the Highway Trust Fund.
Sec. 311. Prohibition on use of Federal Reserve surpluses as an offset.
Sec. 312. Prohibition on use of guarantee fees as an offset.
Subtitle B--Other Provisions
Sec. 321. Budgetary treatment of administrative expenses.
Sec. 322. Application and effect of changes in allocations and
aggregates.
Sec. 323. Adjustments to reflect changes in concepts and definitions.
Sec. 324. Adjustment for changes in the baseline.
Sec. 325. Application of rule regarding limits on discretionary
spending.
Sec. 326. Exercise of rulemaking powers.
TITLE IV--RESERVE FUNDS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Sec. 401. Reserve fund for commercialization of air traffic control.
Sec. 402. Reserve fund for investments in national infrastructure.
Sec. 403. Reserve fund for comprehensive tax reform.
Sec. 404. Reserve fund for the State Children's Health Insurance
Program.
Sec. 405. Reserve fund for the repeal or replacement of President
Obama's health care laws.
TITLE V--POLICY STATEMENTS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Sec. 501. Policy statement on a balanced budget amendment.
Sec. 502. Policy statement on budget process reform.
Sec. 503. Policy statement on Federal regulatory budgeting and reform.
Sec. 504. Policy statement on unauthorized appropriations.
Sec. 505. Policy statement on Federal accounting.
Sec. 506. Policy statement on Commission on Budget Concepts.
Sec. 507. Policy statement on budget enforcement.
Sec. 508. Policy statement on improper payments.
Sec. 509. Policy statement on expenditures from agency fees and
spending.
Sec. 510. Policy statement on promoting real health care reform.
Sec. 511. Policy statement on Medicare.
Sec. 512. Policy statement on combating the opioid epidemic.
Sec. 513. Policy statement on the State Children's Health Insurance
Program.
Sec. 514. Policy statement on medical discovery, development, delivery,
and innovation.
Sec. 515. Policy statement on public health preparedness.
Sec. 516. Policy statement on Social Security.
Sec. 517. Policy statement on Medicaid work requirements.
Sec. 518. Policy statement on welfare reform and Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program work requirements.
Sec. 519. Policy Statement on State flexibility in Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program.
Sec. 520. Policy statement on higher education and workforce
development opportunity.
Sec. 521. Policy statement on supplemental wildfire suppression
funding.
Sec. 522. Policy statement on the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 523. Policy statement on moving the United States Postal Service
on budget.
Sec. 524. Policy statement on the Judgment Fund.
Sec. 525. Policy statement on responsible stewardship of taxpayer
dollars.
Sec. 526. Policy statement on tax reform.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.
The following budgetary levels are appropriate for each of fiscal
years 2018 through 2027:
(1) Federal revenues.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this concurrent resolution:
(A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are
as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $2,670,356,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $2,767,357,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $2,870,414,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $2,963,953,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,077,586,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,195,139,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,325,690,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $3,475,784,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $3,642,629,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $3,811,687,000,000.
(B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of
Federal revenues should be changed are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: -$63,213,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: -$66,151,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: -$80,162,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: -$95,958,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: -$105,330,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: -$122,777,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: -$136,738,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: -$146,394,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: -$146,749,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: -$146,700,000,000.
(2) New budget authority.--For purposes of the enforcement
of this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total
new budget authority are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $3,232,597,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,286,018,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,299,573,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,290,186,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,441,975,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,483,686,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,528,872,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $3,655,413,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $3,746,208,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $3,824,652,000,000.
(3) Budget outlays.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total
budget outlays are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $3,164,885,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,265,306,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,283,026,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,323,464,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,441,603,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,467,047,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,497,308,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $3,620,210,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $3,727,971,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $3,806,792,000,000.
(4) Deficits (on-budget).--For purposes of the enforcement
of this concurrent resolution, the amounts of the deficits (on-
budget) are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $494,529,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $497,949,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $412,612,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $359,511,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $364,017,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $271,908,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $171,618,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $144,426,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $85,342,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: -$4,895,000,000.
(5) Debt subject to limit.--The appropriate levels of debt
subject to limit are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $21,059,756,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $21,720,619,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $22,263,387,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $22,717,657,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $23,120,068,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $23,414,924,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $23,577,205,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $23,665,687,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $23,701,446,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $23,484,672,000,000.
(6) Debt held by the public.--The appropriate levels of
debt held by the public are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $15,399,966,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $15,971,804,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $16,477,150,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $16,920,847,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $17,371,706,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $17,720,326,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $17,949,306,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $18,156,356,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $18,299,466,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $18,345,826,000,000.
SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.
The Congress determines and declares that the appropriate levels of
new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years 2018 through 2027 for
each major functional category are:
(1) National Defense (050):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $629,595,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $607,810,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $660,832,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $636,795,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $693,646,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $666,519,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $728,125,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $698,761,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $731,818,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $717,568,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $735,468,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $720,401,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $739,157,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $720,755,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $742,886,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $729,581,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $747,414,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $734,037,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $751,098,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $737,798,000,000.
(2) International Affairs (150):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $41,521,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $43,643,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $40,210,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $41,207,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $39,428,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,965,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $38,654,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,585,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $37,623,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,021,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $38,445,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $37,795,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $39,285,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,102,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $40,174,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,643,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $41,121,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,365,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $42,025,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $40,175,000,000.
(3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $28,524,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $30,072,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $29,107,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,365,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $29,702,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,360,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $30,346,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,718,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $31,018,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $30,259,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $31,694,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $30,797,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $32,378,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,325,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $33,112,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,928,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $33,854,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $32,550,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $34,602,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,162,000,000.
(4) Energy (270):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$3,088,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $2,559,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $1,704,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,714,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$11,179,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$11,813,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $1,871,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $786,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $1,705,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $445,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $754,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$491,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $437,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$727,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$4,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$1,052,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $2,233,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,207,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $2,324,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,370,000,000.
(5) Natural Resources and Environment (300):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $31,720,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $35,641,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $31,856,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,751,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $33,255,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,581,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $32,704,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $32,652,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $34,295,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,909,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $34,684,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $34,186,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $34,598,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $34,081,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $35,520,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $34,921,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $36,186,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $35,526,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $36,742,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $36,078,000,000.
(6) Agriculture (350):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $24,223,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,913,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $21,091,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,200,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $19,786,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,293,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $18,217,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,660,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $17,835,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,339,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $18,153,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,713,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $18,880,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,331,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $19,863,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,225,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $20,214,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,593,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $20,422,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,817,000,000.
(7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$7,287,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$19,601,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$7,517,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$15,753,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$10,358,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$18,126,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$13,446,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,106,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$12,880,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,470,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$12,330,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,598,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$10,989,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,362,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$10,255,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,849,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$11,141,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$23,569,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$11,933,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$24,521,000,000.
(8) Transportation (400):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $88,095,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $91,796,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $88,892,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $90,602,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $82,748,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $90,508,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $37,190,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $77,995,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $66,950,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $65,076,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $66,895,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $68,694,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $67,483,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $69,617,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $68,481,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $69,074,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $69,714,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $69,044,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $70,948,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $69,741,000,000.
(9) Community and Regional Development (450):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $4,365,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,626,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $4,170,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,983,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $4,240,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $11,842,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $4,353,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $9,558,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $4,487,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $6,386,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $4,556,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $5,090,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $4,673,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,745,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $4,857,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,767,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $5,077,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,805,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $4,953,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,809,000,000.
(10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services
(500):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $69,920,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $89,295,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $79,090,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $81,404,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $80,305,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $81,129,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $81,922,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $82,479,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $82,350,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $83,539,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $86,279,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $85,843,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $86,641,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $87,897,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $86,977,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $88,522,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $87,459,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $89,186,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $88,216,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $90,080,000,000.
(11) Health (550):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $579,328,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $551,277,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $564,387,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $570,419,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $552,405,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $541,949,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $512,289,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $518,445,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $528,560,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $533,688,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $547,998,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $549,687,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $571,335,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $569,207,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $594,923,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $591,171,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $618,119,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $613,682,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $623,810,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $626,774,000,000.
(12) Medicare (570):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $593,830,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $593,567,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $652,984,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $652,740,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $692,126,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $691,917,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $739,367,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $739,161,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $826,276,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $826,057,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $845,800,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $845,593,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $850,393,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $850,177,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $916,244,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $916,009,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $988,183,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $987,942,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority,
$1,053,671,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,053,435,000,000.
(13) Income Security (600):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $491,789,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $477,428,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $464,425,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $454,786,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $475,015,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $464,925,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $484,414,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $475,140,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $492,453,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $489,299,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $475,767,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $468,217,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $484,425,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $471,370,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $493,048,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $480,920,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $502,057,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $496,505,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $511,675,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $505,382,000,000.
(14) Social Security (650):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $39,475,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,475,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $43,016,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $43,016,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $46,287,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $46,287,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $49,748,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $49,748,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $53,392,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $53,392,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $57,378,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $57,378,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $61,764,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $61,764,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $66,388,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $66,388,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $70,871,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $70,871,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $75,473,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $75,473,000,000.
(15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $176,704,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $178,038,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $191,507,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $190,235,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $194,930,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $193,931,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $199,751,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $197,856,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $215,442,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $213,337,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $212,567,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $210,444,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $209,943,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $207,908,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $227,991,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $225,820,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $234,947,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $232,660,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $243,718,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $241,501,000,000.
(16) Administration of Justice (750):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $51,367,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $61,079,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $58,245,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $58,867,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $59,720,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $60,036,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $61,054,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $60,946,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $62,092,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $61,925,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $63,671,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $63,462,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $65,285,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $65,043,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $66,947,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $66,498,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $69,907,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $70,200,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $70,270,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $69,722,000,000.
(17) General Government (800):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $23,564,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,091,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $23,948,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,314,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $23,557,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,303,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $23,386,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,190,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $23,127,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,013,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $26,420,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,057,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $26,351,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,168,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $26,246,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,060,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $26,083,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,917,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $25,855,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,722,000,000.
(18) Net Interest (900):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $376,842,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $376,842,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $409,185,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $409,185,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $450,859,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $450,859,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $493,778,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $493,778,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $531,929,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $531,929,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $565,282,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $565,282,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $589,292,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $589,292,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $607,012,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $607,012,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $620,536,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $620,536,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $623,786,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $623,911,000,000.
(19) Allowances (920):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$44,505,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$23,272,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$42,219,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$34,499,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$45,246,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$40,640,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$48,056,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$44,164,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$50,544,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$47,877,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$52,326,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$49,819,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$53,659,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$51,411,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$55,439,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$53,060,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$51,908,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$52,127,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$55,254,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$53,919,000,000.
(20) Government-wide savings and adjustments (930):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $34,145,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $2,778,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,555,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$2,528,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$67,381,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$47,665,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -
$120,155,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$97,069,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -
$153,376,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$137,459,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -
$174,438,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$159,489,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -
$194,373,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$179,541,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -
$193,336,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$187,355,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -
$246,573,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$223,016,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -
$258,801,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$240,977,000,000.
(21) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$83,212,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$83,212,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$86,409,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$86,409,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$86,316,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$86,316,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$90,347,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$90,347,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$93,573,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$93,573,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -
$100,001,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$100,001,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -
$105,371,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$105,371,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -
$115,139,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$115,139,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -
$117,033,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$117,033,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -
$127,808,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$127,808,000,000.
(22) Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on
Terrorism (970):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $86,591,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $45,781,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $60,000,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,748,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $43,000,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $43,076,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $26,000,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,635,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $12,000,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,768,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $12,000,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,799,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $12,000,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $11,957,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $4,171,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $1,160,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $165,000,000.
(23) Across-the-Board Adjustment (990):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$909,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$740,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$931,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$837,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$956,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$895,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$979,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$944,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,004,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$968,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,030,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$993,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,056,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$1,018,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,083,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$1,045,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,112,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$1,070,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,140,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$1,099,000,000.
TITLE II--RECONCILIATION AND RELATED MATTERS
SEC. 201. RECONCILIATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
(a) Submissions Providing for Reconciliation.--Not later than
October 6, 2017, the committees named in subsection (b) shall submit
their recommendations on changes in laws within their jurisdictions to
the Committee on the Budget that would achieve the specified reduction
in the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(b) Instructions.--
(1) Committee on agriculture.--The Committee on Agriculture
shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient
to reduce the deficit by $10,000,000,000 for the period of
fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(2) Committee on armed services.--The Committee on Armed
Services shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction
sufficient to reduce the deficit by $1,000,000,000 for the
period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(3) Committee on education and the workforce.--The
Committee on Education and the Workforce shall submit changes
in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the
deficit by $20,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018
through 2027.
(4) Committee on energy and commerce.--The Committee on
Energy and Commerce shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$20,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through
2027.
(5) Committee on financial services.--The Committee on
Financial Services shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$14,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through
2027.
(6) Committee on homeland security.--The Committee on
Homeland Security shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by $3,000,000,000
for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(7) Committee on the judiciary.--The Committee on the
Judiciary shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction
sufficient to reduce the deficit by $45,000,000,000 for the
period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(8) Committee on natural resources.--The Committee on
Natural Resources shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by $5,000,000,000
for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(9) Committee on oversight and government reform.--The
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform shall submit
changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce
the deficit by $32,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years
2018 through 2027.
(10) Committee on veterans' affairs.--The Committee on
Veterans' Affairs shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by $1,000,000,000
for the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(11) Committee on ways and means.--The Committee on Ways
and Means shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction
sufficient to reduce the deficit by $52,000,000,000 for the
period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
TITLE III--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Subtitle A--Budget Enforcement
SEC. 301. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST INCREASING LONG-TERM DIRECT SPENDING.
(a) Point of Order.--It shall not be in order in the House of
Representatives to consider any bill or joint resolution, or amendment
thereto or conference report thereon, that would cause a net increase
in direct spending in excess of $2,500,000,000 in any of the 4
consecutive 10-fiscal year periods described in subsection (b).
(b) Congressional Budget Office Analysis of Proposals.--The
Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall, to the extent
practicable, prepare an estimate of whether a bill or joint resolution
reported by a committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations),
or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, would cause,
relative to current law, a net increase in direct spending in the House
of Representatives, in excess of $2,500,000,000 in any of the 4
consecutive 10-fiscal year periods beginning after the last fiscal year
of this concurrent resolution.
(c) Limitation.--In the House of Representatives, the provisions of
this section shall not apply to any bills or joint resolutions, or
amendments thereto or conference reports thereon, for which the chair
of the Committee on the Budget has made adjustments to the allocations,
aggregates, or other budgetary levels in this concurrent resolution.
(d) Determinations of Budget Levels.--For purposes of this section,
the levels of net increases in direct spending shall be determined on
the basis of estimates provided by the chair of the Committee on the
Budget of the House of Representatives.
(e) Sunset.--This section shall have no force or effect after
September 30, 2018.
SEC. 302. ALLOCATION FOR OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS/GLOBAL WAR ON
TERRORISM.
(a) Separate Allocation for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global
War on Terrorism.--In the House of Representatives, there shall be a
separate allocation of new budget authority and outlays provided to the
Committee on Appropriations for the purposes of Overseas Contingency
Operations/Global War on Terrorism, which shall be deemed to be an
allocation under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974. Section 302(a)(3) of such Act shall not apply to such separate
allocation.
(b) Section 302 Allocations.--The separate allocation referred to
in subsection (a) shall be the exclusive allocation for Overseas
Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism under section 302(b) of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The Committee on Appropriations
of the House of Representatives may provide suballocations of such
separate allocation under such section 302(b).
(c) Application.--For purposes of enforcing the separate allocation
referred to in subsection (a) under section 302(f) of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974, the ``first fiscal year'' and the ``total of fiscal
years'' shall be deemed to refer to fiscal year 2018. Section 302(c) of
such Act shall not apply to such separate allocation.
(d) Designations.--New budget authority or outlays shall only be
counted toward the allocation referred to in subsection (a) if
designated pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
(e) Adjustments.--For purposes of subsection (a) for fiscal year
2018, no adjustment shall be made under section 314(a) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if any adjustment would be made under
section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.
SEC. 303. LIMITATION ON CHANGES IN CERTAIN MANDATORY PROGRAMS.
(a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``change in mandatory
programs'' means a provision that--
(1) would have been estimated as affecting direct spending
or receipts under section 252 of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (as in effect prior to
September 30, 2002) if the provision were included in
legislation other than appropriation Acts; and
(2) results in a net decrease in budget authority in the
budget year, but does not result in a net decrease in outlays
over the total of the current year, the budget year, and all
fiscal years covered under the most recently agreed to
concurrent resolution on the budget.
(b) Point of Order in the House of Representatives.--
(1) In general.--A provision in a bill or joint resolution
making appropriations for a full fiscal year that proposes a
change in mandatory programs that, if enacted, would cause the
absolute value of the total budget authority of all such
changes in mandatory programs enacted in relation to a full
fiscal year to be more than the amount specified in paragraph
(3), shall not be in order in the House of Representatives.
(2) Amendments and conference reports.--It shall not be in
order in the House of Representatives to consider an amendment
to, or a conference report on, a bill or joint resolution
making appropriations for a full fiscal year if such amendment
thereto or conference report thereon proposes a change in
mandatory programs that, if enacted, would cause the absolute
value of the total budget authority of all such changes in
mandatory programs enacted in relation to a full fiscal year to
be more than the amount specified in paragraph (3).
(3) Amount.--The amount specified in this paragraph is--
(A) for fiscal year 2018, $19,100,000,000;
(B) for fiscal year 2019, $17,000,000,000; and
(C) for fiscal year 2020, $15,000,000,000.
(c) Determination.--For purposes of this section, budgetary levels
shall be determined on the basis of estimates provided by the chair of
the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 304. LIMITATION ON ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--In the House of Representatives, except as
provided for in subsection (b), any general appropriation bill or bill
or joint resolution continuing appropriations, or amendment thereto or
conference report thereon, may not provide advance appropriations.
(b) Exceptions.--An advance appropriation may be provided for
programs, projects, activities, or accounts identified in the report or
the joint explanatory statement of managers, as applicable,
accompanying this concurrent resolution under the heading--
(1) General.--``Accounts Identified for Advance
Appropriations''.
(2) Veterans.--``Veterans Accounts Identified for Advance
Appropriations''.
(c) Limitations.--The aggregate level of advance appropriations
shall not exceed--
(1) General.--$28,852,000,000 in new budget authority for
all programs identified pursuant to subsection (b)(1).
(2) Veterans.--$70,699,313,000 in new budget authority for
programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs identified
pursuant to subsection (b)(2).
(d) Definition.--The term ``advance appropriation'' means any new
discretionary budget authority provided in a general appropriation bill
or joint resolution continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2018, or
any amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that first becomes
available for the first fiscal year following fiscal year 2018.
SEC. 305. ESTIMATES OF DEBT SERVICE COSTS.
In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee on the
Budget may direct the Congressional Budget Office to include, in any
estimate prepared under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 with respect to any bill or joint resolution, an estimate of any
change in debt service costs resulting from carrying out such bill or
resolution. Any estimate of debt service costs provided under this
section shall be advisory and shall not be used for purposes of
enforcement of such Act, the Rules of the House of Representatives, or
this concurrent resolution. This section shall not apply to
authorizations of programs funded by discretionary spending or to
appropriation bills or joint resolutions, but shall apply to changes in
the authorization level of appropriated entitlements.
SEC. 306. FAIR-VALUE CREDIT ESTIMATES.
(a) All Credit Programs.--Whenever the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office provides an estimate of any measure that
establishes or modifies any program providing loans or loan guarantees,
the Director shall also, to the extent practicable, provide a fair-
value estimate of such loan or loan guarantee program if requested by
the chair of the Committee on the Budget of the House of
Representatives.
(b) Student Financial Assistance and Housing Programs.--The
Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall provide, to the
extent practicable, a fair-value estimate as part of any estimate for
any measure that establishes or modifies a loan or loan guarantee
program for student financial assistance or housing (including
residential mortgage).
(c) Baseline Estimates.--The Congressional Budget Office shall
include estimates, on a fair-value and credit reform basis, of loan and
loan guarantee programs for student financial assistance, housing
(including residential mortgage), and such other major loan and loan
guarantee programs, as practicable, in its The Budget and Economic
Outlook: 2018 to 2027.
(d) Enforcement in the House of Representatives.--If the Director
of the Congressional Budget Office provides an estimate pursuant to
subsection (a) or (b), the chair of the Committee on the Budget of the
House of Representatives may use such estimate to determine compliance
with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and other budget enforcement
requirements.
SEC. 307. ESTIMATES OF MACROECONOMIC EFFECTS OF MAJOR LEGISLATION.
(a) CBO and JCT Estimates.--During the 115th Congress, any estimate
of major legislation considered in the House of Representatives or the
Senate provided by the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 or by the Joint Committee on
Taxation to the Congressional Budget Office under section 201(f) of
such Act shall, to the extent practicable, incorporate the budgetary
effects of changes in economic output, employment, capital stock, and
other macroeconomic variables resulting from such major legislation.
(b) Contents.--Any estimate referred to in subsection (a) shall, to
the extent practicable, include--
(1) a qualitative assessment of the budgetary effects
(including macroeconomic variables described in subsection (a))
of major legislation in the 20-fiscal year period beginning
after the last fiscal year of the most recently agreed to
concurrent resolution on the budget that sets forth budgetary
levels required under section 301 of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974; and
(2) an identification of the critical assumptions and the
source of data underlying that estimate.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Major legislation.--The term ``major legislation''
means--
(A) in the Senate, a bill, joint resolution,
conference report, amendment, amendment between the
Houses, or treaty--
(i) for which an estimate is required to be
prepared pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 653)
and that causes a gross budgetary effect
(before incorporating macroeconomic effects and
not including timing shifts) in a fiscal year
in the period of years of the most recently
agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget
equal to or greater than--
(I) 0.25 percent of the current
projected gross domestic product of the
United States for that fiscal year; or
(II) for a treaty, equal to or
greater than $15,000,000,000 for that
fiscal year; or
(ii) designated as such by--
(I) the chair of the Committee on
the Budget of the Senate for all direct
spending legislation; or
(II) the Senator who is Chairman or
Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on
Taxation for revenue legislation; and
(B) in the House of Representatives, a bill or
joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference
report thereon--
(i) for which an estimate is required to be
prepared pursuant to section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 653)
and that causes a gross budgetary effect
(before incorporating macroeconomic effects and
not including timing shifts) in a fiscal year
in the period of years of the most recently
agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget
equal to or greater than 0.25 percent of the
current projected gross domestic product of the
United States for that fiscal year; or
(ii) designated as such by--
(I) the chair of the Committee on
the Budget of the House of
Representatives for all direct spending
legislation; or
(II) the Member who is Chairman or
Vice Chairman of the Joint Committee on
Taxation for revenue legislation.
(2) Budgetary effects.--The term ``budgetary effects''
means changes in revenues, direct spending outlays, and
deficits.
(3) Timing shifts.--The term ``timing shifts'' means--
(A) provisions that cause a delay of the date on
which outlays flowing from direct spending would
otherwise occur from one fiscal year to the next fiscal
year; or
(B) provisions that cause an acceleration of the
date on which revenues would otherwise occur from one
fiscal year to the prior fiscal year.
SEC. 308. ADJUSTMENTS FOR IMPROVED CONTROL OF BUDGETARY RESOURCES.
(a) Adjustments of Discretionary and Direct Spending Levels.--In
the House of Representatives, if a committee (other than the Committee
on Appropriations) reports a bill or joint resolution, or an amendment
thereto is offered or conference report thereon is submitted, providing
for a decrease in direct spending (budget authority and outlays flowing
therefrom) for any fiscal year and also provides for an authorization
of appropriations for the same purpose, upon the enactment of such
measure, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may decrease the
allocation to the applicable authorizing committee that reports such
measure and increase the allocation of discretionary spending (budget
authority and outlays flowing therefrom) to the Committee on
Appropriations for fiscal year 2018 by an amount equal to the new
budget authority (and outlays flowing therefrom) provided for in a bill
or joint resolution making appropriations for the same purpose.
(b) Determinations.--In the House of Representatives, for purposes
of enforcing this concurrent resolution, the allocations and aggregate
levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct spending, revenues,
deficits, and surpluses for fiscal year 2018 and the total of fiscal
years 2018 through 2027 shall be determined on the basis of estimates
made by the chair of the Committee on the Budget and such chair may
adjust the applicable levels in this concurrent resolution.
SEC. 309. SCORING RULE FOR ENERGY SAVINGS PERFORMANCE CONTRACTS.
(a) In General.--The Director of the Congressional Budget Office
shall estimate provisions of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment
thereto or conference report thereon, that provides the authority to
enter into or modify any covered energy savings contract on a net
present value basis (NPV).
(b) NPV Calculations.--The net present value of any covered energy
savings contract shall be calculated as follows:
(1) The discount rate shall reflect market risk.
(2) The cash flows shall include, whether classified as
mandatory or discretionary, payments to contractors under the
terms of their contracts, payments to contractors for other
services, and direct savings in energy and energy-related
costs.
(3) The stream of payments shall cover the period covered
by the contracts but not to exceed 25 years.
(c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term ``covered energy
savings contract'' means--
(1) an energy savings performance contract authorized under
section 801 of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act; or
(2) a utility energy service contract, as described in the
Office of Management and Budget Memorandum on Federal Use of
Energy Savings Performance Contracting, dated July 25, 1998 (M-
98-13), and the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum on
the Federal Use of Energy Saving Performance Contracts and
Utility Energy Service Contracts, dated September 28, 2015 (M-
12-21), or any successor to either memorandum.
(d) Enforcement in the House of Representatives.--In the House of
Representatives, if any net present value of any covered energy savings
contract calculated under subsection (b) results in a net savings, then
the budgetary effects of such contract shall not be counted for
purposes of titles III and IV of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974,
this concurrent resolution, or clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of
the House of Representatives.
(e) Classification of Spending.--For purposes of budget
enforcement, the estimated net present value of the budget authority
provided by the measure, and outlays flowing therefrom, shall be
classified as direct spending.
(f) Sense of the House of Representatives.--It is the sense of the
House of Representatives that--
(1) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in
consultation with the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office, should separately identify the cash flows under
subsection (b)(2) and include such information in the
President's annual budget submission under section 1105(a) of
title 31, United States Code; and
(2) the scoring method used in this section should not be
used to score any contracts other than covered energy savings
contracts.
SEC. 310. LIMITATION ON TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF THE TREASURY
TO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND.
In the House of Representatives, for purposes of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974, the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control
Act of 1985, and the rules or orders of the House of Representatives, a
bill or joint resolution, or an amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, that transfers funds from the general fund of the Treasury to
the Highway Trust Fund shall be counted as new budget authority and
outlays equal to the amount of the transfer in the fiscal year the
transfer occurs.
SEC. 311. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL RESERVE SURPLUSES AS AN OFFSET.
In the House of Representatives, any provision of a bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
transfers any portion of the net surplus of the Federal Reserve System
to the general fund of the Treasury shall not be counted for purposes
of enforcing the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this concurrent
resolution, or clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 312. PROHIBITION ON USE OF GUARANTEE FEES AS AN OFFSET.
In the House of Representatives, any provision of a bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
increases, or extends the increase of, any guarantee fees of the
Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) or the Federal Home
Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) shall not be counted for
purposes of enforcing the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this
concurrent resolution, or clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the
House of Representatives.
Subtitle B--Other Provisions
SEC. 321. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.
(a) In General.--In the House of Representatives, notwithstanding
section 302(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, section
13301 of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, and section 2009a of title
39, United States Code, the report or the joint explanatory statement,
as applicable, accompanying this concurrent resolution shall include in
its allocation to the Committee on Appropriations under section 302(a)
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 amounts for the discretionary
administrative expenses of the Social Security Administration and the
United States Postal Service.
(b) Special Rule.--In the House of Representatives, for purposes of
enforcing section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974,
estimates of the levels of total new budget authority and total outlays
provided by a measure shall include any discretionary amounts described
in subsection (a).
SEC. 322. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS AND
AGGREGATES.
(a) Application.--In the House of Representatives, any adjustments
of the allocations, aggregates, and other budgetary levels made
pursuant to this concurrent resolution shall--
(1) apply while that measure is under consideration;
(2) take effect upon the enactment of that measure; and
(3) be published in the Congressional Record as soon as
practicable.
(b) Effect of Changed Allocations and Aggregates.--Revised
allocations and aggregates resulting from these adjustments shall be
considered for the purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as
the allocations and aggregates contained in this concurrent resolution.
(c) Budget Committee Determinations.--For purposes of this
concurrent resolution, the budgetary levels for a fiscal year or period
of fiscal years shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by
the chair of the Committee on the Budget of the House of
Representatives.
(d) Aggregates, Allocations and Application.--In the House of
Representatives, for purposes of this concurrent resolution and budget
enforcement, the consideration of any bill or joint resolution, or
amendment thereto or conference report thereon, for which the chair of
the Committee on the Budget makes adjustments or revisions in the
allocations, aggregates, and other budgetary levels of this concurrent
resolution shall not be subject to the points of order set forth in
clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives or
section 301 of this concurrent resolution.
(e) Other Adjustments.--The chair of the Committee on the Budget of
the House of Representatives may adjust other appropriate levels in
this concurrent resolution depending on congressional action on pending
reconciliation legislation.
SEC. 323. ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT CHANGES IN CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS.
In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee on the
Budget may adjust the appropriate aggregates, allocations, and other
budgetary levels in this concurrent resolution for any change in
budgetary concepts and definitions consistent with section 251(b)(1) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
SEC. 324. ADJUSTMENT FOR CHANGES IN THE BASELINE.
In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee on the
Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, reconciliation targets,
and other appropriate budgetary levels in this concurrent resolution to
reflect changes resulting from the Congressional Budget Office's update
to its baseline for fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
SEC. 325. APPLICATION OF RULE REGARDING LIMITS ON DISCRETIONARY
SPENDING.
Section 314(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 shall not
apply in the House of Representatives to any bill, joint resolution, or
amendment that provides new budget authority for a fiscal year or to
any conference report on any such bill or resolution if--
(1) the enactment of that bill or resolution;
(2) the adoption and enactment of that amendment; or
(3) the enactment of that bill or resolution in the form
recommended in that conference report,
would not cause the 302(a) allocation to the Committee on
Appropriations for fiscal year 2018 to be exceeded.
SEC. 326. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.
The House of Representatives adopts the provisions of this title
and title II--
(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of
Representatives, and as such they shall be considered as part
of the rules of the House of Representatives, and such rules
shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are
inconsistent with such other rules; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of
the House of Representatives to change those rules at any time,
in the same manner, and to the same extent as is the case of
any other rule of the House of Representatives.
TITLE IV--RESERVE FUNDS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEC. 401. RESERVE FUND FOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL.
(a) In General.--In the House of Representatives, the chair of the
Committee on the Budget may adjust, at a time the chair deems
appropriate, the section 302(a) allocation to the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure and other applicable committees of
the House of Representatives, aggregates, and other appropriate levels
established in this concurrent resolution for a bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
commercializes the operations of the air traffic control system if such
measure reduces the discretionary spending limits in section 251(c) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 by the
amount that would otherwise be appropriated to the Federal Aviation
Administration for air traffic control. Adjustments to the section
302(a) allocation to the Committee on Appropriations, consistent with
the adjustments to the discretionary spending limits under such section
251(c), shall only be made upon enactment of such measure.
(b) Definition.--For purposes of this section, a measure that
commercializes the operations of the air traffic control system shall
be a measure that establishes a Federally-chartered, not-for-profit
corporation that--
(1) is authorized to provide air traffic control services
within the United States airspace;
(2) sets user fees to finance its operations;
(3) may borrow from private capital markets to finance
improvements;
(4) is governed by a board of directors composed of a CEO
and directors whose fiduciary duty is to the entity; and
(5) becomes the employer of those employees directly
connected to providing air traffic control services and who the
Secretary transfers from the Federal Government.
SEC. 402. RESERVE FUND FOR INVESTMENTS IN NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE.
In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee on the
Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels in this concurrent resolution for any bill or joint resolution,
or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that invests in
national infrastructure to the extent that such measure is deficit
neutral for the total of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
SEC. 403. RESERVE FUND FOR COMPREHENSIVE TAX REFORM.
In the House of Representatives, if the Committee on Ways and Means
reports a bill or joint resolution that provides for comprehensive tax
reform, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the
allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary levels in this
concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any such bill or
joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if
such measure would not increase the deficit for the total of fiscal
years 2018 through 2027.
SEC. 404. RESERVE FUND FOR THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE
PROGRAM.
In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee on the
Budget may adjust the allocations, budget aggregates and other
appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary
effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or
conference report thereon, that extends the State Children's Health
Insurance Program allotments, if such measure would not increase the
deficit for the total of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
SEC. 405. RESERVE FUND FOR THE REPEAL OR REPLACEMENT OF PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S HEALTH CARE LAWS.
In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee on the
Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
budgetary levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary
effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or
conference report thereon, that repeals or replaces any provision of
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or title I or subtitle B
of title II of the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
by the amount of budget authority and outlays flowing therefrom
provided by such measure for such purpose.
TITLE V--POLICY STATEMENTS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEC. 501. POLICY STATEMENT ON A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) In fiscal year 2017, the Federal Government will
collect approximately $3.3 trillion in taxes, but spend more
than $4.0 trillion to maintain its operations, borrowing 15
cents of every Federal dollar spent.
(2) At the end of fiscal year 2016, the national debt of
the United States was more than $19.5 trillion.
(3) A majority of States have petitioned the Federal
Government to hold a constitutional convention to adopt a
balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.
(4) As of the spring of 2016, 46 States have requirements
to annually balance their respective budgets.
(5) Numerous balanced budget amendment proposals have been
introduced on a bipartisan basis in the House. Currently in the
115th Congress, 8 joint resolutions proposing a balanced budget
amendment have been introduced.
(6) In the 111th Congress, the House considered H. J. Res.
2, sponsored by Representative Robert W. Goodlatte of Virginia.
Although it received 262 aye votes, it did not receive the two-
thirds required for passage.
(7) In 1995, a balanced budget amendment to the
Constitution passed the House with bipartisan support, but
failed to pass by one vote in the United States Senate.
(8) Five States, Georgia, Alaska, Mississippi, North
Dakota, and Arizona, have agreed to the Compact for a Balanced
Budget, which seeks to amend the Constitution to require a
balanced budget through an Article V convention by April 12,
2021.
(b) Policy on a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment.--It is
the policy of this concurrent resolution that the House should propose
a balanced budget constitutional amendment for ratification by the
States.
SEC. 502. POLICY STATEMENT ON BUDGET PROCESS REFORM.
It is the policy of this concurrent resolution that the House
should enact legislation that reforms the congressional budget process
to--
(1) reassert congressional control over the budget process
by reorienting the Views and Estimates that committees submit
to the Committee on the Budget, as required under 301(d) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, to emphasize congressional
rather than executive branch priorities;
(2) strengthen enforcement of budgetary rules and
requirements by--
(A) enabling Members of the House of
Representatives to enforce budget requirements in a
manner that does not jeopardize the ability of the
majority to work its will on legislation; and
(B) permitting members of Congress to determine
whether emergency-designated appropriations are for
unanticipated situations that pose a threat to life,
property, or national security;
(3) increase control over the costs of Federal activities
by--
(A) incorporating debt service costs into cost
estimates prepared by the Congressional Budget Office;
(B) establishing a process for setting limits on
the amount of debt incurred by the Federal Government
from the private sector as a share of the economy that
requires congressional action if such limits deviate
from those previously determined by Congress and the
President;
(C) transitioning to fair-value accounting;
(D) budgeting for Federal insurance programs on an
accrual basis; and
(E) developing and implementing a regulatory budget
as provided in section 503;
(4) achieve greater control over mandatory spending by
reforming reconciliation procedures and requirements to ensure
they are transparent, objectively applied, and maximize
opportunities for deficit reduction;
(5) increase the efficiency of the congressional budget
process by--
(A) realigning the budget cycle with the calendar
year and the congressional calendar;
(B) simplifying the procedures by which the
Committee on Appropriations adjusts its section 302(b)
suballocations to ensure they are consistent with the
Committee's overall section 302(a) allocation; and
(C) increasing congressional accountability for
budget decisions;
(6) improve the transparency of the Federal Government's
obligations by--
(A) modifying the content of the budget resolution
to reflect the budgetary decisions that Congress
actually makes and enforces;
(B) requiring the Comptroller General to
periodically report to Congress on the consolidated
financial report of the Federal Government; and
(C) restructuring the baseline, as set forth in
section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985, to treat mandatory
spending and revenue on a comparable basis; and
(7) achieve control over long-term budget obligations by--
(A) establishing declining limits on the amount of
debt incurred by the Federal Government from the
private sector as a share of the economy that requires
congressional action if such limits deviate from those
previously determined by Congress and the President;
and
(B) codifying limits on the amount legislation can
increase the deficit beyond the ten fiscal-year period
of the concurrent resolution on the budget.
SEC. 503. POLICY STATEMENT ON FEDERAL REGULATORY BUDGETING AND REFORM.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Federal regulations are estimated to cost $1.9 trillion
per year or approximately $15,000 per household. Such costs
exceed 10 percent of the Gross Domestic Product of the United
States.
(2) Excessive Federal regulation--
(A) retards job creation, investment, wages,
competition, and economic growth, slowing the Nation's
recovery from economic recession and harming American
households;
(B) operates as a regressive tax on poor and lower-
income households;
(C) displaces workers into long-term unemployment
or lower-paying jobs;
(D) adversely affects small businesses, the primary
source of new jobs; and
(E) impedes the economic growth necessary to
provide sufficient funds to meet vital commitments and
reduce the Federal debt.
(3) Federal agencies do not systematically analyze both the
costs and benefits of new regulations or identify and
eliminate, minimize, or mitigate excess regulatory costs
through post-implementation assessments of their regulations.
(4) Agencies too often impose costly regulations without
relying on sound science, through the use of agency guidance,
judicial consent decrees, and settlement agreements, and
through the abuse of high interim compliance costs imposed on
regulated entities that bring legal challenges against newly
promulgated regulations.
(5) Congress lacks an effective mechanism to manage the
level of new Federal regulatory costs imposed each year. Other
nations, meanwhile, have successfully implemented the use of
regulatory budgeting to control excess regulation and
regulatory costs.
(6) Significant steps have been taken already by President
Trump and the 115th Congress, including the imposition of a
regulatory pay-as-you-go regimen for new and revised
regulations by the Trump Administration and the enactment of 14
measures under the Congressional Review Act that repealed
regulations promulgated in the final 60 legislative days of the
114th Congress.
(b) Policy on Federal Regulatory Budgeting and Reform.--It is the
policy of this concurrent resolution that the House should, in
consultation with the public, consider legislation that--
(1) requires the President's budget submission to include
an analysis of the costs of complying with current and proposed
regulations;
(2) builds the institutional capacity of the Congressional
Budget Office to develop a regulatory baseline and estimate
regulatory costs;
(3) codifies the Trump Administration's regulatory pay-as-
you-go requirements, which require agencies to offset the costs
of new or revised regulations with the repeal or modification
of existing regulations; and
(4) requires Federal agencies to give notice and allow for
comments on proposed guidance documents.
SEC. 504. POLICY STATEMENT ON UNAUTHORIZED APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Article I of the Constitution vests all legislative
power in Congress.
(2) Central to the legislative powers of Congress is the
authorization of appropriations necessary to execute the laws
that establish agencies and programs and impose obligations.
(3) Clause 2 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives prohibits the consideration of appropriations
measures that provide appropriations for unauthorized programs.
(4) In fiscal year 2016, more than $310 billion was
appropriated for unauthorized programs, spanning 256 separate
laws.
(5) Agencies such as the Department of State have not been
authorized for 15 years.
(6) The House adopted a requirement for the 115th Congress,
as part of H. Res. 5, that requires each standing committee of
the House to adopt an authorization and oversight plan that
enumerates all unauthorized programs and agencies within its
jurisdiction that received funding in the prior year, among
other oversight requirements.
(b) Policy on Unauthorized Appropriations.--In the House, it is the
policy of this concurrent resolution that legislation should be enacted
that--
(1) establishes a schedule for reauthorizing all Federal
programs on a staggered five-year basis together with declining
spending targets for each year a program is not reauthorized
according to such schedule;
(2) prohibits the consideration of appropriations measures
in the House that provide appropriations in excess of spending
targets specified for such measures and ensures that such rule
should be strictly enforced; and
(3) limits funding for non-defense or non-security-related
Federal programs that are not reauthorized according the
schedule described in paragraph (1).
SEC. 505. POLICY STATEMENT ON FEDERAL ACCOUNTING.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Current accounting methods fail to capture and present
in a compelling manner the full scope of the Federal Government
and its fiscal condition.
(2) Most fiscal analyses produced by the Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) are conducted over a 10-fiscal year period.
The use of generational accounting or a longer time horizon
would provide a more complete picture of the Federal
Government's fiscal condition.
(3) The Federal budget currently accounts for most programs
on a cash accounting basis, which records revenue and expenses
when cash is actually paid or received. However, it accounts
for loan and loan guarantee programs on an accrual basis, which
records revenue when earned and expenses when incurred.
(4) The Government Accountability Office has advised that
accrual accounting may be more accurate than cash accounting in
estimating the Federal Government's liabilities for insurance
and other programs.
(5) Accrual accounting under the Federal Credit Reform Act
of 1990 (FCRA) understates the risk and thus the true cost of
some Federal programs, including loans and loan guarantees.
(6) Fair-value accounting better reflects the risk
associated with Federal loan and loan guarantee programs by
using a market based discount rate. CBO, for example, uses
fair-value accounting to measure the cost of the Federal
National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home
Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac).
(7) In comparing fair-value accounting to FCRA, CBO has
concluded that ``adopting a fair-value approach would provide a
more comprehensive way to measure the costs of Federal credit
programs and would permit more level comparisons between those
costs and the costs of other forms of Federal assistance''.
(8) The Department of the Treasury, when reporting the
principal financial statements of the United States entitled
Balance Sheet and Statement of Operations and Changes in Net
Position, may omit some of the largest projected Federal
Government expenses, including social insurance programs. The
projected expenses of these programs are reported by the
Department in its Statements of Social Insurance and Changes in
Social Insurance Amounts.
(9) This concurrent resolution directs CBO to estimate the
costs of Federal credit programs on a fair-value basis to fully
capture the risk associated with these programs.
(b) Policy on Federal Accounting Methodologies.--It is the policy
of this concurrent resolution that the House should, in consultation
with CBO and other appropriate stakeholders, reform government-wide
budget and accounting practices so Members and the public can better
understand the fiscal condition of the United States and the best
options to improve it. Such reforms may include the following:
(1) Providing additional metrics to enhance analysis by
considering the Nation's fiscal condition comprehensively, over
an extended time period, and how it affects Americans of
various age cohorts.
(2) Expanding the use of accrual accounting where
appropriate.
(3) Accounting for certain Federal credit programs using
fair-value accounting to better capture market risk.
SEC. 506. POLICY STATEMENT ON COMMISSION ON BUDGET CONCEPTS.
(a) Findings.--The Congress finds the following:
(1) In 1965, the President's Commission on Budget Concepts
made a series of recommendations that were adopted and continue
to provide the foundation for the Federal budget process.
(2) Over the ensuing 52 years, the Federal budget process
has undergone major transformations, including the following:
(A) Congress asserted its Article I ``power of the
purse'' through the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 in
the form of a congressional budget process predicated
on the adoption of an annual budget resolution setting
forth its priorities independent of the executive
branch.
(B) Congress and the President have periodically
augmented the President's budget submission and the
budget resolution by establishing statutory budget
rules and limits enforced through sequestration.
(C) The share of Federal spending that is not
controlled through the annual appropriations process
has ballooned from 32 percent of total Federal spending
in 1967 to 69 percent in 2016.
(D) Activities previously considered the exclusive
domain of the Federal Government have been fully
commercialized, contracted out to the private sector,
financed through third party arrangements, or devolved
to State and local governments.
(E) Key functions of the Federal Government are now
funded through user fees rather than general revenue,
often shielding them from congressional control and
oversight.
(F) The Credit Reform Act of 1990 placed Federal
loans and loan guarantees on an accrual basis.
(G) Increasing shares of the economy are directed
towards compliance with Federal regulations, which are
not subject to the limitations applicable to Federal
spending.
(b) Policy on Commission on Budget Concepts.--It is the policy of
this concurrent resolution on the budget that legislation should be
enacted that establishes a Commission on Budget Concepts to review and
revise budget concepts and make recommendations to create a more
transparent Federal budget process.
SEC. 507. POLICY STATEMENT ON BUDGET ENFORCEMENT.
It is the policy of this concurrent resolution that the House
should--
(1) adopt an annual budget resolution before spending and
tax legislation is considered in either House of Congress;
(2) assess measures for timely compliance with budget rules
in the House;
(3) pass legislation to strengthen enforcement of the
budget resolution;
(4) comply with the discretionary spending limits set forth
in the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of
1985;
(5) prevent the use of accounting gimmicks to offset higher
spending;
(6) modify scoring conventions to encourage the
commercialization of Federal Government activities that can
best be provided by the private sector; and
(7) discourage the use of savings identified in the budget
resolution as offsets for spending or tax legislation.
SEC. 508. POLICY STATEMENT ON IMPROPER PAYMENTS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Government Accountability Office defines improper
payments as any reported payment that should not have been made
or was made in an incorrect amount.
(2) Improper payments totaled $1.2 trillion between fiscal
years 2003 and 2016 with a reported Federal Government-wide
error rate of 5.1 percent in fiscal year 2016.
(3) Improper payments increased from $107 billion in 2012
to $144 billion in 2016.
(4) The Earned Income Tax Credit, Medicare, and Medicaid
account for 78 percent of total improper payments, with error
rates of 24 percent, 11 percent, and 10.5 percent,
respectively.
(5) Eight agencies did not report payment estimates for 18
programs that the Comptroller General deems susceptible to
significant improper payments.
(b) Policy on Improper Payments.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that an independent commission should be
established with the goal of finding tangible solutions to reduce total
improper payments by 50 percent within the next 5 years. The commission
should also develop a more-stringent system of agency oversight to
achieve this goal.
SEC. 509. POLICY STATEMENT ON EXPENDITURES FROM AGENCY FEES AND
SPENDING.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Many Federal agencies and organizations have permanent
authority to collect and spend fees and other offsetting
collections.
(2) The Office of Management and Budget estimates the total
amount of offsetting fees and collections to be $513 billion in
fiscal year 2017.
(3) Agency budget justifications are, in some cases, not
fully transparent about the amount of program activity funded
through offsetting collections or fees. This lack of
transparency prevents effective and accountable Government.
(b) Policy on Expenditures From Agency Fees and Spending.--It is
the policy of this concurrent resolution that the House should reassert
its constitutional prerogative to control Federal spending and exercise
rigorous oversight over Federal agencies. Congress should subject all
fees paid by the public to Federal agencies to annual appropriations or
authorizing legislation and a share of these proceeds should be
reserved for taxpayers in the form of deficit reduction.
SEC. 510. POLICY STATEMENT ON PROMOTING REAL HEALTH CARE REFORM.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Patient-centered health care increases access to
quality care for all Americans, regardless of age, income, or
health status.
(2) States are best equipped to respond to the needs of
their unique communities.
(3) The current legal framework encourages frivolous
medical malpractice lawsuits that increase health care costs.
(b) Policy on Health Care Regulation.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that--
(1) the American health care system should encourage
research, development, and innovation in the medical sector,
rather than stymie growth through over-regulation;
(2) States should determine the parameters of acceptable
private insurance plans based on the needs of their populations
and retain control over other health care coverage standards;
(3) reforms should protect patients with pre-existing
conditions, reward those who maintain continuous health
coverage, and create greater parity between benefits offered
through employers and those offered independently;
(4) States should have greater flexibility in designing
their Medicaid program and State Children's Health Insurance
Program;
(5) medical malpractice reform should emphasize compliance
with best practice guidelines, while continuing to protect
patients' interests; and
(6) States should have the flexibility to implement medical
liability policies to best suit their needs.
SEC. 511. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICARE.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) More than 57 million Americans depend on Medicare for
their health security.
(2) The Medicare Trustees Report has repeatedly recommended
that Congress address Medicare's long-term financial
challenges. Each year without reform, the financial condition
of Medicare becomes more precarious and the threat to those in
or near retirement more pronounced. The current challenges that
Congress will need to address include--
(A) the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be
exhausted in 2029 and unable to pay the scheduled
benefits;
(B) Medicare enrollment is expected to increase
more than 50 percent in the next two decades, as 10,000
baby boomers reach retirement age each day;
(C) due to extended life spans, enrollees remain in
Medicare three times longer than at the outset of the
program five decades ago;
(D) notwithstanding the program's trust fund
arrangement, current workers' payroll tax contributions
pay for current Medicare beneficiaries instead of being
set aside for their own future use;
(E) the number of workers supporting each
beneficiary continues to fall; in 1965, the ratio was
4.5 workers per beneficiary, and by 2030, the ratio
will be only 2.4 workers per beneficiary;
(F) the average Medicare beneficiary receives about
three dollars in Medicare benefits for every dollar
paid into the program;
(G) Medicare is growing faster than the economy,
with a projected growth rate of 7.2 percent per year on
average through 2026, peaking in 2026 at 9.2 percent;
and
(H) by 2027, Medicare spending will reach more than
$1.4 trillion, more than double the 2016 spending level
of $692 billion.
(3) Failing to address the impending insolvency of Medicare
will leave millions of American seniors without adequate health
security and younger generations burdened with having to pay
for these unsustainable spending levels.
(b) Policy on Medicare Reform.--It is the policy of this concurrent
resolution to save Medicare for those in or near retirement and to
strengthen the program's solvency for future beneficiaries.
(c) Assumptions.--This concurrent resolution assumes transition to
an improved Medicare program that ensures--
(1) Medicare is preserved for current and future
beneficiaries;
(2) future Medicare beneficiaries may select from competing
guaranteed health coverage options a plan that best suits their
needs;
(3) traditional fee-for-service Medicare remains a plan
option;
(4) Medicare provides additional assistance for lower-
income beneficiaries and those with greater health risks; and
(5) Medicare spending is put on a sustainable path and
becomes solvent over the long term.
SEC. 512. POLICY STATEMENT ON COMBATING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 91 Americans die each day from an opioid
overdose.
(2) Nearly half of all opioid overdose deaths involve a
prescription opioid.
(3) Since 1999, the number of prescription opioids sold in
the U.S. has nearly quadrupled.
(4) Since 1999, the number of deaths from prescription
opioids has more than quadrupled.
(5) The CDC asserts that improving opioid prescribing
practices will reduce exposure to opioids, prevent abuse, and
stop addiction.
(6) The CDC has found that individuals in rural counties
are almost twice as likely to overdose on prescription
painkillers as those in urban areas.
(7) According to the CDC, nearly 7,000 people are treated
in emergency rooms every day for using opioids in a non-
approved manner.
(8) The 21st Century Cures Act and the Comprehensive
Addiction and Recovery Act were signed into law in the 114th
Congress in an overwhelming display of congressional and
executive branch support in the fight against the opioid
epidemic.
(9) Bipartisan efforts to eliminate opioid abuse and
provide relief from addiction for all Americans should
continue.
(b) Policy on Opioid Abuse.--It is the policy of this concurrent
resolution that--
(1) combating opioid abuse using available budgetary
resources remains a high priority;
(2) the House, in a bipartisan manner, should continue to
examine the Federal response to the opioid abuse epidemic and
support essential activities to reduce and prevent substance
abuse;
(3) the House should continue to support initiatives
included in the 21st Century Cures Act and the Comprehensive
Addiction and Recovery Act;
(4) the House should continue its oversight efforts,
particularly ongoing investigations conducted by the House
Committee on Energy and Commerce, to ensure that taxpayer
dollars intended to combat opioid abuse are spent appropriately
and efficiently; and
(5) the House should collaborate with State, local, and
tribal entities to develop a comprehensive strategy for
addressing the opioid addiction crisis.
SEC. 513. POLICY STATEMENT ON THE STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE
PROGRAM.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
is a means-tested program that provides health insurance
coverage to low-income children and pregnant women who do not
qualify for Medicaid based on income.
(2) SCHIP eligibility varies by State, as States decide the
income upper limit for beneficiaries; the current upper limit
varies from 175 percent of the Federal poverty level to 405
percent of the Federal poverty level.
(3) SCHIP covered on average 6.3 million people monthly in
fiscal year 2017.
(4) The average cost of a child enrolled in SCHIP to the
Federal Government was approximately $2,300 in fiscal year
2017, compared to approximately $1,910 for a child enrolled in
Medicaid.
(5) The Federal spending allotment for SCHIP will expire at
the end of fiscal year 2017.
(6) The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
recommends an extension of Federal SCHIP funding, and warns
that all States are projected to exhaust their Federal SCHIP
funds during fiscal year 2018.
(7) SCHIP should be preserved to assist the Nation's
vulnerable children.
(b) Policy on the State Children's Health Insurance Program.--It is
the policy of this concurrent resolution that--
(1) the House should work in a bipartisan manner to
reauthorize SCHIP funding;
(2) the authorizing committees should consider establishing
a Federal upper limit for SCHIP eligibility, rather than
providing open-ended access to the program for those at higher
income levels;
(3) the House should target resources designated for SCHIP
toward those most in need of Federal assistance; and
(4) the House should require greater reporting by States of
SCHIP data in order to better structure the program to meet
beneficiaries' needs.
SEC. 514. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICAL DISCOVERY, DEVELOPMENT, DELIVERY,
AND INNOVATION.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Nation's commitment to the discovery, development,
and delivery of new treatments and cures has made the United
States the biomedical innovation capital of the world for
decades.
(2) The history of scientific discovery and medical
breakthroughs in the United States is extensive, including the
creation of the polio vaccine, the first genetic mapping, and
the invention of the implantable cardiac pacemaker.
(3) Reuters ranks the United States Health and Human
Services Laboratories as first in the world for innovation on
its 2017 list of the Top 25 Global Innovators.
(4) The United States leads the world in the production of
medical devices, and the United States medical device market
accounts for approximately 45 percent of the global market.
(5) The United States remains a global leader in
pharmaceutical research and development investment, has
produced more than half of the world's new molecules in the
past decade, and represents the world's largest pharmaceutical
market, which is triple the size of the nearest rival, China.
(b) Policy on Medical Innovation.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that--
(1) the Federal Government should foster investment in
health care innovation and maintain the Nation's world
leadership status in medical science by encouraging
competition;
(2) the House should continue to support the critical work
of medical innovators throughout the country through continued
funding for agencies, including the National Institutes of
Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to
conduct life-saving research and development; and
(3) the Federal Government should unleash the power of
private-sector medical innovation by removing regulatory
obstacles that impede the adoption of new medical technology
and pharmaceuticals.
SEC. 515. POLICY STATEMENT ON PUBLIC HEALTH PREPAREDNESS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Constitution requires the Federal Government to
provide for the common defense. As such, the Nation must
prioritize its ability to respond rapidly and effectively to a
public health crisis or bioterrorism threat.
(2) There is a persistent threat of bioterrorism against
American lives.
(3) Naturally-occurring public health threats can spread
through the transmission of communicable diseases during
international trade and travel.
(4) As of April 3, 2016, the World Health Organization
reported nearly 29,000 cases of the Ebola virus worldwide,
including 4 instances in the U.S.
(5) As of July 12, 2017, the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) reports that the current Zika epidemic
resulted in over 5,000 cases of the Zika virus within the
United States, with nearly 37,000 more cases reported in U.S.
territories.
(6) Preventing the spread of disease to Americans requires
halting threats before they breach the U.S. border.
(7) The United States is a leader in global public health
assistance and orchestrates international responses to health
crises.
(b) Policy on Public Health Preparedness.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that--
(1) the House should continue to fund activities of the
CDC, the National Institutes of Health, and the Biomedical
Advanced Research and Development Authority to develop and
stockpile medical countermeasures to infectious diseases and
chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents;
(2) the House should, within available budgetary resources,
provide continued support for research, prevention, and public
health preparedness programs;
(3) the Federal Government should encourage private-sector
development of critical vaccines and other medical
countermeasures to emerging public health threats; and
(4) the Secretary of Health and Human Services, the
Secretary of Defense, and the Secretary of State should
collaborate on global health preparedness initiatives to
prevent overlap and promote responsible stewardship of taxpayer
resources.
SEC. 516. POLICY STATEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) More than 60 million retirees, individuals with
disabilities, and survivors depend on Social Security. Since
enactment, Social Security has served as a vital leg of the
``three-legged stool'' of retirement security, which includes
employer provided pensions as well as personal savings.
(2) Lower-income Americans rely on Social Security for a
larger proportion of their retirement income. Therefore,
reforms should take into consideration the need to protect
lower income Americans' retirement security.
(3) The Social Security Trustees Report has repeatedly
recommended that Social Security's long-term financial
challenges be addressed soon. The financial condition of Social
Security and the threat to seniors and those receiving Social
Security disability benefits becomes more pronounced each year
without reform. For example--
(A) in 2028, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund
will be exhausted and program revenues will be unable
to pay scheduled benefits; and
(B) with the exhaustion of both the Disability
Insurance Trust Fund and the Old-Age and Survivors and
Disability Trust Fund in 2035, benefits will be cut by
as much as 25 percent across the board, devastating
those currently in or near retirement and those who
rely on Social Security the most.
(4) The recession and continued low economic growth have
exacerbated the looming fiscal crisis facing Social Security.
The most recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projections
find that Social Security will run cash deficits of more than
$1.3 trillion over the next 10 years.
(5) The Disability Insurance program provides an essential
income safety net for those with disabilities and their
families. According to CBO, between 1970 and 2015 the number of
disabled workers and their dependent family members receiving
disability benefits has increased by more than 300 percent from
2.7 million to over 10.9 million. This increase is not due
strictly to population growth or decreases in health. CBO also
attributes program growth to changes in demographics and the
composition of the labor force as well as Federal policies.
(6) In the past, Social Security has been reformed on a
bipartisan basis, most notably by the ``Greenspan Commission'',
which helped address Social Security shortfalls for more than a
generation.
(7) Americans deserve action by the President and Congress
to preserve and strengthen Social Security to ensure that
Social Security remains a critical part of the safety net.
(b) Policy on Social Security.--It is the policy of this concurrent
resolution that the House should work in a bipartisan manner to make
Social Security solvent on a sustainable basis. This concurrent
resolution assumes, under a reform trigger, that--
(1) if in any year the Board of Trustees of the Federal
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal
Disability Insurance Trust Fund annual Trustees Report
determines that the 75-year actuarial balance of the Social
Security Trust Funds is in deficit, and the annual balance of
the Social Security Trust Funds in the 75th year is in deficit,
the Board of Trustees should, no later than September 30 of the
same calendar year, submit to the President recommendations for
statutory reforms necessary to achieve a positive 75-year
actuarial balance and a positive annual balance in the 75th
year, and any recommendations provided to the President must be
agreed upon by both Public Trustees of the Board of Trustees;
(2) not later than December 1 of the same calendar year in
which the Board of Trustees submit its recommendations, the
President should promptly submit implementing legislation to
both Houses of Congress including recommendations necessary to
achieve a positive 75-year actuarial balance and a positive
annual balance in the 75th year, and the majority leader of the
Senate and the majority leader of the House should introduce
the President's legislation upon receipt;
(3) within 60 days of the President submitting legislation,
the committees of jurisdiction should report a bill, which the
House or Senate should consider under expedited procedures; and
(4) legislation submitted by the President should--
(A) protect those in or near retirement;
(B) preserve the safety net for those who count on
Social Security the most, including those with
disabilities and survivors;
(C) improve fairness for participants;
(D) reduce the burden on and provide certainty for
future generations; and
(E) secure the future of the Disability Insurance
program while addressing the needs of those with
disabilities today and improving the determination
process.
(c) Policy on Disability Insurance.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that the House should consider legislation on a
bipartisan basis to reform the Disability Insurance program prior to
its insolvency in 2028 and should not raid the Social Security
retirement system without reforms to the Disability Insurance system.
This concurrent resolution assumes reform that--
(1) promotes opportunity for those trying to return to
work;
(2) ensures benefits continue to be paid to individuals
with disabilities and their family members who rely on them;
(3) prevents a 7 percent across-the-board benefit cut; and
(4) improves the Disability Insurance program.
(d) Policy on Social Security Solvency.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that any legislation the House considers to
improve the solvency of the Disability Insurance Trust Fund must also
improve the long-term solvency of the combined Old Age and Survivors
Disability Insurance Trust Fund.
SEC. 517. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Medicaid is a Federal-State program that provides
health care coverage for impoverished Americans.
(2) Medicaid serves four major population categories: the
elderly, the blind and disabled, children, and adults.
(3) The Congressional Budget Office projects the average
monthly enrollment in Medicaid for fiscal year 2018 to be 78
million people.
(4) Of this 78 million people, 27 million - more than one
third of the enrollees - are non-elderly, non-disabled adults.
(5) Medicaid continues to grow at an unsustainable rate,
and will cost approximately one trillion dollars per year
within the decade, between Federal and State spending.
(6) Congress has a responsibility to preserve limited
Medicaid resources for America's most vulnerable - those who
cannot provide for themselves.
(7) Forbes reported last year on a first-of-its-kind study
conducted by the Foundation for Government Accountability. It
analyzed data from the State of Kansas, which demonstrates that
work requirements have led to greater employment, higher
incomes, and less poverty.
(8) The State of Maine implemented work requirements in
2014, and saw incomes rise for able-bodied welfare recipients
by an average of 114 percent within a year.
(9) Work is a valuable source of human dignity, and work
requirements help lift Americans out of poverty by
incentivizing self-reliance.
(b) Policy on Medicaid Work Requirements.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that--
(1) Congress should enact legislation that encourages able-
bodied, non-elderly, non-pregnant adults without dependents to
work, actively seek work, participate in a job-training
program, or do community service, in order to receive Medicaid;
(2) Medicaid work requirements legislation could include 30
hours per week of work, of which 20 of those hours should be
spent in the core activities of: public or private sector
employment, work experience, on-the-job training, job-search or
job-readiness assistance program participation, community
service, or vocational training and education;
(3) States should be given flexibility to determine the
parameters of qualifying program participation and work-
equivalent experience;
(4) States should perform regular case checks to ensure
taxpayer dollars are appropriately spent; and
(5) the Government Accountability Office or the Department
of Health and Human Services Inspector General should conduct
annual audits of State Medicaid programs to ensure proper
reporting and prevent waste, fraud, and abuse.
SEC. 518. POLICY STATEMENT ON WELFARE REFORM AND SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WORK REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP) has grown from 17 million Americans in 2001 to
44 million in 2016.
(2) The work support role of SNAP has declined, and the
program increasingly serves as a replacement to work.
(3) Work requirements were key to the success of the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act (Public Law
104-193), which led to a two-thirds reduction in welfare
caseloads, a reduction in child poverty, and an increase in
work participation. The successful 1996 welfare reform law
provides a model for improving work requirements in other anti-
poverty programs.
(b) Policy on Welfare Reform and SNAP Work Requirements.--It is the
policy of this concurrent resolution that--
(1) the welfare system should reward work, provide tools to
escape poverty, and expect work-capable adults to work or
prepare for work in exchange for welfare benefits; and
(2) SNAP should be reformed to improve work requirements to
help more people escape poverty and move up the economic
ladder.
SEC. 519. POLICY STATEMENT ON STATE FLEXIBILITY IN SUPPLEMENTAL
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Spending on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP) has almost quadrupled since 2001.
(2) Various factors are driving this growth, but one major
reason is that while States have the responsibility of
administering the program, they have little incentive to ensure
it is well run.
(3) In 1996, a Republican Congress and a Democratic
President reformed welfare by limiting the duration of
benefits, giving States more control over the program, and
helping recipients find work. In the 5 years following passage,
child-poverty rates fell, welfare caseloads fell, and workers'
wages increased. This bipartisan success offers a model for
improving other anti-poverty programs.
(b) Policy on State Flexibility in SNAP.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that SNAP should be reformed to reduce poverty
and increase opportunity and upward mobility for struggling Americans
on the road to personal and financial independence. Based on the
successful welfare reforms of the 1990s, these proposals would improve
work requirements and provide flexible funding for States to help those
most in need find gainful employment, escape poverty, and move up the
economic ladder.
SEC. 520. POLICY STATEMENT ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
(a) Findings on Higher Education.--The House finds the following:
(1) A well-educated, high-skilled workforce is critical to
economic, job, and wage growth.
(2) Average published tuition and fees have increased
consistently above the rate of inflation across all types of
colleges and universities.
(3) With an outstanding student loan portfolio of $1.3
trillion, the Federal Government is the largest education
lender to undergraduate and graduate students, parents, and
other guarantors.
(4) Students who do not complete their college degree are
at a greater risk of defaulting on their loans than those who
complete their degree.
(5) Participation in Federal income-driven repayment plans
is rising, in terms of the percent of both borrowers and loan
dollars, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Because these plans offer loan balance forgiveness after a
repayment period, this increased use portends higher projected
costs to taxpayers.
(b) Policy on Higher Education.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution to promote college affordability, access, and
success by--
(1) reserving Federal financial aid for those most in need
and streamlining grant and loan aid programs to help students
and families more easily assess their options for financing
postsecondary education; and
(2) removing regulatory barriers to reduce costs, increase
access, and allow for innovative teaching models.
(c) Findings on Workforce Development.--The House finds the
following:
(1) 7.5 million Americans are currently unemployed.
(2) Despite billions of dollars in spending, those looking
for work are stymied by a broken workforce development system
that fails to connect workers with assistance and employers
with skilled personnel.
(3) The House Committee on Education and the Workforce
successfully consolidated 15 workforce development programs
when Congress enacted the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity
Act in 2014.
(d) Policy on Workforce Development.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution to build on the success of the Workforce
Innovation and Opportunity Act by--
(1) further streamlining and consolidating Federal
workforce development programs; and
(2) empowering States with the flexibility to tailor
funding and programs to the specific needs of their workforce.
SEC. 521. POLICY STATEMENT ON SUPPLEMENTAL WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION
FUNDING.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) In 1995, fire activities made up 16 percent of the
United States Forest Service's (USFS) annual appropriated
budget. Since 2015, more than 50 percent has now been dedicated
to wildfire.
(2) Wildland fire suppression activities are currently
funded entirely within the USFS budget, based on a 10-year
rolling average. Using this model, the agency must average
firefighting costs from the past 10 years to predict and
request costs for the next year. When the average was stable,
the agency was able to use this model to budget consistently
for the annual costs associated with wildland fire suppression.
(3) Over the last few decades, wildland fire suppression
costs have increased as fire seasons have grown longer and the
frequency, size, and severity of wildland fires has increased.
(4) The six worst fire seasons since 1960 have all occurred
since 2000. Since 2000, many western states have experienced
the largest wildfires in their State's history. In 2016 alone,
there were a recorded 67,595 fires and a total of over 5.5
million acres burned. The suppression costs to USFS and other
Federal agencies for 2016 totaled over $1.9 billion dollars.
(5) As wildfire costs continue to increase, funding levels
for USFS wildfire suppression activities will also continue to
constrict funding levels for other necessary USFS forest
management activities focused on land management and wildfire
prevention.
(b) Policy on Supplemental Wildfire Suppression Funding.--It is the
policy of this concurrent resolution that Congress, in coordination
with the Administration, should develop both a long-term funding
mechanism that would allow supplemental wildfire suppression funding
and reforms on reducing hazardous fuel loads on Federal forests and
lands that could decrease wildfires.
SEC. 522. POLICY STATEMENT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) For years there have been serious concerns regarding
the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) bureaucratic
mismanagement and continuous failure to provide veterans timely
access to health care.
(2) Since 2003, VA disability compensation and health care
have been added to the Government Accountability Office's (GAO)
``high-risk'' list, due to mismanagement and oversight
failures, lack of a ``unified vision, strategy, or set of goals
to guide their outcomes,'' and the inability to ensure
allocated resources are used in a cost-effective and efficient
way to improve veterans' health care access.
(3) The VA's failure to provide timely and accessible
health care to America's veterans is unacceptable. While
Congress has done its part for more than a decade by providing
sufficient funding for the VA, the agency has mismanaged these
resources, resulting in proven adverse effects on veterans and
their families.
(b) Policy on the Department of Veterans Affairs.--It is the policy
of this concurrent resolution that the House should require the VA to
conduct an audit of its programs named on GAO's ``high-risk'' list and
report its findings to the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee
on the Budget, and the Committee on Veterans Affairs of the House of
Representatives.
SEC. 523. POLICY STATEMENT ON MOVING THE UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
ON BUDGET.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The President's Commission on Budget Concepts
recommends that the budget should, as a general rule, be
comprehensive of the full range of Federal activity.
(2) The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1989 (Public Law 101-
239) moved the United States Postal Service (USPS) off budget
and exempted it from sequestration.
(3) The USPS has a direct effect on the fiscal posture of
the Federal Government, through--
(A) the receipt of direct appropriations of $35
million in fiscal year 2017;
(B) congressional mandates such as requirements for
mail delivery service schedules;
(C) incurring $15 billion in debt from the
Treasury, the maximum permitted by law;
(D) continued operating deficits since 2007;
(E) defaulting on its statutory obligation to
prefund health care benefits for future retirees; and
(F) carrying $119 billion in total unfunded
liabilities with no foreseeable pathway of funding
these liabilities under current law.
(b) Policy on Moving the USPS on Budget.--It is the policy of this
concurrent resolution that all receipts and disbursements of the USPS
should be included in the congressional budget and the budget of the
Federal Government.
SEC. 524. POLICY STATEMENT ON THE JUDGMENT FUND.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Judgment Fund (Fund), established in 1956, was
created to pay judgments and settlements of lawsuits against
the Federal Government.
(2) As a result of the Fund's design, it is ripe for
executive branch exploitation. The Obama Administration used
the Fund to make billions of dollars in payments to Federal
agencies and foreign entities. For example--
(A) on January 17, 2016, the State Department
announced the Federal Government agreed to pay the
Iranian government $1.7 billion to settle a case
related to the sale of military equipment prior to the
Iranian revolution, of which $1.3 billion was sourced
through the Fund, without prior congressional
notification; the Obama Administration's use of the
Fund to make this and other payments raises serious
concerns by sidestepping Congress; and
(B) in 2016, the Department of Health and Human
Services announced its intentions to use the Fund for
settlements with health insurers who sued the Federal
Government over the loss of funds for risk corridors
under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
(3) Failing to address the lack of oversight over the Fund
annually costs taxpayers billions of dollars, as payments
exceeded $4.6 billion in 2016 and more than $26 billion in the
preceding 10 year period.
(b) Policy on Judgment Fund.--It is the policy of this concurrent
resolution that the House should consider legislation that reclaims
Congress's power of the purse over the Fund. Such legislation should--
(1) prohibit interest payments paid from the Fund for
accounts or assets frozen by the Federal Government and listed
on--
(A) the Sanctions Programs list of the Office of
Foreign Asset Control of the Department of Treasury; or
(B) Sponsors of Terrorism list of the Department of
State;
(2) amend sections 2414 and 1304 of titles 28 and 31,
United States Code, respectively, to--
(A) provide a clear definition and explanation of a
``foreign court or tribunal''; and
(B) require congressional notification whenever the
Fund makes a settlement or court ordered lump sum or
aggregated payment exceeding $500 million; and
(3) require legislative action to approve payments from the
Fund in excess of a specified threshold, increase transparency,
and require Federal agencies to reimburse the Fund over a fixed
time period.
SEC. 525. POLICY STATEMENT ON RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYER
DOLLARS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds that significant savings were
achieved by the House by consolidating operations and renegotiating
contracts.
(b) Policy on Responsible Stewardship of Taxpayer Dollars.--It is
the policy of this concurrent resolution that--
(1) the House should be a model for the responsible
stewardship of taxpayer resources, and identify any savings
that can be achieved through greater productivity and
efficiency gains in the operation and maintenance of House
services and resources, including printing, conferences,
utilities, telecommunications, furniture, grounds maintenance,
postage, and rent;
(2) the House should review policies and procedures for the
acquisition of goods and services to eliminate unnecessary
spending;
(3) the Committee on House Administration should review the
policies pertaining to services provided to Members and
committees of the House, and identify ways to reduce any
subsidies paid for the operation of the House gym, barber shop,
salon, and the House dining room;
(4) no taxpayer funds should be used to purchase first
class airfare or to lease corporate jets for Members of
Congress; and
(5) retirement benefits for Members of Congress should not
include free, taxpayer-funded health care for life.
SEC. 526. POLICY STATEMENT ON TAX REFORM.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) A world-class tax system should be simple, fair, and
promote (rather than impede) economic growth. The United States
tax code fails on all 3 counts: it is complex, unfair, and
inefficient. The tax code's complexity distorts decisions to
work, save, and invest, which leads to slower economic growth,
lower wages, and less job creation.
(2) Standard economic theory holds that high marginal tax
rates lessen the incentives to work, save, and invest, which
reduces economic output and job creation. Lower economic
output, in turn, mutes the intended revenue gain from higher
marginal tax rates.
(3) Roughly half of United States active business income
and half of private sector employment are derived from business
entities (such as partnerships, S corporations, and sole
proprietorships) that are taxed on a ``pass-through'' basis,
meaning the income is taxed at individual rates rather than
corporate rates. Small businesses, in particular, tend to
choose this form for Federal tax purposes, and the highest
Federal rate on such small business income can reach nearly 45
percent. For these reasons, sound economic policy requires
lowering marginal rates on these pass-through entities.
(4) The top United States corporate income tax rate
(including Federal, State, and local taxes) is slightly more
than 39 percent, the highest rate in the industrialized world.
Tax rates this high suppress wages, discourage investment and
job creation, distort business activity, and put American
businesses at a competitive disadvantage with foreign
competitors.
(5) By deterring potential investment, the United States
corporate tax restrains economic growth and job creation. The
United States tax rate differential fosters a variety of
complicated multinational corporate practices intended to avoid
the tax, which have the effect of moving the tax base offshore,
destroying American jobs, and decreasing corporate revenue.
(6) The ``world-wide'' structure of United States
international taxation essentially taxes earnings of United
States firms twice, putting them at a significant competitive
disadvantage with competitors that have more competitive
international tax systems.
(7) Reforming the tax code would boost the competitiveness
of United States companies operating abroad and significantly
reduce tax avoidance.
(8) The tax code imposes costs on American workers through
lower wages, consumers in higher prices, and investors in
diminished returns.
(9) Increasing taxes to raise revenue and meet out-of-
control spending would sink the economy and Americans' ability
to save for their children's education and retirement.
(10) Closing special preference carve outs in our tax code
to finance higher spending does not constitute fundamental tax
reform.
(11) Tax reform should curb or eliminate tax breaks and use
those savings to lower tax rates across the board, not to fund
more wasteful Federal Government spending. Washington has a
spending problem, not a revenue problem.
(12) Many economists believe that fundamental tax reform,
including a broader tax base and lower tax rates, would lead to
greater labor supply and increased investment, which would have
a positive impact on total national output.
(b) Policy on Tax Reform.--It is the policy of this concurrent
resolution that the House should consider comprehensive tax reform
legislation that promotes economic growth, creates American jobs,
increases wages, and benefits American consumers, investors, and
workers by--
(1) simplifying the tax code to make it fairer to American
families and businesses and reducing the amount of time and
resources necessary to comply with tax laws;
(2) substantially lowering tax rates for individuals and
consolidating the current seven individual income tax brackets
into fewer brackets;
(3) repealing the Alternative Minimum Tax;
(4) reducing the corporate tax rate; and
(5) transitioning the tax code to a more competitive system
of international taxation.
Union Calendar No. 172
115th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 71
[Report No. 115-240]
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government
for fiscal year 2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels
for fiscal years 2019 through 2027.
_______________________________________________________________________
July 21, 2017
Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union
and ordered to be printed