[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 11 (Thursday, January 19, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H376-H377]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION TO REQUIRE THE PRESIDENT TO SUBMIT A
BALANCED BUDGET
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Goodlatte). Under a previous order of
the House, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Bentsen] is recognized for 5
minutes.
Mr. BENTSEN. Mr. Speaker, many have argued that we must amend our
Constitution to stop us from spending more than we take in. But few, if
any, have actually submitted a balanced budget.
I believe in a balanced budget, but I also believe in full and fair
disclosure.
Today I am introducing a bill, H.R. 567, which would require the
President to submit, and the Congress to consider, a balanced budget.
Unlike bills which will be considered by the House next week, my bill
would actually mandate the submission and the consideration of a
balanced budget. The so-called balanced-budget amendment to the
Constitution would not mandate such consideration and, in fact, provide
a loophole that you could drive a beer truck through.
Both the Barton and Stenholm amendments would allow the Congress to
waive the amendment in order to either raise taxes or sell debt to fund
the deficit.
Neither amendment would take effect until 2002.
My bill would go into effect immediately for the next budget for
fiscal year 1997.
How many billions might we save if we could achieve a balanced budget
by fiscal year 1997 instead of 2002?
Finally, and most importantly, my bill would allow for the American
people to enter into the debate on a balanced budget. Unlike others, my
bill would provide for the presentation to the American people of the
actual numbers, the cuts, to a balanced budget. The other bills only
tell us to balance the budget and give us a waiver to avoid it. It does
not tell us what an actual balanced budget looks like, and I do not
believe that is prudent.
When the proponents of a balanced-budget amendment state the cuts
necessary would ``make your knees buckle,'' then the people deserve to
know what they are.
The President should submit a balanced budget. The American people
should examine that budget, and the Congress should debate and vote on
it.
Mr. Speaker, I am including at this point in the Record a copy of the
bill which I am introducing, as follows:
H.R. --
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
TITLE I--AMENDMENT TO TITLE 31, UNITED STATES CODE
SEC. 101. SUBMISSION OF BALANCED BUDGET BY THE PRESIDENT.
Section 1105 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by
inserting at the end the following new subsection:
``(g)(1) Except as provided by paragraph (2), any budget
submitted to Congress pursuant to subsection (a) for the
ensuing fiscal year shall not be in deficit.
``(2) For any fiscal year with respect to which the
President determines that it is infeasible to submit a budget
in compliance with paragraph (1), the President shall submit
on the same day two budgets, one of which shall be in
compliance with paragraph (1), together with written reasons
in support of that determination.''.
[[Page H377]]
TITLE II--AMENDMENT TO CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET ACT OF 1974
SEC. 201. REPORTING OF BALANCED BUDGET BY COMMITTEES ON THE
BUDGET OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND
SENATE.
Section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is
amended by inserting at the end the following new subsection:
``(j) Reporting of Balanced Budgets.--
``(1) Except as provided by paragraph (2), the concurrent
resolution on the budget for a fiscal year referred to in
subsection (a) as reported by the Committee on the Budget of
each House shall not be in deficit.
``(2) For any fiscal year with respect to which the
Committee on the Budget of either House determines that it is
infeasible to report a concurrent resolution on the budget in
compliance with paragraph (1) and includes written reasons in
support of that determination in its report accompanying a
concurrent resolution on the budget, the committee shall
report two concurrent resolutions on the budget, one of which
shall be in compliance with paragraph (1).
``(3) Each concurrent resolution on the budget reported by
the Committee on the Budget of either House shall contain
reconciliation directives described in section 310 necessary
to effectuate the provisions and requirements of such
resolution.''.
SEC. 202. PROCEDURE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Section 305(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is
amended by inserting at the end the following:
``(8)(A) If the Committee on Rules of the House of
Representatives reports any rule or order providing for the
consideration of any concurrent resolution on the budget for
a fiscal year, then it shall also, within the same rule or
order, provide for--
``(i) the consideration of the text of any concurrent
resolution on the budget for that fiscal year reported by the
Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives
pursuant to section 301(j); and
``(ii) the consideration of the text of each concurrent
resolution on the budget as introduced by the Majority Leader
pursuant to subparagraph (B);
and such rule or order shall assure that a separate vote
occurs on each such budget.
``(B) The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives
shall introduce a concurrent resolution on the budget
reflecting, without substantive revision, each budget
submitted by the President pursuant to section 1105(g) of
title 31, United States Code, as soon as practical after its
submission.''.
SEC. 203. PROCEDURE IN THE SENATE.
Section 305(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is
amended by inserting at the end the following:
``(7) Notwithstanding any other rule, it shall always be in
order in the Senate to consider an amendment to a concurrent
resolution on the budget for a fiscal year comprising the
text of any budget submitted by the President for that fiscal
year as described in section 1105(g)(1) of title 31, United
States Code, and, whenever applicable, an amendment
comprising the text of any other budget submitted by the
President for that fiscal year as described in section
1105(g)(2) of title 31, United States Code.''.
TITLE III--EFFECTIVE DATE
SEC. 301. EFFECTIVE DATE.
This Act and the amendments made by it shall become
effective for fiscal year 1997 budget submitted by the
President as required by section 1105(a) of title 31, United
States Code.
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