[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 55 (Thursday, April 25, 1996)]
[House]
[Pages H4101-H4102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY

  Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I have a parliamentary inquiry.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman will state it.
  Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, the Congressional Budget Act sets up 
procedures to allow the appropriations process to move forward in 
situations when the budget resolution is behind schedule. I would like 
to inquire of the Chair whether these procedures have been followed.
  In particular, if the conference report on the budget resolution is 
not adopted by April 15, section 603 of the Budget Act directs the 
chairman of the Committee on the Budget to submit to the House a 
spending allocation to the Committee on Appropriations for the coming 
fiscal year. The allocation is to be based on the discretionary 
spending limits set by law. Its purpose is to allow the House to begin 
work on appropriation bills.
  Section 603 of the Budget Act requires this allocation to be filed as 
soon as practicable after April 15. When I was chairman of the 
Committee on the Budget, I submitted this allocation when it was 
required, and my predecessor, Leon Panetta, did as well.
  If we are to avoid running the Government on continuing resolutions 
again this year, it is essential that the appropriations process get 
started. The April 15 deadline set by the Budget Act for completion of 
the budget resolution passed more than a week ago, and the House markup 
has not even been scheduled.
  Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I would like to inquire whether a fiscal year 
1997 spending allocation to the Committee on Appropriations has been 
submitted to the House as required by section 603 of the Congressional 
Budget Act.

[[Page H4102]]

                              {time}  1700

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. LaHood). The Chair would advise the 
gentleman from Minnesota to consult with the chairman of the Committee 
on the Budget on this matter of a submission as soon as practicable 
after April 15.
  Mr. SABO. Mr. Speaker, I know the gentleman cannot be here. The 
gentleman knows I am making this inquiry.

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