[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 164 (Thursday, November 18, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14814-S14815]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. ASHCROFT:
  S. 1962. A bill to amend the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to 
protect Social Security and Medicare surpluses through strengthened 
budgetary enforcement mechanisms; to the Committee on the Budget and 
the Committee on Governmental Affairs, jointly, pursuant to the order 
of August 4, 1977, with instructions that if one Committee reports, the 
other Committee have 30 days to report or be discharged.


         the social security and Medicare safe deposit box act

  Mr. ASHCROFT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 1962

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Social Security and Medicare 
     Safe Deposit Box Act of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. PROTECTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE SURPLUSES.

       (a) Medicare Surpluses Off-Budget.--Notwithstanding any 
     other provision of law, the net surplus of any trust fund for 
     part A of Medicare shall not be counted as a net surplus for 
     purposes of--
       (1) the budget of the United States Government as submitted 
     by the President;
       (2) the congressional budget; or
       (3) the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act 
     of 1985.
       (b) Points of Order to Protect Social Security and Medicare 
     Surpluses.--Section 312 of the Congressional Budget Act of 
     1974 is amended by adding at the end the following new 
     subsection:
       ``(g) Points of Order To Protect Social Security and 
     Medicare Surpluses.--
       ``(1) Concurrent resolutions on the budget.--It shall not 
     be in order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to 
     consider any concurrent resolution on the budget, or 
     conference report thereon or amendment thereto, that would 
     set forth an on-budget deficit for any fiscal year.
       ``(2) Subsequent Legislation.--It shall not be in order in 
     the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider any 
     bill, joint resolution, amendment, motion, or conference 
     report if--
       ``(A) the enactment of that bill or resolution as reported;
       ``(B) the adoption and enactment of that amendment; or
       ``(C) the enactment of that bill or resolution in the form 
     recommended in that conference report,
     would cause or increase an on-budget deficit for any fiscal 
     year.
       ``(3) Definition.--For purposes of this section, the term 
     `on-budget deficit', when applied to a fiscal year, means the 
     deficit in the budget as set forth in the most recently 
     agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget pursuant to 
     section 301(a)(3) for that fiscal year.''.
       (c) Content of Concurrent Resolution On The Budget.--
     Section 301(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 is 
     amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as paragraphs 
     (7) and (8), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting after paragraph (5) the following new 
     paragraph:
       ``(6) the receipts, outlays, and surplus or deficit in the 
     Federal Old-Age and Survivors

[[Page S14815]]

     Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance 
     Trust Fund, combined, established by title II of the Social 
     Security Act;''.
       (d) Super Majority Requirement.--
       (1) Point of order.--Section 904(c)(1) of the Congressional 
     Budget Act of 1974 is amended by inserting ``312(g),'' after 
     ``310(d)(2),''.
       (2) Waiver.--Section 904(d)(2) of the Congressional Budget 
     Act of 1974 is amended by inserting ``312(g),'' after 
     ``310(d)(2),''.

     SEC. 4. PROTECTION OF SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE SURPLUSES.

       (a) In General.--Chapter 11 of subtitle II of title 31, 
     United States Code, is amended by adding before section 1101 
     the following:

     ``Sec. 1100. Protection of social security and medicare 
       surpluses

       ``The budget of the United States Government submitted by 
     the President under this chapter shall not recommend an on-
     budget deficit for any fiscal year covered by that budget.''.
       (b) Chapter Analysis.--The chapter analysis for chapter 11 
     of title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
     before the item for section 1101 the following:

``1100. Protection of Social Security and Medicare Surpluses.''.

     SEC. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act shall take effect upon the date of its enactment 
     and the amendments made by this Act shall apply to fiscal 
     year 2001 and subsequent fiscal years.
                                 ______