[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 72 (Thursday, May 26, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           BIENNIAL BUDGETING AND APPROPRIATIONS ACT OF 2005

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAVID DREIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 2005

  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, the annual rush to complete action on 
budget, authorization and appropriations bills not only results in a 
poor budget process, but also reduces the amount of time available for 
careful oversight and management of existing Federal programs. During 
the 31-year history of the Budget Act, Congress has met the deadline 
for completion of a budget resolution only five times. Since 1953, 
Congress has been forced to enact continuing resolutions to fund 
government activities past the end of the fiscal year in every year but 
four (FY1953, FY1989, FY1995 and FY1997). And according to the 
Congressional Budget Office, Congress provided $170 billion in fiscal 
year 2005 appropriations for 167 statutes whose authorizations had 
expired.
  That is why I introduced the Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations 
Act of 2005, which streamlines the budget process and improves the 
fiscal management and oversight of government programs by instituting a 
biennial budget system. Under the bill, the President would submit a 
two-year budget and Congress would consider a two-year budget 
resolution and 11 two-year appropriations bills during the first 
session. The second session would be devoted to consideration of 
authorization bills, programmatic oversight of government agencies and 
emergency spending bills. Mr. Speaker, this is a proposal we've 
entertained in the past, and I believe it deserves another look.
  By eliminating repetitive and time-consuming appropriations work, the 
Congress as a whole and even the appropriations subcommittees would be 
better able to focus on oversight. This would also contribute to more 
appropriate funding decisions in biennial appropriation bills and any 
necessary supplemental/recision legislation. As with oversight, 
biennial budgeting would allow more time for needed authorization 
legislation. In addition, the overwhelming appropriations workload 
every year has upset the intended balance in the role of authorizations 
and appropriations. Biennial budgeting would help restore the 
importance of the authorization process.
  Preparing for annual appropriations is as much or more of a drain on 
time and resources for Federal agencies as it is for Congress. It takes 
nearly three years for the Administration and Congress to produce and 
implement one annual budget. As a result, a great deal of time and 
manpower are diverted from managing existing programs, leading to 
delays in reform implementation and creating a slower and more 
bureaucratic government. Biennial budgeting would provide Federal 
agencies more time for program oversight, increasing agency efficiency 
and providing them with more stable and predictable budgets. In 
addition, Congress would be able to exercise better oversight over 
them.
  As recently as World War II, all but four States had biennial 
budgeting. The growing dependence on annually appropriated big-
government programs, however, helped move many to change to annual 
cycles. Although this trend has reversed in recent years (today, 21 
States have biennial budgets), biennial budgeting at the Federal level 
would help States return to this commonsense process. Even if States 
retain annual cycles, they will benefit from more stable and 
predictable Federal funding.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support the Biennial 
Budgeting and Appropriations Act of 2005. It will provide a starting 
point for discussions on how to improve the budget process and foster 
improved governance for the American people.

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