[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 59 (Thursday, April 10, 2014)]
[House]
[Pages H3149-H3164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015
General Leave
Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and to
add extraneous material into the Record on H. Con. Res. 96.
The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Thompson of Pennsylvania). Is there
objection to the request of the gentleman from Georgia?
There was no objection.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 544 and rule
XVIII, the Chair declares the House in the Committee of the Whole House
on the state of the Union for the further consideration of the bill, H.
Con. Res. 96.
Will the gentlewoman from North Carolina (Ms. Foxx) kindly take the
chair.
{time} 0917
In the Committee of the Whole
Accordingly, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the
Whole House on the state of the Union for the further consideration of
the bill (H. Con. Res. 96) establishing the budget for the United
States Government for fiscal year 2015 and setting forth appropriate
budgetary levels for fiscal years 2016 through 2024, with Ms. Foxx
(Acting Chair) in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the bill.
The Acting CHAIR. When the Committee of the Whole rose on Wednesday,
April 9, 2014, amendment No. 3 printed in House Report 113-405 offered
by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva) had been disposed of.
Amendment No. 4 in the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr. Woodall
The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4
printed in House Report 113-405.
Mr. WOODALL. Madam Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment is as follows:
Strike all after the enacting clause and insert the
following:
SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2015.
(a) Declaration.--The Congress determines and declares that
this concurrent resolution establishes the budget for fiscal
year 2015 and sets forth appropriate budgetary levels for
fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
(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 2015.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts.
Sec. 102. Major functional categories.
TITLE II--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT
Sec. 201. Limitation on advance appropriations.
Sec. 202. Concepts and definitions.
Sec. 203. Adjustments of aggregates, allocations, and appropriate
budgetary levels.
Sec. 204. Limitation on long-term spending.
Sec. 205. Budgetary treatment of certain transactions.
Sec. 206. Application and effect of changes in allocations and
aggregates.
Sec. 207. Congressional Budget Office estimates.
Sec. 208. Transfers from the general fund of the Treasury to the
Highway Trust Fund that increase public indebtedness.
Sec. 209. Separate allocation for overseas contingency operations/
global war on terrorism.
Sec. 210. Exercise of rulemaking powers.
TITLE III--POLICY
Sec. 301. Policy statement on health care law repeal.
Sec. 302. Policy statement on means-tested welfare programs.
Sec. 303. Policy statement on block granting Medicaid.
Sec. 304. Policy statement on a carbon tax.
Sec. 305. Policy statement on the use of official time by Federal
employees for union activities.
Sec. 306. Policy statement on creation of a Committee to Eliminate
Duplication and Waste.
Sec. 307. Policy statement on Federal funding of abortion.
Sec. 308. Policy statement on readable legislation.
Sec. 309. Policy statement on work requirements.
Sec. 310. Policy statement on energy production.
Sec. 311. Policy statement on regulation of greenhouse gases by the
Environmental Protection Agency.
Sec. 312. Policy statement on reforming the Federal budget process.
Sec. 313. Policy statement on economic growth and putting Americans
back to work.
Sec. 314. Policy statement on tax reform.
Sec. 315. Policy statement on replacing the President's health care
law.
Sec. 316. Policy statement on Medicare.
Sec. 317. Policy statement on Social Security.
Sec. 318. Policy statement on higher education and workforce
development opportunity.
Sec. 319. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the
cancellation of unobligated balances.
Sec. 320. Policy statement on responsible stewardship of taxpayer
dollars.
Sec. 321. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the reduction
of unnecessary and wasteful spending.
Sec. 322. Policy statement on unauthorized spending.
Sec. 323. Policy statement on Federal regulatory policy.
Sec. 324. Policy statement on trade.
Sec. 325. No Budget, no Pay.
Sec. 326. Policy statement on reform of the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program.
Sec. 327. Policy statement on transportation reform.
TITLE IV--RESERVE FUNDS
Sec. 401. Reserve fund for the repeal of the 2010 health care laws.
[[Page H3150]]
Sec. 402. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the replacement of
Obamacare.
Sec. 403. Deficit-neutral reserve fund related to the Medicare
provisions of the 2010 health care laws.
Sec. 404. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the sustainable growth rate
of the Medicare program.
Sec. 405. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for reforming the tax code.
Sec. 406. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade agreements.
Sec. 407. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for revenue measures.
Sec. 408. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for rural counties and schools.
Sec. 409. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for transportation reform.
Sec. 410. Deficit-neutral reserve fund to reduce poverty and increase
opportunity and upward mobility.
Sec. 411. Implementation of a deficit and long-term debt reduction
agreement.
Sec. 412. Deficit-neutral reserve account for reforming SNAP.
Sec. 413. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for Social Security Disability
Insurance Reform.
TITLE V--EARMARK MORATORIUM
Sec. 501. Earmark moratorium.
Sec. 502. Limitation of authority of the House Committee on Rules.
TITLE VI--ESTIMATES OF DIRECT SPENDING
Sec. 601. Direct spending.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.
The following budgetary levels are appropriate for each of
fiscal years 2015 through 2024:
(1) Federal revenues.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this concurrent resolution:
(A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are as
follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $2,533,142,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $2,675,941,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $2,789,406,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $2,890,066,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,014,538,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,148,143,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,294,465,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,456,164,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,626,464,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,807,341,000,000.
(B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of Federal
revenues should be changed are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $0.
Fiscal year 2016: $0.
Fiscal year 2017: $0.
Fiscal year 2018: $0.
Fiscal year 2019: $0.
Fiscal year 2020: $0.
Fiscal year 2021: $0.
Fiscal year 2022: $0.
Fiscal year 2023: $0.
Fiscal year 2024: $0.
(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 2015: $2,743,504,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $2,778,548,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $2,848,957,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $2,925,554,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,033,623,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,162,619,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,241,898,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,361,147,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,414,031,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,434,808,000,000.
(3) Budget outlays.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total
budget outlays are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $2,818,544,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $2,808,954,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $2,840,958,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $2,901,664,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,009,073,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,124,872,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,215,785,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,351,489,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,387,409,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,405,674,000,000.
(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 2015: -$285,402,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: -$133,013,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: -$51,552,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: -$11,598,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $5,465,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $23,271,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $78,680,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $104,675,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $239,055,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $401,667,000,000.
(5) Debt subject to limit.--The appropriate levels of the
public debt are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $18,204,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $18,414,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $19,013,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $19,267,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $19,603,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $20,055,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $20,311,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $20,701,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $20,976,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $21,220,000,000.
(6) Debt held by the public.--The appropriate levels of
debt held by the public are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $13,112,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $13,206,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $13,640,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $13,716,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $13,909,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $14,255,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $14,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022; $14,818,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $15,074,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $15,307,000,000.
SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.
The Congress determines and declares that the appropriate
levels of new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years
2015 through 2024 for each major functional category are:
(1) National Defense (050):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $528,927,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $566,503,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $573,792,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $573,064,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $597,895,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $584,252,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $611,146,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $593,795,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $624,416,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $611,902,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $638,697,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $626,175,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $653,001,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $640,499,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $669,967,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $661,181,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $687,393,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $672,922,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $706,218,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $685,796,000,000.
(2) International Affairs (150):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
[[Page H3151]]
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(4) Energy (270):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(5) Natural Resources and Environment (300):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(6) Agriculture (350):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(8) Transportation (400):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
[[Page H3152]]
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(9) Community and Regional Development (450):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services
(500):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(11) Health (550):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(12) Medicare (570):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(13) Income Security (600):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
[[Page H3153]]
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(14) Social Security (650):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(16) Administration of Justice (750):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(17) General Government (800):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(18) Net Interest (900):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $368,359,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $368,359,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $408,990,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $408,990,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $465,411,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $465,411,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $525,481,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $525,481,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $568,468,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $568,468,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $606,691,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $606,691,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $626,835,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $626,835,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $643,655,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $643,655,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $656,318,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $656,318,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $660,760,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $660,760,000,000.
(19) Allowances (920):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $1,846,217,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,883,682,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $1,795,765,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,826,890,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $1,785,651,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,791,295,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $1,788,927,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,782,388,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $1,840,739,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,828,703,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $1,917,231,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,892,007,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $1,962,061,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,948,451,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
[[Page H3154]]
(A) New budget authority, $2,047,525,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $2,046,652,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $2,070,320,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $2,058,169,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $2,067,830,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $2,059,117,000,000.
(20) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
(21) Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on
Terrorism (970):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, an amount to be derived from
function 920.
(B) Outlays, an amount to be derived from function 920.
TITLE II--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT
SEC. 201. LIMITATION ON ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--In the House, except as provided for in
subsection (b), any bill or joint resolution, or amendment
thereto or conference report thereon, making a general
appropriation or continuing appropriation may not provide for
advance appropriations.
(b) Exceptions.--An advance appropriation may be provided
for programs, projects, activities, or accounts referred to
in subsection (c)(1) or identified in the report to accompany
this concurrent resolution or the joint explanatory statement
of managers to accompany this concurrent resolution under the
heading ``Accounts Identified for Advance Appropriations''.
(c) Limitations.--For fiscal year 2016, the aggregate level
of advance appropriations shall not exceed--
(1) $58,662,202,000 for the following programs in the
Department of Veterans Affairs--
(A) Medical Services;
(B) Medical Support and Compliance; and
(C) Medical Facilities accounts of the Veterans Health
Administration; and
(2) $28,781,000,000 in new budget authority for all
programs identified pursuant to subsection (b).
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``advance
appropriation'' means any new discretionary budget authority
provided in a bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto
or conference report thereon, making general appropriations
or any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill
or joint resolution making continuing appropriations for
fiscal year 2016.
SEC. 202. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS.
Upon the enactment of any bill or joint resolution
providing for a change in budgetary concepts or definitions,
the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust any
allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this
concurrent resolution accordingly.
SEC. 203. ADJUSTMENTS OF AGGREGATES, ALLOCATIONS, AND
APPROPRIATE BUDGETARY LEVELS.
(a) Adjustments of Discretionary and Direct Spending
Levels.--If a committee (other than the Committee on
Appropriations) reports a bill or joint resolution, or
amendment thereto or conference report thereon, 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 such committee and
increase the allocation of discretionary spending (budget
authority and outlays flowing therefrom) to the Committee on
Appropriations for fiscal year 2015 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) Adjustments to Fund Overseas Contingency Operations/
Global War on Terrorism.--In order to take into account any
new information included in the budget submission by the
President for fiscal year 2015, the chair of the Committee on
the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other
appropriate budgetary levels for Overseas Contingency
Operations/Global War on Terrorism or the section 302(a)
allocation to the Committee on Appropriations set forth in
the report of this concurrent resolution to conform with
section 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985 (as adjusted by section 251A of such
Act).
(c) Revised Congressional Budget Office Baseline.--The
chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the
allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary
levels to reflect changes resulting from technical and
economic assumptions in the most recent baseline published by
the Congressional Budget Office.
(d) Determinations.--For the purpose of enforcing this
concurrent resolution on the budget in the House, the
allocations and aggregate levels of new budget authority,
outlays, direct spending, new entitlement authority,
revenues, deficits, and surpluses for fiscal year 2015 and
the period of fiscal years 2015 through fiscal year 2024
shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by the
chair of the Committee on the Budget and such chair may
adjust such applicable levels of this concurrent resolution.
SEC. 204. LIMITATION ON LONG-TERM SPENDING.
(a) In General.--In the House, it shall not be in order to
consider a bill or joint resolution reported by a committee
(other than the Committee on Appropriations), or an amendment
thereto or a conference report thereon, if the provisions of
such measure have the net effect of increasing direct
spending in excess of $5,000,000,000 for any period described
in subsection (b).
(b) Time Periods.--The applicable periods for purposes of
this section are any of the four consecutive ten fiscal-year
periods beginning with fiscal year 2025.
SEC. 205. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 302(a)(1) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, section 13301 of the Budget
Enforcement Act of 1990, and section 4001 of the Omnibus
Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, the report accompanying
this concurrent resolution on the budget or the joint
explanatory statement accompanying the conference report on
any concurrent resolution on the budget shall include in its
allocation under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974 to the Committee on Appropriations amounts for
the discretionary administrative expenses of the Social
Security Administration and the United States Postal Service.
(b) Special Rule.--For purposes of applying sections 302(f)
and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, estimates of
the level of total new budget authority and total outlays
provided by a measure shall include any off-budget
discretionary amounts.
(c) Adjustments.--The chair of the Committee on the Budget
may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels for legislation reported by the Committee
[[Page H3155]]
on Oversight and Government Reform that reforms the Federal
retirement system, if such adjustments do not cause a net
increase in the deficit for fiscal year 2015 and the period
of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 206. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS
AND AGGREGATES.
(a) Application.--Any adjustments of the allocations,
aggregates, and other appropriate 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 allocations and aggregates included in
this concurrent resolution.
(c) Budget Compliance.--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 appropriate 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 504.
SEC. 207. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Costs of Federal housing loans and loan guarantees are
treated unequally in the budget. The Congressional Budget
Office uses fair-value accounting to measure the costs of
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but determines the cost of other
Federal loan and loan-guarantee programs on the basis of the
Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (``FCRA'').
(2) The fair-value accounting method uses discount rates
which incorporate the risk inherent to the type of liability
being estimated in addition to Treasury discount rates of the
proper maturity length. In contrast, FCRA accounting solely
uses the discount rates of the Treasury, failing to
incorporate all of the risks attendant to these credit
activities.
(3) The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if fair-
value were used to estimate the cost of all new credit
activity in 2014, the deficit would be approximately $50
billion higher than under the current methodology.
(b) Fair Value Estimates.--Upon the request of the chair or
ranking member of the Committee on the Budget, any estimate
prepared by the Director of the Congressional Budget Office
for a measure under the terms of title V of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974, ``credit reform'', as a supplement to
such estimate shall, to the extent practicable, also provide
an estimate of the current actual or estimated market values
representing the ``fair value'' of assets and liabilities
affected by such measure.
(c) Fair Value Estimates for Housing Programs.--Whenever
the Director of the Congressional Budget Office prepares an
estimate pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974 of the costs which would be incurred in carrying
out any bill or joint resolution and if the Director
determines that such bill or joint resolution has a cost
related to a housing or residential mortgage program under
the FCRA, then the Director shall also provide an estimate of
the current actual or estimated market values representing
the ``fair value'' of assets and liabilities affected by the
provisions of such bill or joint resolution that result in
such cost.
(d) Enforcement.--If the Director of the Congressional
Budget Office provides an estimate pursuant to subsection (b)
or (c), the chair of the Committee on the Budget may use such
estimate to determine compliance with the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974 and other budgetary enforcement controls.
SEC. 208. TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF THE TREASURY TO
THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND THAT INCREASE PUBLIC
INDEBTEDNESS.
For purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, or
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. 209. SEPARATE ALLOCATION FOR OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY
OPERATIONS/GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.
(a) Allocation.--In the House, there shall be a separate
allocation to the Committee on Appropriations for overseas
contingency operations/global war on terrorism. For purposes
of enforcing such separate allocation 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 2015. Such separate allocation shall be
the exclusive allocation for overseas contingency operations/
global war on terrorism under section 302(a) of such Act.
Section 302(c) of such Act shall not apply to such separate
allocation. The Committee on Appropriations may provide
suballocations of such separate allocation under section
302(b) of such Act. Spending that counts toward the
allocation established by this section shall be designated
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.
(b) Adjustment.--In the House, for purposes of subsection
(a) for fiscal year 2015, 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. 210. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.
The House adopts the provisions of this title--
(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 these rules
shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are
inconsistent with other such 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 in the
case of any other rule of the House of Representatives.
TITLE III--POLICY
SEC. 301. POLICY STATEMENT ON HEALTH CARE LAW REPEAL.
It is the policy of this resolution that the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (Public Law 111-148), and
the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
(Public Law 111-152) should be repealed.
SEC. 302. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEANS-TESTED WELFARE PROGRAMS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds that:
(1) Too many people are trapped at the bottom rungs of the
economic ladder, and every citizen should have the
opportunity to rise, escape from poverty, and achieve their
own potential.
(2) In 1996, President Bill Clinton and congressional
Republicans enacted reforms that have moved families off of
Federal programs and enabled them to provide for themselves.
(3) According to the most recent projections, over the next
10 years we will spend approximately $9.7 trillion on means-
tested welfare programs.
(4) Today, there are approximately 92 Federal programs that
provide benefits specifically to poor and low-income
Americans.
(5) Taxpayers deserve clear and transparent information on
how well these programs are working, and how much the Federal
Government is spending on means-tested welfare.
(6) It should be the goal of welfare programs to encourage
work and put people on a path to self-reliance.
(b) Policy on Means-tested Welfare Programs.--It is the
policy of this resolution that--
(1) the welfare system should be reformed to give states
flexibility to implement and improve safety net programs and
that to be eligible for benefits, able bodied adults without
dependents should be required to work or be preparing for
work, including enrolling in educational or job training
programs, contributing community service, or participating in
a supervised job search; and
(2) the President's budget should disclose, in a clear and
transparent manner, the aggregate amount of Federal welfare
expenditures, as well as an estimate of State and local
spending for this purpose, over the next ten years.
SEC. 303. POLICY STATEMENT ON BLOCK GRANTING MEDICAID.
It is the policy of this resolution that Medicaid and the
Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) should be block
granted to the States in a manner prescribed by the State
Health Flexibility Act of 2013 (H.R. 567, 113th Congress).
SEC. 304. POLICY STATEMENT ON A CARBON TAX.
It is the policy of this resolution that a carbon tax would
be detrimental to American families and businesses, and is
not in the best interest of the United States.
SEC. 305. POLICY STATEMENT ON THE USE OF OFFICIAL TIME BY
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES FOR UNION ACTIVITIES.
It is the policy of this resolution that, as called for in
H.R. 107, the Federal Employee Accountability Act of 2013,
Federal employees shall not use official time to conduct
union activities.
SEC. 306. POLICY STATEMENT ON CREATION OF A COMMITTEE TO
ELIMINATE DUPLICATION AND WASTE.
It is the policy of this resolution that a new committee,
styled after the post-World War II ``Byrd Committee'' shall
be created to act on GAO's annual waste and duplication
reports as well as Oversight and Government Reform Inspector
General reports.
SEC. 307. POLICY STATEMENT ON FEDERAL FUNDING OF ABORTION.
It is the policy of this resolution that no taxpayer
dollars shall go to any entity that provides abortion
services.
SEC. 308. POLICY STATEMENT ON READABLE LEGISLATION.
It is the policy of this resolution that bills should be
made more readable and for Members of Congress and more
accessible to the public as called for in H.R. 760, the
Readable Legislation Act of 2013.
SEC. 309. POLICY STATEMENT ON WORK REQUIREMENTS.
It is the policy of this resolution that the work
requirements in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
block grant program should be preserved as called for in H.R.
890, 113th Congress.
[[Page H3156]]
SEC. 310. POLICY STATEMENT ON ENERGY PRODUCTION.
It is the policy of this resolution that the Arctic
National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) and currently unavailable
areas of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) should be open for
energy exploration and production. To ensure States' rights,
states are given the option to withdrawal from leasing within
certain areas of the OCS. Specifically, a State, through
enactment of a State statute, may withdrawal from leasing
from all or part of any area within 75 miles of that State's
coast.
SEC. 311. POLICY STATEMENT ON REGULATION OF GREENHOUSE GASES
BY THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY.
It is the policy of this resolution that the Environmental
Protection Agency should be prohibited from promulgating any
regulation concerning, taking action relating to, or taking
into consideration the emission of a greenhouse gas to
address climate change.
SEC. 312. POLICY STATEMENT ON REFORMING THE FEDERAL BUDGET
PROCESS.
It is the policy of this resolution that the Federal budget
process should be reformed to promote accountability,
increase transparency, and make it easier to reduce spending.
SEC. 313. POLICY STATEMENT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PUTTING
AMERICANS BACK TO WORK.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Although the United States economy technically emerged
from recession nearly five years ago, the subsequent recovery
has felt more like a malaise than a rebound. Real gross
domestic product (GDP) growth over the past four years has
averaged just over 2 percent, well below the 3 percent trend
rate of growth in the United States.
(2) The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) did a study in
late 2012 examining why the United States economy was growing
so slowly after the recession. They found, among other
things, that United States economic output was growing at
less than half of the typical rate exhibited during other
recoveries since World War II. CBO said that about two-thirds
of this ``growth gap'' was due to a pronounced sluggishness
in the growth of potential GDP--particularly in potential
employment levels (such as people leaving the labor force)
and the growth in productivity (which is in turn related to
lower capital investment).
(3) The prolonged economic sluggishness is particularly
troubling given the amount of fiscal and monetary policy
actions taken in recent years to cushion the depth of the
downturn and to spark higher rates of growth and employment.
In addition to the large stimulus package passed in early
2009, many other initiatives have been taken to boost growth,
such as the new homebuyer tax credit and the ``cash for
clunkers'' program. These stimulus efforts may have led to
various short term ``pops'' in activity but the economy and
job market has since reverted back to a sub-par trend.
(4) The unemployment rate has declined in recent years,
from a peak of nearly 10 percent in 2009-2010 to 6.7 percent
in the latest month. However, a significant chunk of this
decline has been due to people leaving the labor force (and
therefore no longer being counted as ``unemployed'') and not
from a surge in employment. The slow decline in the
unemployment rate in recent years has occurred alongside a
steep decline in the economy's labor force participation
rate. The participation rate stands at 63.2 percent, close to
the lowest level since 1978. The flipside of this is that
over 90 million Americans are now ``on the sidelines'' and
not in the labor force, representing a 10 million increase
since early 2009.
(5) Real median household income declined for the fifth
consecutive year in 2012 (latest data available) and, at just
over $51,000, is currently at its lowest level since 1995.
Weak wage and income growth as a result of a subpar labor
market not only means lower tax revenue coming in to the
Treasury, it also means higher government spending on income
support programs.
(6) A stronger economy is vital to lowering deficit levels
and eventually balancing the budget. According to CBO, if
annual real GDP growth is just 0.1 percentage point higher
over the budget window, deficits would be reduced by $311
billion.
(7) This budget resolution therefore embraces pro-growth
policies, such as fundamental tax reform, that will help
foster a stronger economy and more job creation.
(8) Reining in government spending and lowering budget
deficits has a positive long-term impact on the economy and
the budget. According to CBO, a significant deficit reduction
package (i.e. $4 trillion), would boost longer-term economic
output by 1.7 percent. Their analysis concludes that deficit
reduction creates long-term economic benefits because it
increases the pool of national savings and boosts investment,
thereby raising economic growth and job creation.
(9) The greater economic output that stems from a large
deficit reduction package would have a sizeable impact on the
Federal budget. For instance, higher output would lead to
greater revenues through the increase in taxable incomes.
Lower interest rates, and a reduction in the stock of debt,
would lead to lower government spending on net interest
expenses.
(b) Policy on Economic Growth and Job Creation.--
(1) In general.--It is the policy of this resolution to
promote faster economic growth and job creation. By putting
the budget on a sustainable path, this resolution ends the
debt-fueled uncertainty holding back job creators. Reforms to
the tax code to put American businesses and workers in a
better position to compete and thrive in the 21st century
global economy. This resolution targets the regulatory red
tape and cronyism that stack the deck in favor of special
interests. All of the reforms in this resolution serve as
means to the larger end of growing the economy and expanding
opportunity for all Americans.
(2) JOBS act.--It is the policy of this resolution that to
create jobs, opportunity, and economic growth, H.R. 4304, the
Jumpstarting Opportunities with Bold Solutions (JOBS) Act,
should be enacted. This legislation, introduced by the
Republican Study Committee, would unleash North American
energy production, reform labor laws, reduce the regulatory
burden, and increase access to capital.
SEC. 314. 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 three counts-it is notoriously
complex, patently unfair, and highly 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) Over the past decade alone, there have been more than
4,400 changes to the tax code, more than one per day. Many of
the major changes over the years have involved carving out
special preferences, exclusions, or deductions for various
activities or groups. These loopholes add up to more than $1
trillion per year and make the code unfair, inefficient, and
highly complex.
(3) The large amount of tax preferences that pervade the
code end up narrowing the tax base. A narrow tax base, in
turn, requires much higher tax rates to raise a given amount
of revenue.
(4) It is estimated that American taxpayers end up spending
$160 billion and roughly 6 billion hours a year complying
with the tax code-a waste of time and resources that could be
used in more productive activities.
(5) Standard economic theory shows that high marginal tax
rates dampen 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.
(6) 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 flows through to the tax returns of
the individual owners and is taxed at the individual rate
structure rather than at the corporate rate. Small
businesses, in particular, tend to choose this form for
Federal tax purposes, and the top Federal rate on such small
business income reaches 44.6 percent. For these reasons,
sound economic policy requires lowering marginal rates on
these pass-through entities.
(7) The United States corporate income tax rate (including
Federal, State, and local taxes) sums to just over 39
percent, the highest rate in the industrialized world. Tax
rates this high suppress wages and discourage investment and
job creation, distort business activity, and put American
businesses at a competitive disadvantage with foreign
competitors.
(8) By deterring potential investment, the United States
corporate tax restrains economic growth and job creation. The
United States tax rate differential with other countries also
fosters a variety of complicated multinational corporate
behaviors intended to avoid the tax, which have the effect of
moving the tax base offshore, destroying American jobs, and
decreasing corporate revenue.
(9) The ``worldwide'' structure of United States
international taxation essentially taxes earnings of United
States firms twice, putting them at a significant competitive
disadvantage with competitors with more competitive
international tax systems.
(10) Reforming the United States tax code to a more
competitive international system would boost the
competitiveness of United States companies operating abroad
and it would also greatly reduce tax avoidance.
(11) The tax code imposes costs on American workers through
lower wages, on consumers in higher prices, and on investors
in diminished returns.
(12) Revenues have averaged about 17.5 percent of the
economy throughout modern American history. Revenues rise
above this level under current law to 18.4 percent of the
economy by the end of the 10-year budget window.
(13) Attempting to raise revenue through tax increases to
meet out-of-control spending would damage the economy.
(14) This resolution also rejects the idea of instituting a
carbon tax in the United States, which some have offered as a
``new'' source of revenue. Such a plan would damage the
economy, cost jobs, and raise prices on American consumers.
(15) Closing tax loopholes to fund spending does not
constitute fundamental tax reform.
(16) The goal of tax reform should be to curb or eliminate
loopholes and use those
[[Page H3157]]
savings to lower tax rates across the board--not to fund more
wasteful Government spending. Tax reform should be revenue-
neutral and should not be an excuse to raise taxes on the
American people. Washington has a spending problem, not a
revenue problem.
(b) Policy on Tax Reform.--It is the policy of this
resolution that Congress should enact legislation that
provides for a comprehensive reform of the United States tax
code to promote economic growth, create American jobs,
increase wages, and benefit American consumers, investors,
and workers through revenue-neutral fundamental tax reform
that provides for the following:
(1) Aims for revenue neutrality (relative to the CBO
baseline revenue projection) based on a dynamic score that
takes into account macroeconomic effects.
(2) Simplifies the individual rates from seven brackets to
two, with a top rate of 25 percent.
(3) Simplifies the tax code by ensuring that fewer
Americans will be required to itemize their deductions.
(4) Gives equal tax treatment to individual and employer
health care expenditures modeled on the American Health Care
Reform Act (H.R. 3121).
(5) Eliminates the current Earned Income Tax Credit that is
given in a yearly lump-sum payment and replaces it with a
program that would allow workers to exempt a portion of their
payroll taxes every month.
(6) Repeals the death tax or inheritance tax.
(7) Reduces the rate of double taxation by lowering the top
corporate rate to 25 percent and setting a maximum long-term
capital gains tax rate at 15 percent.
(8) Sets a maximum dividend tax rate at 15 percent.
(9) Encourages (on net) investment and entrepreneurial
activity.
(10) Moves to a competitive international system of
taxation.
SEC. 315. POLICY STATEMENT ON REPLACING THE PRESIDENT'S
HEALTH CARE LAW.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The President's health care law has failed to reduce
health care premiums as promised. Health care premiums were
supposed to decline by $2,500. Instead, according to the 2013
Employer Health Benefits Survey, health care premiums have
increased by 5 percent for individual plans and 4 percent for
family since 2012. Moreover, according to a report from the
Energy and Commerce Committee, premiums for individual market
plans may go up as much as 50 percent because of the law.
(2) The President pledged that Americans would be able to
keep their health care plan if they liked it. But the non-
partisan Congressional Budget Office now estimates 2 million
Americans with employment-based health coverage will lose
those plans.
(3) Then-Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said that the
President's health care law would create 4 million jobs over
the life of the law and almost 400,000 jobs immediately.
Instead, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the
law will reduce full-time equivalent employment by about 2.0
million hours in 2017 and 2.5 million hours in 2024,
``compared with what would have occurred in the absence of
the ACA.''.
(4) The implementation of the law has been a failure. The
main website that Americans were supposed to use in
purchasing new coverage was broken for over a month. Since
the President's health care law was signed into law, the
Administration has announced 23 delays. The President has
also failed to submit any nominees to sit on the Independent
Payment Advisory Board, a panel of bureaucrats that will cut
Medicare by an additional $12.1 billion over the next ten
years, according to the President's own budget.
(5) The President's health care law should be repealed and
replaced with reforms that make affordable and quality health
care coverage available to all Americans.
(b) Policy on Replacing the President's Health Care Law.--
It is the policy of this resolution that the President's
health care law must not only be repealed, but also replaced
by enacting H.R. 3121, the American Health Care Reform Act.
SEC. 316. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICARE.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) More than 50 million Americans depend on Medicare for
their health security.
(2) The Medicare Trustees Report has repeatedly recommended
that Medicare's long-term financial challenges be addressed
soon. Each year without reform, the financial condition of
Medicare becomes more precarious and the threat to those in
or near retirement becomes more pronounced. According to the
Congressional Budget Office--
(A) the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in
2026 and unable to pay scheduled benefits; and
(B) Medicare spending is growing faster than the economy
and Medicare outlays are currently rising at a rate of 6
percent per year over the next ten years, and according to
the Congressional Budget Office's 2013 Long-Term Budget
Outlook, spending on Medicare is projected to reach 5 percent
of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2040 and 9.4 percent of
GDP by 2088.
(3) The President's health care law created a new Federal
agency called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)
empowered with unilateral authority to cut Medicare spending.
As a result of that law--
(A) IPAB will be tasked with keeping the Medicare per
capita growth below a Medicare per capita target growth rate.
Prior to 2018, the target growth rate is based on the five-
year average of overall inflation and medical inflation.
Beginning in 2018, the target growth rate will be the five-
year average increase in the nominal GDP plus one percentage
point, which the President has twice proposed to reduce to
GDP plus one-half percentage point;
(B) the fifteen unelected, unaccountable bureaucrats of
IPAB will make decisions that will reduce seniors access to
care;
(C) the nonpartisan Office of the Medicare Chief Actuary
estimates that the provider cuts already contained in the
Affordable Care Act will force 15 percent of hospitals,
skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies to
become unprofitable in 2019; and
(D) additional cuts from the IPAB board will force even
more health care providers to close their doors, and the
Board should be repealed.
(4) Failing to address this problem will leave millions of
American seniors without adequate health security and younger
generations burdened with enormous debt to pay for spending
levels that cannot be sustained.
(b) Policy on Medicare Reform.--It is the policy of this
resolution to protect those in or near retirement from any
disruptions to their Medicare benefits and offer future
beneficiaries the same health care options available to
Members of Congress.
(c) Assumptions.--This resolution assumes reform of the
Medicare program such that:
(1) Current Medicare benefits are preserved for those in or
near retirement.
(2) For future generations, when they reach eligibility,
Medicare is reformed to provide a premium support payment and
a selection of guaranteed health coverage options from which
recipients can choose a plan that best suits their needs.
(3) Medicare will maintain traditional fee-for-service as
an option.
(4) Medicare will provide additional assistance for lower-
income beneficiaries and those with greater health risks.
(5) Medicare spending is put on a sustainable path and the
Medicare program becomes solvent over the long-term.
SEC. 317. POLICY STATEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) More than 55 million retirees, individuals with
disabilities, and survivors depend on Social Security. Since
enactment, Social Security has served as a vital leg on the
``three-legged stool'' of retirement security, which includes
employer provided pensions as well as personal savings.
(2) The Social Security Trustees Report has repeatedly
recommended that Social Security's long-term financial
challenges be addressed soon. Each year without reform, the
financial condition of Social Security becomes more
precarious and the threat to seniors and those receiving
Social Security disability benefits becomes more pronounced:
(A) In 2016, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be
exhausted and program revenues will be unable to pay
scheduled benefits.
(B) In 2033, the combined Old-Age and Survivors and
Disability Trust Funds will be exhausted, and program
revenues will be unable to pay scheduled benefits.
(C) With the exhaustion of the Trust Funds in 2033,
benefits will be cut nearly 25 percent across the board,
devastating those currently in or near retirement and those
who rely on Social Security the most.
(3) The recession and continued low economic growth have
exacerbated the looming fiscal crisis facing Social Security.
The most recent CBO projections find that Social Security
will run cash deficits of $1.7 trillion over the next 10
years.
(4) 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.
(5) The Disability Insurance program provides an essential
income safety net for those with disabilities and their
families. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO),
between 1970 and 2012, the number of people receiving
disability benefits (both disabled workers and their
dependent family members) has increased by over 300 percent
from 2.7 million to over 10.9 million. This increase is not
due strictly to population growth or decreases in health.
David Autor and Mark Duggan have found that the increase in
individuals on disability does not reflect a decrease in
self-reported health. CBO attributes program growth to
changes in demographics, changes in the composition of the
labor force and compensation, as well as Federal policies.
(6) If this program is not reformed, families who rely on
the lifeline that disability benefits provide will face
benefit cuts of up to 25 percent in 2016, devastating
individuals who need assistance the most.
(7) In the past, Social Security has been reformed on a
bipartisan basis, most notably by the ``Greenspan
Commission'' which helped to address Social Security
shortfalls for over a generation.
(8) Americans deserve action by the President, the House,
and the Senate to preserve and strengthen Social Security. It
is critical that bipartisan action be taken to address the
looming insolvency of Social Security.
[[Page H3158]]
In this spirit, this resolution creates a bipartisan
opportunity to find solutions by requiring policymakers to
ensure that Social Security remains a critical part of the
safety net.
(b) Policy on Social Security.--It is the policy of this
resolution that Congress should work on a bipartisan basis to
make Social Security sustainably solvent. This resolution
assumes these reforms will include the following:
(1) Adoption of a more accurate measure for calculating
cost of living adjustments.
(2) Adoption of adjustments to the full retirement age to
reflect longevity.
(c) Policy on Disability Insurance.--It is the policy of
this resolution that Congress and the President should enact
legislation on a bipartisan basis to reform the Disability
Insurance program prior to its insolvency in 2016 and should
not raid the Social Security retirement system without
reforms to the Disability Insurance system. This resolutions
assumes that reforms to the Disability Insurance program will
include--
(1) encouraging work;
(2) updates of the eligibility rules;
(3) reducing fraud and abuse; and
(4) enactment of H.R. 1502, the Social Security Disability
Insurance and Unemployment Benefits Double Dip Elimination
Act, to prohibit individuals from drawing benefits from both
programs at the same time.
SEC. 318. POLICY STATEMENT ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
(a) Findings on Higher Education.--The House finds the
following:
(1) A well-educated workforce is critical to economic, job,
and wage growth.
(2) 19.5 million students are enrolled in American colleges
and universities.
(3) Over the last decade, tuition and fees have been
growing at an unsustainable rate. Between the 2002-2003
Academic Year and the 2012-2013 Academic Year--
(A) published tuition and fees for in-State students at
public four-year colleges and universities increased at an
average rate of 5.2 percent per year beyond the rate of
general inflation;
(B) published tuition and fees for in-State students at
public two-year colleges and universities increased at an
average rate of 3.9 percent per year beyond the rate of
general inflation; and
(C) published tuition and fees for in-State students at
private four-year colleges and universities increased at an
average rate of 2.4 percent per year beyond the rate of
general inflation.
(4) Over that same period, Federal financial aid has
increased 105 percent.
(5) This spending has failed to make college more
affordable.
(6) In his 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama
noted that, ``We can't just keep subsidizing skyrocketing
tuition; we'll run out of money.''.
(7) American students are chasing ever-increasing tuition
with ever-increasing debt. According to the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York, student debt more than quadrupled between
2003 and 2013, and now stands at nearly $1.1 trillion.
Student debt now has the second largest balance after
mortgage debt.
(8) Students are carrying large debt loads and too many
fail to complete college or end up defaulting on these loans
due to their debt burden and a weak economy and job market.
(9) Based on estimates from the Congressional Budget
Office, the Pell Grant Program will face a fiscal shortfall
beginning in fiscal year 2016 and continuing in each
subsequent year in the current budget window.
(10) Failing to address these problems will jeopardize
access and affordability to higher education for America's
young people.
(b) Policy on Higher Education Affordability.--It is the
policy of this resolution to address the root drivers of
tuition inflation, by--
(1) targeting Federal financial aid to those most in need;
(2) streamlining programs that provide aid to make them
more effective;
(3) maintaining the maximum Pell grant award level at
$5,730 in each year of the budget window; and
(4) removing regulatory barriers in higher education that
act to restrict flexibility and innovative teaching,
particularly as it relates to non-traditional models such as
online coursework and competency-based learning.
(c) Findings on Workforce Development.--The House finds the
following:
(1) Over ten 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 trained personnel.
(4) According to a 2011 Government Accountability Office
(GAO) report, in fiscal year 2009, the Federal Government
spent $18 billion across 9 agencies to administer 47 Federal
job training programs, almost all of which overlapped with
another program in terms of offered services and targeted
population.
(5) Since the release of that GAO report, the Education and
Workforce Committee, which has done extensive work in this
area, has identified more than 50 programs.
(3) Without changes, this flawed system will continue to
fail those looking for work or to improve their skills, and
jeopardize economic growth.
(d) Policy on Workforce Development.--It is the policy of
this resolution to address the failings in the current
workforce development system, by--
(1) streamlining and consolidating Federal job training
programs as advanced by the House-passed Supporting Knowledge
and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act (SKILLS Act); and
(2) empowering states with the flexibility to tailor
funding and programs to the specific needs of their
workforce, including the development of career scholarships.
SEC. 319. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE
CANCELLATION OF UNOBLIGATED BALANCES.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) According to the most recent estimate from the Office
of Management and Budget, Federal agencies were expected to
hold $739 billion in unobligated balances at the close of
fiscal year 2014.
(2) These funds represent direct and discretionary spending
made available by Congress that remains available for
expenditure beyond the fiscal year for which they are
provided.
(3) In some cases, agencies are granted funding and it
remains available for obligation indefinitely.
(4) The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of
1974 requires the Office of Management and Budget to make
funds available to agencies for obligation and prohibits the
Administration from withholding or cancelling unobligated
funds unless approved by an act of Congress.
(5) Greater congressional oversight is required to review
and identify potential savings from unneeded balances of
funds.
(b) Policy on Deficit Reduction Through the Cancellation of
Unobligated Balances.--Congressional committees shall through
their oversight activities identify and achieve savings
through the cancellation or rescission of unobligated
balances that neither abrogate contractual obligations of the
Government nor reduce or disrupt Federal commitments under
programs such as Social Security, veterans' affairs, national
security, and Treasury authority to finance the national
debt.
(c) Deficit Reduction.--Congress, with the assistance of
the Government Accountability Office, the Inspectors General,
and other appropriate agencies should continue to make it a
high priority to review unobligated balances and identify
savings for deficit reduction.
SEC. 320. POLICY STATEMENT ON RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF
TAXPAYER DOLLARS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The budget for the House of Representatives is $188
million less than it was when Republicans became the majority
in 2011.
(2) The House of Representatives has achieved significant
savings by consolidating operations and renegotiating
contracts.
(b) Policy on Responsible Stewardship of Taxpayer
Dollars.--It is the policy of this resolution that:
(1) The House of Representatives must be a model for the
responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and therefore
must identify any savings that can be achieved through
greater productivity and efficiency gains in the operation
and maintenance of House services and resources like
printing, conferences, utilities, telecommunications,
furniture, grounds maintenance, postage, and rent. This
should include a review of policies and procedures for
acquisition of goods and services to eliminate any
unnecessary spending. The Committee on House Administration
should review the policies pertaining to the services
provided to Members and committees of the House, and should
identify ways to reduce any subsidies paid for the operation
of the House gym, barber shop, salon, and the House dining
room.
(2) No taxpayer funds may be used to purchase first class
airfare or to lease corporate jets for Members of Congress.
(3) Retirement benefits for Members of Congress should not
include free, taxpayer-funded health care for life.
SEC. 321. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE
REDUCTION OF UNNECESSARY AND WASTEFUL SPENDING.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Government Accountability Office (``GAO'') is
required by law to identify examples of waste, duplication,
and overlap in Federal programs, and has so identified dozens
of such examples.
(2) In testimony before the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, the Comptroller General has stated that
addressing the identified waste, duplication, and overlap in
Federal programs ``could potentially save tens of billions of
dollars.''
(3) In 2011, 2012, and 2013 the Government Accountability
Office issued reports showing excessive duplication and
redundancy in Federal programs including--
(A) 209 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
education programs in 13 different Federal agencies at a cost
of $3 billion annually;
(B) 200 separate Department of Justice crime prevention and
victim services grant programs with an annual cost of $3.9
billion in 2010;
(C) 20 different Federal entities administer 160 housing
programs and other forms of Federal assistance for housing
with a total cost of $170 billion in 2010;
[[Page H3159]]
(D) 17 separate Homeland Security preparedness grant
programs that spent $37 billion between fiscal year 2011 and
2012;
(E) 14 grant and loan programs, and 3 tax benefits to
reduce diesel emissions;
(F) 94 different initiatives run by 11 different agencies
to encourage ``green building'' in the private sector; and
(G) 23 agencies implemented approximately 670 renewable
energy initiatives in fiscal year 2010 at a cost of nearly
$15 billion.
(4) The Federal Government spends about $80 billion each
year for approximately 800 information technology
investments. GAO has identified broad acquisition failures,
waste, and unnecessary duplication in the Government's
information technology infrastructure. Experts have estimated
that eliminating these problems could save 25 percent-or $20
billion-of the Government's annual information technology
budget.
(5) GAO has identified strategic sourcing as a potential
source of spending reductions. In 2011 GAO estimated that
saving 10 percent of the total or all Federal procurement
could generate over $50 billion in savings annually.
(6) Federal agencies reported an estimated $108 billion in
improper payments in fiscal year 2012.
(7) Under clause 2 of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, each standing committee must hold at least
one hearing during each 120 day period following its
establishment on waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in
Government programs.
(8) According to the Congressional Budget Office, by fiscal
year 2015, 32 laws will expire, possibly resulting in $693
billion in unauthorized appropriations. Timely
reauthorizations of these laws would ensure assessments of
program justification and effectiveness.
(9) The findings resulting from congressional oversight of
Federal Government programs should result in programmatic
changes in both authorizing statutes and program funding
levels.
(b) Policy on Deficit Reduction Through the Reduction of
Unnecessary and Wasteful Spending.--Each authorizing
committee annually shall include in its Views and Estimates
letter required under section 301(d) of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974 recommendations to the Committee on the
Budget of programs within the jurisdiction of such committee
whose funding should be reduced or eliminated.
SEC. 322. POLICY STATEMENT ON UNAUTHORIZED SPENDING.
It is the policy of this resolution that the committees of
jurisdiction should review all unauthorized programs funded
through annual appropriations to determine if the programs
are operating efficiently and effectively. Committees should
reauthorize those programs that in the committees' judgment
should continue to receive funding.
SEC. 323. POLICY STATEMENT ON FEDERAL REGULATORY POLICY.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Excessive regulation at the Federal level has hurt job
creation and dampened the economy, slowing our recovery from
the economic recession.
(2) In the first two months of 2014 alone, the
Administration issued 13,166 pages of regulations imposing
more than $13 billion in compliance costs on job creators and
adding more than 16 million hours of compliance paperwork.
(3) The Small Business Administration estimates that the
total cost of regulations is as high as $1.75 trillion per
year. Since 2009, the White House has generated over $494
billion in regulatory activity, with an additional $87.6
billion in regulatory costs currently pending.
(4) The Dodd-Frank financial services legislation (Public
Law 111-203) resulted in more than $17 billion in compliance
costs and saddled job creators with more than 58 million
hours of compliance paperwork.
(5) Implementation of the Affordable Care Act to date has
added 132.9 million annual hours of compliance paperwork,
imposing $24.3 billion of compliance costs on the private
sector and an $8 billion cost burden on the states.
(6) The highest regulatory costs come from rules issued by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); these regulations
are primarily targeted at the coal industry. In September
2013, the EPA proposed a rule regulating greenhouse gas
emissions from new coal-fired power plants. The proposed
standards are unachievable with current commercially
available technology, resulting in a de-facto ban on new
coal-fired power plants. Additional regulations for existing
coal plants are expected in the summer of 2014.
(7) Coal-fired power plants provide roughly forty percent
of the United States electricity at a low cost. Unfairly
targeting the coal industry with costly and unachievable
regulations will increase energy prices, disproportionately
disadvantaging energy-intensive industries like manufacturing
and construction, and will make life more difficult for
millions of low-income and middle class families already
struggling to pay their bills.
(8) Three hundred and thirty coal units are being retired
or converted as a result of EPA regulations. Combined with
the de-facto prohibition on new plants, these retirements and
conversions may further increase the cost of electricity.
(9) A recent study by Purdue University estimates that
electricity prices in Indiana will rise 32 percent by 2023,
due in part to EPA regulations.
(10) The Heritage Foundation recently found that a phase
out of coal would cost 600,000 jobs by the end of 2023,
resulting in an aggregate gross domestic product decrease of
$2.23 trillion over the entire period and reducing the income
of a family of four by $1,200 per year. Of these jobs,
330,000 will come from the manufacturing sector, with
California, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan,
New York, Indiana, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Georgia
seeing the highest job losses.
(b) Policy on Federal Regulation.--It is the policy of this
resolution that Congress should, in consultation with the
public burdened by excessive regulation, enact legislation
that--
(1) seeks to promote economic growth and job creation by
eliminating unnecessary red tape and streamlining and
simplifying Federal regulations;
(2) pursues a cost-effective approach to regulation,
without sacrificing environmental, health, safety benefits or
other benefits, rejecting the premise that economic growth
and environmental protection create an either/or proposition;
(3) ensures that regulations do not disproportionately
disadvantage low-income Americans through a more rigorous
cost-benefit analysis, which also considers who will be most
affected by regulations and whether the harm caused is
outweighed by the potential harm prevented;
(4) ensures that regulations are subject to an open and
transparent process, rely on sound and publicly available
scientific data, and that the data relied upon for any
particular regulation is provided to Congress immediately
upon request;
(5) frees the many commonsense energy and water projects
currently trapped in complicated bureaucratic approval
processes;
(6) maintains the benefits of landmark environmental,
health safety, and other statutes while scaling back this
administration's heavy-handed approach to regulation, which
has added $494 billion in mostly ideological regulatory
activity since 2009, much of which flies in the face of these
statutes' intended purposes; and
(7) seeks to promote a limited government, which will
unshackle our economy and create millions of new jobs,
providing our Nation with a strong and prosperous future and
expanding opportunities for the generations to come.
SEC. 324. POLICY STATEMENT ON TRADE.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Opening foreign markets to American exports is vital to
the United States economy and beneficial to American workers
and consumers. The Commerce Department estimates that every
$1 billion of United States exports supports more than 5,000
jobs here at home.
(2) A modern and competitive international tax system would
facilitate global commerce for United States multinational
companies and would encourage foreign business investment and
job creation in the United States
(3) The United States currently has an antiquated system of
international taxation whereby United States multinationals
operating abroad pay both the foreign-country tax and United
States corporate taxes. They are essentially taxed twice.
This puts them at an obvious competitive disadvantage.
(4) The ability to defer United States taxes on their
foreign operations, which some erroneously refer to as a
``tax loophole,'' cushions this disadvantage to a certain
extent. Eliminating or restricting this provision (and others
like it) would harm United States competitiveness.
(5) This budget resolution advocates fundamental tax reform
that would lower the United States corporate rate, now the
highest in the industrialized world, and switch to a more
competitive system of international taxation. This would make
the United States a much more attractive place to invest and
station business activity and would chip away at the
incentives for United States companies to keep their profits
overseas (because the United States corporate rate is so
high).
(6) The status quo of the current tax code undermines the
competitiveness of United States businesses and costs the
United States economy investment and jobs.
(7) Global trade and commerce is not a zero-sum game. The
idea that global expansion tends to ``hollow out'' United
States operations is incorrect. Foreign-affiliate activity
tends to complement, not substitute for, key parent
activities in the United States such as employment, worker
compensation, and capital investment. When United States
headquartered multinationals invest and expand operations
abroad it often leads to more jobs and economic growth at
home.
(8) American businesses and workers have shown that, on a
level playing field, they can excel and surpass the
international competition.
(b) Policy on Trade.--It is the policy of this resolution
to pursue international trade, global commerce, and a modern
and competitive United States international tax system in
order to promote job creation in the United States.
SEC. 325. NO BUDGET, NO PAY.
It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should
agree to a concurrent resolution on the budget every year
pursuant to section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974. If by April 15, a House of Congress has not agreed to a
concurrent resolution on the budget, the payroll
administrator of that
[[Page H3160]]
House should carry out this policy in the same manner as the
provisions of Public Law 113-3, the No Budget, No Pay Act of
2013, and place in an escrow account all compensation
otherwise required to be made for Members of that House of
Congress. Withheld compensation should be released to Members
of that House of Congress the earlier of the day on which
that House of Congress agrees to a concurrent resolution on
the budget, pursuant to section 301 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974, or the last day of that Congress.
SEC. 326. POLICY STATEMENT ON REFORM OF THE SUPPLEMENTAL
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.
(a) SNAP.--It is the policy of the resolution that the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program be reformed so
that:
(1) Nutrition assistance funds should be distributed to the
states as a block grant with funding subject to the annual
discretionary appropriations process.
(2) Funds from the grant must be used by the states to
establish and maintain a work activation program for able-
bodied adults without dependents.
(3) It is the goal of this proposal to move those in need
off of the assistance rolls and back into the workforce and
towards self-sufficiency.
(4) In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget
is permitted to revise allocations, aggregates, and other
appropriate levels, including discretionary limits,
accordingly.
(b) Assumptions.--This resolution assumes that, pending the
enactment of reforms described in (a), the conversion of the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program into a flexible
State allotment tailored to meet each State's needs.
Additionally, it assumes that more stringent work
requirements and time limits apply under the program.
SEC. 327. POLICY STATEMENT ON TRANSPORTATION REFORM.
It is the policy of this resolution that State and local
officials are in a much better position to understand the
needs of local commuters, not bureaucrats in Washington.
Federal funding for transportation should be phased down and
limited to core Federal duties, including the interstate
highway system, transportation infrastructure on Federal
land, responding to emergencies, and research. As the level
of Federal responsibility for transportation is reduced,
Congress should also concurrently reduce the Federal gas tax.
TITLE IV--RESERVE FUNDS
SEC. 401. RESERVE FUND FOR THE REPEAL OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE
LAWS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, 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 only consists of a full
repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the
health care-related provisions of the Health Care and
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
SEC. 402. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF
OBAMACARE.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, 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 reforms or replaces the
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care
and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such measure
would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years
2015 through 2024.
SEC. 403. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND RELATED TO THE
MEDICARE PROVISIONS OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE
LAWS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, 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 repeals all or part of the
decreases in Medicare spending included in the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such measure would
not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015
through 2024.
SEC. 404. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE SUSTAINABLE
GROWTH RATE OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, 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 includes provisions
amending or superseding the system for updating payments
under section 1848 of the Social Security Act, if such
measure would not increase the deficit for the period of
fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 405. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REFORMING THE TAX
CODE.
In the House, if the Committee on Ways and Means reports a
bill or joint resolution that reforms the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
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 period of fiscal years 2015
through 2024 when the macroeconomic effects of such reforms
are taken into account.
SEC. 406. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR TRADE AGREEMENTS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary
effects of any bill or joint resolution reported by the
Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment thereto or
conference report thereon, that implements a trade agreement,
but only if such measure would not increase the deficit for
the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 407. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REVENUE MEASURES.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels in this concurrent resolution for the budgetary
effects of any bill or joint resolution reported by the
Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment thereto or
conference report thereon, that decreases revenue, but only
if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period
of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 408. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR RURAL COUNTIES AND
SCHOOLS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels and limits in this resolution for the budgetary
effects of any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto
or conference report thereon, that makes changes to or
provides for the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools
and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-
393) by the amounts provided by that legislation for those
purposes, if such legislation requires sustained yield timber
harvests obviating the need for funding under Public Law 106-
393 in the future and would not increase the deficit or
direct spending for the period of fiscal years 2015 through
2019, or the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 409. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR TRANSPORTATION
REFORM.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels in this resolution for any bill or joint resolution,
or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such
measure reforms the Federal transportation funding system,
but only if such measure would not increase the deficit over
the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 410. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND TO REDUCE POVERTY AND
INCREASE OPPORTUNITY AND UPWARD MOBILITY.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels in this resolution for any bill or joint resolution,
or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such
measure reforms policies and programs to reduce poverty and
increase opportunity and upward mobility, but only if such
measure would neither adversely impact job creation nor
increase the deficit over the period of fiscal years 2015
through 2024.
SEC. 411. IMPLEMENTATION OF A DEFICIT AND LONG-TERM DEBT
REDUCTION AGREEMENT.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate
levels in this concurrent resolution to accommodate the
enactment of a deficit and long-term debt reduction agreement
if it includes permanent spending reductions and reforms to
direct spending programs.
SEC. 412. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE ACCOUNT FOR REFORMING SNAP.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, 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 reforms the supplemental
nutrition assistance program (SNAP).
SEC. 413. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR SOCIAL SECURITY
DISABILITY INSURANCE REFORM.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, 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 reforms the Social
Security Disability Insurance program under title II of the
Social Security Act.
TITLE V--EARMARK MORATORIUM
SEC. 501. EARMARK MORATORIUM.
(a) Point of Order.--It shall not be in order in the House
of Representatives to consider--
(1) a bill or joint resolution reported by any committee,
or any amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
includes a congressional earmark, limited tax benefit, or
limited tariff benefit; or
(2) a bill or joint resolution not reported by any
committee, or any amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, that includes a congressional earmark, limited tax
benefit, or limited tariff benefit.
(b) Definitions.--For the purposes of this resolution, the
terms ``congressional earmark'', ``limited tax benefit'', and
``limited tariff benefit'' have the meaning given those terms
in clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
[[Page H3161]]
(c) Inapplicability.--This resolution shall not apply to
any authorization of appropriations to a Federal entity if
such authorization is not specifically targeted to a State,
locality, or congressional district.
SEC. 502. LIMITATION OF AUTHORITY OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON
RULES.
The Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives may
not report a rule or order that would waive the point of
order set forth in section 501(a).
TITLE VI--ESTIMATES OF DIRECT SPENDING
SEC. 601. DIRECT SPENDING.
(a) Means-tested Direct Spending.--
(1) For means-tested direct spending, the average rate of
growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year
period preceding fiscal year 2015 is 6.8 percent.
(2) For means-tested direct spending, the estimated average
rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-
year period beginning with fiscal year 2015 is 5.4 percent
under current law.
(3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent
resolution for means-tested direct spending:
(A) 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 five years following
passage, child-poverty rates fell, welfare caseloads fell,
and workers' wages increased. This resolution applies the
lessons of welfare reform to both the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program and Medicaid.
(B) For Medicaid, this resolution recommends conversion
from direct spending to a discretionary program subject to
appropriation. Pending this reform, this resolution assumes
the conversion of the Federal share of Medicaid spending into
a flexible State allotment tailored to meet each State's
needs. Such a reform would end the misguided one-size-fits-
all approach that has tied the hands of State governments.
Instead, each State would have the freedom and flexibility to
tailor a Medicaid program that fits the needs of its unique
population. Moreover, this resolution assumes the repeal of
the Medicaid expansions in the President's health care law,
relieving State governments of its crippling one-size-fits-
all enrollment mandates.
(C) For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,
recommends conversion from direct spending to a discretionary
program subject to appropriation. Pending this reform, this
resolution assumes the conversion of the program into a
flexible State allotment tailored to meet each State's needs.
The allotment would increase based on the Department of
Agriculture Thrifty Food Plan index and beneficiary growth.
Such a reform would provide incentives for States to ensure
dollars will go towards those who need them most.
Additionally, it requires that more stringent work
requirements and time limits apply under the program.
(b) Nonmeans-tested Direct Spending.--
(1) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the average rate
of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year
period preceding fiscal year 2015 is 5.7 percent.
(2) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the estimated
average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during
the 10-year period beginning with fiscal year 2015 is 5.4
percent under current law.
(3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent
resolution for nonmeans-tested direct spending:
(A) For Medicare, this resolution advances policies to put
seniors, not the Federal Government, in control of their
health care decisions. Those in or near retirement will see
no changes, while future retirees would be given a choice of
private plans competing alongside the traditional fee-for-
service Medicare program. Medicare would provide a premium-
support payment either to pay for or offset the premium of
the plan chosen by the senior, depending on the plan's cost.
The Medicare premium-support payment would be adjusted so
that the sick would receive higher payments if their
conditions worsened; lower-income seniors would receive
additional assistance to help cover out-of-pocket costs; and
wealthier seniors would assume responsibility for a greater
share of their premiums. Putting seniors in charge of how
their health care dollars are spent will force providers to
compete against each other on price and quality. This market
competition will act as a real check on widespread waste and
skyrocketing health care costs.
(B) In keeping with a recommendation from the National
Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, this
resolution calls for Federal employees--including Members of
Congress and congressional staff--to make greater
contributions toward their own retirement.
The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 544, the gentleman
from Georgia (Mr. Woodall) and a Member opposed each will control 15
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Georgia.
Mr. WOODALL. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 1\1/2\ minutes.
I rise today on behalf of the Republican Study Committee. As so many
Members of this Chamber know, the Republican Study Committee is made up
of those most conservative Republicans here in the House; and while I
serve on the Budget Committee, I have great respect for our Budget
chairman, Paul Ryan, and I have a great belief in the budget that came
out of that Budget Committee.
The Republican Study Committee's role is to try to do even better;
and, Madam Chair, we have brought just such a budget today. We call it
the Back to Basics Budget, and it is the budget that balances the
fastest of any budget that we are going to be debating here on the
House floor.
In just 4 years, it will bring us to balance, but I am not here about
the numbers. I am here about why the numbers matter because, for every
year that we are not in balance, we are not just borrowing that money
from our children, we are paying interest on that money that could have
gone to other priorities.
You will hear in this debate today about priorities that my friends
on the other side of the aisle wish we would invest more money in that
they don't believe our budget invests enough in.
That may be true, yet what our budget does do is begin to pay back
the debt in ways that we can take all of that money that we are
dedicating to interest today and dedicate it to American families
tomorrow.
Of all of the things we disagree on in this Chamber, I think we can
agree that the best use of our dollars is not in their going to pay
creditors, but in their going to serve constituents, and that is what
the Back to Basics Budget will do for us today.
With that, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the
gentleman's amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Maryland is recognized for 15
minutes.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairman, what we have got here with this
particular amendment is more than a doubling down on what was already a
bad idea.
We heard, actually, from Mr. Rogers, who is the chairman of the
Appropriations Committee and a Republican Member of Congress, that the
Republican version of the budget offered by Mr. Ryan was
``draconian''--draconian because of the impact it has on important
investments that have historically helped make our economy grow, make
us a world leader, make sure that we can keep our competitive edge in a
global economy. The Republican budget coming out of the Budget
Committee devastated those important investments.
Of course, they didn't close one single special interest tax loophole
for the purpose of reducing the deficit, but they decided to cut deeply
into investments in our kids' education, everything from early
education, to K-12, to college ed. They make no secret about it.
They want to charge college students higher interest rates and, at
the same time, protect special interest tax breaks. What we have here
in the Republican Study Committee's amendment is simply a doubling down
on what the chairman of the Republican Appropriations Committee already
called draconian.
The interesting thing to me, Madam Chairman, is that I would have
thought that the Republican Study Committee would have taken a
different approach. I would have thought they would have taken an
approach that didn't require, as part of their budget, the revenues
from the Affordable Care Act, but if you look at their revenue line, it
is identical to the revenue line in the House Republican budget, which
is identical to the Congressional Budget Office's revenue line, which
The Heritage Foundation--no left-leaning group--has said means that
these budgets incorporate the tax revenues from the Affordable Care
Act.
Again, here is what The Heritage Foundation said:
Perhaps the biggest shortcoming of this budget is that it
keeps the tax increases associated with ObamaCare.
It is what they have said about the House Republican budget's revenue
line. This one has the same thing.
If they are going to repeal the Affordable Care Act, as they say they
will, that revenue line should go down; yet no matter how you cut it,
Madam Chairman, the choices remain choices that we do not believe
reflect the values and priorities of this country,
[[Page H3162]]
which are of protecting those special interest tax breaks for very
powerful interests while gutting important investments in our future,
investments that have been proven historically to make the United
States the leading economic power in the world.
I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. WOODALL. Madam Chairman, I yield myself 15 seconds to thank my
friend for his fealty for The Heritage Foundation. I share that and
would remind him that the Heritage action is key voting a ``yes'' vote
on the budget before us today.
If he would like to be in line with Heritage, he can vote ``yes''
with me today. I would welcome that support.
With that, Madam Chairman, I would like to yield 4 minutes to the
gentleman from Louisiana, Chairman Scalise, who is the chairman of the
Republican Study Committee and a gentleman who has provided huge
leadership for us in this Conference.
Mr. SCALISE. I want to thank my colleague from Georgia for yielding
and for his leadership in bringing forth this budget. As the chairman
of the Republican Study Committee's Budget and Spending Task Force, Mr.
Woodall has brought this budget called Back to Basics, and that is
really what we are here to talk about right now.
Madam Chair, what are those basics we should get back to?
I think they are the basic fundamentals that our Founding Fathers
laid out when they created this great Nation. It is still the greatest
nation in the history of the world, but it is a nation with serious
challenges.
If you look at our economy, our economy is struggling in many ways
because of policies coming out of Washington, because of Washington's
failure to confront those challenges.
People across this country are ready to confront those challenges.
They are looking to us to finally start laying out a vision that says
we are going to start living within our means, that we are going to do
the things that families across this Nation do every single year, and
that is finally getting back to fiscal discipline.
When my friend on the other side--I guess the person who is tasked
with coming and opposing budgets that balance--uses terms like
``draconian''--Madam Chair, I will tell you what is draconian. What is
draconian is to deny the opportunity to our children and grandchildren
that we enjoy today, something that every single generation in the
history of our country has.
One of the pure definitions of the American Dream is that every
generation in our Nation's history, since George Washington led us
through that Revolution, has had better opportunities than those that
we enjoy today; yet most people in this country recognize, if we don't
get our fiscal house in order, our children--my 7- and 4-year-olds,
whom my wife drove to school this morning--won't have those same
opportunities, and they all deserve the opportunities that we enjoy.
So how do we do it? How do we get back to basics?
We do it by having really good, strong, bold policy--bold policy that
says we ought to live within our means.
Our budget balances by year 4. In 2018, we have a balanced Federal
budget. If you compare that with President Obama's budget, he has got a
budget that has over $1 trillion in new taxes.
Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle say: oh, you need to
stick more taxes on all of these businesses.
If anybody is making a profit in America, it seems like they want to
put a bull's-eye on him. If one happens to be successful and make a
profit and create jobs in this country, that is somehow a bad thing.
If you take their approach in their budgets--in all of their
budgets--they have over $1 trillion in new taxes. President Obama has
nearly $2 trillion in new taxes, so you would think: okay, all of those
new taxes must be what get you to balance.
In fact, Madam Chair, all of those new taxes just get you more
despair. This President's budget never, ever gets to balance, but he
has all of those tax increases that our colleagues on the other side of
the aisle talk about.
In our budget, we don't have any new tax increases. What we have is
good, smart fiscal discipline policy that says let's get our economy
moving again and let's believe in the American people.
By not raising taxes and by getting our economy moving, you actually
get to balance in 4 short years and start creating surpluses, so we can
pay back that debt, as my friend from Georgia talked about, so that we
don't have to send all of those interest payments to other countries
and to other priorities. Let's set those priorities in America.
How do we do this? How do we actually get back to balance in such a
short period of time?
Number one, we save Medicare from bankruptcy, just as Paul Ryan does
in the House Republican budget that came out of the Budget Committee.
We share many of those same principles that get us to fiscal
responsibility by saving Medicare, by not letting it go bankrupt, as
our colleagues on the other side do and as the President's own budget
does.
The President's own budget allows Medicare to go bankrupt. We don't
think that is responsible, so we take care of those who paid into a
system over their lifetimes.
We also invoke smart policy. If you start with health care, in our
bill, we actually repeal the President's health care law and replace it
with the American Health Care Reform Act, a bill that actually puts
patients back in charge of their health care and that allows us to,
again, have families be in charge of those decisions and to lower
costs.
It is good, smart policy. We will talk more about it, but this is the
right path to getting our economy back on track.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Madam Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
The gentleman speaks about the importance of fiscal discipline and
fiscal responsibility, and we agree.
The question we have is: Why do they exempt from the whole practice
of fiscal discipline all of these what are called tax expenditures and
tax preferences that have been put into the Tax Code many times by very
powerful special interests?
What does a tax preference mean? It means in many cases that, because
somebody has well-heeled lobbyists, he is able to escape having to pay
taxes on something that everybody else has to pay for.
{time} 0930
What our Republican colleagues are saying is they don't want to take
away any of those special interest preferences for the purpose of
reducing the deficit. They would rather cut deeply into our kids'
education. They would rather charge college students more interest on
their loans. They would rather increase class sizes in K-12, which is
what happens when you cut Title I and special education.
They talk about opportunity, but the opportunities that they are
protecting are those for the special interests who had their lobbyists
do very well for them in Washington. Hey, hands off all of that. We
don't want to touch that. But we are coming after everybody else,
including, by the way, seniors on Medicare who will immediately see the
reopening of the doughnut hole.
So if you are a senior with high prescription drug costs, that is
going to cost you $1,200 more per year, on average, immediately. And
then they begin to phase in in their budget their Medicare voucher
program, which will end the Medicare guarantee.
This is all about priorities. The interesting thing here is that,
despite all the talk about fiscal discipline from our Republican
colleagues, it is hands off imposing any fiscal discipline on powerful
special interests who have succeeded in getting themselves special
deals in the Tax Code.
I am very pleased to yield 4 minutes to the gentleman from California
(Mr. Becerra), chairman of the Democratic Caucus and a member of the
Ways and Means Committee, who has spent a lot of time focusing on these
issues.
Mr. BECERRA. I thank the ranking member on the Budget Committee for,
first, all the work he has done over the years in trying to get America
back on track when it comes to what it should do with its budgets.
Budgets are a testament to our values and our priorities, and I
believe Mr. Van Hollen has made it very clear what the values and
priorities of Members of this side of the aisle are. It is
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about making sure that we invest the taxpayer dollars to help our
economy grow, help grow jobs, and help our kids grow up and get to
college.
But let me remind everyone here of something. Remember those
brainless, autopilot sequester cuts which had been scheduled for last
year that led to the Republican shutdown of our government? Well, the
Republican budget of 2015 is sequester on steroids.
Remember last year's autopilot sequester cuts that would have kicked
over 50,000 children out of Head Start classes? Well, the 2015
Republican budget kicks 170,000 kids out of Head Start classes.
This Republican budget would kill jobs, with 1.1 million Americans
likely to lose their job as a result of this budget and probably 3
million more the following year are the estimates.
This budget would cut seniors' Social Security benefits by changing
the way we calculate their cost-of-living increases so that they would
get less each year, even though we know the cost of living for seniors
keeps going up.
They would continue to reduce our investments in very important
projects that include Medicare, because this Republican budget would
voucherize Medicare. It would turn it into a privatized version of what
we have now, without the guarantees, so that seniors will be paying
more for their prescription drugs.
This Republican budget would close not one single wasteful corporate
tax loophole and, instead, it actually offers billionaires a $200,000
tax cut at the same time that it is increasing taxes for the middle
class by about $2,000.
It should surprise no one that, while we are not closing any tax
loopholes in the Republican budget and while we are increasing the
taxes for middle class Americans, this Republican budget excludes
things that we should do.
Through this budget we could, right now, move to increase the
economy's capacity, increase the number of jobs, and decrease our
deficits by finally fixing our broken immigration system.
Our Democratic budget does that; the Republican budget doesn't. And
as a result, we give up, through the Republican budget, an opportunity
to reduce our deficits by close to a trillion dollars over the next
couple of decades. We give up the opportunity to create close to 3.5
million jobs over the next 10 to 20 years by doing immigration reform,
and we give up the chance to strengthen Social Security by doing
immigration reform. The Democratic budget makes those investments.
The Democratic budget actually invests in early childhood education.
The Democratic budget makes it possible for more middle class families
to afford to send their kids to college.
The Democratic budget makes those investments because we do close
corporate tax loopholes. We do go after those who are evading paying
their fair share of taxes. And we can make those investments in early
childhood education, in fixing our broken immigration system, in
investing in our roads and bridges because we go after those who are
evading paying their taxes. We could do that.
But, again, I remind you, this is a budget being presented on this
floor from our colleagues on the other side that actually put the
brainless cuts under the sequester on autopilot. And we need to defeat
that.
Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 15 seconds to just say:
Nonsense. Nonsense. This is the only budget that is being presented
that includes the Tax Code Termination Act that terminates every single
special interest loophole in the entire Tax Code. Both gentlemen know
that. Every single special interest exemption, exception in the Tax
Code is gone under this budget.
Mr. Chairman, with that, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Huelskamp), a fantastic member of the Republican Study
Committee and a member of my class of 2010.
Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Chairman, over the past 3 years, I have conducted
over 220 townhall meetings in my district. When we discuss Federal
spending, my constituents do not want to hear about debt-to-GDP ratios
or CBO scoring rules when it comes to the budget. What they want to
know is why Congress has not balanced the budget yet and when we plan
to do so. They want to know when Washington will stop spending money we
don't have. They want to know when we will stop piling trillions of
dollars of debt on the backs of our children and grandchildren.
This RSC budget would balance the budget the soonest of any of the
alternatives before us, Mr. Chairman, and it would begin to pay down
our debt the fastest. It is the type of results the American people
demand out of Washington.
I am pleased this budget includes some innovative and responsible
reforms like Medicaid block grants, food stamp block grants, and a real
timetable to save and secure Medicare.
I am also pleased it would repeal ObamaCare. It would call for the
passage of a real health care reform act like the American Health Care
Reform Act, the JOBS Act, the REINS Act, throwing out our entire Tax
Code and starting over, and it would restore work requirements for
those on welfare and prohibit funding abortion providers.
In short, this RSC budget is full of the right ideas to get our
Nation back on track, and I encourage my colleagues to join me in
voting for the RSC budget.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, it is now my pleasure to yield 2
minutes to the gentlelady from Florida (Ms. Brown), a distinguished
member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and someone
who is focused on investing in America.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. The documents that we are debating today are
more than just the Republican budget. It is who they are.
They constantly quote scripture, yet the Bible says the poor will
always be with us. Our job is to help raise the standard.
They remind me of ``The Wizard of Oz.'' The Republicans have no
heart.
This is another example of reverse Robin Hood--robbing from the
working people and the middle class to give huge tax cuts to the rich.
The latest House Republican goals are to dismantle Medicare by ending
the guarantee and replacing it with a voucher program and block grant
and cut Medicaid by $732 billion.
I was so upset last year when the SNAP program--programs like Meals
on Wheels and assistance to children--was cut by $40 billion. Now they
cut it by $125 billion.
They want to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But let me just mention
that everybody that talks about repealing it has health care. Every
single one of them have health care.
They reject the President's proposal for veterans and Job Corps while
aiming to reduce the high unemployment rate among veterans. A cut of 24
percent to nondefense appropriations would mean $146 billion cut from
veterans' health care.
They cut transportation and infrastructure projects by $173 billion,
phasing out the Essential Air Service programs to 160 small
communities.
The Acting CHAIR (Mr. Denham). The time of the gentlewoman has
expired.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. I yield the gentlelady an additional 1 minute.
Ms. BROWN of Florida. It eliminates Amtrak operational funds,
resulting in 36 States and more than 20 million people losing Amtrak
service. The transportation budget assumes no highway or transit
investment in 2015.
And while everyone knows that education is critical, they cut
billions from programs like Head Start.
To whom God has given much, much is expected. I certainly think more
is expected from the Republican leadership in this House.
As I said from the beginning, they remind me of ``The Wizard of Oz.''
This Republican House has no heart.
Mr. WOODALL. Mr. Chairman, at this time, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to
the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Messer), my good friend.
Mr. MESSER. Mr. Chairman, the RSC budget balances in 4 years. For
most Americans, 4 years seems like a very long time. When they see
budgets that balance in even 10 years, let alone 26 years, or not at
all, they wonder what we are thinking.
In the real world, folks can't spend money they don't have. Families
have to balance their own budgets. They expect Washington to do the
same. That is why I applaud this budget. It is full of tough choices,
but it demonstrates
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that House Republicans aren't afraid to make the difficult decisions
necessary to secure America's future and preserve the American Dream.
It is called leadership. That means proposing simple answers--even
when they are not easy ones.
I commend Chairman Scalise and Mr. Woodall for crafting a plan that
will balance the budget and create a healthy economy sooner than any
other budget alternative. The RSC budget proposes a path that embraces
the responsibility we have to future generations to leave America
better than we found her.
The unwillingness of Congress to make tough choices is putting our
country on a road to ruin. Let's take the road less traveled. It may
make all the difference.
Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The Committee will rise informally.
The Speaker pro tempore (Mr. Messer) assumed the chair.
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