Congressional Record, Volume 163 Issue 160 (Thursday, October 5, 2017)

[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 160 (Thursday, October 5, 2017)]
[House]
[Pages H7846-H7873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2018

The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Newhouse). Pursuant to House Resolution
553 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 concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 71.
Will the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson) kindly take the chair.

{time} 0911

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 concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 71) establishing the
congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year
2018 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal
years 2019 through 2027, with Mr. Simpson (Acting Chair) in the chair.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The Acting CHAIR. When the Committee of the Whole rose on Wednesday,
October 4, 2017, amendment No. 2 printed in House Report 115-339
offered by the gentleman from Virginia (Mr. Scott) had been disposed
of.

Amendment No. 3 in the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr. McClintock

The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 3
printed in House Report 115-339.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as
follows:

Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the
following:

SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2018.

(a) Declaration.--The Congress determines and declares that
this concurrent resolution establishes the budget for fiscal
year 2018 and sets forth appropriate budgetary levels for
fiscal years 2019 through 2027.
(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 2018.

TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS

Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts.
Sec. 102. Major functional categories.

TITLE II--RECONCILIATION

Sec. 201. Reconciliation in the house of representatives.

TITLE III--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT

Subtitle A--Budget Enforcement in the House of Representatives

Sec. 301. Point of order against increasing long-term direct spending.
Sec. 302. Allocation for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on
Terrorism.
Sec. 303. Limitation on changes in certain mandatory programs.
Sec. 304. GAO report.
Sec. 305. Estimates of debt service costs.
Sec. 306. Fair-value credit estimates.
Sec. 307. Estimates of major direct spending legislation.
Sec. 308. Estimates of macroeconomic effects of major legislation.
Sec. 309. Adjustments for improved control of budgetary resources.
Sec. 310. Limitation on advance appropriations.
Sec. 311. Scoring rule for Energy Savings Performance Contracts.
Sec. 312. Estimates of land conveyances.
Sec. 313. Limitation on transfers from the general fund of the Treasury
to the Highway Trust Fund.
Sec. 314. Prohibition on the use of guarantee fees as an offset.
Sec. 315. Prohibition on use of Federal Reserve surpluses as an offset.

Subtitle B--Other Provisions

Sec. 321. Budgetary treatment of administrative expenses.
Sec. 322. Application and effect of changes in allocations and
aggregates.
Sec. 323. Adjustments to reflect changes in concepts and definitions.
Sec. 324. Adjustments to reflect updated budgetary estimates.
Sec. 325. Adjustment for certain emergency designations.
Sec. 326. Exercise of rulemaking powers.

TITLE IV--RESERVE FUNDS

Sec. 401. Reserve fund for the repeal of the 2010 health care laws.

[[Page H7847]]

Sec. 402. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for additional measures relating
to 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 reforming the tax code.
Sec. 405. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade agreements.
Sec. 406. Reserve fund for revenue measures.
Sec. 407. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for infrastructure reform.
Sec. 408. Deficit-neutral reserve fund to reduce poverty and increase
opportunity and upward mobility.
Sec. 409. Implementation of a deficit and long-term debt reduction
agreement.
Sec. 410. Deficit-neutral reserve account for reforming SNAP.
Sec. 411. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for Social Security Disability
Insurance Reform.
Sec. 412. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for Federal retirement reform.
Sec. 413. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for defense sequester
replacement.
Sec. 414. Reserve fund for commercialization of air traffic control.

TITLE V--POLICY STATEMENTS

Sec. 501. Policy statement on Obamacare repeal.
Sec. 502. Policy statement on replacing Obamacare.
Sec. 503. Policy statement on Medicare.
Sec. 504. Policy statement on Medicaid State flexibility block grants.
Sec. 505. Policy statement on Social Security.
Sec. 506. Policy statement on means-tested welfare programs.
Sec. 507. Policy statement on reform of the Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program.
Sec. 508. Policy statement on work requirements.
Sec. 509. Policy statement on a carbon tax.
Sec. 510. Policy statement on economic growth and job creation.
Sec. 511. Policy statement on tax reform.
Sec. 512. Policy statement on trade.
Sec. 513. Policy statement on energy production.
Sec. 514. Policy statement on Federal regulatory budgeting and reform.
Sec. 515. Policy statement on Federal funding of abortion.
Sec. 516. Policy statement on transportation reform.
Sec. 517. Policy statement on the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 518. Policy statement on reducing unnecessary, wasteful, and
unauthorized spending.
Sec. 519. Policy statement on a balanced budget amendment.
Sec. 520. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the
cancellation of unobligated balances.
Sec. 521. Policy statement on reforming the congressional budget
process.
Sec. 522. Policy statement on Federal accounting.
Sec. 523. Policy statement on agency fees and spending.

TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS

SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.

The following budgetary levels are appropriate for each of
fiscal years 2018 through 2027:
(1) Federal revenues.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this resolution:
(A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are as
follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $2,668,877,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $2,756,890,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $2,850,457,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $2,947,616,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,079,775,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,210,906,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,349,213,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $3,502,499,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $3,672,058,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $3,842,299,000,000.
(B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of Federal
revenues should be changed are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: -$64,692,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: -$76,618,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: -$100,119,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: -$112,295,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: -$103,141,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: -$107,010,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: -$113,215,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: -$119,679,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: -$117,320,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: -$116,088,000,000.
(2) New budget authority.--For purposes of the enforcement
of this resolution, the appropriate levels of total new
budget authority are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $2,869,547,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $2,894,948,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $2,895,989,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $2,925,467,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,056,667,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,054,334,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,152,483,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $3,296,588,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $3,397,043,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $3,451,336,000,000.
(3) Budget outlays.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this resolution, the appropriate levels of total budget
outlays are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $2,809,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $2,876,701,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $2,881,466,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $2,955,056,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,056,336,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,039,746,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,124,286,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $3,264,841,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $3,380,506,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $3,435,219,000,000.
(4) Deficits.--For purposes of the enforcement of this
resolution, the amounts of the deficits are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $140,563,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $119,811,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $31,009,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $7,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: -$23,439,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: -$171,160,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: -$224,927,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: -$237,658,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: -$291,552,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: -$407,080,000,000.
(5) Public debt.--Pursuant to section 301(a)(5) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(a)(5)), the
appropriate levels of the public debt are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $20,705,790,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $21,342,481,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $21,881,784,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $22,365,586,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $22,732,612,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $22,971,856,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $ 23,180,660,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $23,283,603,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $23,324,552,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $23,082,487,000,000.
(6) Debt held by the public.--The appropriate levels of
debt held by the public are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $15,046,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $15,593,666,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $16,095,547,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $16,568,776,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $16,984,250,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $17,277,258,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $17,552,761,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $17,774,272,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $17,922,572,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $17,943,641,000,000.

SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.

The Congress determines and declares that the budgetary
levels of new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years
2018 through 2027 for each major functional category are:
(1) National Defense (050):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $676,050,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $652,657,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $676,241,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $651,644,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $676,460,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $650,005,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $674,719,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $647,508,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $673,902,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $660,780,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $688,039,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $673,944,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $702,217,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $684,734,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $716,434,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $703,603,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $732,456,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $719,347,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $747,635,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $734,397,000,000.
(2) International Affairs (150):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $23,236,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,424,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $21,568,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,103,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $21,517,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,810,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $21,508,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,469,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $20,270,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,485,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $21,068,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,712,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $21,881,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,222,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $21,712,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,885,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $23,636,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,669,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $23,168,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,148,000,000.
(3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $22,308,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,519,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $22,775,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,977,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $23,253,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,986,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $23,767,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,276,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $24,304,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,709,000,000.

[[Page H7848]]

Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $24,844,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,141,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $25,393,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,567,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $25,979,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,050,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $26,573,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,549,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $27,172,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,041,000,000.
(4) Energy (270):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$8,602,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$2,530,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$4,244,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$5,977,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$16,964,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$17,686,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$3,169,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$4,702,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$3,537,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$5,190,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$4,421,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$5,716,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$4,734,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$5,847,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$5,297,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$6,261,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$3,080,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$4,096,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$3,103,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$4,023,000,000.
(5) Natural Resources and Environment (300):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $25,767,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $28,952,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $25,537,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $27,056,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $26,593,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,854,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $25,691,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,651,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $26,868,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,566,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $26,593,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,211,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $26,062,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,672,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $26,353,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,908,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $26,671,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,184,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $26,910,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,423,000,000.
(6) Agriculture (350):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $14,107,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,344,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $9,013,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,632,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $9,551,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $9,313,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $6,276,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $6,084,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $7,061,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $6,864,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $7,335,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,157,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $7,647,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,424,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $8,077,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,817,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $8,397,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,139,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $8,968,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,702,000,000.
(7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$8,186,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,020,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$9,217,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$19,316,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$12,865,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,514,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$15,782,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$25,946,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$14,917,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$26,024,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$14,287,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$26,184,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$12,818,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$26,083,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$11,941,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$26,606,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$12,981,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$27,462,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$13,895,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$28,552,000,000.
(8) Transportation (400):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $83,577,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $87,088,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $84,185,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $85,804,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $78,240,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $85,577,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $34,883,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $73,156,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $61,918,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $60,185,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $62,040,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $63,708,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $62,551,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $64,529,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $63,337,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $63,885,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $64,366,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $63,747,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $65,450,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $64,337,000,000.
(9) Community and Regional Development (450):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $3,198,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,646,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $3,014,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $12,275,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $3,020,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,434,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $3,058,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $6,715,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $3,206,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,562,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $3,197,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,751,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $3,232,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,282,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $3,337,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,275,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $3,463,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,278,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $3,336,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,239,000,000.
(10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services
(500):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $48,903,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $62,454,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $53,383,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $54,945,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $51,158,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $51,683,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $50,256,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,598,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $48,825,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $49,530,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $50,483,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,228,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $49,941,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,665,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $49,334,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,210,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $49,170,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,141,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $49,302,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,344,000,000.
(11) Health (550):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $454,509,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $432,501,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $435,341,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $439,994,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $457,516,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $448,856,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $450,448,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $455,861,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $456,758,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $461,189,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $465,309,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $466,743,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $473,437,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $471,674,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $479,987,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $476,960,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $484,487,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $481,009,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:

[[Page H7849]]

(A) New budget authority, $483,275,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $485,571,000,000.
(12) Medicare (570):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $591,229,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $590,967,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $650,283,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $650,040,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $674,221,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $674,017,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $707,798,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $707,601,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $778,613,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $778,407,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $774,353,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $774,163,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $774,204,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $774,007,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $842,125,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $841,909,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $924,327,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $924,102,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $989,487,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $989,265,000,000.
(13) Income Security (600):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $472,681,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $458,878,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $427,283,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $418,415,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $433,650,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $424,439,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $438,723,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $430,323,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $442,003,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $439,172,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $421,768,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $415,075,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $428,653,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $417,101,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $434,146,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $423,466,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $441,856,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $436,970,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $448,955,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $443,434,000,000.
(14) Social Security (650):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $39,475,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,475,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $43,016,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $43,016,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $46,287,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $46,287,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $49,748,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $49,748,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $53,392,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $53,392,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $57,378,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $57,378,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $61,764,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $61,764,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $66,388,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $66,388,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $70,871,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $70,871,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $75,473,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $75,473,000,000.
(15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $176,704,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $178,038,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $191,507,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $190,235,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $194,930,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $193,931,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $199,751,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $197,856,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $215,442,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $213,337,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $212,567,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $210,444,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $209,943,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $207,908,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $227,991,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $225,820,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $234,947,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $232,660,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $243,718,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $241,501,000,000.
(16) Administration of Justice (750):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $49,987,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $59,438,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $56,597,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $57,202,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $58,054,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $58,361,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $59,354,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $59,249,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $60,365,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $60,203,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $61,908,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $61,705,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $63,488,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $63,252,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $65,105,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $64,669,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $68,048,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $68,333,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $68,351,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $67,818,000,000.
(17) General Government (800):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $17,757,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,400,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $17,972,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,497,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $17,346,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,159,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $16,959,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,817,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $16,488,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,407,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $19,594,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,325,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $19,274,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,140,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $18,930,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,796,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $18,518,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,400,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $18,035,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,942,000,000.
(18) Net Interest (900):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $373,956,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $373,956,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $399,575,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $399,575,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $432,397,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $432,397,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $464,410,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $464,410,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $492,279,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $492,279,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $516,440,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $516,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $532,410,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $532,410,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $544,916,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $544,916,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $555,256,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $555,256,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $554,858,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $554,969,000,000.
(19) Allowances (920):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$103,895,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$139,536,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$122,471,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$113,004,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$192,059,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$164,127,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$192,585,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$160,271,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$213,001,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$185,944,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$239,872,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$219,297,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$186,688,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$167,764,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$165,184,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$150,710,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$201,905,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$176,558,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$237,951,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$216,002,000,000.
(20) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$83,212,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$83,212,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$86,409,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$86,409,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$86,316,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$86,316,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$90,347,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$90,347,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:

[[Page H7850]]

(A) New budget authority, -$93,573,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$93,573,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$100,001,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$100,001,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$105,371,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$105,371,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$115,139,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$115,139,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$117,033,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$117,033,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$127,808,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$127,808,000,000.
(21) Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on
Terrorism (970):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $0.

TITLE II--RECONCILIATION

SEC. 201. RECONCILIATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

(a) Submission Providing for Deficit Reduction.--Not later
than 90 days after the adoption of this resolution, the
committees named in subsection (b) shall submit their
recommendations on changes in laws within their jurisdictions
to the Committee on the Budget that would achieve the
specified reduction in the deficit for the period of fiscal
years 2018 through 2027.
(b) Instructions.--
(1) Committee on agriculture.--The Committee on Agriculture
shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction
sufficient to reduce the deficit by $327,704,000,000 for the
period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(2) Committee on armed services.--The Committee on Armed
Services shall submit changes in laws within its jurisdiction
sufficient to reduce the deficit by $32,601,000,000 for the
period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.
(3) Committee on education and the workforce.--The
Committee on Education and the Workforce shall submit changes
in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the
deficit by $441,015,000,000 for the period of fiscal years
2018 through 2027.
(4) Committee on energy and commerce.--The Committee on
Energy and Commerce shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$2,665,188,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018
through 2027.
(5) Committee on financial services.--The Committee on
Financial Services shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$154,083,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through
2027.
(6) Committee on homeland security.--The Committee on
Homeland Security shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$24,689,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through
2027.
(7) Committee on the judiciary.--The Committee on the
Judiciary shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$67,178,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through
2027.
(8) Committee on natural resources.--The Committee on
Natural Resources shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$59,302,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through
2027.
(9) Committee on oversight and government reform.--The
Committee on Oversight and Government Reform shall submit
changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce
the deficit by $447,960,000,000 for the period of fiscal
years 2018 through 2027.
(10) Committee on transportation and infrastructure.--The
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure shall submit
changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce
the deficit by $5,561,000,000 for the period of fiscal years
2018 through 2027.
(11) Committee on veterans' affairs.--The Committee on
Veterans' Affairs shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$49,022,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018 through
2027.
(12) Committee on ways and means.--The Committee on Ways
and Means shall submit changes in laws within its
jurisdiction sufficient to reduce the deficit by
$1,417,836,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2018
through 2027.
(c) Revision of Budgetary Levels.--
(1) In general.--In the House of Representatives, the chair
of the Committee on the Budget may file appropriately revised
allocations, aggregates, and functional levels upon the
consideration of a reconciliation measure under section 310
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 or amendment thereto,
or the submission of a conference report to the House of
Representatives pursuant to this section, if it is in
compliance with the reconciliation directives by virtue of
section 310(c) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.
(2) Revision.--Allocations and aggregates revised pursuant
to this subsection shall be considered to be the allocations
and aggregates established by this concurrent resolution on
the budget pursuant to section 301 of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974.
(d) Purpose of Reconciliation Instructions.--It is the
policy of this resolution that the reconciliation
instructions provided pursuant to this section are to be used
for--
(1) enacting the mandatory spending reforms recommended by
this resolution; and
(2) enacting comprehensive tax reform.

TITLE III--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT

Subtitle A--Budget Enforcement in the House of Representatives

SEC. 301. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST INCREASING LONG-TERM DIRECT
SPENDING.

(a) Congressional Budget Office Analysis of Proposals.--The
Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall, to the
extent practicable, prepare an estimate of whether a measure
would cause a net increase in direct spending in the House of
Representatives, in excess of $5,000,000,000 in any of the 4
consecutive 10-fiscal year periods beginning with the first
fiscal year that is 10 fiscal years after the budget year
provided for in the most recently agreed to concurrent
resolution on the budget in the House of Representatives, for
each bill or joint resolution other than an appropriation
measure and any amendment thereto or conference report
thereon.
(b) Point of Order.--It shall not be in order in the House
of Representatives to consider any bill or joint resolution,
or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that would
cause a net increase in direct spending in excess of
$5,000,000,000 in any of the 4 consecutive 10-fiscal year
periods described in subsection (a).
(c) Limitation.--In the House of Representatives, the
provisions of this section shall not apply to any bills or
joint resolutions, or amendments thereto or conference
reports thereon, for which the chair of the Committee on the
Budget has made adjustments to the allocations, levels, or
limits contained in this concurrent resolution pursuant to
section 401.
(d) Determinations of Budget Levels.--For purposes of this
section, the levels of net increases in direct spending shall
be determined on the basis of estimates provided by the chair
of the Committee on the Budget of the House of
Representatives.

SEC. 302. ALLOCATION FOR OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS/
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.

(a) Separate Allocation for Overseas Contingency
Operations/Global War on Terrorism.--In the House of
Representatives, there shall be a separate allocation of new
budget authority and outlays provided to the Committee on
Appropriations for the purposes of Overseas Contingency
Operations/Global War on Terrorism, which shall be deemed to
be an allocation under section 302(a) of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974. Section 302(a)(3) of such Act shall not
apply to such separate allocation.
(b) 302 Allocations.--The separate allocation referred to
in subsection (a) shall be the exclusive allocation for
Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism under
section 302(b) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The
Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives
may provide suballocations of such separate allocation under
such section 302(b).
(c) Application.--For purposes of enforcing the separate
allocation referred to in subsection (a) 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 2018. Section 302(c) of such Act shall
not apply to such separate allocation.
(d) Designations.--New budget authority or outlays shall
only be counted toward the allocation referred to in
subsection (a) if designated pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.
(e) Adjustments.--For purposes of subsection (a) for fiscal
year 2018, 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.
(f) Adjustments to Fund Overseas Contingency Operations/
Global War on Terrorism.--In the House of Representatives,
the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the
allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary
levels related to Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War
on Terrorism or the allocation under section 302(a) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to the Committee on
Appropriations set forth in the report or joint explanatory

[[Page H7851]]

statement of managers, as applicable, accompanying this
concurrent resolution to account for new information.

SEC. 303. LIMITATION ON CHANGES IN CERTAIN MANDATORY
PROGRAMS.

(a) Definition.--In this section, the term ``change in
mandatory programs'' means a provision that--
(1) would have been estimated as affecting direct spending
or receipts under section 252 of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (as in effect prior to
September 30, 2002) if the provision was included in
legislation other than appropriation Acts; and
(2) results in a net decrease in budget authority in the
budget year, but does not result in a net decrease in outlays
over the period of the total of the current year, the budget
year, and all fiscal years covered under the most recently
agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget.
(b) Point of Order in the House of Representatives.--
(1) In general.--A provision in a bill or joint resolution
making appropriations for a full fiscal year that proposes a
change in mandatory programs that, if enacted, would cause
the absolute value of the total budget authority of all such
change in mandatory programs enacted in relation to a full
fiscal year to be more than the amount specified in paragraph
(3), shall not be in order in the House of Representatives.
(2) Amendments and conference reports.--It shall not be in
order in the House of Representatives to consider an
amendment to, or a conference report on, a bill or joint
resolution making appropriations for a full fiscal year if
such amendment thereto or conference report thereon proposes
a change in mandatory programs that, if enacted, would cause
the absolute value of the total budget authority of all such
change in mandatory programs enacted in relation to a full
fiscal year to be more than the amount specified in paragraph
(3).
(3) Amount.--The amount specified in this paragraph is--
(A) for fiscal year 2018, $17,000,000,000;
(B) for fiscal year 2019, $15,000,000,000; and
(C) for fiscal year 2020, $13,000,000,000.
(c) Determination.--For purposes of this section, budgetary
levels shall be determined on the basis of estimates provided
by the chair of the Committee on the Budget.

SEC. 304. GAO REPORT.

(a) GAO Submission.--At a date specified by the chair of
the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives,
the Comptroller General, in consultation with the chair, the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office, and the Director
of the Office of Management and Budget, shall submit to the
chair a comprehensive list of all current direct spending
programs of the Government.
(b) Publication.--The chair of the Committee on the Budget
shall cause to be printed in the Congressional Record the
list submitted under subsection (a). The chair shall publish
such list on the Committee's public Web site. Such
publication shall be searchable, sortable, and downloadable.

SEC. 305. ESTIMATES OF DEBT SERVICE COSTS.

In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee
on the Budget may direct the Congressional Budget Office to
include in any estimate prepared under section 402 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 with respect to any bill or
joint resolution, or an estimate of an amendment thereto or
conference report thereon, an estimate of any change in debt
service costs (if any) resulting from carrying out such bill
or resolution. Any estimate of debt servicing costs provided
under this section shall be advisory and shall not be used
for purposes of enforcement of such Act, the Rules of the
House of Representatives, or this concurrent resolution. This
section shall not apply to authorizations of discretionary
programs or to appropriation measures, but shall apply to
changes in the authorization level of appropriated
entitlements.

SEC. 306. FAIR-VALUE CREDIT ESTIMATES.

(a) All Credit Programs.--Whenever the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office provides an estimate of any
measure that establishes or modifies any program providing
loans or loan guarantees, the Director shall, to the extent
practicable, provide a supplemental fair-value estimate of
any loan or loan guarantee program if requested by the chair
of the Committee on the Budget.
(b) Student Financial Assistance and Housing Programs.--The
Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall provide a
supplemental fair-value estimate as part of any estimate for
any measure establishing or modifying a program providing
loans or loan guarantees for student financial assistance or
housing (including residential mortgage).
(c) Baseline Estimates.--The Congressional Budget Office
shall include estimates, on a fair-value and credit reform
basis, of loan and loan guarantee programs for student
financial assistance, housing (including residential
mortgage), and such other major loan and loan guarantee
programs, as practicable, in its Budget and Economic Outlook:
2018 to 2027.

SEC. 307. ESTIMATES OF MAJOR DIRECT SPENDING LEGISLATION.

The Congressional Budget Office shall prepare, to the
extent practicable, an estimate of the outlay changes during
the second and third decade of enactment for any direct
spending legislative provision--
(1) that proposes a change or changes to law that the
Congressional Budget Office determines has an outlay impact
in excess of 0.25 percent of the gross domestic product of
the United States during the first decade or in the tenth
year; or
(2) for which the chair of the Committee on the Budget of
the House of Representatives requests such an estimate.

SEC. 308. ESTIMATES OF MACROECONOMIC EFFECTS OF MAJOR
LEGISLATION.

(a) CBO and JCT Estimates.--During the 114th and 115th
Congresses, any estimate provided by the Congressional Budget
Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 or by the Joint Committee on Taxation to the
Congressional Budget Office under section 201(f) of such Act
for major legislation considered in the House of
Representatives shall, to the extent practicable, incorporate
the budgetary effects of changes in economic output,
employment, capital stock, and other macroeconomic variables
resulting from such major legislation.
(b) Contents.--Any estimate referred to in subsection (a)
shall, to the extent practicable, include--
(1) a qualitative assessment of the budgetary effects
(including macroeconomic variables described in subsection
(a)) of major legislation in the 20-fiscal year period
beginning after the last fiscal year of the most recently
agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget that sets forth
budgetary levels required under section 301 of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974; and
(2) an identification of the critical assumptions and the
source of data underlying that estimate.
(c) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Major legislation.--The term ``major legislation''
means a bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or
conference report thereon--
(A) for which an estimate is required to be prepared
pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 and that causes a gross budgetary effect (before
incorporating macroeconomic effects and not including timing
shifts) in a fiscal year in the period of years of the most
recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget equal
to or greater than 0.25 percent of the current projected
gross domestic product of the United States for that fiscal
year; or
(B) designated as such by--
(i) the chair of the Committee on the Budget of the House
of Representatives for all direct spending and revenue
legislation; or
(ii) the Member who is Chairman or Vice Chairman of the
Joint Committee on Taxation for revenue legislation.
(2) Budgetary effects.--The term ``budgetary effects''
means changes in revenues, direct spending outlays, and
deficits.
(3) Timing shifts.--The term ``timing shifts'' means--
(A) provisions that cause a delay of the date on which
outlays flowing from direct spending would otherwise occur
from one fiscal year to the next fiscal year; or
(B) provisions that cause an acceleration of the date on
which revenues would otherwise occur from one fiscal year to
the prior fiscal year.

SEC. 309. ADJUSTMENTS FOR IMPROVED CONTROL OF BUDGETARY
RESOURCES.

(a) Adjustments of Discretionary and Direct Spending
Levels.--In the House of Representatives, if a committee
(other than the Committee on Appropriations) reports a bill
or joint resolution, or any amendment thereto is offered or
any conference report thereon is submitted, 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 2018 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) Determinations.--In the House of Representatives, for
purposes of enforcing this concurrent resolution, the
allocations and aggregate levels of new budget authority,
outlays, direct spending, revenues, deficits, and surpluses
for fiscal year 2018 and the period of fiscal years 2018
through 2027 shall be determined on the basis of estimates
made by the chair of the Committee on the Budget and such
chair may adjust the applicable levels in this concurrent
resolution.

SEC. 310. LIMITATION ON ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General.--In the House of Representatives, 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 advance appropriations.
(b) Exceptions.--An advance appropriation may be provided
for programs, projects, activities, or accounts identified in
the report or the joint explanatory statement of managers, as
applicable, accompanying this concurrent resolution under the
heading--
(1) General.--``Accounts Identified for Advance
Appropriations''.
(2) Veterans.--``Veterans Accounts Identified for Advance
Appropriations''.
(c) Limitations.--The aggregate level of advance
appropriations shall not exceed--
(1) General.--$28,852,000,000 in new budget authority for
all programs identified pursuant to subsection (b)(1).

[[Page H7852]]

(2) Veterans.--$70,699,313,000 in new budget authority for
programs in the Department of Veterans Affairs identified
pursuant to subsection (b)(2).
(d) Definition.--The term ``advance appropriation'' means
any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill or
joint resolution, or any amendment thereto or conference
report thereon, making general appropriations or continuing
appropriations, for the fiscal year following fiscal year
2018.

SEC. 311. SCORING RULE FOR ENERGY SAVINGS PERFORMANCE
CONTRACTS.

(a) In General.--The Director of the Congressional Budget
Office shall estimate provisions of any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon
that affects the use of any covered energy savings contract
on a net present value basis.
(b) NPV Calculations.--The net present value of any covered
energy savings contract shall be calculated as follows:
(1) The discount rate shall reflect market risk.
(2) The cash flows shall include, whether classified as
mandatory or discretionary, payments to contractors under the
terms of their contracts, payments to contractors for other
services, and direct savings in energy and energy-related
costs.
(3) The stream of payments shall cover the period covered
by the contracts but not to exceed 25 years.
(c) Definition.--As used in this section, the term
``covered energy savings contract'' means--
(1) an energy savings performance contract authorized under
section 801 of the National Energy Conservation Policy Act;
or
(2) a utility energy service contract, as described in the
Office of Management and Budget Memorandum on Federal use of
energy savings performance contracting, dated July 25, 1998
(M-98-13), and the Office of Management and Budget Memorandum
on the Federal use of energy saving performance contracts and
utility energy service contracts, dated September 28, 2012
(M-12-21), or any successor to either memorandum.
(d) Enforcement in the House of Representatives.--In the
House of Representatives, if any present value calculated
under subsection (b) results in a net savings, then such
savings may not be used as an offset for purposes of budget
enforcement.
(e) Classification of Spending.--For purposes of budget
enforcement, the estimated net present value of the budget
authority provided by the measure, and outlays flowing
therefrom, shall be classified as direct spending.
(f) Sense of the House of Representatives.--It is the sense
of the House of Representatives that--
(1) the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, in
consultation with the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office, should separately identify the cash flows under
subsection (b)(2) and include such information in the
President's annual budget submission under section 1105(a) of
title 31, United States Code; and
(2) the scoring method used in this section should not be
used to score any contracts other than covered energy savings
contracts.

SEC. 312. ESTIMATES OF LAND CONVEYANCES.

In the House of Representatives, the Director of the
Congressional Budget Office shall include in any estimate
prepared under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974 with respect to any measure that conveys Federal land to
any non-Federal entity--
(1) the methodology used to calculate such estimate;
(2) a detailed justification of its estimate of any change
in revenue, offsetting receipts, or offsetting collections
resulting from such conveyance;
(3) if requested by the chair of the Committee on the
Budget, any information provided by the Bureau of Land
Management or other applicable Federal agency, including the
source and date of such information, that supports the
estimate of any change in revenue, offsetting receipts, or
offsetting collections;
(4) a description of any efforts to independently verify
such agency estimate; and
(5) a statement of the assumptions underlying the estimate
of the budgetary effects that would be generated by such
parcel in CBO's baseline projections as of the most recent
publication or update.

SEC. 313. LIMITATION ON TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF
THE TREASURY TO THE HIGHWAY TRUST FUND.

In the House of Representatives, for purposes of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, and 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. 314. PROHIBITION ON THE USE OF GUARANTEE FEES AS AN
OFFSET.

In the House of Representatives, any provision of a bill or
joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, that increases, or extends the increase of, any
guarantee fees of the Federal National Mortgage Association
or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation shall not be
counted for purposes of enforcing the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, this concurrent resolution, or clause 10 of rule
XXI of the Rules of the House of Representatives.

SEC. 315. PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL RESERVE SURPLUSES AS
AN OFFSET.

In the House of Representatives, any provision of a bill or
joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, that transfers any portion of the net surplus of the
Federal Reserve System to the general fund of the Treasury
shall not be counted for purposes of enforcing the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, this concurrent resolution,
or clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.

Subtitle B--Other Provisions

SEC. 321. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

(a) In General.--In the House of Representatives,
notwithstanding section 302(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974, section 13301 of the Budget Enforcement Act of
1990, and section 2009a of title 39, United States Code, the
report or the joint explanatory statement, as applicable,
accompanying this concurrent resolution 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.--In the House of Representatives, for
purposes of enforcing section 302(f) 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 discretionary amounts described in
subsection (a).

SEC. 322. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS
AND AGGREGATES.

(a) Application.--In the House of Representatives, any
adjustments of allocations and aggregates 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 the allocations and aggregates
contained in this concurrent resolution.
(c) Budget Committee Determinations.--For purposes of this
concurrent resolution, the budgetary levels for a fiscal year
or period of fiscal years shall be determined on the basis of
estimates made by the chair of the Committee on the Budget of
the House of Representatives.
(d) Aggregates, Allocations and Application.--In the House
of Representatives, for purposes of this concurrent
resolution and budget enforcement, 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 budgetary 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 301 of this concurrent resolution.

SEC. 323. ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT CHANGES IN CONCEPTS AND
DEFINITIONS.

In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee
on the Budget may adjust the appropriate aggregates,
allocations, and other budgetary levels in this concurrent
resolution for any change in budgetary concepts and
definitions in accordance with section 251(b)(1) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

SEC. 324. ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT UPDATED BUDGETARY ESTIMATES.

In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee
on the Budget may revise the appropriate aggregates,
allocations, and other budgetary levels in this concurrent
resolution to reflect any adjustments to the baseline made by
the Congressional Budget Office.

SEC. 325. ADJUSTMENT FOR CERTAIN EMERGENCY DESIGNATIONS.

In the House of Representatives, the chair of the Committee
on the Budget may adjust the appropriate aggregates,
allocations, and other budgetary levels for any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, that designates an emergency under section 4(g)(2)
of the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.

SEC. 326. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.

The House of Representatives adopts the provisions of this
title, title II, and title VII--
(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 such rules
shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are
inconsistent with such other 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 is the
case of any other rule of the House of Representatives.

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

[[Page H7853]]

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 ADDITIONAL
MEASURES RELATING TO 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 repeals or replaces
provisions of 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 2018 through 2027.

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 2018
through 2027.

SEC. 404. 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 2018
through 2027 when the macroeconomic effects of such reforms
are taken into account.

SEC. 405. 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 such chair determines are
necessary to implement a trade agreement, and the budgetary
levels for any companion measure that offsets such trade
measure, if the combined cost of each measure would not
increase the deficit over the period of fiscal years 2018
through 2027.

SEC. 406. RESERVE FUND FOR REVENUE MEASURES.

SEC. 407. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE
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 infrastructure funding system,
but only if such measure would not increase the deficit over
the period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.

SEC. 408. 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 2018
through 2027.

SEC. 409. 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 program, and does not increase outlays in any
fiscal year.

SEC. 410. 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), but only if such measure
would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years
2018 through 2027.

SEC. 411. 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, but only if such measure would not
increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2018
through 2027.

SEC. 412. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR FEDERAL RETIREMENT
REFORM.

In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
revise the allocations, aggregates, and other budgetary
levels in this concurrent resolution for any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report
thereon, if such measure reforms, improves and updates the
Federal retirement system, as determined by such chair, but
only if such measure would not increase the deficit over the
period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.

SEC. 413. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR DEFENSE SEQUESTER
REPLACEMENT.

The chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the
allocations, aggregates, and other budgetary levels in this
concurrent resolution for any bill or joint resolution, or
amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such
measure supports the following activities: Department of
Defense training and maintenance associated with combat
readiness, modernization of equipment, auditability of
financial statements, or military compensation and benefit
reforms, by the amount provided for these purposes, but only
if such measure would not increase the deficit (without
counting any net revenue increases in that measure) over the
period of fiscal years 2018 through 2027.

SEC. 414. RESERVE FUND FOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROL.

(a) In General.--In the House of Representatives, the chair
of the Committee on the Budget may adjust, at a time the
chair deems appropriate, the section 302(a) allocation to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and other
applicable committees of the House of Representatives,
aggregates, and other appropriate levels established in this
concurrent resolution for a bill or joint resolution, or
amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
commercializes the operations of the air traffic control
system if such measure reduces the discretionary spending
limits in section 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 by the amount that would
otherwise be appropriated to the Federal Aviation
Administration for air traffic control. Adjustments to the
section 302(a) allocation to the Committee on Appropriations,
consistent with the adjustments to the discretionary spending
limits under such section 251(c), shall only be made upon
enactment of such measure.
(b) Definition.--For purposes of this section, a measure
that commercializes the operations of the air traffic control
system shall be a measure that establishes a federally
chartered, not-for-profit corporation that--
(1) is authorized to provide air traffic control services
within the United States airspace;
(2) sets user fees to finance its operations;
(3) may borrow from private capital markets to finance
improvements;
(4) is governed by a board of directors composed of a CEO
and directors whose fiduciary duty is to the entity; and
(5) becomes the employer of those employees directly
connected to providing air traffic control services and who
the Secretary transfers from the Federal Government.

TITLE V--POLICY STATEMENTS

SEC. 501. POLICY STATEMENT ON OBAMACARE 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. 502. POLICY STATEMENT ON REPLACING OBAMACARE.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Obamacare put Washington's priorities before those of
patients'. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has failed to reduce
health care premiums as promised. Instead, the law mandated
benefits and coverage levels, denying patients the
opportunity to choose the type of coverage that best suits
their health needs and driving up health coverage costs. A
typical family's health care premiums were supposed to
decline by $2,500; instead, average premiums have increased
105 percent. A study conducted by the nonpartisan
Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated premiums to
continue rising over the next decade, projecting an average
increase of 8 percent per year between 2016 and 2018, and
increasing by nearly 60 percent by 2026.
(2) President Obama pledged, ``If you like your health care
plan, you can keep your health care plan.'' Instead, CBO now
estimated 7 million Americans will lose employment-based
health coverage due to the health care law, further limiting
patient choice.
(3) Then-Speaker of the House Pelosi stated that the
President's health care law

[[Page H7854]]

would create 4 million jobs over the life of the law and
almost 400,000 jobs immediately. Instead, CBO estimated that
by 2025 Obamacare will reduce the number of hours worked by
approximately 2 million full-time equivalent workers,
compared with what would have occurred in the absence of the
law. Additionally, a study by the Mercatus Center at George
Mason University estimated that Obamacare will reduce
employment by up to 3 percent, or about 4 million full-time
equivalent workers.
(4) Since the ACA was signed into law, the Obama
administration repeatedly failed to implement it as written.
President Obama's unilateral actions resulted in numerous
changes, delays, and exemptions. President Obama signed into
law another 24 changes made by Congress. The Supreme Court
struck down the forced expansion of Medicaid; ruled the
individual ``mandate'' could only be characterized as a tax
to remain constitutional; and rejected the requirement that
closely held companies provide health insurance to their
employees even if it violates the companies' religious
beliefs. More than 7 years after enactment, the courts
continue to evaluate the legality of how President Obama's
administration implemented the law. All of these changes
prove the folly of the underlying law; health care in the
United States cannot be run from a centralized bureaucracy.
(5) Obamacare is unaffordable, intrusive, overreaching,
destructive, and unworkable. Its complex structure of
subsidies, mandates, and penalties perversely impact
individuals, married couples, and families. Those who
previously had insurance along with those who did not have
been funneled into a new system that is providing less access
to doctors and treatments. Millions of Americans have been
added to a broken Medicaid system that is incapable of
providing the care promised. Cuts made to Medicare to fund a
new entitlement are undermining the health security of
seniors. Taxes and mandates are distorting the insurance
market and harming the broader economy, resulting in fewer
jobs and less opportunity. By design, Obamacare put
Washington at the center of our health care system, at the
expense of patients, families, physicians, and businesses.
The ACA should be fully repealed, allowing for real patient-
centered health care reform that puts patients first, not
Washington.
(b) Policy on Replacing Obamacare.--It is the policy of
this resolution that Obamacare must not only be repealed, but
also replaced by enacting the American Health Care Reform
Act.

SEC. 503. 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
Medicare Trustees Report--
(A) the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in
2028 and unable to pay scheduled benefits;
(B) Medicare enrollment is expected to increase by over 50
percent in the next two decades, as 10,000 baby boomers reach
retirement age each day;
(C) current workers' payroll contributions pay for current
beneficiaries; and
(D) most Medicare beneficiaries receive about three dollars
in Medicare benefits for every one dollar paid into the
program.
(3) 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 due to the program's
impending bankruptcy, and instead offer beneficiaries more
options, better care, with reduced costs for both
benficiaries and the Federal Government, by modernizing
Medicare.
(c) Assumptions.--This resolution assumes reform of the
Medicare program such that:
(1) Medicare is preserved for current and future
beneficiaries.
(2) 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.
(6) The Medicare eligibility age is gradually increased to
keep pace with increases in longevity.
(7) Medicare is simplified by combining parts A and B and
reforms to Medigap plans are implemented.

SEC. 504. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICAID STATE FLEXIBILITY
BLOCK GRANTS.

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.

SEC. 505. 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 benefits 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 2022, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be
exhausted and program revenues will be unable to pay
scheduled benefits.
(B) In 2034, 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 2034,
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 Disability Insurance program provides an income
safety net for those with disabilities and their families.
However, the program is in serious financial trouble. The
number of beneficiaries has skyrocketed from 2.7 million in
1970 to 10.6 million in 2016. At the same time, the labor
force participation rate has now fallen to the lowest levels
since the 1970s. As a result, the Social Security Actuary now
projects that the Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be
depleted in 2023.
(4) If this program is not reformed, families who rely on
the lifeline that disability benefits provide will face
benefit cuts of up to 11 percent in 2023, devastating
individuals who need assistance the most.
(5) Americans deserve action by the President, the House,
and the Senate to preserve and strengthen Social Security. It
is critical that action be taken to address the looming
insolvency of Social Security.
(b) Policy on Social Security.--It is the policy of this
resolution that Congress should work to make Social Security
sustainably solvent. This resolution assumes these reforms
will include the following policies, based upon the Social
Security Reform Act:
(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.
(3) Makes Social Security benefits more progressive over
the long term, providing those most in need with a safety net
in retirement.
(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;
(4) enactment of H.R. 2031, 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; and
(5) enactment of H.R. 1540, the Social Security Disability
Insurance Return to Work Act, to allow the award of time-
limited benefits for applicants whose medical recovery is
anticipated in order to create new opportunities for
beneficiaries.

SEC. 506. 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) Today, there are approximately 92 Federal programs on
which Government at the Federal and State level spend more
than $1 trillion annually that provide benefits specifically
to poor and low-income Americans.
(4) 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.

[[Page H7855]]

SEC. 507. 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.
(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.

SEC. 508. POLICY STATEMENT ON WORK REQUIREMENTS.

It is the policy of this resolution that all means-tested
welfare programs should include work activation requirements
for able-bodied adults.

SEC. 509. 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. 510. POLICY STATEMENT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB
CREATION.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Across the Nation, too many Americans are struggling to
make ends meet. The slowly falling unemployment rate has
masked an underlying crisis as millions of Americans have
abandoned the work force and wages have stagnated. The labor
force participation rate has plummeted to levels not seen
since the Carter presidency.
(2) Looking ahead, CBO expects the economy to grow by an
average of just 1.9 percent over the next 10 years. That
level of economic growth is simply unacceptable and
insufficient to expand opportunities and the incomes of
millions of middle-income Americans.
(3) Sluggish economic growth has also contributed to the
country's fiscal woes. Subpar growth means that revenue
levels are lower than they would otherwise be while
government spending (e.g. welfare and income-support
programs) is higher.
(4) The unsustainable fiscal trajectory has cast a shadow
on the country's economic outlook. investors and businesses
make decisions on a forward-looking basis. they know that
today's large debt levels are simply tomorrow's tax hikes,
interest rate increases, or inflation and they act
accordingly. This debt overhang, and the uncertainty it
generates, can weigh on growth, investment, and job creation.
(5) Nearly all economists, including those at the CBO,
conclude that reducing budget deficits (thereby bending the
curve on debt levels) is a net positive for economic growth
over time.
(6) If the Government remains on the current fiscal path,
future generations will face ever-higher debt service costs,
a decline in national savings, and a ``crowding out'' of
private investment. This dynamic will eventually lead to a
decline in economic output and a diminution in our country's
standard of living.
(7) The key economic challenge is determining how to expand
the economic pie, not how best to divide up and re-distribute
a shrinking pie.
(8) 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 $273
billion.
(9) This budget resolution therefore embraces pro-growth
policies, such as fundamental tax reform, that will help
foster a stronger economy, greater opportunities and more job
creation.
(b) Policy on Economic Growth and Job Creation.--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 will 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 helping the economy grow and expanding opportunity for all
Americans.

SEC. 511. POLICY STATEMENT ON TAX REFORM.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) A reformed tax code should be simple, fair, and promote
(rather than impede) economic growth. The United States tax
code fails on all 3 counts: it is complex, unfair, and
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) High marginal tax rates lessen the incentives to work,
save, and invest, which reduces economic output and job
creation.
(3) The United States corporate income tax rate is the
highest rate in the industrialized world. Tax rates this high
suppress wages, discourage investment and job creation,
distort business activity, and put American businesses at a
competitive disadvantage with foreign competitors.
(4) The ``world-wide'' structure of United States
international taxation essentially taxes earnings of United
States firms twice, putting them at a significant competitive
disadvantage with competitors that have more competitive
international tax systems.
(5) The tax code imposes costs on American workers through
lower wages, consumers in higher prices, and investors in
diminished returns.
(6) Closing tax loopholes to finance higher spending does
not constitute fundamental tax reform.
(7) Tax reform should curb or eliminate loopholes and use
those savings to lower tax rates across the board, not to
fund more wasteful Government spending. Washington has a
spending problem, not a revenue problem.
(8) Many economists believe that fundamental tax reform,
including a broader tax base and lower tax rates, would lead
to greater labor supply and increased investment, which would
have a positive impact on total national output.
(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 fundamental tax reform that is revenue-
neutral on a dynamic basis that provides for the following:
(1) Targets revenue neutrality based on a dynamic score
that takes into account the macroeconomic effects of reform.
(2) Collapses the current seven brackets for individuals
into just three, with a top rate of no more than 33 percent.
(3) Simplifies the tax code to ensure that fewer Americans
will be required to itemize deductions.
(4) Gives equal tax treatment to individual and employer
healthcare expenditures modeled on the American Health Care
Reform Act.
(5) Encourages charitable giving.
(6) Repeals the Death Tax.
(7) Eliminates marriage penalties.
(8) Provides tax-free universal savings accounts to reward
saving.
(9) Repeals the alternative minimum tax.
(10) Reduces double taxation by lowering the top corporate
rate to no more than 20 percent.
(11) Reduces the rate for capital gains and dividends.
(12) Encourages net investment, savings, and
entrepreneurial activity, including full expensing.
(13) Moves to a competitive territorial system of
international taxation.
(14) Ends distortionary special interest giveaways, such as
the Wind Production Tax Credit.

SEC. 512. 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.
(2) The United States can increase economic opportunities
for American workers and businesses through the elimination
of foreign trade barriers to United States goods and
services.
(3) American businesses and workers have shown that, on a
level playing field, they can excel and surpass international
competition.
(b) Policy on Trade.--It is the policy of this concurrent
resolution--
(1) to pursue international trade, global commerce, and a
modern and competitive tax system to promote domestic job
creation;
(2) that the United States should continue to seek
increased economic opportunities for American workers and
businesses through high-standard trade agreements that
satisfy negotiating objectives, including--
(A) the expansion of trade opportunities;
(B) adherence to trade agreements and rules by the United
States and its trading partners, and
(C) the elimination of foreign trade barriers to United
States goods and services by opening new markets and
enforcing United States rights; and
(3) that any trade agreement entered into on behalf of the
United States should reflect the negotiating objectives and
adhere to the provisions requiring improved consultation with
Congress.

SEC. 513. 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.

SEC. 514. POLICY STATEMENT ON FEDERAL REGULATORY BUDGETING
AND REFORM.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Excessive Federal regulation--
(A) has hurt job creation, investment, wages, competition,
and economic growth, slowing the Nation's recovery from the
economic recession and harming American households;
(B) operates as a regressive tax on poor and lower-income
households;

[[Page H7856]]

(C) displaces workers into long-term unemployment or lower-
paying jobs;
(D) adversely affects small businesses, the primary source
of new jobs; and
(E) impedes economic growth.
(2) Federal agencies routinely fail to identify and
eliminate, minimize, or mitigate excess regulatory costs
through post-implementation assessments of their regulations.
(3) The United States Code of Federal Regulations now
contains over 185,000 pages of regulations in 242 volumes.
(4) Notwithstanding the size and growth of Federal
regulations, Congress lacks an effective mechanism to manage
the level of new Federal regulatory costs imposed each year.
Other nations, meanwhile, have successfully implemented the
use of regulatory budgeting to control excess regulation and
regulatory costs.
(5) Implementation of the Affordable Care Act has resulted
in more than 177.9 million annual hours of regulatory
compliance paperwork, $37.1 billion of regulatory compliance
costs on the private sector, and $13 billion in regulatory
compliance costs on the States.
(6) Agencies impose costly regulations without relying on
sound science through the use of judicial consent decrees and
settlement agreements and the abuse of interim compliance
costs imposed on regulated entities that bring legal
challenges against newly promulgated regulations.
(b) Policy on Federal Regulatory Budgeting and Reform.--It
is the policy of this concurrent resolution that the House
should, in consultation with the public, consider legislation
that--
(1) promotes--
(A) economic growth, job creation, higher wages, and
increased investment by eliminating unnecessary red tape and
streamlining, simplifying and lowering the costs of Federal
regulations; and
(B) the adoption of least-cost regulatory alternatives to
meet the objectives of Federal regulatory statutes;
(2) protects--
(A) the poor and lower-income households from the
regressive effects of excessive regulation; and
(B) workers against the unnecessary elimination of jobs and
loss or reduction of wages;
(3) requires--
(A) an annual, congressional regulatory budget that
establishes annual costs of regulations and allocates these
costs amongst Federal regulatory agencies;
(B) cost-benefit and regulatory impact analysis for new
regulations proposed and promulgated by all Federal
regulatory agencies;
(C) advance notice of proposed rulemaking and makes
evidentiary hearings available for critical disputed issues
in the development of new major regulations; and
(D) congressional approval of all new major regulations
before the regulations can become effective, ensuring that
Congress can better prevent the imposition of unsound costly
new regulations;
(4) reduces--
(A) regulatory barriers to entry into markets and other
regulatory impediments to competition and innovation; and
(B) the imposition of new Federal regulation that
duplicates, overlaps or conflicts with State, local, and
Tribal regulation or that impose unfunded mandates on State,
local, and Tribal governments; and
(5) eliminates the abuse of guidance to evade legal
requirements applicable to the development and promulgation
of new regulations.

SEC. 515. 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. 516. 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.

SEC. 517. POLICY STATEMENT ON THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS
AFFAIRS.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) For years, there has been serious concern regarding the
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) bureaucratic
mismanagement and continuous failure to provide veterans
timely access to health care.
(2) In 2015, for the first time, VA health care was added
to Government Accountability Office's (GAO) ``high-risk''
list, due to mismanagement and oversight failures, which have
resulted in untimely and inefficient health care. According
to GAO, ``the absence of care and delays in providing care
have harmed veterans.''.
(3) The VA's failure to provide timely and accessible
health care to our veterans is unacceptable. While Congress
has done its part for more than a decade by providing
sufficient funding for the VA, the administration has
mismanaged these resources, resulting in proven adverse
effects on veterans and their families.
(b) Policy on the Department of Veterans Affairs.--It is
the policy of this concurrent resolution that--
(1) the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs continue its
oversight efforts to ensure the VA reassesses its core
mission, including--
(A) reducing the number of bureaucratic layers;
(B) reducing the number of senior and middle managers;
(C) improving performance measure metrics;
(D) strengthening the administration and oversight of
contractors; and
(E) supporting opportunities for veterans to pursue other
viable options for their health care needs; and
(2) the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and the
Committee on the Budget should continue to closely monitor
the VA's progress to ensure VA resources are sufficient and
efficiently provided to veterans.

SEC. 518. POLICY STATEMENT ON REDUCING UNNECESSARY, WASTEFUL,
AND UNAUTHORIZED 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 its report to Congress on Government Efficiency and
Effectiveness, the Comptroller General has stated that
addressing the identified waste, duplication, and overlap in
Federal programs could ``lead to tens of billions of dollars
of additional savings.''
(3) In 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017, the
GAO issued reports showing excessive duplication and
redundancy in Federal programs.
(4) Federal agencies reported an estimated $137 billion in
improper payments in fiscal year 2015.
(5) 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.
(6) Clause 2(a)(1) of rule XXI of the House of
Representatives prohibits an appropriation for an expenditure
not previously authorized by law. Despite this longstanding
prohibition, more than $310 billion has been appropriated for
unauthorized programs in fiscal year 2016, spanning 256
separate laws.
(7) 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 Reducing Unnecessary, Wasteful, and
Unauthorized Spending.--
(1) Each authorizing committee annually should 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.
(2) Committees of jurisdiction should review all
unauthorized programs funded through annual appropriations to
determine if the programs are operating efficiently and
effectively.
(3) Committees should reauthorize those programs that in
the committees' judgment should continue to receive funding.
(4) For those programs not reauthorized by committees, the
House of Representatives should enforce the limitations on
funding such unauthorized programs in the House rules.

SEC. 519. POLICY STATEMENT ON A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Government will collect approximately $3.4 trillion
in taxes, but spend nearly $4 trillion to maintain its
operations, borrowing 14 cents of every Federal dollar spent.
(2) As of March 16, 2017, the national debt of the Unites
States was nearly $20 trillion.
(3) A majority of States have petitioned the Government to
hold a constitutional convention to adopt a balanced budget
amendment to the Constitution.
(4) Forty nine States have fiscal limitations in their
State constitutions, including the requirement to annually
balance the budget.
(5) Five States, including Arizona, Georgia, Alaska,
Mississippi, and North Dakota, have agreed to the Compact for
a Balanced Budget, which is seeking to amend the Constitution
to require a balanced budget through an Article V convention
by April 12, 2021.
(b) Policy on a Balanced Budget Constitutional Amendment.--
It is the policy of this concurrent resolution that Congress
should propose a balanced budget constitutional amendment for
ratification by the States.

SEC. 520. 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 held $921 billion
in unobligated balances at the end of fiscal year 2017.
(2) These funds comprise both discretionary appropriations
and authorizations of mandatory spending that remain
available for expenditure.

[[Page H7857]]

(3) In many cases, agencies are provided appropriations
that remain indefinitely available for obligation.
(4) The Congressional Budget 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.
(b) Policy on Deficit Reduction Through the Cancellation of
Unobligated Balances.--It is the policy of this concurrent
resolution that--
(1) greater congressional oversight is required to review
and identify potential savings from canceling unobligated
balances of funds that are no longer needed;
(2) the appropriate committees in the House should identify
and review accounts with unobligated balances and rescind
such balances that would not impede or disrupt the
fulfillment of important Federal commitments;
(3) the House, with the assistance of the Government
Accountability Office, the Inspectors General, and
appropriate agencies, should continue to review unobligated
balances and identify savings for deficit reduction; and
(4) unobligated balances in dormant accounts should not be
used to finance increases in spending.

SEC. 521. POLICY STATEMENT ON REFORMING THE CONGRESSIONAL
BUDGET PROCESS.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Enactment of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment
Control Act of 1974 was the first step toward restoring
constitutionally endowed legislative responsibility over
fundamental budget decision making.
(2) However, the congressional budget process has neither
constrained spending nor inhibited the expansion of
Government. The growth of the Government, primarily through a
multiplicity of mandatory programs and other forms of direct
spending, has largely been financed through borrowing and
high tax rates.
(3) The enforcement of the current budget process,
including congressional points of order and statutory
spending limits, have been too often waived or circumvented.
This contributes to a lack of accountability, which has led
to broad agreement that reforming the system is a high
necessity.
(b) Policy on Reforming the Congressional Budget Process.--
It is the policy of this concurrent resolution that Congress
should--
(1) restructure the fundamental procedures of budget
decision making;
(2) reassert congressional power over spending and revenue,
restore the balance of power between Congress and the
President as the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 intended,
and attain the maximum level of accountability for budget
decisions through efficient and rigorous enforcement of
budget rules;
(3) improve incentives for lawmakers to budget as intended
by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, especially by
adopting an annual budget resolution;
(4) encourage more effective control over spending,
especially currently uncontrolled direct spending;
(5) revise the methodology used in developing the baseline,
which is intended to reflect an objective projection of the
budgetary effects of current laws and policies for future
fiscal years, by removing any tendency toward assuming higher
spending levels;
(6) promote efficient and timely budget actions to ensure
lawmakers complete their budget actions before the start of
the new fiscal year;
(7) provide access to the best analysis of economic
conditions available and increase awareness of how fiscal
policy directly impacts economic growth and job creation; and
(8) eliminate the complexity of the budget process and the
biases that favor higher spending.
(c) Legislation.--The Committee on the Budget of the House
should draft legislation during the 115th Congress that
rewrites the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act
of 1974 to fulfill the goals of making the congressional
budget process more effective in ensuring taxpayers' dollars
are spent wisely and efficiently. Such legislation shall--
(1) attain greater simplicity without sacrificing the rigor
required to address--
(A) the complex issues of the domestic and world economy;
(B) national security responsibilities; and
(C) the appropriate roles of rulemaking and statutory
enforcement mechanisms;
(2) establish a new structure that assures the
congressional role in the budget process is applied
consistently without reliance on reactive legislating;
(3) improve the elements of the current budget process that
have fulfilled the original purposes of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974; and
(4) rebuild the foundation of the budget process to provide
a solid basis from which additional reforms may be developed.

SEC. 522. POLICY STATEMENT ON FEDERAL ACCOUNTING.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Current accounting methods fail to capture and present
in a compelling manner the full scope of the Government and
its fiscal situation.
(2) Most fiscal analyses produced by the Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) are conducted over a 10-year time
horizon. The use of generational accounting or a longer time
horizon would provide a more complete picture of the
Government's fiscal situation.
(3) The Federal budget currently accounts for most programs
on a cash accounting basis, which records revenue and
expenses when cash is actually paid or received. However, it
accounts for loan and loan guarantee programs on an accrual
basis, which records revenue when earned and expenses when
incurred.
(4) The Government Accountability Office has advised that
accrual accounting may provide a more accurate estimate of
the Government's liabilities than cash accounting for some
programs, specifically insurance programs.
(5) Accrual accounting under the Federal Credit Reform Act
of 1990 (FCRA) understates the risk and thus the true cost of
some Federal programs, including loans and loan guarantees.
(6) Fair value accounting better reflects the risk
associated with Federal loan and loan guarantee programs by
using a market based discount rate. CBO, for example, uses
fair value accounting to measure the cost of Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac.
(7) In comparing fair value accounting to FCRA, CBO has
concluded that ``adopting a fair-value approach would provide
a more comprehensive way to measure the costs of Federal
credit programs and would permit more level comparisons
between those costs and the costs of other forms of Federal
assistance''.
(8) This concurrent resolution directs CBO to estimate the
costs of credit programs on a fair value basis to fully
capture the risk associated with Federal credit programs.
(b) Policy on Federal Accounting Methodologies.--It is the
policy of this concurrent resolution that the House should,
in consultation with CBO and other appropriate stakeholders,
reform government-wide budget and accounting practices so
Members and the public can better understand the fiscal
situation of the United States and the options best suited to
improving it.

SEC. 523. POLICY STATEMENT ON AGENCY FEES AND SPENDING.

(a) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) A number of Federal agencies and organizations have
permanent authority to collect fees and other offsetting
collections and to spend these collected funds.
(2) The total amount of offsetting fees and offsetting
collections is estimated by the Office of Management and
Budget to be $513 billion in fiscal year 2017.
(3) Agency budget justifications are, in some cases, not
fully transparent about the amount of program activity funded
through offsetting collections or fees. This lack of
transparency prevents effective and accountable government.
(b) Policy on Agency Fees and Spending.--It is the policy
of this resolution that Congress must reassert its
constitutional prerogative to control spending and conduct
oversight. To do so, Congress should enact legislation
requiring programs that are funded through fees, offsetting
receipts, or offsetting collections to be allocated new
budget authority annually. Such allocation may arise from--
(1) legislation originating from the authorizing committee
of jurisdiction for the agency or program; or
(2) fee and account specific allocations included in annual
appropriation Acts.

The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 553, the gentleman
from California (Mr. McClintock) and a Member opposed each will control
15 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from California.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself 3\1/2\ minutes.
Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present the Republican Study
Committee's 2018 budget, Securing America's Future Economy.
This proposal combines savings that have been proposed by the
Congressional Budget Office, many RSC members, and public policy think
tanks, including The Heritage Foundation, Citizens Against Government
Waste, and the National Taxpayers Union. It is based on a simple
principle that government should spend its money as carefully as
families spend what they have left after they have paid their taxes.
By restraining the growth of spending and refocusing resources on
core government responsibilities, adopting commonsense reforms, and
placing Medicare and Social Security back on sound financial footing,
we believe there is still time to save this country from financial and
economic ruin. But time is running out.
On our current course, the Congressional Budget Office warns that,
within 4 years, our deficits will balloon to $1 trillion annually,
adding about $8,000 a year to an average family's debt that they will
have to pay off in future taxes. Two years after that, interest on

[[Page H7858]]

the national debt will reach $654 billion. That is more than we
currently spend for the entire defense establishment.
Let me repeat that so it sinks in. Six years from now, we will spend
more than our current defense budget accomplishing nothing but renting
the money that we have already borrowed and spent. Three years later,
Medicare will collapse. Six years after that--if we get that far--
Social Security runs out of money.
This approaching crisis can be described with just three numbers: 26,
35, and 49. Once you understand those three numbers--26, 35, and 49--
you can plainly see the root of our problems.
Twenty-six percent is the combined population and inflation growth
over the past 10 years. Thirty-five percent is the growth in Federal
revenues. Clearly, this is not a revenue problem. The problem is that
third number. Forty-nine percent is the growth in spending--nearly
twice the rate of inflation and population combined.
We are about to hear about the draconian cuts from the opposition.
Let me emphasize, the RSC budget continues to grow the Federal
Government every year. I repeat, the RSC budget spends more every year.
Over the decade, we have provided for more than $1 trillion of
government growth. Only in Washington can that be described as a cut.
The RSC budget merely restrains the growth of spending over the next
decade to give families the time and room to catch up.

{time} 0915

By doing so, we can arrest the ruinous spiral of debt and interest
costs that now threaten the very solvency of our Nation.
This budget gores a lot of sacred cows, because we want to point out
the wide range of savings available to achieve. But I would ask the
opponents of this budget to consider one thing as we race toward the
looming fiscal crisis just 4 years down the road: you cannot provide
for the common defense or general welfare or do all of the other things
our government is called upon to do if you cannot pay for them. Our
mountainous debt, driven by out-of-control spending, now threatens our
ability to do so.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentleman from Kentucky is recognized for 15
minutes.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, I am going to cut to the chase: the Republican Study
Committee budget is so extreme, it cannot be taken seriously. It cuts
spending by $10 trillion over 10 years, which is $4 trillion more than
the already irresponsible spending cuts in Chairman Black's budget.
To its credit, the RSC tells us where those cuts will come from,
rather than leaving large amounts unspecified or using matching
asterisks or phony economic assumptions to reduce spending.
The RSC budget cuts Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. It cuts
programs that ensure basic living standards, protect the environment,
and help families afford college.
For 2018, the RSC budget matches the President's level for defense,
including war funding. But for nondefense discretionary spending, the
RSC budget provides $394 billion, which is $122 billion, or 24 percent,
below the austerity cap.
There is no way this House or any House would approve an
appropriations bill that inflicted a 24 percent cut on all government
operations. If just two programs--veterans' programs and NIH funding--
were excluded from those cuts, everything else would be cut by more
than 55 percent.
So yes, this budget claims to reach balance, but it would achieve it
by making cuts that would be catastrophic. Not even Congress is that
self-destructive.
I contend that the two Republican budgets actually show how
dismissing the notion that revenues must be a part of any solution to
restrain deficits and debt, compounded with the flawed notion that
balance must be achieved in the short term, will inflict intolerable
hardship on the American people.
While totally unintentional, they make a pretty compelling case that
for Congress to responsibly address our debts and deficits, while
funding the Federal programs and investments that the American people
want and expect, raising revenues has to be part of the equation.
One of the things that amuses me, in a very kind of dark way, is that
I remember so well, in 2010, when Republicans actually rode to victory
in the House by claiming that we Democrats were going to cut $750
billion out of Medicare. That wasn't true, but they claimed it.
Now, in this Republican Study Committee budget, they have doubled
down on that. It is not exactly double, but they are going to cut it by
$898 billion. I don't think America's seniors and the disabled
population would feel very good about that.
I would like to thank my colleagues for bringing that important issue
to the debate.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Walker), the chairman of the Republican Study
Committee.
Mr. WALKER. Mr. Chairman, $20.2 trillion. Our national debt is more
than $20.2 trillion.
Let's put it this way: each American's share of the national debt is
$62,000. From the retiree in North Carolina who has already done so
much to serve the country, to the newborn child in New York with so
much potential, that is $62,000. In fact, it is more than the median
American family brings home in an entire year.
Our debt continues to mount, even as Federal reserves reach record
highs. This leads to an undeniable conclusion, even from Captain
Obvious: the Federal Government has a spending problem.
The growing Federal Government has significant negative consequences
for the country and its people. The large Federal debt reduces
investment, productivity, and wages, while Federal interventions in the
economy reduce the incentive to work, resulting in a shrinking labor
market.
The debt can have dangerous implications for our national security,
recently causing a bipartisan group of leading national security
officials to write that ``our long-term debt is the single greatest
threat to our national security.''
Most fundamentally, when the Federal Government is too big and too
intrusive, it interferes with our unalienable rights to life, liberty,
and the pursuit of happiness.
Eleven months ago, the American people voted to give Republicans
unified control of government. Now it is time to follow through and
implement the policy agenda that Congress and the President were
elected on.
As the calendar moves into fall, the grade of the 115th Congress will
be delivered on whether we can reform our inefficient Tax Code. This
process starts with the budget. Along with repealing ObamaCare and
securing our border, the Republican Study Committee budget allows us to
fulfill these promises, and more.
This fiscal year 2018 RSC budget ensures a strong national security,
robust economic growth, equal opportunity for all, a sustainable social
safety net, and a return to constitutionally limited government, all
with a goal of securing America's future economy.
Instead of a future of high debt and low growth, the RSC budget
proposes a positive blueprint for success and opportunity. Our budget
focuses on progrowth, profamily policies that will boost America's
economy and provide a strong fiscal foundation for generations to come.
Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would like to thank my friend, Mr.
McClintock, for his leadership of the RSC budget task force, as well as
all the members of the Republican Study Committee who participated in
this effort.
With this budget, we have accomplished our goals of detailing the
variety of bold policy solutions, as well as helping to influence the
balanced budget offered by my friend, Chairman Black, to include
meaningful, enforceable, reconciliation targets, as the RSC budget
does, so that we can begin the essential task of implementing these
policies into law.
My fellow Members, when will our debt matter? Next year? The year
after?

[[Page H7859]]

In 6 years, we are projected to spend more than $650 billion on
interest alone on our debt.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentleman from North Carolina.
Mr. WALKER. What will it take for our friends on the left to stop
hijacking the American Dream for our children and grandchildren? Is it
not a moral injustice to leave this level of debt to the next
generation?
Mr. Chairman, we have been making this argument in the House for
years. Today, it is time to make a difference.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, it is fascinating to have this debate and speaking in
such high-principled ways about the need to reduce deficits and debt. I
don't think any Democrat would argue that we need to do something to
reduce deficits and debt. We face a very dire, long-term fiscal future.
But we also lose sight of the fact that the American people expect
something from their government. They expect our government to keep
them safe, but they also expect their government to protect their
drinking water, protect their air, to make sure that the food they eat
is not dangerous, to provide law enforcement and help local law
enforcement to do many things.
The budget, as well as Chairman Black's committee budget, would
decimate all of those services that the American people expect from the
Federal Government.
I think only about what is going on right now with Houston, Florida,
Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and the enormous cost that the
Federal Government is going to have to bear to help restore those
communities and those territories to some degree of normalcy. That is
what they expect the American Government to do. These budgets would
make that all but impossible.
So we look at it both ways. Later, we will propose a Democratic
alternative that actually makes those kind of investments and makes
sure that the notion of American security is not just a huge military,
but is a foundation of investment in human capital and research and
infrastructure that will allow this economy to grow. We do it with
keeping debt at the same percentage of the economy, as it is now,
because we are willing to raise revenues.
On the other hand, Republican budgets, both the Republican Study
Committee budget and the chairman's budget, anticipate enormous tax
cuts for the wealthiest Americans and corporations--tax cuts that have
been proven to do exactly the opposite of what many on the other side
claim they do, which is to stimulate economic growth.
We will hear claims that, yes, we can cut taxes by $2 trillion or $3
trillion over 10 years, and they are going to be paid for by this
renewal of economic activity. But history tells us that is not what
happens. Not only history tells us that, but virtually all the
economists in the country tell us that, too.
Goldman Sachs, Steve Mnuchin's previous employer, says that the tax
cuts outlined last week would maybe create an additional 0.2 percent of
growth in the economy.
CBO and the Federal Reserve say tax cuts don't pay for themselves.
Even Bruce Bartlett, the author of ``Reaganomics,'' says this whole
notion that tax cuts pay for themselves is nonsense. He actually said
bull, which is half of what he said, but you get the idea.
This is not easy. We can speak in the darkest terms of how we are
imposing this debt on our grandchildren and try to use emotional
arguments. But the fact is, we are dealing with a very realistic,
pragmatic dilemma, and that is: how to do what the American people
expect us to do without making the future impossible.
It is not done by the Republican budgets. We think it is helped along
by the Democratic alternative, and we look forward to having that
debate just a little bit later this morning.
Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may
consume.
Mr. Chairman, I would remind my friend from Kentucky that Ronald
Reagan reduced the Federal income tax rate from 70 percent down to 28
percent, and income tax revenues doubled.
He is correct that we expect things from our government. We have seen
a 49 percent increase in spending in the last decade. Have we seen a 49
percent increase in the quality of education or a 49 percent increase
in our infrastructure or our defense capability?
What we have seen is a 49 percent increase in bureaucracy and
government.
I would remind the gentleman that when we squander the people's
money, we rob them of the means to meet the disasters and unforeseen
circumstances that confront our country.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr.
Flores), my friend and former chairman of the Republican Study
Committee.
Mr. FLORES. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, I want to go off script for a little bit and echo the
comments the gentleman was making.
He talked about the Reagan tax cuts and what they did to stimulate
the economy and to grow tax revenues and to allow hardworking American
families to keep more of their paychecks.
I would also go on to remind the gentleman from Kentucky, to disabuse
him about his views of tax reform, and remind him that President John
F. Kennedy, a Democrat, reduced the top marginal rates from 93 percent
to 73 percent. The economy grew, more jobs were created, and more
revenue was created for the Federal Government.
Mr. Chairman, the Federal Government doesn't have a revenue problem.
It has a spending problem. That is what we tackle with the Republican
Study Committee budget.
I thank Mr. McClintock for his incredible and insightful leadership
in generating the FY 2018 RSC budget that we are now considering.
The House Budget Committee's budget proposals continue to benefit
from the framework of the RSC budget by including meaningful,
enforceable reconciliation targets, as our budget does. The House
budget will begin the essential task of implementing these policies
into law.
Other instances where the RSC-led budget proposals have historically
wound up being adopted in the larger House budget include the
following:
First, balancing the budget within a 10-year budget window.
Two, including policies to ensure the solvency of entitlement
programs, such as Social Security, Medicare, and also Medicaid.
Number three, providing the necessary funding and resources for a
robust national security.
Number four, fully repealing ObamaCare.
Number five, establishing a pathway to progrowth tax reform that will
jump-start our economy and help hardworking American families take home
more of their paychecks.
I was humbled to serve as the chairman of the RSC during the 114th
Congress. At that time, we generated a new budget for fiscal year 2017,
called the Blueprint for a Balanced Budget 2.0. It was written and
released in the spring of 2016.
Like the current RSC budget, it provided a robust agenda of
conservative policies to show the American people our vision for this
Nation.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the
gentleman from Texas.
Mr. FLORES. In the tradition of The Heritage Foundation's 1980
mandate for leadership that provided a policy agenda for the incoming
Reagan administration, our Blueprint for a Balanced Budget 2.0 for the
new President and his administration set forth an agenda for governing
in 2017.

{time} 0930

By all accounts, the RSC budget has proven successful in achieving
this goal, with President Trump basing many of the policies for his
fiscal 2018 budget request on the RSC's fiscal 2017 budget.
I am pleased to see that many RSC-led proposals are included in both
the President's budget and the House budget that we will consider later
today.
In the coming years, I look forward to continuing to see the RSC
putting forth and leading on many conservative, sound policy ideas for
our budgetary process.

[[Page H7860]]

Mr. Chairman, I urge all our colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the RSC
budget and to vote ``yes'' on the House GOP budget.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, I feel like I have to be Paul Harvey for a
second and talk about the rest of the story.
Because while what Mr. McClintock said was true about the initial
phases of the Reagan administration, at the end of the Reagan
administration, the national debt had almost tripled, and he had been
forced to raise taxes a couple of times in the interim.
So, again, we can argue about how positive cutting taxes were in the
Reagan administration, but the end result wasn't particularly good for
the American economy.
Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms.
Schakowsky), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Mr. Chairman, who wins in the Republican budget?
Same old same old; millionaires, billionaires, large corporations.
The Republican budget paves the way for their plan, which gives 80
percent of its tax cuts to the top 1 percent of Americans, while 30
percent of middle class households making between $50,000 and $150,000
a year would actually see a tax increase. This is according to the
nonpartisan Tax Policy Center.
It slashes $1.5 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid, even worse than
TrumpCare, and it ends the guarantee of Medicare benefits for American
seniors.
It attacks women's health by defunding, of course, Planned
Parenthood, once again. It slashes SNAP--SNAP, the Food Stamp program--
by $154 billion, taking nutrition assistance away from up to 7 million
households.
Did you really come to Congress to take food out of the mouths of
hungry children?
Now we are considering the Republican Study Committee budget, which
includes even deeper cuts for children and families and seniors while
giving tax cuts to the wealthy.
My Democratic colleagues and I offer A Better Deal for America. The
United States is the richest country in the world at the richest time
in history. We can have quality healthcare, affordable childcare, debt-
free college, secure retirement, and world-class infrastructure, but
not if we give massive tax cuts to the wealthiest individuals and
corporations.
So I urge my colleagues to reject the RSC budget, reject the
Republican budget, and to support the Democratic alternative. Americans
deserve a budget that grows our middle class and invests in our future.
I want to read just one paragraph of a letter from Planned Parenthood
that says: ``The House Budget Resolution proposes cuts that would be
disastrous for women, men, and young people Planned Parenthood sees
every day. It sacrifices access to healthcare, repealing the Affordable
Care Act, gutting Medicaid, and proposing even deeper cuts to low-
income nondefense discretionary spending. It undermines access to
critical reproductive healthcare, including no copay birth control, for
millions of women.''
The women of America are watching. This budget is a particular
disaster for them, for us.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Alabama (Mr. Palmer).
Mr. PALMER. Mr. Chairman, Article I, section 9 of the Constitution
grants Congress the power of the purse. This assigns to Congress the
role of final arbiter of the use of public funds.
Despite this clear declaration of power, the Office of Management and
Budget estimates that agencies collected over $513 billion in fines,
fees, penalties, and other offsetting collections and receipts in
fiscal year 2017. Allowing agencies to have slush funds outside of the
normal appropriations process is a recipe for bad acting.
The RSC budget calls for implementing the Agency Accountability Act,
which directs that all fines, fees, and settlements go to the Treasury,
making them subject to the normal appropriations process. This would
end the agencies' ability to operate independently and outside of the
oversight of Congress. More importantly, it would allow Congress to
fully account for how much money the government actually collects and
where that money is coming from.
I am also pleased that the RSC budget does what is increasingly
becoming an impossible task: it balances the budget, all while
prioritizing defense spending to keep this country secure. This budget
sets forth the bold ideas necessary to put the country back on a path
of fiscal responsibility.
The Congressional Budget Office reports that if we stay on the
current irresponsible fiscal path we are on, by 2047, in 30 years, our
debt to GDP will be 150 percent. Stated more simply, our debt will be
50 percent greater than our entire gross domestic product.
We must put our Nation back on a path of fiscal responsibility, and
the RSC budget does exactly that. As former chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullin warned, our national debt is the
greatest threat to our national security. By putting our Nation on a
sensible fiscal path of balancing the budget, we reduce the extremely
heavy burden that a bloated Federal Government places on America's
working families, allowing them to prosper and making the government
less intrusive in their lives.
I would also like to add extemporaneously in regard to what we are
doing on SNAP benefits. What we are doing is imposing work requirements
on able-bodied adults with no children. I want to repeat: able-bodied
adults with no children. I think most Americans would agree that if
they are getting payments from the Federal Government, they ought to at
least do some work.

Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from
Vermont (Mr. Welch), a distinguished member of the Energy and Commerce
Committee.
Mr. WELCH. Mr. Chairman, I want to state to my colleagues on this
budget that there are two fundamental assumptions that are being made
that need to be challenged.
One, you are saying that we have a spending problem, not a revenue
problem. This country is spending on domestic priorities and defense at
a level that existed when the President of the United States was Dwight
D. Eisenhower, and that was before Medicaid and Medicare.
We have a significant issue about how we are going to meet the needs
of the people of this country, both on defense, where we need some
help, but definitely on the domestic side as well.
The second assumption that you are making--and it is an assertion
that is made over and over again--is that tax cuts will pay for
themselves. That is the theology of your budget: tax cuts pay for
themselves.
You know, why not go to zero, and we will all be rich?
That is essentially what is being said here. But the tax cuts are
always at the high end of the income spectrum, which is exacerbating
inequality and creating a problem for us to meet essential needs in
this country.
So this question of tax cuts paying for themselves and fiscal
responsibility, let's have a little bit of history here. This was the
theology of George Bush when he passed the tax cuts when he became
President. They did not pay for themselves. We went from the Clinton-
era surpluses to the Bush-era deficits, and in another fiscally,
grossly irresponsible move, he put the war on the credit card.
The war was on the credit card. We had unpaid-for tax cuts and we had
an unpaid-for war. And this is not just fiscal responsibility; this is
governmental, personal, congressional irresponsibility. You have got to
pay for things. Whether it is the war or it is food stamps or it is any
program that you want to pick, you have got to pay for it.
You don't pay for it by the magic asterisk of saying, ``the tax cuts
that we propose,'' when we are going to spend by cutting taxes or going
into a war that we don't pay for, $1 trillion, it doesn't work. And
that is why we are in this path that is very dangerous with respect to
the long-term debt.
I believe in that. We have got to pay our bills. When we had the
majority, we had a doctrine that said: Pay as you go.
If any Democrat, the budget chair, or me wanted to propose some
spending, we either had to come up with the revenue or we had to cut
somewhere else. I believe in that.
But I don't believe in unpaid-for tax cuts paying for themselves. I
don't believe that more spending pays for itself

[[Page H7861]]

and we can just put it on the credit card.
Now, we have got some problems and challenges in this country. We
have got an opportunity problem.
The Acting CHAIR. The time of the gentleman has expired.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentleman from Vermont.
Mr. WELCH. Mr. Chairman, kids going to school get out with a debt the
size of a mortgage. We have got an inequality problem. It has never
been worse. It goes back to the Great Depression, when we had this
divide between what hardworking people made and what the top 1 percent
made.
We have got a healthcare affordability problem, but you don't solve
that by slashing access to healthcare and throwing 24 million people
off of healthcare. We have got an infrastructure problem that we are
totally neglecting. It is not addressed in this budget.
We have got a DREAMer problem.
How is it that, in this Congress, we are literally not allowing
800,000 young people who came here, through no fault of their own, not
voluntarily, and we are going to give them the hook and deport them?
It is outrageous?
We have got a rural America problem. Rural America has been left
behind. The inequality in this country is really hitting hard on rural
America, in parts of Vermont, and in all parts of this country. And
there is nothing in this budget that says: We are going to give hope to
rural America by investing in them.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Ryan), the Speaker of the House.
Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Chairman, I rise to urge the whole House
to support this Republican budget, H. Con. Res. 71.

Let me just say a few things.
First, this is a budget that reflects our first principles: freedom,
freedom enterprise, a government accountable to the people it serves.
It is a budget that will help grow our economy, and it is a budget
that will help rein in our debt. It strengthens our national defense.
It supports our men and women in uniform. It eliminate mindless,
endless spending, and it maximizes American's tax dollars. It reforms
Medicaid. It strengthens Medicare.
This is a budget that keeps our responsibilities to our children and
our grandchildren. Remember, we have a responsibility here, each and
every generation, each and every Member: leave the country better off
so your kids and your grandkids can prosper.
That American legacy is seriously at risk because of our growing
deteriorating budget situation, because of the coming debt crisis. This
budget tackles that.
There is one more thing that this budget does that is so important.
It paves the way for historic tax reform. It unlocks the reconciliation
process. We need to pass this budget so that we can deliver real relief
for middle-income families across this country. We need to pass this
budget for the people who are living paycheck to paycheck in America,
who are trying to juggle it all. They are looking to get under a
hopelessly broken Tax Code.
We haven't reformed this tax system since 1986. We need to pass this
budget so that we can help bring more jobs, fairer taxes, and bigger
paychecks for people across this country. The time for this is now, and
the opportunity is right in front of us.
I want to especially commend Chairman Black for her commitment to
this vision. I want to especially commend the members of the Budget
Committee for their steadfast commitment to this vision. We would not
be in a position today to pass this budget without her tireless
leadership and the leadership of her members of the committee.
It is so encouraging that the Senate has passed their budget out of
committee. They are on the track, too. That means we look forward to
working with the Senate to take the next step.
We have an opportunity to make right by our fellow countrymen. We
have an opportunity to make right by the people we represent. We have
an opportunity to actually restore prosperity in this country.

{time} 0945

We haven't seen that kind of economic potential in this country in at
least a decade. We can fix that this year.
We know a debt crisis is coming. We know if we do nothing, the next
generation will be worse off. We can stop that, fix this, and make them
better off.
That is what this budget paves the way for, and that is why I urge
all of my colleagues to support this budget.
I thank the chair for her steadfast support. I thank the Members for
getting us to where we are today, and I really look forward to the day
where we can look at this moment as when we got the country on the
right track.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, in closing, I would just say that we need
to cut right to the chase.
It is unlikely that either the Republican Study Committee budget or
the Republican Budget Committee budget could pass this House. It
certainly couldn't pass the Congress.
This is all about moving the ball forward so we can push through a
massive tax cut to the wealthiest Americans, with 51 votes in the
Senate. That is what this day is about, and that is what this process
is about.
Mr. Chairman, I urge my colleagues to reject both the Republican
Study Committee budget and the Republican Budget Committee budget, and
I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I include in the Record letters of
support of the Republican Study Committee budget from the Committee for
a Responsible Federal Budget, the Council for Citizens Against
Government Waste, FreedomWorks, and Heritage Action for America.

Committee for a Responsible

Federal Budget,

September 8, 2017.
Hon. Mark Walker,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative Walker: I am writing you to express our
appreciation for the fiscally responsible budget released by
the Republican Study Committee.
Your budget would make important progress by putting debt
on a downward path as a share of GDP, reducing it from 77
percent today to 56 percent by 2027--instead of letting it
rise to 89 percent as under current law.
By calling for spending cuts and entitlement reforms, your
budget helps to keep the national debt on a sustainable path.
We applaud the Republican Study Committee for your serious
contribution to the ongoing budget debate.
Sincerely,

Maya MacGuineas,

President, Committee for a Responsible
Federal Budget.
____

Council for Citizens Against

Government Waste,

Washington, DC, October 4, 2017.
House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Representative: You will soon vote on several
different budget proposals for fiscal year (FY) 2018. On
behalf of the more than one million members and supporters of
the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), I
urge you to support the budget resolution as reported by the
House Budget Committee and the Republican Study Committee's
(RSC) budget resolution, both of which would put the nation
back on the path to fiscal sanity and pave the way for
comprehensive, pro-growth tax reform.
Under the leadership of Chairman Diane Black (R-Tenn.), H.
Con. Res. 71, as reported by the House Budget Committee,
would reduce spending by $6.5 trillion over 10 years and
balance the budget by 2027. H. Con. Res. 71 provides
reconciliation instructions for fundamental tax reform that,
if enacted, will allow Americans to keep more of their money,
simplify the filing of taxes, and allow small businesses to
boost wages and create jobs. While H. Con. Res. 71 would
increase defense spending above Budget Control Act mandated
cap levels, this legislation also calls for $203 billion in
spending cuts across various programs and a $700 billion
reduction in improper payments.
The RSC budget enacts many of the same reforms as the House
Budget Committee's plan, but it proposes to reduce government
spending by $10 trillion over 10 years and achieves balance
in six years. The RSC plan creates a pathway for tax reform;
repeals and replaces Obamacare; makes Social Security
solvent; rescues Medicare and disability insurance; and
decreases FY 2018 non-discretionary spending to $394 billion.
Tax reform presents an historic opportunity to unleash the
economic potential of the American people. While Congress is
well-positioned to enact tax reform, that cannot occur until
a budget resolution with reconciliation instructions is
adopted. I urge

[[Page H7862]]

you to support both the House Budget Committee's FY 2018
budget resolution as reported and the RSC's FY 2018 budget
resolution. All votes on the FY 2018 budget resolutions will
be among those considered in CCAGW's 2017 Congressional
Ratings.
Sincerely,
Tom Schatz,
President, CCAGW.
____

[From FreedomWorks, Oct. 4, 2017]

Key Vote Yes on the McClintock Amendment to H. Con. Res. 71

On behalf of FreedomWorks' activist community, I urge you
to contact your representative and ask him or her to vote YES
on the amendment offered by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) to
H. Con. Res. 71, the budget resolution for FY 2018. The
amendment, which includes reconciliation instructions for
fundamental tax reform, is the Republican Study Committee's
FY 2018 budget alternative.
The Republican Study Committee's (RSC) FY 2018 budget would
reduce federal spending by more than $10 trillion over the
ten-year budget window, bringing the budget into balance in
FY 2023. The RSC's budget would repeal ObamaCare and enact
other patient-centered health insurance reforms, make Social
Security and Medicare solvent, and reform federal welfare
programs. It also promotes free trade, regulatory reform, and
other free market, limited government principles.
The current text of H. Con. Res. 71 and the McClintock
amendment include language that allows the House Ways and
Means Committee to produce legislation to reform the tax
code. Riddled with loopholes and special interest deductions,
America's tax code has become far too complex. According to
the Tax Foundation, Americans spent 8.9 billion hours and
$409 billion complying with the more than 74,000-page tax
code.
It has been more than 30 years since Congress passed
fundamental tax reform. Congress has a generational
opportunity to reform the tax code by consolidating and
lowering tax rates, broadening the tax base, and promoting
job creation and international competitiveness for American
businesses. This will make the tax code fairer and simplify
the filing process, allowing the vast majority of Americans
to file their taxes on a postcard.
FreedomWorks will count the vote on the McClintock
amendment to H. Con. Res. 71 on our 2017 Congressional
Scorecard. The scorecard is used to determine eligibility for
the FreedomFighter Award, which recognizes Members of the
House and Senate who consistently vote to support economic
freedom and individual liberty.
Sincerely,
Adam Brandon,
President, FreedomWorks.
____

[From Heritage Action for America, Oct. 3, 2017]

``Yes'' on the RSC's Budget: Securing America's Future Economy

(By Andrea Palermo)

On Thursday, the House will vote on the Fiscal Year 2018
(FY18) Budget offered by the Republican Study Committee (RSC)
as an amendment to the committee-approved FY18 budget
resolution. The RSC's Budget: Securing America's Future
Economy, introduced by RSC Budget and Spending Task Force
Chairman Tom McClintock (R-Calif.), would balance in 2023,
reduce non-defense discretionary spending, reestablish
national defense spending to support the military, break the
``firewall'' between defense and nondefense discretionary
spending, fully repeal and replace Obamacare, repeal Dodd-
Frank by implementing the Financial CHOICE Act, reform
entitlement programs, and finally, enact pro-growth tax
reform. If passed, the RSC's budget would give lawmakers a
serious conservative blueprint for reform.
Pro-Growth Tax Reform. Republicans campaigned and promised
to fix America's broken tax code. The current code has become
a significant obstacle to economic growth, job creation and
higher wages for American workers. The RSC budget would
fulfill the Republican campaign promise by enacting tax
reform that cuts taxes for families, makes American
businesses competitive around the globe, ends double
taxation, and simplifies the code.
Repealing Obamacare. Republicans owe their majorities to
their unwavering opposition to Obamacare, a reality that is
reflected in the RSC's budget. The budget remains committed
to fully repealing the law despite recent Republican
failures, and sends a signal to the American people that
conservatives will continue to push for free-market, patient-
centered health care reforms.
Funding Defense. Although the Budget Control Act of 2011
has put significant pressure on our military, a conservative
budget would align military spending with strategic
priorities by breaking the firewall. The RSC's budget does
not rely on the much-discussed OCO gimmick, but increases
defense spending to a total of $668 billion in FY18, which is
$119 billion above the current defense cap. Importantly, that
cost is offset by lowering non-defense discretionary spending
to $394 billion in FY18, which is $122 billion below the cap.
Reforming Entitlements. The RSC's budget maintains the
Medicare premium support reforms, which are widely
established and broadly supported. In addition, the budget
lays down bold markers on Social Security, Social Security
Disability Insurance and Medicaid. It takes a similarly
aggressive approach on mandatory program spending like food
stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP)
and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) by
building on the success of the 1996 welfare reforms and
enacting work requirements as outlined in the Welfare Reform
and Upward Mobility Act (H.R. 2832/S. 1290) and the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Reform Act (H.R.
2996).
Other important items in the budget include: Enacting the
Financial CHOICE Act, eliminating the Consumer Financial
Protection Bureau (CFPB), holding federal agencies
accountable, reducing funding for the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), separating food stamps and farm
programs, ending commodity subsidy programs, reforming crop
insurance, ending unconstitutional amnesty for illegal
immigrants, enforcing existing immigration laws, securing our
borders, delegating elementary and secondary education to
states and localities modeled after the Academic Partnership
Leads us to Success (A-PLUS) Act, reforming Higher Education
by passing the Higher Education Reform and Opportunity (HERO)
Act, eliminating Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, returning
transportation and infrastructure policy to the states,
reorganizing the executive branch, and protecting the life of
the unborn.
Taken as a whole, the RSC's ``Securing America's Future
Economy'' demonstrates a seriousness of purpose when it comes
to governing. If passed, this budget would provide a fiscally
responsible path forward for our nation, limit the size and
scope of our bloated federal government, and unleash economic
prosperity for all Americans.

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, Just a few steps from this Hall, Thomas
Jefferson addressed his first inaugural address. After listing all of
the blessings that our country enjoys, he asked what more do we need to
maintain a happy and prosperous society. He said: ``Still one thing
more, fellow citizens. A wise and frugal government, which shall
restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free
to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall
not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned. This is the
sum of good government. . . .''
We have it within our power to restore that wise and frugal
government and the prosperity and happiness that free societies always
produce the moment we summon the political will to do so. The
Republican Study Committee seeks that shining city on a hill and today
offers this map to get us there.
Mr. Chairman, I yield back the balance of my time.
The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment in the nature of a
substitute offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock).
The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes
appeared to have it.

recorded vote

Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

=========================== NOTE ===========================

October 5, 2017, on page H7862, the following appeared: The
question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes
appeared to have it. Mr. MCCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I

The online version has been corrected to read: The question was
taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the ayes appeared to
have it. RECORDED VOTE Mr. MCCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I

========================= END NOTE =========================

A recorded vote was ordered.
The vote was taken by electronic device, and there were--ayes 139,
noes 281, not voting 13, as follows:

[Roll No. 555]

AYES--139

Abraham
Allen
Amash
Amodei
Arrington
Babin
Banks (IN)
Barr
Barton
Bergman
Biggs
Bishop (MI)
Bishop (UT)
Black
Blackburn
Brady (TX)
Brat
Brooks (AL)
Buck
Bucshon
Budd
Burgess
Byrne
Calvert
Carter (GA)
Chabot
Coffman
Cole
Collins (GA)
Comer
Conaway
Culberson
Davidson
DesJarlais
Dunn
Emmer
Estes (KS)
Farenthold
Ferguson
Fleischmann
Flores
Franks (AZ)
Gaetz
Garrett
Gibbs
Gohmert
Goodlatte
Gosar
Gowdy
Graves (GA)
Graves (LA)
Graves (MO)
Grothman
Guthrie
Handel
Harper
Harris
Hensarling
Hice, Jody B.
Higgins (LA)
Hill
Holding
Hollingsworth
Hudson
Huizenga
Hultgren
Jenkins (KS)
Johnson (LA)
Johnson, Sam
Jordan
Joyce (OH)
Kelly (MS)
Kelly (PA)
Kustoff (TN)
Labrador
LaHood
LaMalfa
Lamborn
Latta
Lewis (MN)
Long
Loudermilk
Love
Marchant
Massie
McCaul
McClintock
McHenry
McMorris Rodgers
Meadows
Messer
Mitchell
Moolenaar
Mullin
Newhouse
Norman
Olson
Palmer
Perry
Pittenger
Poe (TX)
Posey
Ratcliffe
Renacci
Rice (SC)
Rohrabacher
Rokita
Rooney, Francis
Rooney, Thomas J.
Ross
Rouzer
Sanford
Scalise
Schweikert
Scott, Austin
Sensenbrenner
Sessions
Shimkus
Smith (MO)
Smith (NE)
Smith (TX)
Smucker
Stewart
Taylor
Tipton
Walberg
Walker
Walorski
Walters, Mimi
Weber (TX)
Webster (FL)
Wenstrup
Westerman
Williams
Wilson (SC)
Woodall
Yoder
Yoho
Zeldin

[[Page H7863]]

NOES--281

Adams
Aderholt
Aguilar
Bacon
Barletta
Barragan
Bass
Beatty
Bera
Beyer
Bilirakis
Bishop (GA)
Blum
Blumenauer
Blunt Rochester
Bonamici
Bost
Boyle, Brendan F.
Brady (PA)
Brooks (IN)
Brown (MD)
Brownley (CA)
Buchanan
Bustos
Butterfield
Capuano
Carbajal
Cardenas
Carson (IN)
Carter (TX)
Cartwright
Castor (FL)
Castro (TX)
Cheney
Chu, Judy
Cicilline
Clark (MA)
Clarke (NY)
Clay
Cleaver
Clyburn
Cohen
Collins (NY)
Comstock
Connolly
Conyers
Cook
Cooper
Correa
Costa
Costello (PA)
Courtney
Cramer
Crawford
Crist
Crowley
Cuellar
Cummings
Curbelo (FL)
Davis (CA)
Davis, Danny
Davis, Rodney
DeFazio
DeGette
Delaney
DeLauro
DelBene
Demings
Denham
Dent
DeSaulnier
Deutch
Diaz-Balart
Dingell
Doggett
Donovan
Duffy
Duncan (SC)
Duncan (TN)
Ellison
Engel
Eshoo
Espaillat
Esty (CT)
Evans
Faso
Fitzpatrick
Fortenberry
Foster
Foxx
Frankel (FL)
Fudge
Gabbard
Gallagher
Gallego
Garamendi
Gianforte
Gomez
Gonzalez (TX)
Gottheimer
Granger
Green, Al
Green, Gene
Griffith
Grijalva
Gutierrez
Hanabusa
Hartzler
Hastings
Heck
Herrera Beutler
Higgins (NY)
Himes
Hoyer
Huffman
Hunter
Hurd
Issa
Jackson Lee
Jayapal
Jeffries
Jenkins (WV)
Johnson (GA)
Johnson (OH)
Johnson, E. B.
Jones
Kaptur
Katko
Keating
Kelly (IL)
Kennedy
Khanna
Kildee
Kilmer
Kind
King (IA)
King (NY)
Kinzinger
Knight
Krishnamoorthi
Kuster (NH)
Lance
Langevin
Larsen (WA)
Larson (CT)
Lawrence
Lawson (FL)
Lee
Levin
Lewis (GA)
Lieu, Ted
Lipinski
LoBiondo
Loebsack
Lofgren
Lowenthal
Lowey
Lucas
Luetkemeyer
Lujan Grisham, M.
Lujan, Ben Ray
Lynch
MacArthur
Maloney, Carolyn B.
Maloney, Sean
Marino
Marshall
Mast
Matsui
McCarthy
McCollum
McEachin
McGovern
McKinley
McNerney
McSally
Meehan
Meeks
Meng
Mooney (WV)
Moore
Moulton
Murphy (FL)
Nadler
Neal
Noem
Nolan
Norcross
Nunes
O'Halleran
O'Rourke
Palazzo
Pallone
Panetta
Pascrell
Paulsen
Payne
Pearce
Pelosi
Perlmutter
Peters
Peterson
Pingree
Pocan
Poliquin
Polis
Price (NC)
Quigley
Raskin
Reed
Reichert
Rice (NY)
Richmond
Roby
Roe (TN)
Rogers (AL)
Rogers (KY)
Ros-Lehtinen
Roskam
Rothfus
Royce (CA)
Ruiz
Ruppersberger
Rush
Russell
Rutherford
Ryan (OH)
Sanchez
Schakowsky
Schiff
Schneider
Schrader
Scott (VA)
Scott, David
Serrano
Sewell (AL)
Shea-Porter
Sherman
Shuster
Simpson
Sinema
Sires
Slaughter
Smith (NJ)
Smith (WA)
Soto
Speier
Stefanik
Stivers
Suozzi
Swalwell (CA)
Takano
Tenney
Thompson (CA)
Thompson (MS)
Thompson (PA)
Thornberry
Tiberi
Tonko
Torres
Trott
Tsongas
Turner
Upton
Valadao
Vargas
Veasey
Vela
Velazquez
Visclosky
Wagner
Walden
Wasserman Schultz
Waters, Maxine
Watson Coleman
Welch
Wilson (FL)
Wittman
Womack
Yarmuth
Young (IA)

NOT VOTING--13

Bridenstine
DeSantis
Doyle, Michael F.
Frelinghuysen
Kihuen
Murphy (PA)
Napolitano
Rosen
Roybal-Allard
Sarbanes
Titus
Walz
Young (AK)

{time} 1011

Ms. STEFANIK, Messrs. DUNCAN of South Carolina, CLEAVER, DENHAM,
NORCROSS, CONYERS, CUMMINGS, RUTHERFORD, BACON, and Ms. SLAUGHTER
changed their vote from ``aye'' to ``no.''
Messrs. WEBSTER of Florida, SESSIONS, Mrs. McMORRIS RODGERS, and Mr.
KELLY of Pennsylvania changed their vote from ``no'' to ``aye.''
So the amendment in the nature of a substitute was rejected.
The result of the vote was announced as above recorded.
Stated against:
Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Chair, I was unavoidably detained. Had I been
present, I would have voted ``nay'' on rollcall No. 555.

PERSONAL EXPLANATION

Mrs. NAPOLITANO. Mr. Chair, I was absent during roll call votes No.
553 through 555 due to my spouse's health situation in California. Had
I been present, I would have voted aye on the Grijalva of Arizona
Substitute Amendment No. 1, aye on the Scott of Virginia Substitute
Amendment No. 2, and no on the McClintock of California Substitute
Amendment No. 3.

Amendment No. 4 in the Nature of a Substitute Offered by Mr. Yarmuth

The Acting CHAIR. It is now in order to consider amendment No. 4
printed in House Report 115-339.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chair, I have an amendment at the desk.
The Acting CHAIR. The Clerk will designate the amendment.
The text of the amendment in the nature of a substitute is as
follows:

Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the
following:

SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL
YEAR 2018.

(a) Declaration.--Congress declares that this resolution is
the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2018
and that this resolution sets forth the appropriate budgetary
levels for fiscal years 2019 through 2027.
(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 2018.

TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS

Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts.
Sec. 102. Major functional categories.

TITLE II--RESERVE FUNDS

Sec. 201. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for struggling families.
Sec. 202. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for health care improvements.
Sec. 203. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for job creation through
infrastructure and other investments and incentives.
Sec. 204. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for education.
Sec. 205. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for America's veterans and
service members.
Sec. 206. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for retirement security.
Sec. 207. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for increasing energy
independence and security.

TITLE III--ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS

Sec. 301. Point of order against advance appropriations.
Sec. 302. Adjustments to discretionary spending limits.
Sec. 303. Costs of emergency needs, overseas contingency operations,
and disaster relief.
Sec. 304. Budgetary treatment of certain discretionary administrative
expenses.
Sec. 305. Application and effect of changes in allocations and
aggregates.
Sec. 306. Adjustments for changes in the baseline.
Sec. 307. Reinstatement of Pay-As-You-Go.
Sec. 308. Exercise of rulemaking powers.

TITLE IV--POLICY STATEMENTS

Sec. 401. Policy of the House on affordable health care coverage for
working families.
Sec. 402. Policy of the House on tax reform that provides support and
relief to hardworking American families.
Sec. 403. Policy of the House on defense and nondefense funding
increases.
Sec. 404. Policy of the House on immigration reform.
Sec. 405. Policy of the House on Social Security.
Sec. 406. Policy of the House on protecting the Medicare guarantee for
seniors and persons with disabilities.
Sec. 407. Policy of the House on financial stability and consumer
protection.
Sec. 408. Policy of the House on women's economic empowerment.
Sec. 409. Policy of the House on national security.
Sec. 410. Policy of the House on Veterans Affairs.
Sec. 411. Policy of the House on disaster response funding.
Sec. 412. Policy of the House on the Federal workforce.
Sec. 413. Policy of the House on climate change science.
Sec. 414. Policy of the House on increased efficiency and eliminating
waste.
Sec. 415. Policy of the House on the investigation of Russian
interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS

SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.

[[Page H7864]]

Fiscal year 2021: $181,302,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $240,528,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $279,624,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $301,711,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $331,684,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $417,865,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $494,376,000,000.
(2) New budget authority.--For purposes of the enforcement
of this resolution, the appropriate levels of total new
budget authority are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $3,367,297,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,461,508,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,629,655,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,799,113,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $4,033,996,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $4,174,442,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $4,306,821,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $4,541,077,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $4,777,428,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $4,981,428,000,000.
(3) Budget outlays.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this resolution, the appropriate levels of total budget
outlays are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $3,298,502,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,458,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,600,937,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,772,732,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $4,013,050,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $4,138,267,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $4,256,084,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $4,494,045,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $4,734,200,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $4,939,221,000,000.
(4) Deficits.--For purposes of the enforcement of this
resolution, the amounts of the deficits are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $453,521,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $493,617,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $487,431,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $531,519,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $589,606,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $540,727,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $491,945,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $540,183,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $526,957,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $486,458,000,000.
(5) Public debt.--Pursuant to section 301(a)(5) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 632(a)(5)), the
appropriate levels of the public debt are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $21,039,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $21,723,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $22,376,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $23,077,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $23,809,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $24,527,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $25,225,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $25,964,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $26,751,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $27,396,000,000,000.
(6) Debt held by the public.--The appropriate levels of
debt held by the public are as follows:
Fiscal year 2018: $15,379,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $15,974,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $16,590,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $17,280,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $18,061,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $18,832,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $19,597,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025: $20,455,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026: $21,349,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027: $22,257,000,000,000.

SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.

Congress determines and declares that the appropriate
levels of new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years
2018 through 2027 for each major functional category are:
(1) National Defense (050):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $611,095,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $605,151,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $624,257,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $615,594,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $637,442,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $624,735,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $650,661,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $635,887,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $663,854,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $652,771,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $678,004,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $661,070,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $692,193,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $669,803,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $706,422,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $688,324,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $722,450,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $703,659,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $737,634,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $718,554,000,000.
(2) International Affairs (150):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $52,701,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,093,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $52,067,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,535,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $51,871,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,799,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $51,619,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,165,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $50,398,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,235,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $50,981,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,156,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $51,530,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,335,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $52,045,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,582,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $52,606,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,953,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $53,130,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $51,388,000,000.
(3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $32,607,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,808,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $33,260,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $32,550,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $33,918,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,211,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $34,622,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,863,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $35,350,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $34,622,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $36,074,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $35,346,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $36,802,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $36,040,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $37,586,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $36,792,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $38,377,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $37,565,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $39,173,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,341,000,000.
(4) Energy (270):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $4,873,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $2,963,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $5,341,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,411,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $5,742,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,074,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $5,858,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,334,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $5,789,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $4,346,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $4,807,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,471,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $4,270,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,003,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $4,166,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,021,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $6,423,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $5,297,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $6,515,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $5,459,000,000.
(5) Natural Resources and Environment (300):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $44,095,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $44,593,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $45,009,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $45,350,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $46,746,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $46,675,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $47,696,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $47,383,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $48,734,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $48,169,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $49,784,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $49,162,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $50,694,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,065,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $51,759,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $51,041,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $52,789,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $52,010,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $53,904,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $53,122,000,000.
(6) Agriculture (350):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $24,863,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,248,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $22,675,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,067,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $21,625,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,766,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $22,833,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,220,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $21,803,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,319,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $21,931,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,518,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $22,437,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,908,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $23,144,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,523,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:

[[Page H7865]]

(A) New budget authority, $23,360,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,763,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $23,171,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,596,000,000.
(7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $16,417,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $2,791,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $18,159,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $9,503,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $17,785,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $9,689,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $16,235,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,375,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $18,376,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,551,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $18,843,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $8,358,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $19,316,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,728,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $20,264,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,445,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $19,953,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,297,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $19,880,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $7,056,000,000.
(8) Transportation (400):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $94,127,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $94,127,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $96,208,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $95,317,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $90,834,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $96,984,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $91,720,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $98,346,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $92,632,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $99,800,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $93,551,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $101,474,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $94,477,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $103,104,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $95,468,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $105,171,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $96,468,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $107,021,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $97,481,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $108,930,000,000.
(9) Community and Regional Development (450):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $20,342,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,344,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $19,877,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,725,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $20,707,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,465,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $21,132,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,303,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $21,592,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,391,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $22,028,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,391,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $22,475,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,248,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $22,957,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,597,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $23,443,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,803,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $23,579,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,187,000,000.
(10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services
(500):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $106,514,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $105,100,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $109,914,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $115,689,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $112,802,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $111,590,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $116,131,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $114,730,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $118,614,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $117,458,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $120,755,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $119,721,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $122,813,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $121,720,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $124,791,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $123,693,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $126,672,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $125,661,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $128,521,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $127,646,000,000.
(11) Health (550):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $571,431,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $579,006,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $602,781,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $603,771,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $646,929,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $636,581,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $669,489,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $668,431,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $703,074,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $701,107,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $736,459,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $734,349,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $772,672,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $770,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $810,846,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $807,924,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $849,794,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $846,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $890,523,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $887,123,000,000.
(12) Medicare (570):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $598,530,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $597,691,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $655,963,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $655,485,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $694,178,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $693,880,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $746,379,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $746,140,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $840,893,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $840,679,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $865,420,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $865,230,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $888,496,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $888,306,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $986,770,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $986,568,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $1,070,124,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,069,920,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $1,152,041,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,151,843,000,000.
(13) Income Security (600):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $522,623,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $504,646,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $538,200,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $525,694,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $554,091,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $542,383,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $569,091,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $558,147,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $587,643,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $583,197,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $596,563,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $587,818,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $605,530,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $591,214,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $626,210,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $612,973,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $641,786,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $635,202,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $658,210,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $650,880,000,000.
(14) Social Security (650):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $39,801,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,644,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $43,342,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $43,283,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $46,606,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $46,586,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $50,055,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,047,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $53,680,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $53,686,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $57,643,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $57,653,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $62,003,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $62,016,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $66,598,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $66,614,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $71,052,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $71,069,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $75,625,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $75,642,000,000.
(15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $177,885,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $178,068,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $194,339,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $191,615,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $201,128,000,000.

[[Page H7866]]

(B) Outlays, $198,981,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $207,588,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $205,546,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $223,845,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $221,690,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $221,566,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $219,455,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $218,419,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $216,409,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $236,394,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $234,258,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $243,968,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $241,722,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $252,291,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $250,117,000,000.
(16) Administration of Justice (750):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $72,891,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $64,801,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $64,627,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $65,986,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $66,098,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $68,832,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $67,376,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $71,409,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $68,297,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $71,222,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $69,718,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $70,772,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $71,136,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $70,946,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $72,589,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $72,215,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $80,126,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $80,500,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $82,335,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $81,878,000,000.
(17) General Government (800):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $27,958,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,363,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $28,794,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $27,635,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $29,761,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $28,995,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $30,771,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $30,062,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $31,792,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,154,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $32,512,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,939,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $32,997,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $32,462,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $33,743,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,135,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $34,507,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,882,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $35,257,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $34,624,000,000.
(18) Net Interest (900):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $376,659,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $376,659,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $408,859,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $408,859,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $451,939,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $451,939,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $500,021,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $500,021,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $547,271,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $547,271,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $592,994,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $592,994,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $633,047,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $633,047,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $670,462,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $670,462,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $707,440,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $707,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $737,582,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $737,707,000,000.
(19) Allowances (920):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$22,591,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$12,395,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$17,085,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$12,371,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$15,770,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$12,336,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$13,661,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$10,553,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$11,494,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$8,900,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$6,624,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$4,666,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$2,414,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$833,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$872,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $907,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $14,641,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,517,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $15,832,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,367,000,000.
(20) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$82,115,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$82,115,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$85,079,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$85,079,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$84,777,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$84,777,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$86,503,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$86,503,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$88,147,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$88,147,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$88,567,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$88,567,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$92,072,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$92,072,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, -$100,265,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$100,265,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, -$98,551,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$98,551,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, -$101,256,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$101,256,000,000.
(21) Overseas Contingency Operations (970):
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $76,591,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $41,916,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $19,381,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $7,885,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $3,379,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $1,429,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $623,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $195,000,000.
Fiscal year 2025:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $64,000,000.
Fiscal year 2026:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $30,000,000.
Fiscal year 2027:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $16,000,000.

TITLE II--RESERVE FUNDS

SEC. 201. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR STRUGGLING
FAMILIES.

The Chair of the House Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in
this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report that improves the lives of struggling
families by the amounts provided in such measure if such
measure would not increase the deficit for either of the
following time periods: fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022
or fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2027. Improvements may
include any of the following:
(1) Ensuring that all Americans have access to good-paying
jobs, including funding proven, effective job training and
employment programs, such as summer and year-round youth
employment programs and registered apprenticeship programs,
and national service opportunities.
(2) Tax reform that provides support and relief to hard-
working American families, including enhancements to the
Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, and the Child
and Dependent Care Tax Credit.
(3) Expanded investments to ensure all working families
have access to high-quality childcare programs.
(4) Creation of a permanent summer child nutrition
Electronic Funds Transfer program to ensure children receive
supplemental food benefits.
(5) Additional investment in the Affordable Housing Trust
Fund beyond the base levels provided by the Federal National
Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac).
(6) Reauthorization of the Maternal, Infant, and Early
Childhood Home Visiting program that ensures the continuation
of successful home visiting programs and additional Federal
support to serve a greater share of at-risk families.
(7) Changes to improve the Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families (TANF) program, including legislation that increases
funding for the base block grant, increases access to
education and training, or requires States to spend more TANF
funds on the program's core purposes such as work, childcare,
and assistance to struggling families.

[[Page H7867]]

(8) Funding for research designed to improve program
effectiveness in creating positive outcomes for low-income
children and families.
(9) Additional investments that end homelessness among
America's families.
(10) Changes to improve support for at-risk families,
reduce child abuse and neglect, or improve reunification,
permanency, and post-permanency services in order to reduce
the need for foster care.
(11) Changes to encourage and efficiently collect increased
parental support for children, including legislation that
results in a greater share of collected child support
reaching the child and policies to ensure that non-custodial
parents are able to pay the child support they owe and
maintain positive relationships with their children.

SEC. 202. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR HEALTH CARE
IMPROVEMENTS.

The Chair of the House Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in
this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report that--
(1) improves the affordability and quality of health care
and expands coverage;
(2) improves access to and affordability of prescription
drugs;
(3) improves the stability of the marketplaces for nongroup
health insurance;
(4) advances biomedical research and development of more
effective treatments and cures;
(5) extends expiring provisions of Medicare, Medicaid,
Children's Health Insurance Program and other health
programs;
(6) improves access to opioid addiction treatment and
prevention programs;
(7) improves availability of long-term care services and
supports for senior citizens and individuals with
disabilities,
(8) improves the contemporary health care workforce's
ability to meet emerging demands;
(9) improves Medicare quality, efficiency, and benefit
design to make care more affordable and accessible for people
with Medicare; or
(10) improves Medicaid quality, efficiency, and benefit
design to make care more affordable and accessible for people
with Medicaid;
by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would
not increase the deficit for either of the following time
periods: fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022 or fiscal year
2018 to fiscal year 2027.

SEC. 203. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR JOB CREATION
THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURE AND OTHER INVESTMENTS
AND INCENTIVES.

The Chair of the House Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in
this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report that provides for robust Federal
investments in America's infrastructure, incentives for
businesses, and support for communities or other measures
that create jobs for Americans and boost the economy.
Revisions may be made for measures that--
(1) provide for additional investments in highways, transit
systems, bridges, rail, aviation, harbors (including harbor
maintenance dredging), seaports, inland waterway systems,
public housing, broadband, energy, water, and other
infrastructure;
(2) provide for additional investments in other areas that
would help businesses and other employers create new jobs;
and
(3) provide additional incentives, including tax
incentives, to help small businesses, nonprofits, States, and
communities expand investment, train, hire, and retain
private-sector workers and public service employees;
by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure does
not increase the deficit for either of the following time
periods: fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022 or fiscal year
2018 to fiscal year 2027.

SEC. 204. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR EDUCATION.

The Chair of the House Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in
this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report that supports students by the amounts
provided in such measure if such measure would not increase
the deficit for either of the following time periods: fiscal
year 2018 to fiscal year 2022 or fiscal year 2018 to fiscal
year 2027. Support may include any of the following:
(1) Efforts to make higher education more affordable and
increase college and degree completion by encouraging States
and institutions of higher education to improve educational
outcomes and access for low- and moderate-income students
through support for campus-based aid programs; increased
funding for the Pell grant program; and assistance to empower
borrowers in lowering and managing their student loan debt
through refinancing and expanded repayment options.
(2) Increases in funding for the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to put the Federal
Government on a 10-year path to fulfill its commitment to
America's children and schools by providing 40 percent of the
average per pupil expenditure for special education.
(3) Increases in funding to ensure access to high-quality
child care and early learning programs for every child
including investments in the Federal Preschool Development
Grant program, Head Start program, and the Child Care and
Development Block Grant.
(4) Increases in funding for formula programs authorized by
Congress in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as
amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act, including Title I-
A, Title II-A, Title III, The 21st Century Community Learning
Center Program, and Title IV-A, to support public school
teachers and prepare all public school students, including
students who are low-income, students learning to speak
English, minority students, and students with disabilities,
for success in college and their careers.
(5) Increases in funding for STEM, including computer
science, and Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs to
close the nation's skills gap by ensuring all students have
access to high-quality educational programming that prepares
them for high-paying careers in a global economy through the
integration of academic content and technical skills.

SEC. 205. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR AMERICA'S VETERANS
AND SERVICE MEMBERS.

The Chair of the House Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in
this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report that--
(1) reforms or otherwise improves the ability of the
Department of Veterans Affairs to provide greater and more
timely access to quality health care and to enhance the
delivery of benefits to the Nation's veterans, or improves
the delivery of health care to servicemembers;
(2) improves the treatment of post-traumatic stress
disorder and other mental illnesses, and increases the
capacity to address health care needs unique to women
veterans;
(3) makes improvements to the Post-9/11 Veterans
Educational Assistance Act of 2008 to ensure that veterans
receive the educational benefits they need to maximize their
employment opportunities;
(4) improves disability benefits or evaluations for wounded
or disabled military personnel or veterans, including
measures to expedite the claims process;
(5) expands eligibility to permit additional disabled
military retirees to receive both disability compensation and
retired pay (concurrent receipt);
(6) eliminates the offset between Survivor Benefit Plan
annuities and veterans' dependency and indemnity
compensation; or
(7) improves information technology at the Department of
Veterans Affairs, including for the purchase and
implementation of the same electronic health record system
used by the Department of Defense;
by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would
not increase the deficit for either of the following time
periods: fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022 or fiscal year
2018 to fiscal year 2027.

SEC. 206. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR RETIREMENT
SECURITY.

SEC. 207. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR INCREASING ENERGY
INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY.

The Chair of the House Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in
this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report that--
(1) provides tax incentives for or otherwise encourages the
production of renewable energy or increased energy
efficiency;
(2) encourages investment in emerging clean energy or
vehicle technologies or carbon capture and sequestration;
(3) provides additional resources for oversight and
expanded enforcement activities to crack down on speculation
in and manipulation of oil and gas markets, including
derivatives markets;
(4) limits and provides for reductions in greenhouse gas
emissions;
(5) assists businesses, industries, States, communities,
the environment, workers, or households as the United States
moves toward reducing and offsetting the impacts of
greenhouse gas emissions; or
(6) facilitates the training of workers for these
industries (``clean energy jobs'')
by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would
not increase the deficit for either of the following time
periods: fiscal year 2018 to fiscal year 2022 or fiscal year
2018 to fiscal year 2027.

[[Page H7868]]

TITLE III--ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS

SEC. 301. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS.

(a) In General.--In the House, except as provided in
subsection (b), any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report making a general appropriation or
continuing appropriation may not provide for advance
appropriations.
(b) Exceptions.--Advance appropriations may be provided--
(1) for fiscal year 2019 for programs, projects,
activities, or accounts identified in the joint explanatory
statement of managers to accompany this resolution under the
heading ``Accounts Identified for Advance Appropriations'' in
an aggregate amount not to exceed $28,852,000,000 in new
budget authority, and for 2020, accounts separately
identified under the same heading; and
(2) for all discretionary programs administered by the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
(c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``advance
appropriation'' means any new discretionary budget authority
provided in a bill or joint resolution, or any amendment
thereto or conference report thereon, making general
appropriations or continuing appropriations that first
becomes available for any fiscal year after 2018.

SEC. 302. ADJUSTMENTS TO DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LIMITS.

(a) Program Integrity Initiatives Under the Budget Control
Act.--
(1) Social security administration program integrity
initiatives.--In the House, prior to consideration of any
bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report
making appropriations for fiscal year 2018 that appropriates
amounts as provided under section 251(b)(2)(B) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985,
the allocation to the House Committee on Appropriations shall
be increased by the amount of additional budget authority and
outlays resulting from that budget authority for fiscal year
2018.
(2) Health care fraud and abuse control program.--In the
House, prior to consideration of any bill, joint resolution,
amendment, or conference report making appropriations for
fiscal year 2018 that appropriates amounts as provided under
section 251(b)(2)(C) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985, the allocation to the House
Committee on Appropriations shall be increased by the amount
of additional budget authority and outlays resulting from
that budget authority for fiscal year 2018.
(b) Additional Program Integrity Initiatives.--
(1) Internal revenue service tax compliance.--In the House,
prior to consideration of any bill, joint resolution,
amendment, or conference report making appropriations for
fiscal year 2018 that appropriates $4,860,000,000 for the
Internal Revenue Service under the Enforcement appropriation
title to carry out tax enforcement activities and provides an
additional appropriation of up to $514,000,000 to the
Internal Revenue Service that is designated for enhanced tax
enforcement to address the tax gap (taxes owed but not paid),
the Chair of the Budget Committee shall increase the
allocation to the House Committee on Appropriations by the
amount of additional budget authority and outlays resulting
from that budget authority for fiscal year 2018.
(2) Unemployment insurance program integrity activities.--
In the House, prior to consideration of any bill, joint
resolution, amendment, or conference report making
appropriations for fiscal year 2018 that appropriates
$151,000,000 for in-person reemployment and eligibility
assessments, reemployment services and training referrals,
and unemployment insurance improper payment reviews for the
Department of Labor and provides an additional appropriation
of up to $35,000,000, and the amount is designated for in-
person reemployment and eligibility assessments, reemployment
services and training referrals, and unemployment insurance
improper payment reviews for the Department of Labor, the
allocation to the House Committee on Appropriations shall be
increased by the amount of additional budget authority and
outlays resulting from that budget authority for fiscal year
2018.
(c) Procedure for Adjustments.--In the House, prior to
consideration of any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report, the Chair of the House Committee on the
Budget shall make the adjustments set forth in this
subsection for the incremental new budget authority in that
measure and the outlays resulting from that budget authority
if that measure meets the requirements set forth in this
section.

SEC. 303. COSTS OF EMERGENCY NEEDS, OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY
OPERATIONS, AND DISASTER RELIEF.

(a) Emergency Needs.--If any bill, joint resolution,
amendment, or conference report makes appropriations for
discretionary amounts and such amounts are designated as
necessary to meet emergency needs pursuant to this
subsection, then new budget authority and outlays resulting
from that budget authority shall not count for the purposes
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, or this resolution.
(b) Overseas Contingency Operations.--In the House, if any
bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report makes
appropriations for fiscal year 2018 for Overseas Contingency
Operations and such amounts are so designated pursuant to
this paragraph, then the Chair of the House Committee on the
Budget may adjust the allocation to the House Committee on
Appropriations by the amounts provided in such legislation
for that purpose up to, but not to exceed, the total amount
of budget authority specified in section 102(21).
(c) Disaster Relief.--In the House, if any bill, joint
resolution, amendment, or conference report makes
appropriations for discretionary amounts and such amounts are
designated for disaster relief pursuant to this subsection,
then the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations, and
as necessary, the aggregates in this resolution, shall be
adjusted by the amount of new budget authority and outlays up
to the amounts provided under section 251(b)(2)(D) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as
adjusted by subsection (d).
(d) Wildfire Suppression Operations.--
(1) Cap adjustment.--In the House, if any bill, joint
resolution, amendment, or conference report making
appropriations for wildfire suppression operations for fiscal
year 2018 that appropriates a base amount equal to 70 percent
of the average cost of wildfire suppression operations over
the previous 10 years and provides an additional
appropriation of up to but not to exceed $1,154,000,000 for
wildfire suppression operations and such amounts are so
designated pursuant to this paragraph, then the allocation to
the House Committee on Appropriations may be adjusted by the
additional amount of budget authority above the base amount
and the outlays resulting from that additional budget
authority.
(2) Deficit-neutral adjustment.--The total allowable
discretionary adjustment for disaster relief pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall be reduced by an amount
equivalent to the sum of allocation increases made pursuant
to paragraph (1) in the previous year.
(e) Procedure for Adjustments.--In the House, prior to
consideration of any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or
conference report, the Chair of the House Committee on the
Budget shall make the adjustments set forth in subsections
(b), (c), and (d) for the incremental new budget authority in
that measure and the outlays resulting from that budget
authority if that measure meets the requirements set forth in
this section.

SEC. 304. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF CERTAIN DISCRETIONARY
ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.

(a) In General.--In the House, 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 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 House Committee on Appropriations amounts
for the discretionary administrative expenses of the Social
Security Administration and of the Postal Service.
(b) Special Rule.--For purposes of applying section 302(f)
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.

SEC. 305. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS
AND AGGREGATES.

(a) Application.--In the House, any adjustments of
allocations and aggregates made pursuant to this 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 resolution.
(c) Adjustments.--The Chair of the House Committee on the
Budget may adjust the aggregates, allocations, and other
levels in this resolution for legislation which has received
final congressional approval in the same form by the House of
Representatives and the Senate, but has yet to be presented
to or signed by the President at the time of final
consideration of this resolution.

SEC. 306. ADJUSTMENTS FOR CHANGES IN THE BASELINE.

The Chair of the House Committee on the Budget may adjust
the allocations, aggregates, reconciliation targets, and
other appropriate budgetary levels in this concurrent
resolution to reflect changes resulting from the
Congressional Budget Office's update to its baseline for
fiscal years 2018 through 2027.

SEC. 307. REINSTATEMENT OF PAY-AS-YOU-GO.

In the House, and pursuant to section 301(b)(8) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, for the remainder of the
115th Congress, the following shall apply in lieu of
``CUTGO'' rules and principles:
(1)(A) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3), it
shall not be in order to consider any bill, joint resolution,
amendment, or conference report if the provisions of such
measure affecting direct spending and revenues have the net
effect of increasing the on-budget deficit or reducing the
on-budget surplus for the period comprising either--
(i) the current year, the budget year, and the four years
following that budget year; or

[[Page H7869]]

(ii) the current year, the budget year, and the nine years
following that budget year.
(B) The effect of such measure on the deficit or surplus
shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by the
Committee on the Budget.
(C) For the purpose of this section, the terms ``budget
year'', ``current year'', and ``direct spending'' have the
meanings specified in section 250 of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, except that the term
``direct spending'' shall also include provisions in
appropriation Acts that make outyear modifications to
substantive law as described in section 3(4)(C) of the
Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.
(2) If a bill, joint resolution, or amendment is considered
pursuant to a special order of the House directing the Clerk
to add as a new matter at the end of such measure the
provisions of a separate measure as passed by the House, the
provisions of such separate measure as passed by the House
shall be included in the evaluation under paragraph (1) of
the bill, joint resolution, or amendment.
(3)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), the
evaluation under paragraph (1) shall exclude a provision
expressly designated as an emergency for purposes of pay-as-
you-go principles in the case of a point of order under this
clause against consideration of--
(i) bill or joint resolution;
(ii) an amendment made in order as original text by a
special order of business;
(iii) a conference report; or
(iv) an amendment between the Houses.
(B) In the case of an amendment (other than one specified
in subparagraph (A)) to a bill or joint resolution, the
evaluation under paragraph (1) shall give no cognizance to
any designation of emergency.
(C) If a bill, a joint resolution, an amendment made in
order as original text by a special order of business, a
conference report, or an amendment between the Houses
includes a provision expressly designated as an emergency for
purposes of pay-as-you-go principles, the Chair shall put the
question of consideration with respect thereto.

SEC. 308. 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, 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 IV--POLICY STATEMENTS

SEC. 401. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON AFFORDABLE HEALTH CARE
COVERAGE FOR WORKING FAMILIES.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Making health care coverage affordable and accessible
for all American families will improve their health and
financial security, which will make the economy stronger.
(2) Medicaid is the Nation's largest health insurance
program, providing quality, comprehensive, and affordable
coverage to more than 70 million vulnerable Americans,
including more than one in three children.
(3) Millions of low-income seniors and people with
disabilities rely on Medicaid to pay for nursing home care
and home- and community-based services that provide help with
activities of daily living.
(4) Medicaid coverage provides financial stability to
families struggling to escape poverty and to parents of
children with disabilities and special health care needs.
(5) The existing financing structure of Medicaid ensures
that Federal contributions keep pace with costs and enables
States to respond to changing needs, such as increased
enrollment in coverage during economic downturns or an aging
population that requires extensive long-term care services.
(6) Under the Affordable Care Act, 31 States and the
District of Columbia have expanded Medicaid eligibility to
low-income adults, including working parents who do not
receive coverage through their employers.
(7) Roughly 20 million previously uninsured people have
gained health care coverage under the Affordable Care Act,
reducing the Nation's uninsured rate for working-age adults
to one of the lowest levels on record.
(8) The law provides premium tax credits that vary by
income and the local cost of coverage and cost-sharing
assistance to help low- and middle-income families afford
quality insurance and pay their out-of-pocket costs.
(9) The law prohibits insurers from denying coverage or
charging higher premiums based on pre-existing conditions,
requires coverage of essential health benefits like maternity
care and prescription drugs, limits out-of-pocket costs, and
prohibits lifetime and annual limits on coverage.
(10) The law put in place significant cost-saving reforms
to Federal health programs that have played a part in slowing
the rate of healthcare spending growth in recent years, with
2011, 2012, and 2013 experiencing the slowest growth rates in
real per capita national health expenditures on record.
(11) On May 4, 2017, the House of Representatives passed
H.R.1628, the American Health Care Act of 2017, legislation
that would repeal provisions of the Affordable Care Act, make
deep cuts in Medicaid, and--
(A) result in 23 million Americans losing health insurance
in 2026, including 14 million people losing Medicaid;
(B) dramatically increase costs for older adults, low-
income families, and people with pre-existing conditions;
(C) reduce Medicaid spending by $834 billion over ten
years;
(D) jeopardize care for seniors in nursing homes, children
with disabilities, and families receiving Medicaid benefits
as States look to reduce coverage and services;
(E) severely undermine access to substance abuse treatment
during the nationwide opioid epidemic;
(F) shorten the life of the Medicare Hospital Insurance
Trust Fund; and
(G) provide nearly $1 trillion in tax cuts that mostly
benefit millionaires, billionaires, and wealthy corporations.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that--
(1) Congress should build upon the progress of the
Affordable Care Act to make health care coverage more
affordable and accessible to all American families, and
reject any measures to repeal or undermine the law;
(2) the Administration and Congress should fully implement,
enforce, and fund the Affordable Care Act, and stop any
efforts to sabotage the health insurance marketplaces; and
(3) Congress should preserve Medicaid and not dismantle it
by converting Medicaid into a block grant, per capita cap, or
other financing arrangement that would limit Federal
contributions and render the program incapable of responding
to increased need that may result from trends in demographics
or health care costs or from economic conditions.

SEC. 402. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON TAX REFORM THAT PROVIDES
SUPPORT AND RELIEF TO HARDWORKING AMERICAN
FAMILIES.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Tax plans from House Republicans and President Trump
prioritize tax cuts for millionaires, billionaires, and
wealthy corporations, while shifting more of the burden onto
everyone else. Their plans fail to close special interest
loopholes in the tax code, and even add trillions of dollars
of new loopholes for the wealthy. These plans reflect the
failed theory of ``trickle-down'' economics, which creates
few jobs and instead leads to massive deficits. A return to
these policies would--
(A) fail to create good paying middle-class jobs;
(B) do nothing to help low-income or middle-class
households with the rising costs of health care, education,
housing, child care, or retirement; and
(C) widen the income gap between millionaires and
billionaires and the middle class.
(2) Americans today are working harder than ever, but
continue to struggle to find good jobs, get ahead, and stay
ahead. This is part of a four-decade trend of stagnant wages
for middle-class and low-income households, even as
millionaires and billionaires become richer and corporations
reap massive profits.
(3) The Obama Administration ended with 83 consecutive
months of private-sector job growth, but challenges still
remain to create more good-paying jobs and broadly shared
prosperity. The number of long-term unemployed remains
elevated, and unemployment for people of color continues to
be higher than the rest of the population. Many areas remain
in need of well-paying jobs.
(4) By almost any metric, the middle class has seen little
to no improvements in their incomes. Real median household
income in 2013 was only $7,000 higher than it was in 1979.
Median weekly real earnings for workers increased less than 1
percent from 1979 to 2014. Poorer workers have done even
worse. For workers in the lower half of the income scale,
real annual wages from 1979 to 2014 grew only $76. And the
entire lower 50 percent of the United States population holds
a mere 1 percent of total national wealth.
(5) All the while, millionaires and billionaires have seen
their incomes and wealth skyrocket. Incomes for the top one
percent of households grew five times as fast as for middle-
income workers, and now average over $1 million a year. CEOs
make nearly 300 times what the typical worker does. Ten
percent of the population owns 76 percent of the Nation's
total wealth, and the average net assets of the top one
percent now exceed $10 million per person.
(6) The top one percent of households receives a
disproportionate share--17 percent--of the benefit of major
tax expenditures. This uneven distribution of major tax
expenditures has exacerbated income and wealth inequality.
The tax code treats income from wealth more favorably than
income from work by giving preferential tax rates on unearned
income, and it contains numerous, wasteful tax breaks for
special interests.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House to responsibly
reform the tax code to provide support and relief to low- and
middle-income families, create good-paying jobs, and drive
broadly-shared prosperity, while closing special-interest
loopholes and making sure the wealthiest Americans pay their
fair share.

SEC. 403. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON DEFENSE AND NONDEFENSE
FUNDING INCREASES.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:

[[Page H7870]]

(1) The current spending limits set by the Budget Control
Act of 2011 are too low, for both defense and nondefense
funding. Defense and nondefense investments must be at
appropriate levels to protect both national security and
economic security. The nondefense discretionary spending
limit for 2018 is $2 billion less than it was in 2016, in
nominal terms, representing a significant cut to purchasing
power. If the inflation rate is what the Congressional Budget
Office projects, the 2018 cap represents a reduction of
nearly $30 billion compared with 2016. Defense spending faces
similar reductions.
(2) The Budget Control Act of 2011 is based on parity for
defense and nondefense spending, setting up separate caps for
both and instituting a ``firewall'' to prevent reductions in
one category because of increases in the other.
(3) Bipartisan agreement has provided a solution to the
austerity-level caps before, and can be used again to change
these arbitrary spending caps to prevent the harsh impact of
massive, irresponsible cuts to important Federal programs.
(4) Congress must begin discussions and negotiations
immediately, to raise the caps to appropriate levels, and
maintain parity between defense and nondefense.
(b) Policy on Defense and Nondefense Funding Increases.--It
is the policy of the House that Congress should enact
increases to the current defense and nondefense spending
limits, in equal amounts, without using reductions in one
category to pay for increases in the other.

SEC. 404. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON IMMIGRATION REFORM.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Fixing the country's broken immigration system will
mean safer communities, a stronger economy and lower budget
deficits.
(2) The Congressional Budget Office estimated that enacting
the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration
Modernization Act, as introduced by House Democrats in the
113th Congress, would have reduced the deficit by $900
billion over the next 2 decades, boosting the economy by 5.4
percent, and increasing productivity by 1.0 percent.
(3) The Social Security Actuary estimated that immigration
reform will reduce the Social Security shortfall by 8 percent
and will extend the life of the Social Security Trust Fund by
2 years.
(4) The United States is a Nation founded, built and
sustained by immigrants, and the Congress has a
responsibility to harness the power of that tradition by
implementing an effective and fair immigration policy.
(5) The current immigration system is broken because it
keeps families of legal immigrants and United States citizens
separated for decades, it allows for the exploitation of
undocumented workers to the detriment of all workers, it does
not meet the needs of our economy and discourages legal
immigration, and it keeps millions of hard-working, law-
abiding families who have lived in our communities for
decades hiding in the shadows, including many thousands who
came to the United States as infants or young children.
(6) Overly aggressive immigration enforcement that focuses
on individuals with deep ties to the United States hurts
State and local law enforcement efforts to establish and
maintain trust with immigrant communities. The number of
Latinos reporting crimes in big cities across the country is
lower than past years, particularly among domestic violence
and sexual assault victims.
(7) The vast majority of individuals in U.S. Immigration
and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody have not been convicted
of a serious crime. ICE's own statistics demonstrate that
arrests of people with no criminal record increased 157
percent in the first 100 days of the Trump Administration,
and only 6.5 percent of those arrested were convicted of
violent crimes.
(8) The number of detained asylum seekers continues to rise
dramatically and detaining asylum seekers, other vulnerable
populations, and those who do not pose risks to public safety
is unnecessary and wasteful.
(9) Increasing the use of alternatives to detention rather
than expanding immigration detention would be more humane and
cost-effective.
(10) It has been nearly four years since the Senate passed,
on a bipartisan basis, its comprehensive immigration reform
bill.
(11) Immigration reform is needed to secure the sovereignty
of the United States of America and to establish a coherent
and just system for integrating those who seek to join
American society.
(12) A successful immigration system cannot rely on border
security alone. The country needs a system that promotes the
reunification of families, protects workers and is responsive
to the needs of employers, and implements an inclusive
legalization program for those who are currently here.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that Congress
enact comprehensive immigration reform - such as the Border
Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization
Act, introduced by House Democrats in the 113th Congress - to
boost our economy, lower deficits, establish clear and just
rules for citizenship, and make our communities safer.

SEC. 405. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON SOCIAL SECURITY.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Most of the 61 million Americans who currently receive
earned Social Security benefits rely on these benefits for
the majority of their income, with nearly a quarter of them
relying on Social Security for at least 90 percent of their
income.
(2) In the past, Social Security benefits were part of a 3-
legged stool where retirees relied on a combination of Social
Security, a private pension, and personal savings to finance
retirement.
(3) Social Security benefits will be more important to
future retirees as few workers will receive traditional
pensions, and many workers cannot afford to adequately fund
their retirement through employer-sponsored savings plans or
IRAs.
(4) Social Security's Disability Insurance (DI) and Old Age
and Survivors Insurance (OASI) systems are intertwined both
in their benefit structure and in their revenues - DI
recipients who reach retirement age receive OASI benefits and
beneficiaries in each category have helped finance the other
category even if they will never receive those benefits.
(5) Social Security benefits are already being cut as
Social Security's normal retirement age is increasing from 66
years for workers retiring now to 67 years for those born in
1960 and later. This cut disproportionately impacts low-
earners because life expectancy continues to increase among
higher-earners but not low-earners. Thus, high-earners will
generally receive benefits for a longer time than low-
earners.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that the House
of Representatives will not adopt changes to Social Security
that involve reductions in earned Social Security benefits.

SEC. 406. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON PROTECTING THE MEDICARE
GUARANTEE FOR SENIORS AND PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Senior citizens and persons with disabilities highly
value the Medicare program and rely on Medicare to guarantee
their health and financial security.
(2) In 2018, 60,000,000 people will rely on Medicare for
coverage of hospital stays, physician visits, prescription
drugs, and other necessary medical goods and services.
(3) The Medicare program has lower administrative costs
than private insurance, and Medicare costs per enrollee have
grown at a slower rate than private insurance for a given
level of benefits.
(4) People with Medicare already have the ability to choose
a private insurance plan within Medicare through the Medicare
Advantage option, yet two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries
chose the traditional fee-for-service program instead of a
private plan in 2016.
(5) Rising health care costs are not unique to Medicare or
other Federal health programs, they are endemic to the entire
health care system.
(6) Converting Medicare into a voucher for the purchase of
health insurance will merely force seniors and individuals
with disabilities to pay much higher premiums if they want to
use their voucher to purchase traditional Medicare coverage.
(7) A voucher system in which the voucher payment fails to
keep pace with growth in health costs would expose seniors
and persons with disabilities on fixed incomes to
unacceptable financial risks.
(8) Shifting more health care costs onto Medicare
beneficiaries would not reduce overall health care costs,
instead it would mean beneficiaries would face higher
premiums, eroding coverage, or both.
(9) Versions of voucher policies that do not immediately
end the traditional Medicare program will merely set it up
for a death spiral as private plans siphon off healthier and
less expensive beneficiaries, leaving the sickest
beneficiaries in a program that will wither away.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that the
Medicare guarantee for seniors and persons with disabilities
should be preserved and strengthened, and that any
legislation to end the Medicare guarantee, financially
penalize people for choosing traditional Medicare, or shift
rising health care costs onto seniors by replacing Medicare
with vouchers or premium support for the purchase of health
insurance, should be rejected.

SEC. 407. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON FINANCIAL STABILITY AND
CONSUMER PROTECTION.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act of 2010 is an important component of the
country's response to the financial crisis and recession. It
took a number of steps to protect consumers of financial
products and services as well as protect taxpayers from the
costs of another financial crisis.
(2) These steps included the creation of an orderly
liquidation process to allow regulators to close failing
institutions that some argue are ``too big to fail,'' as well
as a new Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC), an
Office of Financial Research to monitor the stability of our
financial system, and the Consumer Financial Protection
Bureau (the Consumer Bureau).
(3) The Consumer Bureau plays a critical role in protecting
older Americans, military service members, student loan
borrowers, and other consumers, especially in minority and
low-income communities. It has implemented new rules for
mortgage markets and prepaid cards, and also successfully
recovered nearly $12 billion on behalf of more than 29
million consumers and service members.

[[Page H7871]]

(4) The Consumer Bureau's funding from the Federal
Reserve's operations help give it important independence from
efforts to interfere with its vital mission and activities,
independence on par with every other banking regulator.
(5) The Consumer Bureau has already faced and overcome
efforts to obstruct its operations.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that Congress
should continue to support the vital work of the Consumer
Financial Protection Bureau as well as its governing and
financing structures and other key components of the Dodd-
Frank legislation such as orderly liquidation authority,
FSOC, and the Office of Financial Research.

SEC. 408. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON WOMEN'S ECONOMIC
EMPOWERMENT.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Women's contributions are critical to the economic
success of hard-working families.
(2) Not only do women play a key role in maintaining
healthy families, they also have unique health care needs and
face issues that require special focus.
(3) Every hard-working American deserves to feel safe and
supported during retirement. Yet women are more likely to
face financial risk during retirement because of their lower
lifetime earnings and disproportionate role as family
caregivers.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that Congress
should economically empower women and protect their health
and safety. Congress must enact policies that would
accomplish the following:
(1) Help families attain better jobs, fight pay inequity,
raise the minimum wage, and enable women entrepreneurs and
small businesses to achieve their goals.
(2) Give American families control of their own lives, and
help them balance the demands of work and family. These
policies include paid and expanded family and medical leave,
paid sick days, and quality, affordable child care.
(3) Strengthen the retirement security of women and their
families by protecting Social Security, Medicare and
Medicaid.
(4) Support caregivers, many of whom sacrifice their own
careers to provide for family members.
(5) Maintain health insurance protections for women,
increase funding for the prevention and treatment of women's
health issues such as breast cancer and heart disease, and
support access to full reproductive care.
(6) Prevent and protect women from domestic violence and
sexual abuse.

SEC. 409. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON NATIONAL SECURITY.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The country faces many national security challenges and
we must continue to support a strong military that is second
to none.
(2) Those who serve in uniform are our most important
security resource and the Administration and Congress shall
continue to provide the support they need to successfully
carry out the missions the country gives them.
(3) A growing economy is the foundation of our security and
enables the country to provide the resources for a strong
military, sound homeland security agencies, and effective
diplomacy and international development.
(4) Austerity-level spending caps threaten adequate
investment in activities critical to our economy and national
security, which include activities funded by both the defense
and nondefense portions of the discretionary budget.
(5) Diplomacy and foreign aid are essential components of
our security and the President's proposal to cut these
activities by 32 percent below current levels prompted more
than 120 retired admirals and generals who have first-hand
knowledge of their effectiveness in securing our Nation to
forcefully object.
(6) The Nation's projected long-term debt could have
serious consequences for our economy and security, and that
more efficient military spending has to be part of an overall
plan that effectively deals with this problem.
(7) Reining in wasteful spending at the Nation's security
agencies, including the Department of Defense--the last
department still unable to pass an audit--such as the
elimination of duplicative programs and better controlling
delays and cost overruns on weapon systems that have been
identified by the Government Accountability Office (GAO)
needs to continue as a priority.
(8) The Department of Defense should continue to review
defense plans and requirements to ensure that weapons
developed to counter Cold War-era threats are not redundant,
are affordable, and are applicable to 21st century threats;
and such review should include, with the participation of the
National Nuclear Security Administration, examination of
requirements for, and cost of, the nuclear weapons stockpile,
nuclear weapons delivery systems, and nuclear weapons and
infrastructure modernization.
(9) Nonwar operation and maintenance costs per active-duty
service member have grown at a rate well above inflation for
decades--from $59,000 per service member in 1980 to $157,000
per service member in 2015 (measured in constant 2017
dollars), and it is imperative that unsustainable cost growth
be controlled in this area.
(10) Cooperative threat reduction and other
nonproliferation programs (securing ``loose nukes'' and other
materials used in weapons of mass destruction), which were
highlighted as high priorities by the 9/11 Commission, need
to be funded at a level that is commensurate with the
evolving threat.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that--
(1) the austerity-level spending caps required by the
Budget Control Act of 2011 for fiscal years 2018 through 2021
should be rescinded and replaced by a fiscal plan that is
balanced and takes into account a comprehensive national
security strategy that includes careful consideration of
international, defense, homeland security, and law
enforcement programs; and
(2) efficiencies can be achieved in the national defense
budget without compromising our security through greater
emphasis on eliminating duplicative and wasteful programs,
reforming the acquisition process, identifying and
constraining unsustainable operating costs, and through
careful analysis of our national security needs.

SEC. 410. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) continues to
face challenges meeting the needs of the next generation of
returning veterans, including sufficient funding to provide
critical services and benefits.
(2) Access to quality health care and veterans' benefits
has been an ongoing challenge for the VA, highlighted most
recently in the ongoing claims backlog and veterans waiting
months for health care appointments.
(3) Providing health care where veterans live and ensuring
a sufficient number of health care professionals, especially
in the area of mental health treatment, have also been
challenges.
(4) The VA has made progress in reducing the number of
initial benefit claims, dropping the claims backlog to less
than 94,000 from a peak of 611,000 claims just a few years
ago, but that statistic leaves out the many veterans who are
still waiting many months or even years to have their appeals
decided.
(5) The President's budget includes a 6 percent increase
over current-year funding but shifts funding away from
critical programs that veterans rely on in favor of expanded
funding that pays for certain veterans to get private health
care at the expense of care provided at VA hospitals and
clinics.
(6) The President's budget also cuts funding from other
Federal agencies that provide lifesaving programs and
services for veterans, including deep cuts to Medicaid
benefits veterans rely on, the elimination of the Interagency
Council on Homelessness, steep cuts at the Department of
Housing and Urban Development, elimination of the Legal
Services Corporation, and severe cuts to entrepreneurship
outreach programs targeted to veterans through the Small
Business Administration.
(7) The VA currently has advance appropriations for
approximately 85 percent of its discretionary budget. The
residual 15 percent, which includes funding for the day-to-
day operations at the Veterans Benefits Administration,
remains vulnerable to a Government shutdown.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that--
(1) Congress should support a funding level no less than
the President's request for veterans' discretionary programs
so that the VA has the resources it needs to ensure veterans
get the health care and benefits they earned in a timely
fashion;
(2) Congress should lift the austerity-level funding cap on
nondefense programs for 2018 and beyond to ensure adequate
funding for veterans' programs;
(3) advance appropriations be expanded to cover all of VA's
discretionary budget to prevent delays in veterans' benefits
and services during a Government shutdown;
(4) the VA submit along with its annual budget a ``Future-
Years Veterans Program'' that projects its needs over five
years to help facilitate the appropriations and oversight
processes;
(5) Congress should provide sufficient resources for the
VA's Office of the Inspector General to guarantee veterans
are properly served and that resources are spent efficiently;
(6) no changes be made to the Individual Unemployability
benefit to ensure that disabled veterans, many of them
severely disabled, who are deemed unable to engage in
substantial work as a result of their service to our country,
continue to receive the full disability and social security
benefits they earned and were promised; and
(7) Congress shall provide sufficient funding and staff
resources for VA hospitals and clinics, and that any
increased funding for private and community care not provided
directly by the VA should not come at the expense of
necessary resources for VA hospitals and clinics.

SEC. 411. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON DISASTER RESPONSE FUNDING.

(a) Findings.--The House find the following:
(1) Natural disasters such as hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and
Maria require swift congressional action to help storm
survivors get their lives back on track, rebuild disaster-
stricken communities, and prevent further damage to the
economy.
(2) The Budget Control Act of 2001 provides procedural
tools specifically to respond to

[[Page H7872]]

natural disasters, by allowing adjustments to the spending
caps for disaster and emergency spending.
(3) Mitigation and prevention is an important part of
disaster recovery and response, providing investments that
make future disasters less costly in terms of both dollars
and lives.
(b) Policy on Funding for Disaster Response and Recovery.--
It is the policy of the House that Congress should act
swiftly to assist with recovery from hurricanes and other
natural disasters. Such funding should be provided using the
budgetary provisions in place for this purpose: providing
adjustments to the spending caps for disaster and emergency
response, recovery, and mitigation. Congress must also
support efforts to address future disaster damage and loss,
by appropriately funding mitigation and prevention efforts.

SEC. 412. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON THE FEDERAL WORKFORCE.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Federal workforce provides vital services to our
Nation on a daily basis. It includes those who patrol and
secure our borders, protect us from terrorists, take care of
our veterans, help run our airports, counter cyber-attacks,
find cures for deadly diseases, and keep our food supply
safe.
(2) Veterans make up 31 percent of the Federal workforce.
(3) Many Federal workers are paid at a rate that is far
below their private sector counterparts.
(4) The Federal workforce is older than in past decades and
older than the private sector workforce. Nearly one third of
the Federal workforce is eligible to retire.
(5) Federal employee pay and benefits are not the cause of
the country's deficits and debt. The Federal workforce has
already contributed more than $180 billion toward reducing
the country's deficits in the form of pay freezes, pay raises
insufficient to keep pace with inflation, furloughs, and
increased retirement contributions. The President's budget
for 2018 continues to unfairly target the Federal workforce
by proposing an additional $149 billion in compensation and
retirement benefit cuts.
(6) Since 1975, the Federal workforce has declined 35
percent relative to the size of the population of the United
States.
(7) Nearly all of the increase in the Federal civilian
workforce from 2001 to 2016 is due to increases at security-
related agencies, including the Department of Defense,
Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Veterans
Affairs.
(8) Proposals to reduce the size of the workforce at
nonsecurity agencies by 10 percent have excluded an
assessment of their impact on government services.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that Congress
should not target Federal employees to achieve further
reductions in the deficit as they have already contributed
more than their fair share, that Federal workers should be
compensated with pay and benefits at a level that enables the
government to attract high quality people--which is
especially important during this period when more workers
will be retiring--and that no proposal to reduce the size of
the workforce should be considered without an assessment of
its impact on government services.

SEC. 413. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON CLIMATE CHANGE SCIENCE.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Global climate change is a threat to national security,
public health, and economic growth.
(2) The United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change concluded that the effects of climate change are
occurring worldwide, stating: ``The impacts of climate change
have already been felt in recent decades on all continents
and across the oceans''.
(3) The United States Government Accountability Office
described climate change as, ``a complex, crosscutting issue
that poses risks to many environmental and economic systems--
including agriculture, infrastructure, ecosystems, and human
health--and presents a significant financial risk to the
Federal Government''.
(4) In March 2017, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, in
written testimony to the Senate Armed Services Committee,
stated that ``climate change can be a driver of instability
and the Department of Defense must pay attention to potential
adverse impacts generated by this phenomenon''.
(5) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that
2016 was the warmest year on record, setting a new record for
global average surface temperatures for the third year in a
row. Furthermore, 16 of the 17 warmest years on record have
occurred since 2001.
(6) The United States National Research Council's National
Climate Assessment and Development Advisory Committee found
climate change affects ``human health, water supply,
agriculture, transportation, energy, coastal areas, and many
other sectors of society, with increasingly adverse impacts
on the American economy and quality of life''.
(7) The most vulnerable among us, including children, the
elderly, low-income individuals, and those with underlying
health conditions, face even greater health risks as a result
of climate change.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that climate
change presents a significant public health, environmental,
and financial risk to the United States. The United States
must continue to play a leadership role on climate change
policy and should not retreat from global commitments on
climate change. Congress must provide robust funding for
climate change science, which provides critical information
for protecting human health, defending the United States, and
preserving economic and environmental systems throughout the
world.

SEC. 414. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON INCREASED EFFICIENCY AND
ELIMINATING WASTE.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Government Accountability Office (``GAO'')
identifies examples of waste, duplication, and overlap in
Federal programs, and makes regular recommendations regarding
ways to reduce costs and increase revenue.
(2) The Comptroller General has stated that addressing the
identified waste, duplication, and overlap in Federal
programs ``could lead to tens of billions of dollars of
additional savings, with significant opportunities for
improved efficiencies, cost savings, or revenue enhancements
in the areas of defense, information technology, education
and training, health care, energy, and tax enforcement.''
(3) The tax gap, the difference between taxes owed and
taxes paid, now averages $458 billion annually. Even modest
improvements in enforcing existing law could yield a boost in
revenue without any changes to the tax code.
(4) Tax expenditures, or spending through the tax code,
total $1.5 trillion per year and represent the largest
category of spending in the budget -- exceeding Medicare,
Medicaid, and Social Security. However, unlike other types of
spending, tax expenditures are not reviewed in any systematic
way in the annual budget process.
(5) Improper payments, payments that should not have been
made or that were made in an incorrect amount, totaled $144
billion for 2016. While some improper payments are the result
of fraud, the vast majority are due to unintentional errors,
such as payments to eligible beneficiaries that were not
properly verified, or overpayments or underpayments because
of a data entry mistake.
(6) Shutting down the government, arbitrarily cutting
agency budgets, and funding large portions of the government
through stop-gap appropriations do not lead to efficient and
effective government.
(b) Policy.--It is the policy of the House that Congress
must continue to root out wasteful spending, make government
operations more efficient, pass appropriations bills on time,
and avoid costly government shutdowns. Congress must task
agencies with shrinking the error rate in government programs
and provide adequate budgetary resources for agencies to
develop new processes, review expenditures, and improve
information technology systems.

SEC. 415. POLICY OF THE HOUSE ON THE INVESTIGATION OF RUSSIAN
INTERFERENCE IN THE 2016 U.S. PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION.

(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Free and fair elections are the cornerstone of our
democracy, and foreign interference in them undermines the
public trust and casts doubt on the legitimacy of our
government.
(2) The country's intelligence agencies all agree that
Russia launched a campaign to undermine the 2016 U.S.
presidential election, which included cyber-attacks,
dissemination of false information, and other intelligence
operations to malign Secretary Hillary Clinton and increase
the odds of a Donald Trump presidency.
(3) Members of the Trump campaign had repeated contact with
Russian government officials and oligarchs and then failed to
report this contact in testimony to Congress and in security
clearance applications. One such meeting reportedly included
a request for a back-channel line of communications with the
Russian government using Russian facilities, which would
preclude U.S. Government oversight. Another involved a
Kremlin-linked Russian lawyer and a former Soviet
counterintelligence officer under the assumption that they
would provide politically damaging information about
Secretary Hillary Clinton as part of the Russian government's
effort to support the Trump campaign.
(4) Under the direction of Federal Bureau of Investigation
Director James Comey, the FBI was investigating whether
members of President Trump's campaign colluded with Russia to
influence the election.
(5) On May 9, 2017, President Trump fired FBI Director
Comey and then made statements suggesting his dismissal was
to stop the investigation of collusion.
(6) On May 17, 2017, the Department of Justice announced
the appointment of former FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III
to serve as Special Counsel to investigate Russian
interference into the 2016 presidential election and any
coordination between the Russian government and individuals
associated with the Trump campaign.
(b) Policy on the Investigation of Russian Interference in
the 2016 U.S. Presidential Election.--It is the policy of
this concurrent resolution that to restore confidence in our
government and to preserve the sanctity of our electoral
process, Congress must ensure adequate funding for the

[[Page H7873]]

Special Counsel appointed by the Department of Justice so
that he can perform a thorough and nonpartisan investigation
of Russia's campaign to affect the 2016 U.S. presidential
election and any individuals in the United States that may
have colluded in those efforts.

The Acting CHAIR. Pursuant to House Resolution 553, the gentleman
from Kentucky (Mr. Yarmuth) and a Member opposed each will control 15
minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Kentucky.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chairman, Democrats and Republicans are looking at the same
challenges facing our country and American families. Education,
healthcare, and housing costs have all increased while wages stay
stagnant.
It used to be that the two parties would debate different strategies
to address the problems facing the American people. Sadly, those times
are behind us.
In giving millionaires, including the majority of this Congress, the
President, and wealthy donors a giant tax cut, the Republican budget
does not even pretend to address the problems facing the American
people. Not only does it ignore working families, it increases their
challenges.
The Democratic budget alternative, in stark contrast to the
Republican budget, begins to address the real challenges our country
faces now and in the long term.

{time} 1015

We are less than a decade removed from the worst economic crisis in
most of our lifetimes, and we have a chance to rebound in a way that
builds a foundation for our country to thrive for generations, but we
have to seize that opportunity.
Rather than giving resources to people and businesses that already
have them, we are calling for targeted investments in programs that
grow our economy, create good-paying jobs, and provide real support for
working families and real security in retirement.
Rather than sending thank-you notes to the corporations that bankroll
campaigns, we have an opportunity to make vital public investments that
lead to a brighter future rebuilding roads, bridges, and other critical
infrastructure, all of which lead to good jobs now and in the long run.
Rather than giving the President a multimillion-dollar refund on
taxes he refuses to disclose, we can invest in retirement security for
seniors who didn't inherit millions. We can invest in affordable
education so young people do not have to grow up wealthy to have a shot
at earning it in their future careers.
Instead of taking healthcare away from people, straining emergency
rooms, and making Americans sicker, we have an opportunity to continue
investing in affordable quality healthcare for all of us, finally
eliminating a great burden on American families, a burden that no other
developed nation shares.
This budget is an opportunity for our country to invest in our
future, and if we adopt the Republican budget plan, we will have
squandered it.
Democrats believe in a government that prioritizes American families,
and they should be the priorities of this Congress. I, therefore, urge
my colleagues to oppose the Republican budget and support the
Democratic alternative.
Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mrs. BLACK. Mr. Chair, I claim the time in opposition to the
amendment.
The Acting CHAIR. The gentlewoman from Tennessee is recognized for 15
minutes.
Mrs. BLACK. Mr. Chair, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Chair, I rise in opposition to this budget substitute, which is,
put simply, an abdication of our fiscal responsibility as a governing
body.
Our country is $20 trillion in debt, with $9 trillion added to the
national debt during the Obama years. We have the responsibility to our
children and our grandchildren to stop this Congress' addiction to
spending. It is a responsibility that I take seriously; it is a
responsibility that the members of my committee take seriously; and it
is a responsibility that Republicans in the House take seriously.
Clearly, it is not a responsibility that our friends across the aisle
take seriously. Our budget works to end the addiction to spending that
has dominated Washington for far too long.
The House budget, passed out of committee with unanimous Republican
support in July, begins to address our spending addiction by balancing
the budget over 10 years so that we can start paying down our national
debt, and it addresses mandatory spending in a significant way for the
first time since 1997.
This budget substitute does quite the opposite. The Democrats' budget
raises taxes by $2.7 trillion, which would be the largest tax increase
in U.S. history. It increases spending by $6.2 trillion, compared to
the budget passed by my committee. It never balances, with a deficit in
2027 of $852 billion.
What we hear from the other side of the aisle and what we see in this
budget is simply more of same: more spending, more tax increases, and
more debt. I don't think that is acceptable, and neither do the
American people.
Since we began this budget debate yesterday, my counterparts on the
other side of the aisle have been throwing out misleading numbers about
our budget and our tax reform effort in order to hide the fact that
they offer no new solutions to the most pressing problems our country
faces.
Here is a number that they should keep in mind while they discuss
this fiscally irresponsible substitute. The national debt for every
person is over $63,000. Every man, woman, and even child in our country
has a $63,000 weight hanging over their heads. Our budget takes real
steps to fix this crisis. This budget substitute does not. Honestly, it
is as simple as that.
Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to reject this Democrat substitute,
and I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. YARMUTH. Mr. Chair, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New
York (Mr. Jeffries), a distinguished member of the Budget Committee.
Mr. JEFFRIES. Mr. Chair, once again, House Republicans are determined
to visit cruel and unusual punishment on the American people by
presenting a budget that is reckless, regressive, and reprehensible. It
is a budget that will hurt working families, middle class folks, senior
citizens, the poor, the sick, the afflicted, veterans, and rural
America.
It is a budget that will eradicate the social safety net, end
Medicare as we know it, rip away health insurance from 23 million
Americans, and impose billions and billions of dollars in life-altering
debt on younger Americans.
It is outrageous that this is all being done to enact tax cuts for
the wealthy and the well-off, tax cuts for the privileged few, tax cuts
for special interests here in Washington, D.C.
This parade of horribles is being jammed down the throats of this
country so that everyday Americans can subsidize the lifestyles of the
rich and shameless.
We deserve better. The Democratic budget will invest in
transportation and infrastructure, invest in education and job
training, invest in the social safety net, invest in research and
development, invest in affordable housing, and invest in the wellbeing
of everyday Americans.
The Republican budget is a raw deal. The Democratic budget is a
better deal, focused on better jobs, better wages, and a better future.
It is worthy of our support.
The Acting CHAIR. The Committee will rise informally.
The Speaker pro tempore (Mrs. Handel) assumed the chair.

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