[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 96 Engrossed in House (EH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 96
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2015.
(a) Declaration.--The Congress determines and declares that this
concurrent resolution establishes the
budget for fiscal year 2015 and sets forth appropriate budgetary
levels for fiscal years 2016 through 2024.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this concurrent
resolution is as follows:
Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2015.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts.
Sec. 102. Major functional categories.
TITLE II--RECOMMENDED LONG-TERM LEVELS
Sec. 201. Long-term budgeting.
TITLE III--RESERVE FUNDS
Sec. 301. Reserve fund for the repeal of the 2010 health care laws.
Sec. 302. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the reform of the 2010
health care laws.
Sec. 303. Deficit-neutral reserve fund related to the Medicare
provisions of the 2010 health care laws.
Sec. 304. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the sustainable growth rate
of the Medicare program.
Sec. 305. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for reforming the tax code.
Sec. 306. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade agreements.
Sec. 307. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for revenue measures.
Sec. 308. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for rural counties and schools.
Sec. 309. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for transportation.
Sec. 310. Deficit-neutral reserve fund to reduce poverty and increase
opportunity and upward mobility.
TITLE IV--ESTIMATES OF DIRECT SPENDING
Sec. 401. Direct spending.
TITLE V--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT
Sec. 501. Limitation on advance appropriations.
Sec. 502. Concepts and definitions.
Sec. 503. Adjustments of aggregates, allocations, and appropriate
budgetary levels.
Sec. 504. Limitation on long-term spending.
Sec. 505. Budgetary treatment of certain transactions.
Sec. 506. Application and effect of changes in allocations and
aggregates.
Sec. 507. Congressional Budget Office estimates.
Sec. 508. Transfers from the general fund of the Treasury to the
Highway Trust Fund that increase public
indebtedness.
Sec. 509. Separate allocation for overseas contingency operations/
global war on terrorism.
Sec. 510. Exercise of rulemaking powers.
TITLE VI--POLICY STATEMENTS
Sec. 601. Policy statement on economic growth and job creation.
Sec. 602. Policy statement on tax reform.
Sec. 603. Policy statement on replacing the President's health care
law.
Sec. 604. Policy statement on Medicare.
Sec. 605. Policy statement on Social Security.
Sec. 606. Policy statement on higher education and workforce
development opportunity.
Sec. 607. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the
cancellation of unobligated balances.
Sec. 608. Policy statement on responsible stewardship of taxpayer
dollars.
Sec. 609. Policy statement on deficit reduction through the reduction
of unnecessary and wasteful spending.
Sec. 610. Policy statement on unauthorized spending.
Sec. 611. Policy statement on Federal regulatory policy.
Sec. 612. Policy statement on trade.
Sec. 613. No budget, no pay.
TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS
SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS.
The following budgetary levels are appropriate for each of fiscal
years 2015 through 2024:
(1) Federal revenues.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this concurrent resolution:
(A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are
as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $2,533,841,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $2,676,038,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $2,789,423,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $2,890,308,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,014,685,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,148,637,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,294,650,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,456,346,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,626,518,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,807,452,000,000.
(B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of
Federal revenues should be changed are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $0.
Fiscal year 2016: $0.
Fiscal year 2017: $0.
Fiscal year 2018: $0.
Fiscal year 2019: $0.
Fiscal year 2020: $0.
Fiscal year 2021: $0.
Fiscal year 2022: $0.
Fiscal year 2023: $0.
Fiscal year 2024: $0.
(2) New budget authority.--For purposes of the enforcement
of this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total
new budget authority are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $2,842,226,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $2,858,059,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $2,957,321,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $3,059,410,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,210,987,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,360,435,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,460,524,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,587,380,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,660,151,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,706,695,000,000.
(3) Budget outlays.--For purposes of the enforcement of
this concurrent resolution, the appropriate levels of total
budget outlays are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $2,920,026,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $2,889,484,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $2,949,261,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $3,034,773,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $3,185,472,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $3,320,927,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $3,433,392,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $3,577,963,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $3,632,642,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $3,676,374,000,000.
(4) Deficits (on-budget).--For purposes of the enforcement
of this concurrent resolution, the amounts of the deficits (on-
budget) are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: -$386,186,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: -$213,446,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: -$159,838,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: -$144,466,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: -$170,787,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: -$172,290,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: -$138,741,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: -$121,617,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: -$6,124,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $131,078,000,000.
(5) Debt subject to limit.--The appropriate levels of the
public debt are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $18,304,357,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $18,627,533,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $19,172,590,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $19,411,553,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $19,773,917,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $20,227,349,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $20,449,374,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $20,822,448,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $20,981,807,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $21,089,365,000,000.
(6) Debt held by the public.--The appropriate levels of
debt held by the public are as follows:
Fiscal year 2015: $13,213,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016: $13,419,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017: $13,800,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018: $13,860,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019: $14,080,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020: $14,427,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021: $14,579,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022: $14,940,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023: $15,080,000,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024: $15,176,000,000,000.
SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES.
The Congress determines and declares that the appropriate levels of
new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years 2015 through 2024 for
each major functional category are:
(1) National Defense (050):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $528,927,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $566,503,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $573,792,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $573,064,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $597,895,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $584,252,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $611,146,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $593,795,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $624,416,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $611,902,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $638,697,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $626,175,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $653,001,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $640,499,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $669,967,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $661,181,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $687,393,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $672,922,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $706,218,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $685,796,000,000.
(2) International Affairs (150):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $38,695,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,029,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $39,734,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $37,976,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $40,642,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,229,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $41,589,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,822,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $42,513,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,553,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $43,497,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $40,114,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $44,004,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $40,701,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $45,271,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $41,749,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $46,287,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $42,667,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $47,349,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $43,624,000,000.
(3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $27,941,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $27,927,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $28,493,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $28,240,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $29,113,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $28,750,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $29,764,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,350,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $30,413,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,938,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $31,096,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $30,589,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $31,782,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,174,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $32,493,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,870,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $33,210,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $32,576,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $33,955,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,304,000,000.
(4) Energy (270):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $4,228,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $5,751,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $3,820,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $3,416,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $2,048,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,400,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $1,762,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,192,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $1,788,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,278,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $1,851,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $1,384,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$16,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$346,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,018,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$1,283,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$1,914,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$2,188,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$6,113,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$6,699,000,000.
(5) Natural Resources and Environment (300):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $34,289,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,311,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $34,491,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $37,747,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $35,077,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $36,204,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $33,047,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $33,316,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $36,859,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $36,779,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $38,169,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $37,877,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $36,428,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $36,379,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $38,979,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $38,749,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $39,927,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,733,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $40,592,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $39,752,000,000.
(6) Agriculture (350):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $19,042,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,556,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $22,506,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,313,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $20,527,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,992,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $18,506,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,883,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $18,654,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,970,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $19,008,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,440,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $19,263,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $18,763,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $19,764,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,249,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $20,017,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,516,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $20,635,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,131,000,000.
(7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, -$3,239,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$14,762,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, -$4,518,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$18,633,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, -$7,672,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$23,217,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$7,385,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$24,136,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$6,658,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$28,258,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$3,937,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$26,052,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$4,034,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$20,982,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$4,794,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$23,197,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$5,073,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$24,597,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$5,118,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$25,793,000,000.
(8) Transportation (400):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $34,713,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $80,659,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $68,529,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $69,907,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $74,454,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $75,199,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $75,978,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $77,558,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $77,501,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $78,163,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $78,373,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $79,056,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $79,369,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $80,231,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $80,529,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $81,409,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $81,829,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $82,872,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $83,353,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $84,024,000,000.
(9) Community and Regional Development (450):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $14,556,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,608,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $15,303,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,425,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $15,269,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $19,292,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $15,414,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $17,840,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $15,387,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,841,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $15,283,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $16,008,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $15,421,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $14,679,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $15,658,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,408,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $15,954,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,490,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $16,302,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $13,910,000,000.
(10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services
(500):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $73,908,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $91,759,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $82,372,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $84,521,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $86,699,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $87,137,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $89,536,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $89,808,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $85,278,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $86,074,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $86,555,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $87,130,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $87,749,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $88,403,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $89,167,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $89,839,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $90,661,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $91,360,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $92,094,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $92,926,000,000.
(11) Health (550):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $419,799,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $416,573,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $367,238,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $370,205,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $377,752,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $375,839,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $376,732,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $377,346,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $390,437,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $390,404,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $415,814,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $405,309,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $419,124,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $418,298,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $433,512,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $432,149,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $449,181,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $447,991,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $472,300,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $471,312,000,000.
(12) Medicare (570):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $519,196,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $519,407,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $558,895,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $558,964,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $570,144,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $570,341,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $590,695,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $591,117,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $651,579,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $651,878,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $692,307,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $692,644,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $737,455,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $738,042,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $815,257,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $817,195,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $836,296,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $837,883,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $859,011,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $866,262,000,000.
(13) Income Security (600):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $505,729,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $505,032,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $487,645,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $490,122,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $489,766,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $487,105,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $492,129,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $484,280,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $493,996,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $490,014,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $512,717,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $508,689,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $520,016,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $515,475,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $529,438,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $529,111,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $530,839,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $525,624,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $525,701,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $515,225,000,000.
(14) Social Security (650):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $31,442,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,517,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $34,245,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $34,283,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $37,133,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $37,133,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $40,138,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $40,138,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $43,383,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $43,383,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $46,747,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $46,747,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $50,255,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $50,255,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $53,941,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $53,941,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $57,800,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $57,800,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $58,441,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $58,441,000,000.
(15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $153,027,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $152,978,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $164,961,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $164,807,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $163,858,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $163,269,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $162,388,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $161,646,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $174,305,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $173,499,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $179,269,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $178,380,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $183,571,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $182,676,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $195,680,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $194,719,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $192,458,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $191,491,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $189,292,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $188,262,000,000.
(16) Administration of Justice (750):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $54,011,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $54,250,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $56,932,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $56,298,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $56,770,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $58,319,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $58,405,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $59,095,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $60,239,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $60,501,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $62,146,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $61,649,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $64,263,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $63,734,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $66,967,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $66,411,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $69,031,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $68,455,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $71,166,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $70,568,000,000.
(17) General Government (800):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $23,710,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,618,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $23,064,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,826,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $21,587,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $21,674,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $23,269,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $22,973,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $24,040,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $23,582,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $24,759,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $24,331,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $25,556,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,139,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $26,353,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $25,939,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $27,097,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $26,691,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $27,912,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $27,491,000,000.
(18) Net Interest (900):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $365,987,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $365,987,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $416,238,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $416,238,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $482,228,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $482,228,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $553,820,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $553,820,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $611,852,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $611,852,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $659,310,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $659,310,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $693,159,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $693,159,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $723,805,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $723,805,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $751,215,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $751,215,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $770,124,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $770,124,000,000.
(19) Allowances (920):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, -$36,364,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$22,676,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, -$47,825,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$36,706,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, -$51,416,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$45,014,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$54,566,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$49,571,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$56,672,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$53,542,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$61,825,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$58,102,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$64,552,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$61,040,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$66,871,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$63,946,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$68,992,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$66,322,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -$65,972,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$64,338,000,000.
(20) Government-wide savings (930):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $25,904,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $20,052,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, -$14,151,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$1,701,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, -$30,525,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$17,482,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$38,302,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$27,789,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$46,446,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$35,547,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$55,559,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$44,608,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$63,060,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$53,317,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -$75,189,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$64,007,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -$87,334,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$75,209,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -
$117,125,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$96,353,000,000.
(21) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, -$78,632,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$78,632,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, -$83,652,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$83,652,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, -$83,974,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$83,974,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, -$84,602,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$84,602,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, -$91,824,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$91,824,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, -$93,787,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$93,787,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, -$98,176,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$98,176,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, -
$101,529,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$101,529,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, -
$105,731,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$105,731,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, -
$113,422,000,000.
(B) Outlays, -$113,422,000,000.
(22) Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on
Terrorism (970):
Fiscal year 2015:
(A) New budget authority, $85,357,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $52,580,000,000.
Fiscal year 2016:
(A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $37,823,000,000.
Fiscal year 2017:
(A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $32,585,000,000.
Fiscal year 2018:
(A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $30,893,000,000.
Fiscal year 2019:
(A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $31,032,000,000.
Fiscal year 2020:
(A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,647,000,000.
Fiscal year 2021:
(A) New budget authority, $29,946,000,000.
(B) Outlays, $29,647,000,000.
Fiscal year 2022:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $11,200,000,000.
Fiscal year 2023:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $4,402,000,000.
Fiscal year 2024:
(A) New budget authority, $0.
(B) Outlays, $1,827,000,000.
TITLE II--RECOMMENDED LONG-TERM LEVELS
SEC. 201. LONG-TERM BUDGETING.
The following are the recommended revenue, spending, and deficit
levels for each of fiscal years 2030, 2035, and 2040 as a percent of
the gross domestic product of the United States:
(1) Federal revenues.--The appropriate levels of Federal
revenues are as follows:
Fiscal year 2030: 18.8 percent.
Fiscal year 2035: 19.0 percent.
Fiscal year 2040: 19.0 percent.
(2) Budget outlays.--The appropriate levels of total budget
outlays are not to exceed:
Fiscal year 2030: 18.5 percent.
Fiscal year 2035: 17.9 percent.
Fiscal year 2040: 17.2 percent.
(3) Deficits.--The appropriate levels of deficits are not
to exceed:
Fiscal year 2030: -0.3 percent.
Fiscal year 2035: -1.1 percent.
Fiscal year 2040: -1.8 percent.
(4) Debt.--The appropriate levels of debt held by the
public are not to exceed:
Fiscal year 2030: 43.0 percent.
Fiscal year 2035: 31.0 percent.
Fiscal year 2040: 18.0 percent.
TITLE III--RESERVE FUNDS
SEC. 301. RESERVE FUND FOR THE REPEAL OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this
concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
only consists of a full repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act and the health care-related provisions of the Health Care and
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010.
SEC. 302. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE REFORM 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
reforms or replaces the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or
the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such
measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years
2015 through 2024.
SEC. 303. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND RELATED TO THE MEDICARE
PROVISIONS OF THE 2010 HEALTH CARE LAWS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this
concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
repeals all or part of the decreases in Medicare spending included in
the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act or the Health Care and
Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, if such measure would not
increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 304. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE SUSTAINABLE GROWTH RATE
OF THE MEDICARE PROGRAM.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this
concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
includes provisions amending or superseding the system for updating
payments under section 1848 of the Social Security Act, if such measure
would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015
through 2024.
SEC. 305. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REFORMING THE TAX CODE.
In the House, if the Committee on Ways and Means reports a bill or
joint resolution that reforms the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the
chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations,
aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution
for the budgetary effects of any such bill or joint resolution, or
amendment thereto or conference report thereon, if such measure would
not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal years 2015 through
2024.
SEC. 306. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR TRADE AGREEMENTS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this
concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint
resolution reported by the Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment
thereto or conference report thereon, that implements a trade
agreement, but only if such measure would not increase the deficit for
the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 307. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REVENUE MEASURES.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this
concurrent resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint
resolution reported by the Committee on Ways and Means, or amendment
thereto or conference report thereon, that decreases revenue, but only
if such measure would not increase the deficit for the period of fiscal
years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 308. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR RURAL COUNTIES AND SCHOOLS.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels and limits in
this resolution for the budgetary effects of any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that
makes changes to or provides for the reauthorization of the Secure
Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law
106-393) by the amounts provided by that legislation for those
purposes, if such legislation requires sustained yield timber harvests
obviating the need for funding under Public Law 106-393 in the future
and would not increase the deficit or direct spending for the period of
fiscal years 2015 through 2019, or the period of fiscal years 2015
through 2024.
SEC. 309. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR TRANSPORTATION.
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 maintains the solvency of
the Highway Trust Fund, but only if such measure would not increase the
deficit over the period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 310. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND TO REDUCE POVERTY AND INCREASE
OPPORTUNITY AND UPWARD MOBILITY.
In the House, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may revise
the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this
resolution for any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or
conference report thereon, if such measure reforms policies and
programs to reduce poverty and increase opportunity and upward
mobility, but only if such measure would neither adversely impact job
creation nor increase the deficit over the period of fiscal years 2015
through 2024.
TITLE IV--ESTIMATES OF DIRECT SPENDING
SEC. 401. DIRECT SPENDING.
(a) Means-tested Direct Spending.--
(1) For means-tested direct spending, the average rate of
growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year period
preceding fiscal year 2015 is 6.8 percent.
(2) For means-tested direct spending, the estimated average
rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year
period beginning with fiscal year 2015 is 5.4 percent under
current law.
(3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent
resolution for means-tested direct spending:
(A) In 1996, a Republican Congress and a Democratic
president reformed welfare by limiting the duration of
benefits, giving States more control over the program,
and helping recipients find work. In the five years
following passage, child-poverty rates fell, welfare
caseloads fell, and workers' wages increased. This
budget applies the lessons of welfare reform to both
the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and
Medicaid.
(B) For Medicaid, this budget assumes the
conversion of the Federal share of Medicaid spending
into a flexible State allotment tailored to meet each
State's needs, indexed for inflation and population
growth. Such a reform would end the misguided one-size-
fits-all approach that has tied the hands of State
governments. Instead, each State would have the freedom
and flexibility to tailor a Medicaid program that fits
the needs of its unique population. Moreover, this
budget assumes the repeal of the Medicaid expansions in
the President's health care law, relieving State
governments of its crippling one-size-fits-all
enrollment mandates.
(C) For the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program, this budget assumes the conversion of the
program into a flexible State allotment tailored to
meet each State's needs. The allotment would increase
based on the Department of Agriculture Thrifty Food
Plan index and beneficiary growth. Such a reform would
provide incentives for States to ensure dollars will go
towards those who need them most. Additionally, it
requires that more stringent work requirements and time
limits apply under the program.
(b) Nonmeans-tested Direct Spending.--
(1) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the average rate
of growth in the total level of outlays during the 10-year
period preceding fiscal year 2015 is 5.7 percent.
(2) For nonmeans-tested direct spending, the estimated
average rate of growth in the total level of outlays during the
10-year period beginning with fiscal year 2015 is 5.4 percent
under current law.
(3) The following reforms are proposed in this concurrent
resolution for nonmeans-tested direct spending:
(A) For Medicare, this budget advances policies to
put seniors, not the Federal Government, in control of
their health care decisions. Those in or near
retirement will see no changes, while future retirees
would be given a choice of private plans competing
alongside the traditional fee-for-service Medicare
program. Medicare would provide a premium-support
payment either to pay for or offset the premium of the
plan chosen by the senior, depending on the plan's
cost. The Medicare premium-support payment would be
adjusted so that the sick would receive higher payments
if their conditions worsened; lower-income seniors
would receive additional assistance to help cover out-
of-pocket costs; and wealthier seniors would assume
responsibility for a greater share of their premiums.
Putting seniors in charge of how their health care
dollars are spent will force providers to compete
against each other on price and quality. This market
competition will act as a real check on widespread
waste and skyrocketing health care costs.
(B) In keeping with a recommendation from the
National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and
Reform, this budget calls for Federal employees--
including Members of Congress and congressional staff--
to make greater contributions toward their own
retirement.
TITLE V--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT
SEC. 501. LIMITATION ON ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS.
(a) In General.--In the House, except as provided for in subsection
(b), any bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference
report thereon, making a general appropriation or continuing
appropriation may not provide for advance appropriations.
(b) Exceptions.--An advance appropriation may be provided for
programs, projects, activities, or accounts referred to in subsection
(c)(1) or identified in the report to accompany this concurrent
resolution or the joint explanatory statement of managers to accompany
this concurrent resolution under the heading ``Accounts Identified for
Advance Appropriations''.
(c) Limitations.--For fiscal year 2016, the aggregate level of
advance appropriations shall not exceed--
(1) $58,662,202,000 for the following programs in the
Department of Veterans Affairs--
(A) Medical Services;
(B) Medical Support and Compliance; and
(C) Medical Facilities accounts of the Veterans
Health Administration; and
(2) $28,781,000,000 in new budget authority for all
programs identified pursuant to subsection (b).
(d) Definition.--In this section, the term ``advance
appropriation'' means any new discretionary budget authority provided
in a bill or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference
report thereon, making general appropriations or any new discretionary
budget authority provided in a bill or joint resolution making
continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2016.
SEC. 502. CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS.
Upon the enactment of any bill or joint resolution providing for a
change in budgetary concepts or definitions, the chair of the Committee
on the Budget may adjust any allocations, aggregates, and other
appropriate levels in this concurrent resolution accordingly.
SEC. 503. ADJUSTMENTS OF AGGREGATES, ALLOCATIONS, AND APPROPRIATE
BUDGETARY LEVELS.
(a) Adjustments of Discretionary and Direct Spending Levels.--If a
committee (other than the Committee on Appropriations) reports a bill
or joint resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon,
providing for a decrease in direct spending (budget authority and
outlays flowing therefrom) for any fiscal year and also provides for an
authorization of appropriations for the same purpose, upon the
enactment of such measure, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may
decrease the allocation to such committee and increase the allocation
of discretionary spending (budget authority and outlays flowing
therefrom) to the Committee on Appropriations for fiscal year 2015 by
an amount equal to the new budget authority (and outlays flowing
therefrom) provided for in a bill or joint resolution making
appropriations for the same purpose.
(b) Adjustments to Fund Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War
on Terrorism.--In order to take into account any new information
included in the budget submission by the President for fiscal year
2015, the chair of the Committee on the Budget may adjust the
allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate budgetary levels for
Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism or the section
302(a) allocation to the Committee on Appropriations set forth in the
report of this concurrent resolution to conform with section 251(c) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (as
adjusted by section 251A of such Act).
(c) Revised Congressional Budget Office Baseline.--The chair of the
Committee on the Budget may adjust the allocations, aggregates, and
other appropriate budgetary levels to reflect changes resulting from
technical and economic assumptions in the most recent baseline
published by the Congressional Budget Office.
(d) Determinations.--For the purpose of enforcing this concurrent
resolution on the budget in the House, the allocations and aggregate
levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct spending, new
entitlement authority, revenues, deficits, and surpluses for fiscal
year 2015 and the period of fiscal years 2015 through fiscal year 2024
shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by the chair of the
Committee on the Budget and such chair may adjust such applicable
levels of this concurrent resolution.
SEC. 504. LIMITATION ON LONG-TERM SPENDING.
(a) In General.--In the House, it shall not be in order to consider
a bill or joint resolution reported by a committee (other than the
Committee on Appropriations), or an amendment thereto or a conference
report thereon, if the provisions of such measure have the net effect
of increasing direct spending in excess of $5,000,000,000 for any
period described in subsection (b).
(b) Time Periods.--The applicable periods for purposes of this
section are any of the four consecutive ten fiscal-year periods
beginning with fiscal year 2025.
SEC. 505. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF CERTAIN TRANSACTIONS.
(a) In General.--Notwithstanding section 302(a)(1) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974, section 13301 of the Budget
Enforcement Act of 1990, and section 4001 of the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1989, the report accompanying this concurrent
resolution on the budget or the joint explanatory statement
accompanying the conference report on any concurrent resolution on the
budget shall include in its allocation under section 302(a) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to the Committee on Appropriations
amounts for the discretionary administrative expenses of the Social
Security Administration and the United States Postal Service.
(b) Special Rule.--For purposes of applying sections 302(f) and 311
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, estimates of the level of
total new budget authority and total outlays provided by a measure
shall include any off-budget discretionary amounts.
(c) Adjustments.--The chair of the Committee on the Budget may
adjust the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels for
legislation reported by the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform that reforms the Federal retirement system, if such adjustments
do not cause a net increase in the deficit for fiscal year 2015 and the
period of fiscal years 2015 through 2024.
SEC. 506. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS AND
AGGREGATES.
(a) Application.--Any adjustments of the allocations, aggregates,
and other appropriate levels made pursuant to this concurrent
resolution shall--
(1) apply while that measure is under consideration;
(2) take effect upon the enactment of that measure; and
(3) be published in the Congressional Record as soon as
practicable.
(b) Effect of Changed Allocations and Aggregates.--Revised
allocations and aggregates resulting from these adjustments shall be
considered for the purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as
allocations and aggregates included in this concurrent resolution.
(c) Budget Compliance.--The consideration of any bill or joint
resolution, or amendment thereto or conference report thereon, for
which the chair of the Committee on the Budget makes adjustments or
revisions in the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels
of this concurrent resolution shall not be subject to the points of
order set forth in clause 10 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives or section 504.
SEC. 507. CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Costs of Federal housing loans and loan guarantees are
treated unequally in the budget. The Congressional Budget
Office uses fair-value accounting to measure the costs of
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but determines the cost of other
Federal loan and loan-guarantee programs on the basis of the
Federal Credit Reform Act of 1990 (``FCRA'').
(2) The fair-value accounting method uses discount rates
which incorporate the risk inherent to the type of liability
being estimated in addition to Treasury discount rates of the
proper maturity length. In contrast, FCRA accounting solely
uses the discount rates of the Treasury, failing to incorporate
all of the risks attendant to these credit activities.
(3) The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if fair-
value were used to estimate the cost of all new credit activity
in 2014, the deficit would be approximately $50 billion higher
than under the current methodology.
(b) Fair Value Estimates.--Upon the request of the chair or ranking
member of the Committee on the Budget, any estimate prepared by the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office for a measure under the
terms of title V of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, ``credit
reform'', as a supplement to such estimate shall, to the extent
practicable, also provide an estimate of the current actual or
estimated market values representing the ``fair value'' of assets and
liabilities affected by such measure.
(c) Fair Value Estimates for Housing Programs.--Whenever the
Director of the Congressional Budget Office prepares an estimate
pursuant to section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 of the
costs which would be incurred in carrying out any bill or joint
resolution and if the Director determines that such bill or joint
resolution has a cost related to a housing or residential mortgage
program under the FCRA, then the Director shall also provide an
estimate of the current actual or estimated market values representing
the ``fair value'' of assets and liabilities affected by the provisions
of such bill or joint resolution that result in such cost.
(d) Enforcement.--If the Director of the Congressional Budget
Office provides an estimate pursuant to subsection (b) or (c), the
chair of the Committee on the Budget may use such estimate to determine
compliance with the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and other
budgetary enforcement controls.
SEC. 508. TRANSFERS FROM THE GENERAL FUND OF THE TREASURY TO THE
HIGHWAY TRUST FUND THAT INCREASE PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS.
For purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, or the rules or
orders of the House of Representatives, a bill or joint resolution, or
an amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that transfers funds
from the general fund of the Treasury to the Highway Trust Fund shall
be counted as new budget authority and outlays equal to the amount of
the transfer in the fiscal year the transfer occurs.
SEC. 509. SEPARATE ALLOCATION FOR OVERSEAS CONTINGENCY OPERATIONS/
GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM.
(a) Allocation.--In the House, there shall be a separate allocation
to the Committee on Appropriations for overseas contingency operations/
global war on terrorism. For purposes of enforcing such separate
allocation under section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of
1974, the ``first fiscal year'' and the ``total of fiscal years'' shall
be deemed to refer to fiscal year 2015. Such separate allocation shall
be the exclusive allocation for overseas contingency operations/global
war on terrorism under section 302(a) of such Act. Section 302(c) of
such Act shall not apply to such separate allocation. The Committee on
Appropriations may provide suballocations of such separate allocation
under section 302(b) of such Act. Spending that counts toward the
allocation established by this section shall be designated pursuant to
section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985.
(b) Adjustment.--In the House, for purposes of subsection (a) for
fiscal year 2015, no adjustment shall be made under section 314(a) of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 if any adjustment would be made
under section 251(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985.
SEC. 510. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS.
The House adopts the provisions of this title--
(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House of
Representatives and as such they shall be considered as part of
the rules of the House of Representatives, and these rules
shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are
inconsistent with other such rules; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of
the House of Representatives to change those rules at any time,
in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of
any other rule of the House of Representatives.
TITLE VI--POLICY STATEMENTS
SEC. 601. POLICY STATEMENT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH AND JOB CREATION.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Although the United States economy technically emerged
from recession nearly five years ago, the subsequent recovery
has felt more like a malaise than a rebound. Real gross
domestic product (GDP) growth over the past four years has
averaged just over 2 percent, well below the 3 percent trend
rate of growth in the United States.
(2) The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) did a study in
late 2012 examining why the United States economy was growing
so slowly after the recession. They found, among other things,
that United States economic output was growing at less than
half of the typical rate exhibited during other recoveries
since World War II. CBO said that about two-thirds of this
``growth gap'' was due to a pronounced sluggishness in the
growth of potential GDP--particularly in potential employment
levels (such as people leaving the labor force) and the growth
in productivity (which is in turn related to lower capital
investment).
(3) The prolonged economic sluggishness is particularly
troubling given the amount of fiscal and monetary policy
actions taken in recent years to cushion the depth of the
downturn and to spark higher rates of growth and employment. In
addition to the large stimulus package passed in early 2009,
many other initiatives have been taken to boost growth, such as
the new homebuyer tax credit and the ``cash for clunkers''
program. These stimulus efforts may have led to various short
term ``pops'' in activity but the economy and job market has
since reverted back to a sub-par trend.
(4) The unemployment rate has declined in recent years,
from a peak of nearly 10 percent in 2009-2010 to 6.7 percent in
the latest month. However, a significant chunk of this decline
has been due to people leaving the labor force (and therefore
no longer being counted as ``unemployed'') and not from a surge
in employment. The slow decline in the unemployment rate in
recent years has occurred alongside a steep decline in the
economy's labor force participation rate. The participation
rate stands at 63.0 percent, close to the lowest level since
1978. The flipside of this is that over 90 million Americans
are now ``on the sidelines'' and not in the labor force,
representing a 10 million increase since early 2009.
(5) Real median household income declined for the fifth
consecutive year in 2012 (latest data available) and, at just
over $51,000, is currently at its lowest level since 1995. Weak
wage and income growth as a result of a subpar labor market not
only means lower tax revenue coming in to the Treasury, it also
means higher government spending on income support programs.
(6) A stronger economy is vital to lowering deficit levels
and eventually balancing the budget. According to CBO, if
annual real GDP growth is just 0.1 percentage point higher over
the budget window, deficits would be reduced by $311 billion.
(7) This budget resolution therefore embraces pro-growth
policies, such as fundamental tax reform, that will help foster
a stronger economy and more job creation.
(8) Reining in government spending and lowering budget
deficits has a positive long-term impact on the economy and the
budget. According to CBO, a significant deficit reduction
package (i.e. $4 trillion), would boost longer-term economic
output by 1.7 percent. Their analysis concludes that deficit
reduction creates long-term economic benefits because it
increases the pool of national savings and boosts investment,
thereby raising economic growth and job creation.
(9) The greater economic output that stems from a large
deficit reduction package would have a sizeable impact on the
Federal budget. For instance, higher output would lead to
greater revenues through the increase in taxable incomes. Lower
interest rates, and a reduction in the stock of debt, would
lead to lower government spending on net interest expenses.
According to CBO, this dynamic would reduce unified budget
deficits by an amount sufficient to produce a surplus in fiscal
year 2024.
(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 to put American businesses and workers in a better position to
compete and thrive in the 21st century global economy. This resolution
targets the regulatory red tape and cronyism that stack the deck in
favor of special interests. All of the reforms in this resolution serve
as means to the larger end of growing the economy and expanding
opportunity for all Americans.
SEC. 602. POLICY STATEMENT ON TAX REFORM.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) A world-class tax system should be simple, fair, and
promote (rather than impede) economic growth. The United States
tax code fails on all three counts - it is notoriously complex,
patently unfair, and highly inefficient. The tax code's
complexity distorts decisions to work, save, and invest, which
leads to slower economic growth, lower wages, and less job
creation.
(2) Over the past decade alone, there have been more than
4,400 changes to the tax code, more than one per day. Many of
the major changes over the years have involved carving out
special preferences, exclusions, or deductions for various
activities or groups. These loopholes add up to more than $1
trillion per year and make the code unfair, inefficient, and
highly complex.
(3) In addition, these tax preferences are
disproportionately used by upper-income individuals.
(4) The large amount of tax preferences that pervade the
code end up narrowing the tax base. A narrow tax base, in turn,
requires much higher tax rates to raise a given amount of
revenue.
(5) It is estimated that American taxpayers end up spending
$160 billion and roughly 6 billion hours a year complying with
the tax code - a waste of time and resources that could be used
in more productive activities.
(6) Standard economic theory shows that high marginal tax
rates dampen the incentives to work, save, and invest, which
reduces economic output and job creation. Lower economic
output, in turn, mutes the intended revenue gain from higher
marginal tax rates.
(7) Roughly half of United States active business income
and half of private sector employment are derived from business
entities (such as partnerships, S corporations, and sole
proprietorships) that are taxed on a ``pass-through'' basis,
meaning the income flows through to the tax returns of the
individual owners and is taxed at the individual rate structure
rather than at the corporate rate. Small businesses, in
particular, tend to choose this form for Federal tax purposes,
and the top Federal rate on such small business income reaches
44.6 percent. For these reasons, sound economic policy requires
lowering marginal rates on these pass-through entities.
(8) The United States corporate income tax rate (including
Federal, State, and local taxes) sums to just over 39 percent,
the highest rate in the industrialized world. Tax rates this
high suppress wages and discourage investment and job creation,
distort business activity, and put American businesses at a
competitive disadvantage with foreign competitors.
(9) By deterring potential investment, the United States
corporate tax restrains economic growth and job creation. The
United States tax rate differential with other countries also
fosters a variety of complicated multinational corporate
behaviors intended to avoid the tax, which have the effect of
moving the tax base offshore, destroying American jobs, and
decreasing corporate revenue.
(10) The ``worldwide'' structure of United States
international taxation essentially taxes earnings of United
States firms twice, putting them at a significant competitive
disadvantage with competitors with more competitive
international tax systems.
(11) Reforming the United States tax code to a more
competitive international system would boost the
competitiveness of United States companies operating abroad and
it would also greatly reduce tax avoidance.
(12) The tax code imposes costs on American workers through
lower wages, on consumers in higher prices, and on investors in
diminished returns.
(13) Revenues have averaged about 17.5 percent of the
economy throughout modern American history. Revenues rise above
this level under current law to 18.4 percent of the economy by
the end of the 10-year budget window.
(14) Attempting to raise revenue through tax increases to
meet out-of-control spending would damage the economy.
(15) This resolution also rejects the idea of instituting a
carbon tax in the United States, which some have offered as a
``new'' source of revenue. Such a plan would damage the
economy, cost jobs, and raise prices on American consumers.
(16) Closing tax loopholes to fund spending does not
constitute fundamental tax reform.
(17) The goal of tax reform should be to curb or eliminate
loopholes and use those savings to lower tax rates across the
board--not to fund more wasteful Government spending. Tax
reform should be revenue-neutral and should not be an excuse to
raise taxes on the American people. Washington has a spending
problem, not a revenue problem.
(b) Policy on Tax Reform.--It is the policy of this resolution that
Congress should enact legislation that provides for a comprehensive
reform of the United States tax code to promote economic growth, create
American jobs, increase wages, and benefit American consumers,
investors, and workers through revenue-neutral fundamental tax reform
that--
(1) simplifies the tax code to make it fairer to American
families and businesses and reduces the amount of time and
resources necessary to comply with tax laws;
(2) substantially lowers tax rates for individuals, with a
goal of achieving a top individual rate of 25 percent and
consolidating the current seven individual income tax brackets
into two brackets with a first bracket of 10 percent;
(3) repeals the Alternative Minimum Tax;
(4) reduces the corporate tax rate to 25 percent; and
(5) transitions the tax code to a more competitive system
of international taxation.
SEC. 603. POLICY STATEMENT ON REPLACING THE PRESIDENT'S HEALTH CARE
LAW.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The President's health care law has failed to reduce
health care premiums as promised. Health care premiums were
supposed to decline by $2,500. Instead, according to the 2013
Employer Health Benefits Survey, health care premiums have
increased by 5 percent for individual plans and 4 percent for
family since 2012. Moreover, according to a report from the
Energy and Commerce Committee, premiums for individual market
plans may go up as much as 50 percent because of the law.
(2) The President pledged that Americans would be able to
keep their health care plan if they liked it. But the non-
partisan Congressional Budget Office now estimates 2 million
Americans with employment-based health coverage will lose those
plans.
(3) Then-Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, said that the
President's health care law would create 4 million jobs over
the life of the law and almost 400,000 jobs immediately.
Instead, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the law
will reduce full-time equivalent employment by about 2.0
million hours in 2017 and 2.5 million hours in 2024, ``compared
with what would have occurred in the absence of the ACA.''.
(4) The implementation of the law has been a failure. The
main website that Americans were supposed to use in purchasing
new coverage was broken for over a month. Since the President's
health care law was signed into law, the Administration has
announced 23 delays. The President has also failed to submit
any nominees to sit on the Independent Payment Advisory Board,
a panel of bureaucrats that will cut Medicare by an additional
$12.1 billion over the next ten years, according to the
President's own budget.
(5) The President's health care law should be repealed and
replaced with reforms that make affordable and quality health
care coverage available to all Americans.
(b) Policy on Replacing the President's Health Care Law.--It is the
policy of this resolution that the President's health care law must not
only be repealed, but also replaced, for the following reasons:
(1) The President's health care law is a government-run
system driving up health care costs and forcing Americans to
lose their health care coverage and should be replaced with a
reformed health care system that gives patients and their
doctors more choice and control over their health care.
(2) Instead of a complex structure of subsidies,
``firewalls,'' mandates, and penalties, a reformed health care
system should make health care coverage portable.
(3) Instead of stifling innovation in health care
technologies, treatments, and medications through Federal
mandates, taxes, and price controls, a reformed health care
system should encourage research and development.
(4) Instead of instituting one-size-fits-all directives
from Federal bureaucracies such as the Internal Revenue
Service, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the
Independent Payment Advisory Board, individuals and families
should be free to secure the health care coverage that best
meets their needs.
(5) Instead of allowing fraudulent lawsuits, which are
driving up health care costs, the medical liability system
should be reformed while at the same time reaffirming that
States should be free to implement the policies that best suit
their needs.
(6) Instead of using Federal taxes, mandates, and
bureaucracies to address those who have trouble securing health
care coverage, high risk pools should be established.
(7) Instead of more than doubling spending on Medicaid,
which is driving up Federal debt and will eventually bankrupt
State budgets, Medicaid spending should be brought under
control and States should be given more flexibility to provide
quality, affordable care to those who are eligible.
(8) Instead of driving up health care costs and reducing
employment, a reformed health care system should lower health
care costs, which will increase economic growth an employment
by lowering health care inflation.
SEC. 604. POLICY STATEMENT ON MEDICARE.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) More than 50 million Americans depend on Medicare for
their health security.
(2) The Medicare Trustees Report has repeatedly recommended
that Medicare's long-term financial challenges be addressed
soon. Each year without reform, the financial condition of
Medicare becomes more precarious and the threat to those in or
near retirement becomes more pronounced. According to the
Congressional Budget Office--
(A) the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be
exhausted in 2026 and unable to pay scheduled benefits;
and
(B) Medicare spending is growing faster than the
economy and Medicare outlays are currently rising at a
rate of 6 percent per year over the next ten years, and
according to the Congressional Budget Office's 2013
Long-Term Budget Outlook, spending on Medicare is
projected to reach 5 percent of gross domestic product
(GDP) by 2040 and 9.4 percent of GDP by 2088.
(3) The President's health care law created a new Federal
agency called the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB)
empowered with unilateral authority to cut Medicare spending.
As a result of that law--
(A) IPAB will be tasked with keeping the Medicare
per capita growth below a Medicare per capita target
growth rate. Prior to 2018, the target growth rate is
based on the five-year average of overall inflation and
medical inflation. Beginning in 2018, the target growth
rate will be the five-year average increase in the
nominal GDP plus one percentage point, which the
President has twice proposed to reduce to GDP plus one-
half percentage point;
(B) the fifteen unelected, unaccountable
bureaucrats of IPAB will make decisions that will
reduce seniors access to care;
(C) the nonpartisan Office of the Medicare Chief
Actuary estimates that the provider cuts already
contained in the Affordable Care Act will force 15
percent of hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and
home health agencies to become unprofitable in 2019;
and
(D) additional cuts from the IPAB board will force
even more health care providers to close their doors,
and the Board should be repealed.
(4) Failing to address this problem will leave millions of
American seniors without adequate health security and younger
generations burdened with enormous debt to pay for spending
levels that cannot be sustained.
(b) Policy on Medicare Reform.--It is the policy of this resolution
to protect those in or near retirement from any disruptions to their
Medicare benefits and offer future beneficiaries the same health care
options available to Members of Congress.
(c) Assumptions.--This resolution assumes reform of the Medicare
program such that:
(1) Current Medicare benefits are preserved for those in or
near retirement.
(2) For future generations, when they reach eligibility,
Medicare is reformed to provide a premium support payment and a
selection of guaranteed health coverage options from which
recipients can choose a plan that best suits their needs.
(3) Medicare will maintain traditional fee-for-service as
an option.
(4) Medicare will provide additional assistance for lower-
income beneficiaries and those with greater health risks.
(5) Medicare spending is put on a sustainable path and the
Medicare program becomes solvent over the long-term.
SEC. 605. POLICY STATEMENT ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) More than 55 million retirees, individuals with
disabilities, and survivors depend on Social Security. Since
enactment, Social Security has served as a vital leg on the
``three-legged stool'' of retirement security, which includes
employer provided pensions as well as personal savings.
(2) The Social Security Trustees Report has repeatedly
recommended that Social Security's long-term financial
challenges be addressed soon. Each year without reform, the
financial condition of Social Security becomes more precarious
and the threat to seniors and those receiving Social Security
disability benefits becomes more pronounced:
(A) In 2016, the Disability Insurance Trust Fund
will be exhausted and program revenues will be unable
to pay scheduled benefits.
(B) In 2033, the combined Old-Age and Survivors and
Disability Trust Funds will be exhausted, and program
revenues will be unable to pay scheduled benefits.
(C) With the exhaustion of the Trust Funds in 2033,
benefits will be cut nearly 25 percent across the
board, devastating those currently in or near
retirement and those who rely on Social Security the
most.
(3) The recession and continued low economic growth have
exacerbated the looming fiscal crisis facing Social Security.
The most recent CBO projections find that Social Security will
run cash deficits of $1.7 trillion over the next 10 years.
(4) Lower-income Americans rely on Social Security for a
larger proportion of their retirement income. Therefore,
reforms should take into consideration the need to protect
lower-income Americans' retirement security.
(5) The Disability Insurance program provides an essential
income safety net for those with disabilities and their
families. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO),
between 1970 and 2012, the number of people receiving
disability benefits (both disabled workers and their dependent
family members) has increased by over 300 percent from 2.7
million to over 10.9 million. This increase is not due strictly
to population growth or decreases in health. David Autor and
Mark Duggan have found that the increase in individuals on
disability does not reflect a decrease in self-reported health.
CBO attributes program growth to changes in demographics,
changes in the composition of the labor force and compensation,
as well as Federal policies.
(6) If this program is not reformed, families who rely on
the lifeline that disability benefits provide will face benefit
cuts of up to 25 percent in 2016, devastating individuals who
need assistance the most.
(7) In the past, Social Security has been reformed on a
bipartisan basis, most notably by the ``Greenspan Commission''
which helped to address Social Security shortfalls for over a
generation.
(8) Americans deserve action by the President, the House,
and the Senate to preserve and strengthen Social Security. It
is critical that bipartisan action be taken to address the
looming insolvency of Social Security. In this spirit, this
resolution creates a bipartisan opportunity to find solutions
by requiring policymakers to ensure that Social Security
remains a critical part of the safety net.
(b) Policy on Social Security.--It is the policy of this resolution
that Congress should work on a bipartisan basis to make Social Security
sustainably solvent. This resolution assumes reform of a current law
trigger, such that:
(1) If in any year the Board of Trustees of the Federal
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal
Disability Insurance Trust Fund annual Trustees Report
determines that the 75-year actuarial balance of the Social
Security Trust Funds is in deficit, and the annual balance of
the Social Security Trust Funds in the 75th year is in deficit,
the Board of Trustees shall, no later than September 30 of the
same calendar year, submit to the President recommendations for
statutory reforms necessary to achieve a positive 75-year
actuarial balance and a positive annual balance in the 75th-
year. Recommendations provided to the President must be agreed
upon by both Public Trustees of the Board of Trustees.
(2) Not later than December 1 of the same calendar year in
which the Board of Trustees submit their recommendations, the
President shall promptly submit implementing legislation to
both Houses of Congress including his recommendations necessary
to achieve a positive 75-year actuarial balance and a positive
annual balance in the 75th year. The Majority Leader of the
Senate and the Majority Leader of the House shall introduce the
President's legislation upon receipt.
(3) Within 60 days of the President submitting legislation,
the committees of jurisdiction to which the legislation has
been referred shall report the bill which shall be considered
by the full House or Senate under expedited procedures.
(4) Legislation submitted by the President shall--
(A) protect those in or near retirement;
(B) preserve the safety net for those who count on
Social Security the most, including those with
disabilities and survivors;
(C) improve fairness for participants;
(D) reduce the burden on, and provide certainty
for, future generations; and
(E) secure the future of the Disability Insurance
program while addressing the needs of those with
disabilities today and improving the determination
process.
(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.
SEC. 606. POLICY STATEMENT ON HIGHER EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
(a) Findings on Higher Education.--The House finds the following:
(1) A well-educated workforce is critical to economic, job,
and wage growth.
(2) 19.5 million students are enrolled in American colleges
and universities.
(3) Over the last decade, tuition and fees have been
growing at an unsustainable rate. Between the 2002-2003
Academic Year and the 2012-2013 Academic Year--
(A) published tuition and fees for in-State
students at public four-year colleges and universities
increased at an average rate of 5.2 percent per year
beyond the rate of general inflation;
(B) published tuition and fees for in-State
students at public two-year colleges and universities
increased at an average rate of 3.9 percent per year
beyond the rate of general inflation; and
(C) published tuition and fees for in-State
students at private four-year colleges and universities
increased at an average rate of 2.4 percent per year
beyond the rate of general inflation.
(4) Over that same period, Federal financial aid has
increased 105 percent.
(5) This spending has failed to make college more
affordable.
(6) In his 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama
noted that, ``We can't just keep subsidizing skyrocketing
tuition; we'll run out of money.''.
(7) American students are chasing ever-increasing tuition
with ever-increasing debt. According to the Federal Reserve
Bank of New York, student debt more than quadrupled between
2003 and 2013, and now stands at nearly $1.1 trillion. Student
debt now has the second largest balance after mortgage debt.
(8) Students are carrying large debt loads and too many
fail to complete college or end up defaulting on these loans
due to their debt burden and a weak economy and job market.
(9) Based on estimates from the Congressional Budget
Office, the Pell Grant Program will face a fiscal shortfall
beginning in fiscal year 2016 and continuing in each subsequent
year in the current budget window.
(10) Failing to address these problems will jeopardize
access and affordability to higher education for America's
young people.
(b) Policy on Higher Education Affordability.--It is the policy of
this resolution to address the root drivers of tuition inflation, by--
(1) targeting Federal financial aid to those most in need;
(2) streamlining programs that provide aid to make them
more effective;
(3) maintaining the maximum Pell grant award level at
$5,730 in each year of the budget window; and
(4) removing regulatory barriers in higher education that
act to restrict flexibility and innovative teaching,
particularly as it relates to non-traditional models such as
online coursework and competency-based learning.
(c) Findings on Workforce Development.--The House finds the
following:
(1) Over ten million Americans are currently unemployed.
(2) Despite billions of dollars in spending, those looking
for work are stymied by a broken workforce development system
that fails to connect workers with assistance and employers
with trained personnel.
(4) According to a 2011 Government Accountability Office
(GAO) report, in fiscal year 2009, the Federal Government spent
$18 billion across 9 agencies to administer 47 Federal job
training programs, almost all of which overlapped with another
program in terms of offered services and targeted population.
(5) Since the release of that GAO report, the Education and
Workforce Committee, which has done extensive work in this
area, has identified more than 50 programs.
(3) Without changes, this flawed system will continue to
fail those looking for work or to improve their skills, and
jeopardize economic growth.
(d) Policy on Workforce Development.--It is the policy of this
resolution to address the failings in the current workforce development
system, by--
(1) streamlining and consolidating Federal job training
programs as advanced by the House-passed Supporting Knowledge
and Investing in Lifelong Skills Act (SKILLS Act); and
(2) empowering states with the flexibility to tailor
funding and programs to the specific needs of their workforce,
including the development of career scholarships.
SEC. 607. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE
CANCELLATION OF UNOBLIGATED BALANCES.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) According to the most recent estimate from the Office
of Management and Budget, Federal agencies were expected to
hold $739 billion in unobligated balances at the close of
fiscal year 2014.
(2) These funds represent direct and discretionary spending
made available by Congress that remains available for
expenditure beyond the fiscal year for which they are provided.
(3) In some cases, agencies are granted funding and it
remains available for obligation indefinitely.
(4) The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of
1974 requires the Office of Management and Budget to make funds
available to agencies for obligation and prohibits the
Administration from withholding or cancelling unobligated funds
unless approved by an act of Congress.
(5) Greater congressional oversight is required to review
and identify potential savings from unneeded balances of funds.
(b) Policy on Deficit Reduction Through the Cancellation of
Unobligated Balances.--Congressional committees shall through their
oversight activities identify and achieve savings through the
cancellation or rescission of unobligated balances that neither
abrogate contractual obligations of the Government nor reduce or
disrupt Federal commitments under programs such as Social Security,
veterans' affairs, national security, and Treasury authority to finance
the national debt.
(c) Deficit Reduction.--Congress, with the assistance of the
Government Accountability Office, the Inspectors General, and other
appropriate agencies should continue to make it a high priority to
review unobligated balances and identify savings for deficit reduction.
SEC. 608. POLICY STATEMENT ON RESPONSIBLE STEWARDSHIP OF TAXPAYER
DOLLARS.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The budget for the House of Representatives is $188
million less than it was when Republicans became the majority
in 2011.
(2) The House of Representatives has achieved significant
savings by consolidating operations and renegotiating
contracts.
(b) Policy on Responsible Stewardship of Taxpayer Dollars.--It is
the policy of this resolution that:
(1) The House of Representatives must be a model for the
responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources and therefore
must identify any savings that can be achieved through greater
productivity and efficiency gains in the operation and
maintenance of House services and resources like printing,
conferences, utilities, telecommunications, furniture, grounds
maintenance, postage, and rent. This should include a review of
policies and procedures for acquisition of goods and services
to eliminate any unnecessary spending. The Committee on House
Administration should review the policies pertaining to the
services provided to Members and committees of the House, and
should identify ways to reduce any subsidies paid for the
operation of the House gym, barber shop, salon, and the House
dining room.
(2) No taxpayer funds may be used to purchase first class
airfare or to lease corporate jets for Members of Congress.
(3) Retirement benefits for Members of Congress should not
include free, taxpayer-funded health care for life.
SEC. 609. POLICY STATEMENT ON DEFICIT REDUCTION THROUGH THE REDUCTION
OF UNNECESSARY AND WASTEFUL SPENDING.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) The Government Accountability Office (``GAO'') is
required by law to identify examples of waste, duplication, and
overlap in Federal programs, and has so identified dozens of
such examples.
(2) In testimony before the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, the Comptroller General has stated that
addressing the identified waste, duplication, and overlap in
Federal programs ``could potentially save tens of billions of
dollars.''
(3) In 2011, 2012, and 2013 the Government Accountability
Office issued reports showing excessive duplication and
redundancy in Federal programs including--
(A) 209 Science, Technology, Engineering, and
Mathematics education programs in 13 different Federal
agencies at a cost of $3 billion annually;
(B) 200 separate Department of Justice crime
prevention and victim services grant programs with an
annual cost of $3.9 billion in 2010;
(C) 20 different Federal entities administer 160
housing programs and other forms of Federal assistance
for housing with a total cost of $170 billion in 2010;
(D) 17 separate Homeland Security preparedness
grant programs that spent $37 billion between fiscal
year 2011 and 2012;
(E) 14 grant and loan programs, and 3 tax benefits
to reduce diesel emissions;
(F) 94 different initiatives run by 11 different
agencies to encourage ``green building'' in the private
sector; and
(G) 23 agencies implemented approximately 670
renewable energy initiatives in fiscal year 2010 at a
cost of nearly $15 billion.
(4) The Federal Government spends about $80 billion each
year for approximately 800 information technology investments.
GAO has identified broad acquisition failures, waste, and
unnecessary duplication in the Government's information
technology infrastructure. Experts have estimated that
eliminating these problems could save 25 percent - or $20
billion - of the Government's annual information technology
budget.
(5) GAO has identified strategic sourcing as a potential
source of spending reductions. In 2011 GAO estimated that
saving 10 percent of the total or all Federal procurement could
generate over $50 billion in savings annually.
(6) Federal agencies reported an estimated $108 billion in
improper payments in fiscal year 2012.
(7) Under clause 2 of Rule XI of the Rules of the House of
Representatives, each standing committee must hold at least one
hearing during each 120 day period following its establishment
on waste, fraud, abuse, or mismanagement in Government
programs.
(8) According to the Congressional Budget Office, by fiscal
year 2015, 32 laws will expire, possibly resulting in $693
billion in unauthorized appropriations. Timely reauthorizations
of these laws would ensure assessments of program justification
and effectiveness.
(9) The findings resulting from congressional oversight of
Federal Government programs should result in programmatic
changes in both authorizing statutes and program funding
levels.
(b) Policy on Deficit Reduction Through the Reduction of
Unnecessary and Wasteful Spending.--Each authorizing committee annually
shall include in its Views and Estimates letter required under section
301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 recommendations to the
Committee on the Budget of programs within the jurisdiction of such
committee whose funding should be reduced or eliminated.
SEC. 610. POLICY STATEMENT ON UNAUTHORIZED SPENDING.
It is the policy of this resolution that the committees of
jurisdiction should review all unauthorized programs funded through
annual appropriations to determine if the programs are operating
efficiently and effectively. Committees should reauthorize those
programs that in the committees' judgment should continue to receive
funding.
SEC. 611. POLICY STATEMENT ON FEDERAL REGULATORY POLICY.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Excessive regulation at the Federal level has hurt job
creation and dampened the economy, slowing our recovery from
the economic recession.
(2) In the first two months of 2014 alone, the
Administration issued 13,166 pages of regulations imposing more
than $13 billion in compliance costs on job creators and adding
more than 16 million hours of compliance paperwork.
(3) The Small Business Administration estimates that the
total cost of regulations is as high as $1.75 trillion per
year. Since 2009, the White House has generated over $494
billion in regulatory activity, with an additional $87.6
billion in regulatory costs currently pending.
(4) The Dodd-Frank financial services legislation (Public
Law 111-203) resulted in more than $17 billion in compliance
costs and saddled job creators with more than 58 million hours
of compliance paperwork.
(5) Implementation of the Affordable Care Act to date has
added 132.9 million annual hours of compliance paperwork,
imposing $24.3 billion of compliance costs on the private
sector and an $8 billion cost burden on the states.
(6) The highest regulatory costs come from rules issued by
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); these regulations
are primarily targeted at the coal industry. In September 2013,
the EPA proposed a rule regulating greenhouse gas emissions
from new coal-fired power plants. The proposed standards are
unachievable with current commercially available technology,
resulting in a de-facto ban on new coal-fired power plants.
Additional regulations for existing coal plants are expected in
the summer of 2014.
(7) Coal-fired power plants provide roughly forty percent
of the United States electricity at a low cost. Unfairly
targeting the coal industry with costly and unachievable
regulations will increase energy prices, disproportionately
disadvantaging energy-intensive industries like manufacturing
and construction, and will make life more difficult for
millions of low-income and middle class families already
struggling to pay their bills.
(8) Three hundred and thirty coal units are being retired
or converted as a result of EPA regulations. Combined with the
de-facto prohibition on new plants, these retirements and
conversions may further increase the cost of electricity.
(9) A recent study by Purdue University estimates that
electricity prices in Indiana will rise 32 percent by 2023, due
in part to EPA regulations.
(10) The Heritage Foundation recently found that a phase
out of coal would cost 600,000 jobs by the end of 2023,
resulting in an aggregate gross domestic product decrease of
$2.23 trillion over the entire period and reducing the income
of a family of four by $1200 per year. Of these jobs, 330,000
will come from the manufacturing sector, with California,
Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York,
Indiana, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Georgia seeing the
highest job losses.
(b) Policy on Federal Regulation.--It is the policy of this
resolution that Congress should, in consultation with the public
burdened by excessive regulation, enact legislation that--
(1) seeks to promote economic growth and job creation by
eliminating unnecessary red tape and streamlining and
simplifying Federal regulations;
(2) pursues a cost-effective approach to regulation,
without sacrificing environmental, health, safety benefits or
other benefits, rejecting the premise that economic growth and
environmental protection create an either/or proposition;
(3) ensures that regulations do not disproportionately
disadvantage low-income Americans through a more rigorous cost-
benefit analysis, which also considers who will be most
affected by regulations and whether the harm caused is
outweighed by the potential harm prevented;
(4) ensures that regulations are subject to an open and
transparent process, rely on sound and publicly available
scientific data, and that the data relied upon for any
particular regulation is provided to Congress immediately upon
request;
(5) frees the many commonsense energy and water projects
currently trapped in complicated bureaucratic approval
processes;
(6) maintains the benefits of landmark environmental,
health safety, and other statutes while scaling back this
administration's heavy-handed approach to regulation, which has
added $494 billion in mostly ideological regulatory activity
since 2009, much of which flies in the face of these statutes'
intended purposes; and
(7) seeks to promote a limited government, which will
unshackle our economy and create millions of new jobs,
providing our Nation with a strong and prosperous future and
expanding opportunities for the generations to come.
SEC. 612. POLICY STATEMENT ON TRADE.
(a) Findings.--The House finds the following:
(1) Opening foreign markets to American exports is vital to
the United States economy and beneficial to American workers
and consumers. The Commerce Department estimates that every $1
billion of United States exports supports more than 5,000 jobs
here at home.
(2) A modern and competitive international tax system would
facilitate global commerce for United States multinational
companies and would encourage foreign business investment and
job creation in the United States
(3) The United States currently has an antiquated system of
international taxation whereby United States multinationals
operating abroad pay both the foreign-country tax and United
States corporate taxes. They are essentially taxed twice. This
puts them at an obvious competitive disadvantage.
(4) The ability to defer United States taxes on their
foreign operations, which some erroneously refer to as a ``tax
loophole,'' cushions this disadvantage to a certain extent.
Eliminating or restricting this provision (and others like it)
would harm United States competitiveness.
(5) This budget resolution advocates fundamental tax reform
that would lower the United States corporate rate, now the
highest in the industrialized world, and switch to a more
competitive system of international taxation. This would make
the United States a much more attractive place to invest and
station business activity and would chip away at the incentives
for United States companies to keep their profits overseas
(because the United States corporate rate is so high).
(6) The status quo of the current tax code undermines the
competitiveness of United States businesses and costs the
United States economy investment and jobs.
(7) Global trade and commerce is not a zero-sum game. The
idea that global expansion tends to ``hollow out'' United
States operations is incorrect. Foreign-affiliate activity
tends to complement, not substitute for, key parent activities
in the United States such as employment, worker compensation,
and capital investment. When United States headquartered
multinationals invest and expand operations abroad it often
leads to more jobs and economic growth at home.
(8) American businesses and workers have shown that, on a
level playing field, they can excel and surpass the
international competition.
(b) Policy on Trade.--It is the policy of this resolution to pursue
international trade, global commerce, and a modern and competitive
United States international tax system in order to promote job creation
in the United States.
SEC. 613. NO BUDGET, NO PAY.
It is the policy of this resolution that Congress should agree to a
concurrent resolution on the budget every year pursuant to section 301
of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. If by April 15, a House of
Congress has not agreed to a concurrent resolution on the budget, the
payroll administrator of that House should carry out this policy in the
same manner as the provisions of Public Law 113-3, the No Budget, No
Pay Act of 2013, and place in an escrow account all compensation
otherwise required to be made for Members of that House of Congress.
Withheld compensation should be released to Members of that House of
Congress the earlier of the day on which that House of Congress agrees
to a concurrent resolution on the budget, pursuant to section 301 of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, or the last day of that Congress.
Passed the House of Representatives April 10, 2014.
Attest:
Clerk.
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. CON. RES. 96
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal
year 2015 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal
years 2016 through 2024.