What This Bill Does
This bill creates a National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. The commission will study the federal government's budget problems and recommend ways to balance the budget within 10 years and improve the government's long-term financial health.
##
Who It Affects
Members of Congress (who appoint commission members), the President (who appoints members and responds to the commission's report), federal agencies (who must provide information to the commission), and the general public (who can review the commission's recommendations).
##
Key Provisions
• The commission has 18 members: 6 appointed by the President (no more than 3 from the same political party), 3 each by the Senate majority and minority leaders, and 3 each by the House Speaker and minority leader. All members must have experience in government service, fiscal policy, economics, management, public administration, or law. (Sec. 2(c) and 2(e))
• The commission must propose recommendations to balance the federal budget (not counting interest on debt) within 10 years of the commission's establishment and identify changes to address spending growth and revenue gaps. (Sec. 2(f))
• The commission must approve a final report with at least 12 members voting in favor, including at least 4 members from each major political party represented in Congress, and submit this report to Congress and the public. (Sec. 2(g))
• The commission establishes a website showing its recommendations and attendance records, updated within 72 hours after each meeting. (Sec. 2(h)(4))
• The President must submit to Congress within 60 days of receiving the commission's report a special message explaining whether the President supports or opposes the recommendations. (Sec. 3(b))
• The proposed recommendations from the commission receive special fast-track consideration in both the Senate and House, with limited debate time and no amendments allowed. (Sec. 4)
##
What Changes
A new commission begins work within 30 days of this law taking effect. This commission will study federal spending and debt problems and produce recommendations within one year. Congress will then have expedited procedures to consider the commission's proposed solutions, meaning fewer procedural delays and limited debate compared to normal bills.
##
Important Definitions
• **Commission**: The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform established by this bill
• **Federal agency**: An establishment in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the federal government
• **Commission joint resolution**: A proposed law containing only the text of the commission's recommendations, eligible for fast-track consideration
##
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 743
To establish a national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform, and
for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 9, 2023
Ms. LUMMIS (for herself, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. CRAMER, and Mr. BRAUN) intro-
duced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Com-
mittee on the Budget
A BILL
To establish a national commission on fiscal responsibility
and reform, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Sustainable Budget
4
Act of 2023’’.
5
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMISSION.
6
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section:
7
(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’
8
means the National Commission on Fiscal Responsi-
9
bility and Reform established under subsection (b).
10
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
2
•S 743 IS
(2) FEDERAL
AGENCY.—The term ‘‘Federal
1
agency’’ means an establishment in the executive,
2
legislative, or judicial branch of the Federal Govern-
3
ment.
4
(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 30 days after
5
the date of the enactment of this Act, there shall be estab-
6
lished within the legislative branch a commission to be
7
known as the National Commission on Fiscal Responsi-
8
bility and Reform.
9
(c) MEMBERSHIP.—
10
(1) COMPOSITION OF COMMISSION.—The Com-
11
mission shall be composed of 18 members, of
12
whom—
13
(A) 6 shall be appointed by the President,
14
of whom not more than 3 shall be from the
15
same political party;
16
(B) 3 shall be appointed by the majority
17
leader of the Senate, from among current Mem-
18
bers of the Senate;
19
(C) 3 shall be appointed by the Speaker of
20
the House of Representatives, from among cur-
21
rent Members of the House of Representatives;
22
(D) 3 shall be appointed by the minority
23
leader of the Senate, from among current Mem-
24
bers of the Senate; and
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
3
•S 743 IS
(E) 3 shall be appointed by the minority
1
leader of the House of Representatives, from
2
among current Members of the House of Rep-
3
resentatives.
4
(2) INITIAL
APPOINTMENTS.—Not later than
5
60 days after the date on which the Commission is
6
established, initial appointments to the Commission
7
shall be made.
8
(3) VACANCY.—A vacancy on the Commission
9
shall be filled in the same manner as the initial ap-
10
pointment.
11
(d) CO-CHAIRPERSONS.—From among the members
12
appointed under subsection (c), the President shall des-
13
ignate 2 members, who shall not be of the same political
14
party, to serve as co-chairpersons of the Commission.
15
(e) QUALIFICATIONS.—Members appointed to the
16
Commission shall have significant depth of experience and
17
responsibilities in matters relating to—
18
(1) government service;
19
(2) fiscal policy;
20
(3) economics;
21
(4) Federal agency management or private sec-
22
tor management;
23
(5) public administration; and
24
(6) law.
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
4
•S 743 IS
(f) DUTIES.—
1
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall iden-
2
tify policies to—
3
(A) improve the fiscal situation of the Fed-
4
eral Government in the medium term; and
5
(B) achieve fiscal sustainability of the Fed-
6
eral Government in the long term.
7
(2) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out para-
8
graph (1), the Commission shall—
9
(A) propose recommendations designed to
10
balance the budget of the Federal Government,
11
excluding interest payments on the public debt,
12
by the date that is 10 years after the date on
13
which the Commission is established, in order
14
to stabilize the ratio of the public debt to the
15
gross domestic product of the United States at
16
an acceptable level; and
17
(B) propose recommendations that mean-
18
ingfully improve the long-term fiscal outlook of
19
the Federal Government, including changes to
20
address the growth of entitlement spending and
21
the gap between the projected revenues and ex-
22
penditures of the Federal Government.
23
(g) REPORTS AND PROPOSED JOINT RESOLUTION.—
24
(1) IN GENERAL.—
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
5
•S 743 IS
(A) FINAL
REPORT.—Not later than 1
1
year after the date on which all members of the
2
Commission are appointed under subsection (c),
3
the Commission shall vote on the approval of a
4
final report, which shall contain—
5
(i)
the
recommendations
required
6
under subsection (f)(2); and
7
(ii) a proposed joint resolution imple-
8
menting the recommendations described in
9
clause (i).
10
(B) INTERIM REPORTS.—At any time after
11
the date on which all members of the Commis-
12
sion are appointed and prior to voting on the
13
approval of a final report under subparagraph
14
(A), the Commission may vote on the approval
15
of an interim report containing such rec-
16
ommendations described in subsection (f)(2) as
17
the Commission may provide.
18
(2) APPROVAL OF REPORT.—The Commission
19
may only issue a report under this subsection if—
20
(A) not less than 12 members of the Com-
21
mission approve the report; and
22
(B) of the members approving the report
23
under subparagraph (A), not less than 4 are
24
members of the same political party to which
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
6
•S 743 IS
the Speaker of the House of Representatives
1
belongs and not less than 4 are members of the
2
same political party to which the minority lead-
3
er of the House of Representatives belongs.
4
(3) SUBMISSION OF REPORT.—With respect to
5
each report approved under this subsection, the
6
Commission shall—
7
(A) submit to Congress the report; and
8
(B) make the report available to the pub-
9
lic.
10
(4) PREPARATION OF JOINT RESOLUTION.—
11
(A) IN
GENERAL.—In drafting the pro-
12
posed joint resolution described in paragraph
13
(1)(A)(ii), the Commission—
14
(i) may use the services of the offices
15
of the Legislative Counsel of the Senate
16
and House of Representatives; and
17
(ii) shall consult with the Comptroller
18
General of the United States and the Di-
19
rector of the Congressional Budget Office.
20
(B) CONSULTATION WITH COMMITTEES.—
21
In drafting the proposed joint resolution de-
22
scribed in paragraph (1)(A)(ii), the co-chair-
23
persons of the Commission, with respect to the
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
7
•S 743 IS
contents of the proposed joint resolution, shall
1
consult with—
2
(i) the chairperson and ranking mem-
3
ber of each relevant committee of the Sen-
4
ate and the House of Representatives;
5
(ii) the majority and minority leader
6
of the Senate; and
7
(iii) the Speaker and minority leader
8
of the House of Representatives.
9
(C)
REQUIREMENTS
FOR
CONSULTA-
10
TION.—The consultation required under sub-
11
paragraph (B) shall provide the opportunity for
12
each individual described in subparagraph (B)
13
to provide—
14
(i) recommendations for alternative
15
means of addressing the recommendations
16
described in paragraph (1)(A)(i); and
17
(ii) recommendations regarding which
18
recommendations described in paragraph
19
(1)(A)(i) should not be addressed in the
20
proposed joint resolution.
21
(D) RELEVANT
COMMITTEES.—For the
22
purpose of this paragraph, the relevant commit-
23
tees of the Senate and the House of Represent-
24
atives shall be—
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
8
•S 743 IS
(i) the Committee on Finance of the
1
Senate;
2
(ii) the Committee on Ways and
3
Means of the House of Representatives;
4
(iii) the Committee on Health, Edu-
5
cation, Labor, and Pensions of the Senate;
6
and
7
(iv) the Committee on Energy and
8
Commerce of the House of Representa-
9
tives.
10
(h) POWERS OF THE COMMISSION.—
11
(1) HEARINGS.—The Commission may hold
12
such hearings, sit and act at such times and places,
13
take such testimony, and receive such evidence as
14
the Commission considers advisable to carry out the
15
duties of the Commission described in subsection (f).
16
(2) INFORMATION FROM FEDERAL AGENCIES.—
17
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission may
18
secure directly from any Federal agency such
19
information as the Commission considers nec-
20
essary to carry out the duties of the Commis-
21
sion described in subsection (f).
22
(B) PROVISION OF INFORMATION.—Upon
23
request from the co-chairpersons of the Com-
24
mission, the head of a Federal agency shall pro-
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
9
•S 743 IS
vide information described in subparagraph (A)
1
to the Commission.
2
(3) POSTAL SERVICES.—The Commission may
3
use the United States mail in the same manner and
4
under the same conditions as departments and agen-
5
cies of the Federal Government.
6
(4) WEBSITE.—
7
(A) CONTENTS.—The Commission shall es-
8
tablish a website containing—
9
(i)
the
recommendations
required
10
under subsection (f)(2); and
11
(ii) the records of attendance of the
12
members of the Commission for each meet-
13
ing of the Commission.
14
(B) DATE
OF
PUBLICATION.—Not later
15
than 72 hours after the conclusion of a meeting
16
of the Commission, the Commission shall pub-
17
lish a recommendation or record of attendance
18
described under subparagraph (A) that is made
19
or taken at the meeting on the website estab-
20
lished under such subparagraph.
21
(i) ASSISTANCE OF OTHER LEGISLATIVE BRANCH
22
ENTITIES.—As the Commission conducts the work of the
23
Commission—
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
10
•S 743 IS
(1) the Comptroller General of the United
1
States shall provide technical assistance to the Com-
2
mission on findings and recommendations of the
3
Government Accountability Office;
4
(2) the Director of the Congressional Budget
5
Office shall provide technical assistance to the Com-
6
mission on findings and recommendations of the
7
Congressional Budget Office; and
8
(3) the chair of the Joint Committee on Tax-
9
ation shall provide technical assistance to the Com-
10
mission on findings and recommendations of the
11
Joint Committee on Taxation.
12
(j) PERSONNEL MATTERS.—
13
(1) IN GENERAL.—Members of the Commission
14
shall serve without compensation.
15
(2) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—Members of the Com-
16
mission shall be allowed travel expenses, including
17
per diem in lieu of subsistence, at rates authorized
18
for employees of agencies under subchapter I of
19
chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while
20
away from the homes or regular places of business
21
of the members in the performance of services for
22
the Commission.
23
(3) STAFF.—
24
(A) IN GENERAL.—
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
11
•S 743 IS
(i)
APPOINTMENT.—The
co-chair-
1
persons of the Commission may, without
2
regard to civil service laws and regulations,
3
appoint and terminate an executive direc-
4
tor and such other additional personnel as
5
may be necessary to enable the Commis-
6
sion to perform the duties of the Commis-
7
sion.
8
(ii) APPROVAL.—The appointment of
9
an executive director under clause (i) shall
10
be subject to confirmation by the Commis-
11
sion.
12
(B) COMPENSATION.—
13
(i)
IN
GENERAL.—The
co-chair-
14
persons of the Commission may fix the
15
compensation of the executive director and
16
other personnel of the Commission without
17
regard to the provisions of chapter 51 and
18
subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5,
19
United States Code, relating to the classi-
20
fication of positions and General Schedule
21
pay rates.
22
(ii) PAY RATE.—The rate of pay for
23
the executive director and other personnel
24
of the Commission may not exceed the rate
25
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
12
•S 743 IS
payable for level V of the Executive Sched-
1
ule under section 5613 of title 5, United
2
States Code.
3
(4) DETAIL
OF
GOVERNMENT
EMPLOYEES.—
4
Any employee of the Federal Government may be
5
detailed to the Commission—
6
(A) without reimbursement; and
7
(B) without interruption or loss of civil
8
service status or privilege.
9
(5) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTER-
10
MITTENT
SERVICES.—The co-chairpersons of the
11
Commission may procure temporary and intermit-
12
tent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United
13
States Code, at rates for individuals that do not ex-
14
ceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic
15
pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule
16
under section 5316 of such title.
17
(k) TERMINATION OF THE COMMISSION.—The Com-
18
mission shall terminate on the date that is 30 days after
19
the date on which the Commission submits the final report
20
of the Commission under subsection (g)(1)(A).
21
(l) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this Act
22
shall be construed to—
23
(1) impair or otherwise affect—
24
VerDate Sep 11 2014
01:11 Mar 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\S743.IS
S743
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
13
•S 743 IS
(A) authority granted by law to a Federal
1
agency or a head thereof; or
2
(B) functions of the Director of the Office
3
of Management and Budget relating to budg-
4
etary, administrative, or legislative proposals; or
5
(2) create any right or benefit, substantive or
6
procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, by any
7
party against the United States, the departments,
8
agencies, entities, officers, employees, or agents of
9
the United States, or any other person.
10
(m) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—
11
(1) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be
12
appropriated to the Commission such sums as may
13
be necessary to carry out this Act.
14
(2) AVAILABILITY.—Any sums appropriated
15
under paragraph (1) shall remain available, without
16
fiscal year limitation,
[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]