Young Introduces Three Bills to Reform Federal Budgeting Process

Press Release

Rep. Todd Young (R-IN9) joined House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan and other members of the committee on Wednesday in rolling out a package of ten bills aimed at reforming the federal budgeting process.

"Anyone who has watched the government spending debates over the last year knows there is a better way for Washington to fund our federal government," said Young. "The Senate hasn't passed a budget in three years, Congress rarely finishes the appropriations process on time, and we've funded our government largely through a series of continuing resolutions for quite some time. To any rational observer, this system is not working. This package is a great way to start turning that around, and I would welcome any idea from others for debate."

Of the ten bills in the legislative package, three were co-authored by Young:

The Legally Binding Budget Act: This bill would transform the current non-binding Congressional budget resolution process into a legally binding joint resolution, requiring Presidential signature, and carrying the force of law. In our current budget process each chamber is required to passa concurrent resolution, a non-binding piece of legislation that sets the parameters for the various levels of federal spending. However, because it is not presented to the President and is not law, the concurrent resolution is often ignored. Transforming the concurrent resolution into a joint resolutions would encourage more dialogue between the House, Senate, and Executive Branch during the budgeting process. In addition, giving the Budget Resolution the force of law would make passage of a budget necessary and facilitate a more responsible use of taxpayer funds.

The Baseline Reform Act: This bill would reform the baseline budget accounting method by removing automatic inflation increases in discretionary spending accounts, and would require budgets to compare proposed amounts to prior year spending levels. The current process starts by assuming a spending baseline of prior year spending plus inflation. That allows Congress to claim spending cuts by cutting into the inflation adjustment, even when actual discretionary spending levels rise. By removing the automatic inflation adjustment, that gimmick would no longer be at the disposal of Congress, and by requiring a prior year spending comparison actual increases and decreases in spending would be more transparent to the public.

The Government Shutdown Prevention Act: This bill would avoid a government shutdown by enacting automatic 90-day continuing resolutions containing a 1% "haircut" each time appropriations lapse. Far too often under our current system, the House and Senate fail to enact appropriations bills before the start of a fiscal year, resulting in last minute paralysis in an effort to avoid a government shutdown. To eliminate that paralysis, should appropriations lapse, this bill would enact an automatic funding extension for 90 days at 99% of the prior year, then another 90 days at 98% of the prior year, and so on. This legislation would provide an incentive for Congress to complete its work on time, make it easier for federal agencies to anticipate funding levels, and avoid needless government shutdown paralysis.

"These three bills that I've introduced get at the sorts of things that many Hoosiers are frustrated with," said Young. "They are tired of the gimmicks, they are tired of Washington not getting its work done, and these three bills really begin to address those things."

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