Article Source: U.S. Legislature - Washington D.C.
H. R. 3289
To establish a commission on fiscal responsibility and reform.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 8, 2025
Mr. Huizenga (for himself, Mr. Peters, Mr. Timmons, Mr. Case, Mr.
Mills, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Moore of Utah, Ms.
Perez, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr.
Gray, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Grothman, Mr.
Moskowitz, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Moolenaar, Ms. Scholten,
Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Schneider, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Valadao, Mr.
Panetta, and Mr. Barr) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the
Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
A BILL
To establish a commission on fiscal responsibility and reform.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the “Fiscal Commission Act”.
SEC. 2. Definitions.
In this Act:
(1) CO-CHAIR.—The term “co-chair” means an individual appointed to
serve as a co-chair of the Fiscal Commission under section
3(a)(3)(B)(i).
(2) FISCAL COMMISSION.—The term “Fiscal Commission” means the commission established under section 3(a).
(3) IMPLEMENTING BILL.—The term “implementing bill” means a bill or
joint resolution consisting solely of the legislative text the Fiscal
Commission approves and submits under clauses (i) and (v),
respectively, of section 3(a)(2)(B).
(4) OUTSIDE EXPERT.—The term “outside expert” is an individual who is
not an elected official or an officer or employee of the Federal
Government or of any State.
SEC. 3. Establishment of Fiscal Commission.
(a) Establishment of fiscal commission.—
(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days after the date of enactment of
this Act, there is established in Congress a Fiscal Commission.
(B) GOALS.—The goals of the Commission shall be to educate, and bring
awareness to, the American public about the fiscal path the Nation is
on, including—
(i) educating the American people so they understand the fiscal state
of the Nation and the cost of not addressing such state; and
(ii) informing the American people about the deterioration of our
Nation’s fiscal health, and that the debt poses a significant risk to
the Nation’s long-term fiscal sustainability with implications for
future generations.
(2) DUTIES.—
(A) IMPROVE FISCAL SITUATION.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Fiscal Commission shall identify policies to—
(I) meaningfully improve the long-term fiscal condition of the Federal Government, including reducing the debt and deficit;
(II) achieve a sustainable ratio of the public debt of the Federal
Government to the gross domestic product of the United States, which
shall be not more than 100 percent, by fiscal year 2039; and
(III) improve the solvency of Federal programs for which a Federal trust fund exists for a period of at least 75 years.
(ii) REQUIREMENTS.—In carrying out clause (i), the Fiscal Commission
shall, to the extent practicable, consider the budgetary effects of
changes in economic output, employment, capital stock, and other
macroeconomic variables resulting from public and private investments
and propose recommendations that meaningfully improve the long-term
fiscal condition of the Federal Government, including—
(I) changes to address the current levels of discretionary
appropriations, direct spending, and revenues and the gap between
current revenues and expenditures of the Federal Government; and
(II) changes to address the growth of discretionary appropriations,
direct spending, and revenues and the gap between the projected
revenues and expenditures of the Federal Government.
(iii) RECOMMENDATIONS OF COMMITTEES.—Not later than 60 days after the
date described in paragraph (1), each committee of the Senate and the
House of Representatives may transmit to the Fiscal Commission any
recommendations of the committee relating to changes in law to further
the duties described in clause (ii).
(iv) INTERIM REPORT.—The Fiscal Commission may meet to consider, and vote on, an interim report on—
(I) any findings, conclusions, or recommendations of the Fiscal Commission described in subparagraph (A)(i);
(II) any findings or recommendations with respect to carrying out the goals described in paragraph (1)(B); and
(III) as the Fiscal Commission determines appropriate, any findings
resulting from any hearing held or evidence received by the Commission.
(B) REPORT IDENTIFIED POLICIES.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding paragraph (4)(D)(ii)(II), and
consistent with clause (vi), not earlier than November 4, 2026, but not
later than November 13, 2026, the Fiscal Commission shall meet to
consider, and vote on—
(I) a report that contains a detailed statement of the findings,
conclusions, and recommendations of the Fiscal Commission described in
subparagraph (A)(i) and the estimate of the Congressional Budget Office
required under paragraph (4)(D)(ii); and
(II) legislative language to carry out the recommendations of the
Fiscal Commission in the report described in subclause (I), which shall
include a statement of the economic and budgetary effects of the
recommendations.
(ii) APPROVAL OF REPORT AND LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE.—A report and
legislative language of the Fiscal Commission under clause (i) shall
require the approval of a majority of the members of the Fiscal
Commission, provided that such majority shall be required to include
not less than 2 members of the Fiscal Commission appointed by members
of the Republican Party and 2 members appointed by members of the
Democratic party.
(iii) ADDITIONAL VIEWS.—
(I) IN GENERAL.—A member of the Fiscal Commission who gives notice of
an intention to file supplemental, minority, or additional views at the
time of the final Fiscal Commission vote on the approval of the report
and legislative language of the Fiscal Commission under clause (i)
shall be entitled to 3 days to file those views in writing with the
staff director of the Fiscal Commission.
(II) INCLUSION IN REPORT.—Views filed under subclause (I) shall be
included in the report of the Fiscal Commission under clause (i) and
printed in the same volume, or part thereof, and such inclusion shall
be noted on the cover of the report, except that, in the absence of
timely notice, the report may be printed and transmitted immediately
without such views.
(iv) REPORT AND LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE TO BE MADE PUBLIC.—Upon the
approval or disapproval of a report and legislative language under
clause (i) by the Fiscal Commission, the Fiscal Commission shall
promptly, and not more than 24 hours after the approval or disapproval
or, if timely notice is given under clause (iii), not more than 24
hours after additional views are filed under such clause, make the
report, the legislative language, and a record of the vote on the
report and legislative language available to the public.
(v) SUBMISSION OF REPORT AND LEGISLATIVE LANGUAGE.—If a report and
legislative language are approved by the Fiscal Commission under clause
(i), not later than 3 days after the date on which the report and
legislative language are made available to the public under clause
(iv), the Fiscal Commission shall submit the report and legislative
language to the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House
of Representatives, and the majority and minority leaders of each House
of Congress.
(vi) EXTENSION.—The Fiscal Commission may extend the deadline set forth
in clause (i) to April 13, 2027, if the Fiscal Commission determines
that additional time is necessary to complete their duties under this
Act. Such extension shall require the approval of a majority of the
members of the Fiscal Commission, provided that such majority shall be
required to include not less than 2 members of the Fiscal Commission
appointed by members of the Republican Party and 2 members appointed by
members of the Democratic party.
(C) PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN.—Not later than 30 days after the date
the Fiscal Commission submits the report under paragraph (2)(B)(v), the
Fiscal Commission shall complete a national campaign to increase public
awareness and education with respect to the fiscal condition of the
Federal Government.
(3) MEMBERSHIP.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The Fiscal Commission shall be composed of 16 members
appointed, not later than 14 days after the date described in paragraph
(1) and with due consideration to chairs and ranking minority members
of the committees and subcommittees of subject matter jurisdiction (as
applicable), as follows:
(i) 3 individuals from among the Members of the Senate, and 1 outside expert, appointed by the majority leader of the Senate.
(ii) 3 individuals from among the Members of the Senate, and 1 outside expert, appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
(iii) 3 individuals from among the Members of the House of
Representatives, and 1 outside expert, appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives.
(iv) 3 individuals from among the Members of the House of
Representatives, and 1 outside expert, appointed by the minority leader
of the House of Representatives.
(B) CO-CHAIRS.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 14 days after the date described in paragraph (1), with respect to the Fiscal Commission—
(I) the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives of the
same political party as the President shall appoint 1 individual from
among the members of the Fiscal Commission who shall serve as a
co-chair of the Fiscal Commission; and
(II) the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives of the
opposite political party as the President shall appoint 1 individual
from among the members of the Fiscal Commission who shall serve as a
co-chair of the Fiscal Commission.
(ii) STAFF DIRECTOR.—With respect to the Fiscal Commission, the
co-chairs of the Fiscal Commission, acting jointly, shall hire the
staff director of the Fiscal Commission.
(C) PERIOD OF APPOINTMENT.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—The members of the Fiscal Commission shall be appointed for the life of the Fiscal Commission.
(ii) VACANCY.—
(I) IN GENERAL.—Any vacancy in the Fiscal Commission shall not affect
the powers of the Fiscal Commission, but shall be filled not later than
14 days after the date on which the vacancy occurs, in the same manner
as the original appointment was made.
(II) INELIGIBLE MEMBERS.—If a member of the Fiscal Commission who was
appointed as a Member of the Senate or the House Representatives ceases
to be a Member of the Senate or the House of Representatives, as
applicable—
(aa) the member shall no longer be a member of the Fiscal Commission; and
(bb) a vacancy in the Fiscal Commission exists.
(4) ADMINISTRATION.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—With respect to the Fiscal Commission, to enable the
Fiscal Commission to exercise the powers, functions, and duties of the
Fiscal Commission, there are authorized to be disbursed by the Senate
the actual and necessary expenses of the Fiscal Commission approved by
the co-chairs of the Fiscal Commission, subject to the rules and
regulations of the Senate.
(B) EXPENSES.—With respect to the Fiscal Commission, in carrying out
the functions of the Fiscal Commission, the Fiscal Commission is
authorized to incur expenses in the same manner and under the same
conditions as the Joint Economic Committee is authorized under section
11(d) of the Employment Act of 1946 (15 U.S.C. 1024(d)).
(C) QUORUM.—With respect to the Fiscal Commission, 7 members of the
Fiscal Commission shall constitute a quorum for purposes of voting,
meeting, and holding hearings. Outside experts shall not count for
purposes of determining whether there is a quorum under this
subparagraph.
(D) VOTING.—
(i) PROXY VOTING.—No proxy voting shall be allowed on behalf of any member of the Fiscal Commission.
(ii) CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE ESTIMATES.—
(I) IN GENERAL.—The Director of the Congressional Budget Office shall,
with respect to the legislative language of the Fiscal Commission under
paragraph (2)(B)(i)(II), provide to the Fiscal Commission—
(aa) estimates of the legislative language in accordance with sections
308(a) and 201(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C.
639(a) and 601(f)); and
(bb) information on the budgetary effects of the legislative language on the long-term fiscal outlook.
(II) LIMITATION.—The Fiscal Commission may not vote on any version of
the report, recommendations, or legislative language of the Fiscal
Commission under paragraph (2)(B)(i) unless the estimates and
information described in subclause (I) of this clause are made
available for consideration by all members of the Fiscal Commission not
later than 48 hours before that vote, as certified by the co-chairs of
the Fiscal Commission.
(iii) LIMITATIONS ON OUTSIDE EXPERTS.—Only members of the Fiscal
Commission who are Members of the Senate or the House of
Representatives may vote on any matter of the Fiscal Commission. An
outside expert serving as a member of the Fiscal Commission shall be a
nonvoting member.
(E) MEETINGS.—
(i) INITIAL MEETING.—Not later than 45 days after the date described in
paragraph (1), the Fiscal Commission shall hold the first meeting of
the Fiscal Commission.
(ii) AGENDA.—For each meeting of the Fiscal Commission, the co-chairs
of the Fiscal Commission shall provide an agenda to the members of the
Fiscal Commission not later than 48 hours before the meeting.
(F) HEARINGS.—
(i) IN GENERAL.—The Fiscal Commission may, for the purpose of carrying
out this section, hold such hearings, sit and act at such times and
places, require attendance of witnesses and production of books,
papers, and documents, take such testimony, receive such evidence, and
administer such oaths as the Fiscal Commission considers advisable.
(ii) HEARING PROCEDURES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF CO-CHAIRS.—
(I) ANNOUNCEMENT.—The co-chairs of the Fiscal Commission shall make a
public announcement of the date, place, time, and subject matter of any
hearing to be conducted under this subparagraph not later than 7 days
before the date of the hearing, unless the co-chairs determine that
there is good cause to begin such hearing on an earlier date.
(II) WRITTEN STATEMENT.—A witness appearing before the Fiscal
Commission shall file a written statement of the proposed testimony of
the witness not later than 2 days before the date of the appearance of
the witness, unless the co-chairs of the Fiscal Commission—
(aa) determine that there is good cause for the witness to not file the written statement; and
(bb) waive the requirement that the witness file the written statement.
(iii) HEARING REQUIREMENTS.—The Fiscal Commission shall hold not less
than 6 hearings under this subparagraph, which shall include—
(I) field hearings through the Nation;
(II) hearings to solicit testimony from appropriate officials of the executive branch; and
(III) hearings to solicit testimony from Members of Congress (in this
subclause defined as a member of the Senate or the House of
Representatives, a Delegate to the House of Representatives, and the
Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico).
(G) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND CONSULTATION.—Upon written request of the
co-chairs of the Fiscal Commission, the head of a Federal agency
(including legislative branch agencies) shall provide technical
assistance to, and consult with, the Fiscal Commission in order for the
Fiscal Commission to carry out their duties.
(H) OUTSIDE EXPERT.—Any outside expert appointed to the Fiscal Commission—
(i) shall not be considered to be a Federal employee for any purpose by reason of service on the Fiscal Commission; and
(ii) shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu of
subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies under
subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States Code, while away
from their homes or regular places of business in the performance of
services for the Commission.
(b) Staff of Fiscal Commission.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—The co-chairs of the Fiscal Commission may jointly
appoint and fix the compensation of staff of the Fiscal Commission as
the co-chairs determine necessary, in accordance with the guidelines,
rules, and requirements relating to employees of the Senate.
(2) ETHICAL STANDARDS.—
(A) SENATE.—Members appointed by Members of the Senate who serve on the
Fiscal Commission and staff of the Fiscal Commission shall adhere to
the ethics rules of the Senate.
(B) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.—Members appointed by Members of the House
of Representatives who serve on the Fiscal Commission shall be governed
by the ethics rules and requirements of the House of Representatives.
(c) Termination.—The Fiscal Commission shall terminate on the date that
is 30 days after the date the Fiscal Commission submits the report
under subsection (a)(2)(B)(v).
SEC. 4. Expedited consideration of implementing bills.
(a) Qualifying legislation.—Only an implementing bill shall be entitled to expedited consideration under this section.
(b) Consideration in the House of Representatives.—
(1) INTRODUCTION.—If the Fiscal Commission approves and submits
legislative language under clauses (i) and (v), respectively, of
section 3(a)(2)(B), the implementing bill consisting solely of that
legislative language shall be introduced in the House of
Representatives (by request)—
(A) by the majority leader of the House of Representatives, or by a
Member of the House of Representatives designated by the majority
leader of the House of Representatives, on the third legislative day
after the date the Fiscal Commission approves and submits such
legislative language; or
(B) if the implementing bill is not introduced under subparagraph (A),
by any Member of the House of Representatives on any legislative day
beginning on the legislative day after the legislative day described in
subparagraph (A).
(2) REFERRAL AND REPORTING.—Any committee of the House of
Representatives to which an implementing bill is referred shall report
the implementing bill to the House of Representatives without amendment
not later than 5 legislative days after the date on which the
implementing bill was so referred. If any committee of the House of
Representatives to which an implementing bill is referred fails to
report the implementing bill within that period, that committee shall
be automatically discharged from consideration of the implementing
bill, and the implementing bill shall be placed on the appropriate
calendar.
(3) PROCEEDING TO CONSIDERATION.—After the last committee authorized to
consider an implementing bill reports it to the House of
Representatives or has been discharged from its consideration, it shall
be in order to move to proceed to consider the implementing bill in the
House of Representatives. Such a motion shall not be in order after the
House of Representatives has disposed of a motion to proceed with
respect to the implementing bill. The previous question shall be
considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without intervening
motion.
(4) CONSIDERATION.—The implementing bill shall be considered as read.
All points of order against the implementing bill and against its
consideration are waived. The previous question shall be considered as
ordered on the implementing bill to its passage without intervening
motion except 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the
proponent and an opponent.
(5) VOTE ON PASSAGE.—The vote on passage of the implementing bill shall
occur pursuant to the constraints under clause 8 of rule XX of the
Rules of the House of Representatives.
(c) Expedited procedure in the Senate.—
(1) INTRODUCTION IN THE SENATE.—On the day on which an implementing
bill is submitted to the Senate under section 3(a)(2)(B)(v), the
implementing bill shall be introduced, by request, by the majority
leader of the Senate for himself or herself and the minority leader of
the Senate, or by any Member so designated by them. If the Senate is
not in session on the day on which such implementing bill is submitted,
it shall be introduced as provided on the first day thereafter on which
the Senate is in session. Such implementing bill shall be placed on the
Calendar of Business under General Orders.
(2) PROCEEDING.—Notwithstanding rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the
Senate, it is in order, not later than 2 days of session after the date
on which an implementing bill is placed on the Calendar, for the
majority leader of the Senate or the designee of the majority leader to
move to proceed to the consideration of the implementing bill. It shall
also be in order for any Member of the Senate to move to proceed to the
consideration of the implementing bill at any time after the conclusion
of such 2-day period. A motion to proceed is in order even though a
previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to. All points of
order against the motion to proceed to the implementing bill are
waived. The motion to proceed is not debatable. The motion is not
subject to a motion to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by
which the motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in order. If
a motion to proceed to the consideration of the implementing bill is
agreed to, it shall remain the unfinished business until disposed of.
All points of order against the implementing bill and against its
consideration are waived.
(3) NO AMENDMENTS.—An amendment to the implementing bill, a motion to
postpone, a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business,
or a motion to commit the implementing bill is not in order.
(4) RULINGS OF THE CHAIR ON PROCEDURE.—Appeals from the decisions of
the Chair relating to the application of the rules of the Senate, as
the case may be, to the procedure relating to an implementing bill
shall be decided without debate.
(d) Amendment.—An implementing bill shall not be subject to amendment in either the Senate or the House of Representatives.
(e) Consideration by the other House.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—If, before passing an implementing bill, one House
receives from the other House an implementing bill consisting solely of
the text of the implementing bill approved by the Fiscal Commission—
(A) the implementing bill of the other House shall not be referred to a committee; and
(B) the procedure in the receiving House shall be the same as if no
implementing bill had been received from the other House until the vote
on passage, when the implementing bill received from the other House
shall supplant the implementing bill of the receiving House.
(2) REVENUE MEASURES.—This subsection shall not apply to the House of
Representatives if an implementing bill received from the Senate is a
revenue measure.
(f) Rules To coordinate action with other house.—
(1) TREATMENT OF IMPLEMENTING BILL OF OTHER HOUSE.—If an implementing
bill is not introduced in the Senate or the Senate fails to consider an
implementing bill under this section, the implementing bill of the
House of Representatives consisting of legislative language approved by
the same Fiscal Commission as the implementing bill in the Senate shall
be entitled to expedited floor procedures under this section.
(2) TREATMENT OF COMPANION MEASURES IN THE SENATE.—If, following
passage of an implementing bill in the Senate, the Senate then receives
from the House of Representatives an implementing bill consisting of
the same text as the Senate-passed implementing bill, the House-passed
implementing bill shall not be debatable. The vote on passage of the
implementing bill in the Senate shall be considered to be the vote on
passage of the implementing bill received from the House of
Representatives.
(3) VETOES.—If the President vetoes an implementing bill, consideration
of a veto message in the Senate under this paragraph shall be 10 hours
equally divided between the majority and minority leaders of the Senate
or the designees of the majority and minority leaders of the Senate.
SEC. 5. Funding.
Funding for the Fiscal Commission shall be derived in equal portions from—
(1) the contingent fund of the Senate from the appropriations account
“Miscellaneous Items”, subject to the rules and regulations of the
Senate; and
(2) the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives.
SEC. 6. Rulemaking.
The provisions of this Act are enacted by Congress—
(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate and the House
of Representatives, respectively, and, as such, the provisions—
(A) shall be considered as part of the rules of each House, respectively, or of that House to which they specifically apply; and
(B) shall supersede other rules only to the extent that they are inconsistent therewith; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of either House
to change such rules (so far as relating to such House) at any time, in
the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other
rule of such House.
Riechel
Reports - City
of San Bruno CA Events and of Interest to San Bruno Residents