TheUnited States House Committee on the Budget,commonly known as theHouse Budget Committee,is astanding committeeof theUnited States House of Representatives.Its responsibilities include legislative oversight of the federal budget process, reviewing all bills and resolutions on the budget, and monitoring agencies and programs funded outside of the budgetary process. The committee briefly operated as aselect committeein 1919 and 1921, during the66thand67th United States Congresses,before being made a standing committee in 1974.[1]
| Standing committee | |
|---|---|
Active United States House of Representatives 118th Congress | |
 | |
| History | |
| Formed | 1974 |
| Leadership | |
| Chair | Jodey Arrington(R) Since January 3, 2023 |
| Ranking member | Brendan Boyle(D) Since January 3, 2023 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 37 |
| Political parties | Majority(21)
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| Jurisdiction | |
| Senate counterpart | Senate Budget Committee |
| Website | |
| budget | |
Role of the committee
editThe primary responsibility of the Budget Committee is the drafting and preparation of theConcurrent Resolutionon the Budget, commonly referred to as the "budget resolution".This resolution sets the aggregate levels of revenue and spending that is expected to occur in a givenfiscal year.A budget resolution by law must be enacted by Congress by April 15. This target date is rarely met, and in at least four years (FY1999, FY2003, FY2005, and FY2007) no budget resolution was ultimately adopted. This resolution also gives to each committee of the House an "allocation" of "new budget authority". This allocation is important in the consideration of legislation on the floor of the House. If a bill comes to the floor to be considered and it causes an increase in spending above this allocation, it is subject to a point of order (under 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act). This is true for discretionary spending (spending that is provided to the Federal Government each year) and mandatory spending (spending such as entitlements where a beneficiary class is defined and a benefit is provided). If an entitlement is expanded and it has not been budgeted for in the budget resolution, it is subject to a point of order on the floor and, if not waived, will prevent it from being called up for consideration (if a Member of Congress stands before the body and makes thepoint of order).
In general, legislation is cleared of such problems prior to consideration through discussions between the House Parliamentarian, the House Leadership, and the House Budget Committee.
The committee holds hearings on federal budget legislation and congressional resolutions related to thefederal budget process.The committee holds hearings on thepresident'sannual budget requesttoCongressand drafts the annual Congressional Budget Resolution, which sets overall spending guidelines for Congress as it develops theannual federal appropriations bills.The committee also reviews supplemental budget requests submitted by the president, which cover items which for one reason or another were not included in the original budget request, usually for emergency spending. Recently, emergency budget supplementals have been used to request funding for the wars inIraqandAfghanistanas well as for disaster recovery afterHurricanes KatrinaandRita.The committee mayamend,approve, ortablebudget-related bills. It also has the power to enforce established federal budget rules, hold budget-related investigations, andsubpoenawitnesses. Additionally, the committee has oversight of theCongressional Budget Office.
Rules of the committee
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The committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month while the House is in session. Though this is required, it is almost always waived and the committee only meets when a subject of sufficient importance arises. This usually occurs during the early part of the calendar year when the president's budget is issued and important budgetary decisions must be made.
It is not permitted to conduct business unless aquorumis present. For hearings, two members must be present for a hearing to begin. For a business meeting, such as a "mark-up" of a legislative document, a majority of its members must be present. If a bill is passed out of committee without the requisite quorum, it may be subject to a point of order on the floor of theU.S. House of Representatives.
The committee may only consider measures placed before it either by the chairman or by a majority vote of its members.
Each member of the committee may question witnesses during hearings, in order of seniority when the hearing is called to order. Otherwise, members are recognized in order of their arrival after the gavel has brought the committee to order.
Committee members
editThe committee is chaired byRepublicanJodey ArringtonfromTexas.Theranking memberisDemocratBrendan BoylefromPennsylvania.
Also under House rules, unlike other committees of the House of Representatives, membership on the Budget Committee is term limited. Rank-and-file members must rotate off the committee after serving for three terms. Chairmen and ranking members may serve no more than four terms. (See Clause 5 of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives).[2]These limits are often waived, as they have been for ChairmanJohn Kasich(R-OH), ChairmanJim Nussle(R-IA) and ChairmanJohn Spratt(D-SC). Such a waiver requires a vote of the whole House, and is usually included in the opening day "Rules Package" that sets the rules for each successive Congress. Such a resolution is normally introduced as "House Resolution 5" or "House Resolution 6".
Several high-profile budget committee members have gone on to serve asDirector of the Office of Management and Budget:Leon Panetta(budget committee chairman 1989–1993),Rob Portman(budget committee vice chairman) andJim Nussle(budget committee chairman 2001–2007). Additionally,John Kasich(chairman 1995–2001) went on to serve as Governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019, whilePaul Ryan(chairman 2011–2015) was the Republican nominee for vice president in2012and theHouse speakerfrom 2015 to 2019.
Members, 118th Congress
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| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
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Resolutions electing members:H.Res. 14(Chair),H.Res. 15(Ranking Member),H.Res. 102(D),H.Res. 103(R),H.Res. 164(D),H.Res. 205(amending rank),H.Res. 954(R)
Historical membership rosters
edit117th Congress
edit| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
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Resolutions electing members:H.Res. 9(Chair),H.Res. 10(Ranking Member),H.Res. 62(D),H.Res. 63(R),H.Res. 91(removingMarjorie Taylor Greene),H.Res. 95(R),H.Res. 122(R),H.Res. 658(R),H.Res. 826(R),H.Res. 1197(R),H.Res. 1340(R)
116th Congress
edit| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
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Sources:H.Res. 7(Chair),H.Res. 8(Ranking Member),H.Res. 73(D),H.Res. 74(R),H.Res. 125(D),H.Res. 481(R),H.Res. 870(D),H.Res. 1058(R)
115th Congress
edit| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
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Sources:H.Res. 6(Chair),H.Res. 7(Ranking Member),H.Res. 36(R),H.Res. 45,H.Res. 52,H.Res. 95(D),H.Res. 131(R)
Major legislation reported out of the committee
edit- U.S. House Fiscal Year 2014 Budget (H. Con. Res. 25; 113th Congress)- was reported out of the Budget Committee on March 15, 2013, and introduced by Committee Chairman Paul Ryan to the House floor. It passed the House on March 21, 2013, 221–207.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^Walter Stubbs (1985),Congressional Committees, 1789-1982: A Checklist,Greenwood Press, pp. 16–17
- ^Haas, Karen."Rules of the House of Representatives One Hundred Fifteenth Congress"(PDF).Clerk of the House of Representatives.
External links
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- House Budget Committee homepage(Archive)
- House Budget Committee.Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.