For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30297
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Order Code RL30297
Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Selected Statistics and Information Guide
Updated February 26, 2008
Bill Heniff Jr.
Analyst on the Congress and Legislative Process
Government and Finance Division
Justin Murray
Information Research Specialist
Knowledge Services Group
Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Selected Statistics and Information Guide
Summary
The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Titles I-IX of P.L. 93-344, 88 Stat. 297-
332), as amended, establishes the concurrent resolution on the budget as the
centerpiece of the congressional budget process. The annual budget resolution is an
agreement between the House and Senate on a budget plan for the upcoming fiscal
year and at least the following four fiscal years. As a concurrent resolution, it is not
presented to the President for his signature and thus does not become law. The
budget resolution, however, provides the framework for subsequent legislative action
on budgetary legislation during each congressional session.
Congress has adopted 37 budget resolutions during the 33 years that the
congressional budget process has been in effect. At least one budget resolution has
been adopted every year except 1998 (for FY1999), 2002 (for FY2003), 2004 (for
FY2005), and 2006 (for FY2007). A second budget resolution was adopted in each
of the first seven years and a third budget resolution was adopted in one year (for
FY1977). Since 1982, Congress has adopted only one budget resolution for each
fiscal year. Congress initially was required to cover only the upcoming fiscal year
in the budget resolution, but over the years Congress has expanded this time frame.
Currently, the budget resolution must include at least five fiscal years.
The budget resolution may include reconciliation directives, instructing one or
more committees to recommend legislative changes to meet the direct spending and
revenue levels included in the budget resolution. In the past 33 years, Congress
included reconciliation directives in 20 budget resolutions. Pursuant to these
directives, 19 reconciliation measures have been enacted. On four occasions (in 1982,
1986, 1997, and 2006), Congress adopted two reconciliation measures in one year.
Four reconciliation measures have been vetoed, in 1975, 1995, 1999, and 2000.
During the past 33 years, the House has considered and adopted fewer
amendments to the budget resolution than the Senate. The House has considered, on
average, six amendments per budget resolution. For more than two decades, the
House has considered the budget resolutions under special rules that generally have
made in order only amendments in the nature of a substitute. In all but one year, the
House has rejected all such amendments. In contrast, the Senate has considered, on
average, 44 amendments per budget resolution, adopting, on average, 22 of these.
Congress originally was required to complete action on the budget resolution by
May 15 of each year; this deadline was changed to April 15 beginning with the
FY1987 budget resolution. The budget resolution deadline has been met only six
times during the past 33 years, most recently in 2003 with the FY2004 budget
resolution. Budget resolutions have been adopted, on average, more than 33 days
after the deadline.
This report will be updated as warranted.
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Formulation and Content of the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Formulation of the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Content of the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Source of Economic Assumptions Associated with Budget Levels
in the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Number of Years Covered by the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Consideration and Adoption of the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Amendments to the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Timing of Action on the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Appendix A. Modifications to the Procedures and Requirements Pertaining to
the Formulation, Content, and Consideration of the Budget Resolution . . . 16
Appendix B. U.S. Statutes-at-Large Citations of Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Appendix C. Budget Resolutions Rejected in the House, FY1976-FY2008 . . . 22
Appendix D. Committee Reports to Budget Resolutions, FY1976- FY2008 . . . 23
Appendix E. Selected Components Included in Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Appendix F. Budget Resolutions and Associated Reconciliation Acts,
FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Appendix G. Source of Economic Assumptions Associated with Budget
Levels in Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Appendix H. Number of Years Covered by Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Appendix I. Special Rules Providing for the Consideration of Budget
Resolutions in the House, FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Appendix J. Number of Amendments to Budget Resolutions Considered
in the House, FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Appendix K. Amendments in the Nature of a Substitute to Budget Resolutions
Made in Order by a Special Rule in the House, FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . 41
Appendix L. Number of Amendments to Budget Resolutions Considered
in the Senate, FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Appendix M. Timing of House Action on Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Appendix N. Timing of Senate Action on Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
List of Figures
Figure 1. Number of Days Before or After Deadline That Action on the
Annual Budget Resolution Was Completed, FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . 15
List of Tables
Table 1. Congressional Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Table 2. Dates of Final Adoption of the Annual Budget Resolution,
FY1976-FY2008 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Selected Statistics and Information Guide
Introduction
The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (Titles I-IX of P.L. 93-344, 88 Stat. 297-
332), as amended, establishes the concurrent resolution on the budget as the
centerpiece of the congressional budget process. The annual budget resolution is an
agreement between the House and Senate on a budget plan for the upcoming fiscal
year and at least the following four fiscal years. As a concurrent resolution, it is not
presented to the President for his signature and thus does not become law. The
budget resolution, however, provides the framework for subsequent legislative action
on the annual appropriations bills, revenue measures, debt-limit legislation,
reconciliation legislation, and any other budgetary legislation.
This report provides current and historical information on the budget resolution.
It provides a list of the budget resolutions adopted and rejected by Congress since
implementation of the Budget Act, including the U.S. Statutes-at-Large citations and
committee report numbers, and describes their formulation and content. The report
provides a table of selected optional components, a list of reconciliation measures,
and information on the number of years covered by budget resolutions. It also
provides information on the consideration and adoption of budget resolutions,
including an identification of the House special rules that provided for consideration
of budget resolutions; the amendments in the nature of a substitute to the budget
resolution considered in the House; the number and disposition of House and Senate
amendments to budget resolutions; and dates of House and Senate action on budget
resolutions.
Congress has modified the congressional budget process several times since it
was first established in 1974. Appendix A identifies laws and budget resolutions
that modified the procedures and requirements pertaining to the formulation, content,
and consideration of the budget resolution.
As originally enacted, the Budget Act required that Congress adopt two budget
resolutions each year. The first budget resolution, which was to be adopted by May
15, was advisory in nature. The second budget resolution, which was to be adopted
by September 15 (about two weeks before the beginning of the fiscal year), was
binding. The second budget resolution revised or reaffirmed the first budget
resolution by taking into account budget and economic changes in the months since
the first resolution. Additional budget resolutions could be adopted at any time.
The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Title II of
P.L. 99-177, 99 Stat. 1038-1101) eliminated the requirement for a second budget
CRS-2
resolution beginning in FY1987. For several preceding years, for FY1983-FY1986,
Congress did not adopt a second budget resolution, but instead included a provision
in the first budget resolution that made the spending and revenue totals in it binding
automatically as of the beginning of the fiscal year.
During the 33 years that the congressional budget process has been in effect,
Congress has adopted 37 budget resolutions. At least one budget resolution has been
adopted every year except 1998 (for FY1999), 2002 (for FY2003), 2004 (for
FY2005), and 2006 (for FY2007).1 Congress also adopted a second budget
resolution in seven of the 32 years. In two of these years (1979 for FY1980 and 1981
for FY1982), the House adopted the Senate version of the second budget resolution
rather than adopting its own; no conference report, therefore, was necessary for these
budget resolutions. In 1977, Congress adopted a third budget resolution for FY1977,
further revising the previous first and second budget resolutions for FY1977.
Table 1 lists all budget resolutions adopted by Congress, with the House and
Senate votes on initial passage and adoption of the conference report. The U.S.
Statutes-at-Large citations for adopted budget resolutions are listed in Appendix B.
(Although concurrent resolutions such as budget resolutions have no statutory
authority, they are compiled in a special section of the U.S. Statutes-at-Large.)
Appendix C lists the budget resolutions rejected in the House. No budget
resolutions were rejected in the Senate.
1
In the absence of an agreed-upon budget resolution, the House (for FY1999, FY2003,
FY2005 and FY2007) and Senate (for FY1999, FY2005, and FY2007) each have agreed to
"deeming resolution" provisions for budget enforcement purposes. For further information
on "deeming resolution" provisions, see CRS Report RL31443, The "Deeming Resolution":
A Budget Enforcement Tool, by Robert Keith.
CRS-3
Table 1. Congressional Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008
Initial Passage Conference Report
Budget Resolution
Congress Fiscal Year Typea House Vote Senate Vote House Vote Senate Vote
(companion measure)
94th 1976 H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 32) first 200-196 69-22 230-193 voice
H.Con.Res. 466 (S.Con.Res. 76) second 225-191 69-23 189-187 74-19
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 (H.Con.Res. 611) first 221-155 62-22 224-170 65-29
S.Con.Res. 139 (H.Con.Res. 728) second 227-151 55-23 234-143 66-20
95th 1977 S.Con.Res. 10 (H.Con.Res. 110) third 239-169 72-20 226-173 voice
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 (H.Con.Res. 214) first 213-179 56-31 221-177 54-23
H.Con.Res. 341 (S.Con.Res. 43) second 199-188 63-21 215-187 68-21
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 (H.Con.Res. 559) first 201-197 64-27 201-198 voice
H.Con.Res. 683 (S.Con.Res. 104) second 217-178 56-18 225-162 47-7
96th 1980 H.Con.Res. 107 (S.Con.Res. 22) first 220-184 64-20 202-196 72-17
S.Con.Res. 53 (H.Con.Res. 186)b second 206-186 57-20 -- --
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 (S.Con.Res. 86) first 225-193c 68-28 205-195 61-26
241-174
H.Con.Res. 448 (S.Con.Res. 119) second 203-191 48-46 voice 50-38
CRS-4
Initial Passage Conference Report
Budget Resolution
Congress Fiscal Year Typea House Vote Senate Vote House Vote Senate Vote
(companion measure)
97th 1982 H.Con.Res. 115 (S.Con.Res. 19) first 270-154 78-20 244-155 76-20
S.Con.Res. 50 (H.Con.Res. 230)d second 206-200 49-48 -- --
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 (H.Con.Res. 352) -- 219-206 49-43 210-208 51-45
98th 1984 H.Con.Res. 91 (S.Con.Res. 27) -- 229-196 50-49 239-186 51-43
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 (S.Con.Res. 106) -- 250-168 41-34 232-162 voice
th
99 1986 S.Con.Res. 32 (H.Con.Res. 152) -- 258-170 voice 309-119 67-32
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 (H.Con.Res. 337) -- 245-179 70-25 333-43 voice
100th 1988 H.Con.Res. 93 (S.Con.Res. 49) -- voice 56-42 215-201 53-46
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 (S.Con.Res. 113) -- 319-102 69-26 201-181 58-29
st
101 1990 H.Con.Res. 106 (S.Con.Res. 30) -- 263-157 68-31 241-185 63-37
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 (S.Con.Res. 110) -- 218-208 voice 250-164 66-33
102nd 1992 H.Con.Res. 121 (S.Con.Res. 29) -- 261-163 voice 239-181 57-41
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 (S.Con.Res. 106) -- 215-201e voice 209-207 52-41
224-191
103rd 1994 H.Con.Res. 64 (S.Con.Res. 18) -- 243-183 54-45 240-184 55-45
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 63) -- 223-175 57-40 220-183 53-46
CRS-5
Initial Passage Conference Report
Budget Resolution
Congress Fiscal Year Typea House Vote Senate Vote House Vote Senate Vote
(companion measure)
104th 1996 H.Con.Res. 67 (S.Con.Res. 13) -- 238-193 57-42 239-194 54-46
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 (S.Con.Res. 57) -- 226-195 53-46 216-211 53-46
th
105 1998 H.Con.Res. 84 (S.Con.Res. 27) -- 333-99 78-22 327-97 76-22
1999f H.Con.Res. 284 (S.Con.Res. 86) -- 216-204 57-41 -- --
106th 2000 H.Con.Res. 68 (S.Con.Res. 20) -- 221-208 55-44 220-208 54-44
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 (S.Con.Res. 101) -- 211-207 51-45 220-208 50-48
107th 2002 H.Con.Res. 83 (no companion measure)g -- 222-205 63-35 221-207 53-47
h
2003 H.Con.Res. 353 (S.Con.Res. 100) -- 221-209 -- -- --
108th 2004 H.Con.Res. 95 (S.Con.Res. 23) -- 215-212 56-44 216-211 51-50
2005i S.Con.Res. 95 (H.Con.Res. 393) -- 215-212 51-45 216-213 --
109th 2006 H.Con.Res 95 (S.Con.Res 18) -- 218-214 51-49 214-211 52-47
2007j H.Con.Res. 376 (S.Con.Res. 83) -- 218-210 51-49 -- --
th
110 2008 S.Con.Res. 21 (H.Con.Res. 99) -- 216-210 52-47 214-209 52-40
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
a. "Type" refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year. For the first seven years of the congressional budget process, Congress adopted
multiple budget resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has adopted only one a year.
CRS-6
b. The House rejected its version of the budget resolution (see Appendix C of this report) and adopted the Senate's version of the budget resolution; no conference report was necessary.
c. The question was divided, with separate votes on sections 1-5 and 7, and on section 6 (revised FY1980 budget resolution).
d. The House laid its version of the budget resolution on the table by unanimous consent and adopted the Senate's version of the budget resolution; no conference report was necessary.
e. The question was divided, with separate votes on sections 1, 2 and 4, and on section 3 (revised the spending and revenue levels if certain legislation was not enacted into law before
conferees on the budget resolution were appointed).
f. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999. In the absence of a budget resolution, the House agreed to H.Res. 477 on June 19, 1998, and H.Res. 5 on Jan.
6, 1999, both deeming the budget levels contained in the House-adopted FY1999 budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 284) generally to have been adopted by Congress, for budget
enforcement purposes. Likewise, the Senate agreed to S.Res. 209 on Apr. 2, 1998, and S.Res. 312 on Oct. 21, 1998, both setting forth budget levels to be enforced as if they
were included in a budget resolution agreed to by Congress.
g. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the Senate considered the House-passed budget resolution after the Senate Budget
Committee was discharged from its consideration.
h. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003. In the absence of a budget resolution, the House agreed to H.Res. 428 on May 22, 2002, and H.Res. 5 on Jan.
7, 2003, deeming the House-adopted FY2003 budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 353, 107th Congress) to have been adopted by Congress, for budget enforcement purposes. The
Senate did not take similar action.
i. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005. The House agreed to the conference report to S.Con.Res. 95 (H.Rept. 108-498) on May 19, 2004, but the Senate
never considered it. In the absence of a budget resolution, the House included a provision (Section 2) in the special rule (H.Res. 649) governing the consideration of the conference
report to S.Con.Res. 95 "deeming" the conference report to have been agreed to by Congress. The Senate included a provision (Section 14007) in the Defense Appropriations
Act, 2005 (P.L. 108-287) setting forth the FY2005 spending allocations for the Senate Appropriations Committee.
j. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2007. In the absence of a budget resolution, the House agreed to a provision in the special rule (Section 2 of H.
Res. 818) governing the consideration of the FY2007 Interior Appropriations Act, (H.R. 5286) "deeming" the House-passed FY2007 budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 376) to
have been agreed to by Congress. The Senate included a provision (section 7035) in the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Defense, the Global War on
Terror, and Hurricane Recovery, 2006, (P.L. 109-234) setting forth the FY2007 spending allocations for the Senate Appropriations Committee.
CRS-7
Formulation and Content of the Budget Resolution
Formulation of the Budget Resolution
Following the submission of the President's budget in January or February,
Congress begins formulating its budget resolution. The House and Senate Budget
Committees are responsible for developing and reporting the budget resolution.
Within six weeks after the President's budget submission, each House and
Senate committee is required to submit its "views and estimates" relating to budget
matters under their jurisdiction to their respective Budget Committee (Section 301(d)
of the Budget Act). These views and estimates, often submitted in the form of a
letter to the chair and ranking Member of the Budget Committee, typically include
comments on the President's budget proposals and estimates of the budgetary impact
of any legislation likely to be considered during the current session of Congress. The
Budget Committees are not bound by these recommendations. The views and
estimates often are printed in the committee report accompanying the resolution in
the Senate or compiled in a separate committee print in the House.
The budget resolution was designed to provide a framework to make budget
decisions, leaving specific program determinations to the Appropriations Committees
and other committees with spending and revenue jurisdiction. In many instances,
however, particular program changes are considered when formulating the budget
resolution. Program assumptions are sometimes referred to in the reports of the
Budget Committees or may be discussed during floor action. Although these
program changes are not binding, committees may be strongly influenced by these
recommendations when formulating appropriations bills, reconciliation measures, or
other budgetary legislation.
Appendix D provides a list of the House, Senate, and conference reports to the
first budget resolutions adopted by Congress each year.
Content of the Budget Resolution
Section 301(a) of the Budget Act requires that the budget resolution include the
following matters for the upcoming fiscal year and at least the ensuing four fiscal
years:
! aggregate levels of new budget authority, outlays, the budget surplus
or deficit, and the public debt;
! aggregate levels of federal revenues and the amount, if any, by
which the aggregate levels of federal revenues should be increased
or decreased by legislative action;
! amounts of new budget authority and outlays for each of the major
functional categories; and
CRS-8
! for purposes of Senate enforcement procedures, Social Security
outlays and revenues (although these amounts are not included in the
budget surplus or deficit totals due to their off-budget status).
In addition to the content required by the Budget Act, Section 301(b) lists
several other matters that may be included in the budget resolution. Appendix E
provides a table indicating selected components included in first budget resolutions
for FY1976-FY2008.
The most important of the optional matters is the inclusion of reconciliation
directives provided by Section 310 of the Budget Act. Budget reconciliation is an
optional two-step process Congress may use to bring direct spending, revenue, and
debt-limit levels into compliance with those set forth in budget resolutions.2 In order
to accomplish this, Congress first includes reconciliation directives in a budget
resolution directing one or more committees in each chamber to recommend changes
in statute to achieve the levels of direct spending, revenues, debt limit, or a
combination thereof, agreed to in the budget resolution. The legislative language
recommended by committees then is packaged "without any substantive revision"
into one or more reconciliation bills, as set forth in the budget resolution, by the
House and Senate Budget Committees. In some instances, a committee may be
required to report its legislative recommendations directly to its chamber.
Once the Budget Committees, or individual committees if so directed, report
reconciliation legislation to their respective chambers, consideration is governed by
special procedures.3 These special rules serve to limit what may be included in
reconciliation legislation, to prohibit certain amendments, and to encourage its
completion in a timely fashion.
During the 33-year period since the congressional budget process was
established, Congress has included reconciliation directives to House and Senate
committees in 20 budget resolutions.4 The directives resulted in the enactment of 19
2
For a more detailed discussion of the reconciliation process, see CRS Report RL33030,
The Reconciliation Process: House and Senate Procedures, by Robert Keith and Bill Heniff
Jr.
3
For a brief summary of these procedures, see CRS Report 98-814, Budget Reconciliation
Legislation: Development and Consideration, by Bill Heniff Jr.
4
The number (19) of budget resolutions containing reconciliation directives includes the
FY1976 second budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 466). There has been an ongoing
controversy about whether the directive in this budget resolution was a reconciliation
directive as set forth in Section 310 of the Congressional Budget Act. The Senate treated
it as such and considered the resultant legislation (H.R. 5559, as reported by the Senate
Finance Committee, 94th Congress) under the reconciliation procedures. The House did not,
however, consider and adopt its version of the resultant legislation as a reconciliation
measure, and thus it presumably did not consider the directive as a reconciliation directive.
See Floyd M. Riddick and Alan S. Frumin, Riddick's Senate Procedure: Precedents and
Practices (Rev. ed.), S.Doc. 101-28, 101st Cong., 1st sess. (Washington: GPO, 1992), pp.
622-623. The legislation subsequently was adopted by the Senate and House but was vetoed
by the President. For further information on these directives, see (1) CRS Congressional
(continued...)
CRS-9
reconciliation measures. On four occasions (in 1982, 1986, 1997, and 2006),
Congress adopted two reconciliation measures in one year. Four reconciliation
measures have been vetoed, in 1975, 1995, 1999, and 2000. Appendix F lists the
budget resolutions that contained reconciliation directives and the associated
reconciliation acts.
Beginning with the FY1981 budget resolution, Congress also included amounts
for federal credit activities. The 1985 Balanced Budget Act permanently required the
inclusion of aggregate and functional levels of direct loan obligations and primary
loan guarantee commitments in budget resolutions. The inclusion of federal credit
levels, however, was made optional by the Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (Title
X of P.L. 105-33; 111 Stat. 677-712). Of the 27 first budget resolutions adopted by
Congress, 18 budget resolutions included federal credit amounts.
Another optional component of budget resolutions has been the inclusion of
reserve funds. The reserve fund provisions generally provide for the revision of
budget resolution aggregates, functional allocations, and committee allocations if
certain deficit-neutral legislation is enacted or some other condition is met. Over the
last decade, Congress often has included several reserve funds in budget resolutions
(as indicated in Appendix E). For instance, the FY2008 budget resolution
(S.Con.Res. 21, 110th Congress) included 23 reserve funds.
In recent years, declaratory statements increasingly have been included in budget
resolutions. These nonbinding statements express the sense of Congress, the sense
of the House, or the sense of the Senate on various issues. As indicated in Appendix
E, Congress has included, on average, 22 declaratory statements in the last 11 budget
resolutions (not including budget resolutions for FY1999, FY2003, FY2005, and
FY2007 because Congress did not complete action on these measures) but only, on
average, about two and a half declaratory statements in the first 18 budget
resolutions.
The annual budget resolution also may require a deferred enrollment procedure
(see Section 301(b)(3) of the Budget Act), under which all or certain bills providing
new budget authority or new entitlement authority for the upcoming fiscal year
cannot be enrolled until Congress has completed action on a reconciliation measure
(or, prior to FY1987, a reconciliation measure or the second budget resolution).
Budget resolutions for FY1981, FY1982, FY1983, and FY1984 contained deferred
enrollment provisions.5
Lastly, Congress has included several other procedural provisions in budget
resolutions. Under Section 301(b)(4) of the Budget Act, the so-called elastic clause,
4
(...continued)
distribution memorandum, Reconciliation Directives to House Committees in Budget
Resolutions for FY1976-FY2005, by Bill Heniff Jr.; and (2) CRS Congressional distribution
memorandum, Reconciliation Directives to Senate Committees in Budget Resolutions for
FY1976-FY2005, by Bill Heniff Jr. (both available from the author).
5
The FY1983 budget resolution exempted legislation dealing with certain trust funds from
its deferred enrollment provision.
CRS-10
Congress may "set forth such other matters, and require such other procedures,
relating to the budget, as may be appropriate to carry out the purposes of" the
Congressional Budget Act in the budget resolution. The number of procedural
provisions included in budget resolutions is listed in the last column of Appendix E.
Some of these procedural provisions include deferred enrollment; automatic second
budget resolutions; special budgetary treatment of certain activities, such as the sale
of government assets; and more recently, enforcement of a pay-as-you-go
requirement in the Senate, and limits on advance appropriations.
Source of Economic Assumptions Associated
with Budget Levels in the Budget Resolution
The budget levels contained in the budget resolution are developed using a
baseline, which is a projection of revenues and spending under existing law and
assuming no policy changes. There are two baselines commonly used in the federal
budget process: (1) the current services estimates calculated by the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB); and (2) the budget baseline projections calculated
by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). These two projections often differ
because they are based upon different sets of economic and technical assumptions,
reflecting different projections of future economic and program performance.
The economic assumptions developed by OMB are published in the Analytical
Perspectives volume of the President's budget submitted to Congress.6 CBO
includes its initial economic assumptions in its annual economic and budget outlook
report published early in the year.7 Often, CBO revises these economic assumptions
to reflect new economic data which become available after the publication of this
report. In some years, CBO will revise its economic assumptions in late winter or
early spring and publish them in its analysis of the President's budget.8 In other
years, revised economic assumptions will be included in CBO's economic and
budget outlook update report published in the summer.
Congress is not required to use the economic assumptions developed by either
OMB or CBO in the budget resolution, but must identify the economic assumptions
upon which the budget levels are based.9 The original Budget Act required that only
the House and Senate Committee reports accompanying the budget resolution include
the economic assumptions upon which the spending and revenue levels were based.
The common practice, however, was to extend this to the conference report on the
6
For example, see OMB, Budget of the U.S. Government, Fiscal Year 2007, Analytical
Perspectives (Washington: GPO, February 2006), chapter 12, pp. 165-174.
7
For example, see CBO, The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2007-2016
(Washington: January 2006), chapter 2, pp. 25-49.
8
For example, see CBO, An Analysis of the President's Budgetary Proposals for Fiscal
Year 2003 (Washington: March 2002), pp. 4-5.
9
In addition, Section 301(g)(1) of the Budget Act prohibits the Senate from considering a
budget resolution that contains budget levels based on more than one set of economic
assumptions. This provision was added by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Reaffirmation Act of 1987 (Title I of P.L. 100-119, 99 Stat. 754-788).
CRS-11
budget resolution as well. In 1985, Congress amended the Budget Act to specifically
require that the joint explanatory statement accompanying a conference report on a
budget resolution set forth the common economic assumptions upon which the
statement and conference report are based.10
Appendix G specifies the source of the economic assumptions used in the first
budget resolutions for FY1976 to FY2008. Of the 29 budget resolutions adopted by
Congress during this period, 17 were based upon economic assumptions developed
by CBO. Usually, these were the assumptions in CBO's economic and budget
outlook report published early in the year. In four instances, however, Congress used
the economic assumptions that were revised by CBO after the publication of this
report; the budget resolutions for FY1984, FY1985, FY1997, and FY1998 were
based upon revised CBO economic assumptions. On four other occasions, Congress
made adjustments to the CBO economic assumptions; the budget resolutions for
FY1996, FY1997, FY1998, and FY2000 were based upon adjusted CBO economic
assumptions. In the first three, the adjustments were intended to reflect anticipated
revisions to the Consumer Price Index.
In six of the 29 budget resolutions, Congress used the economic assumptions
developed by OMB. Usually, these were the assumptions included in the President's
budget submitted to Congress early in the year. In two of these budget resolutions,
however, the OMB economic assumptions were adjusted to reflect revisions in
economic data.
In 1982, Congress based the budget levels in the FY1983 budget resolution upon
economic assumptions agreed to by negotiators from Congress and the
Administration during a budget summit.
Finally, the joint explanatory statements accompanying the conference reports
to the first five budget resolutions specified the economic assumptions upon which
the budget levels were based, but did not indicate the source of those assumptions.
Number of Years Covered by the Budget Resolution
Originally, the Budget Act mandated that budget resolutions cover only the
upcoming fiscal year beginning on October 1 (referred to as the budget year). A
desire to use the budget resolution as a tool for budget planning and other factors
prompted Congress to expand this time frame to include the upcoming fiscal year as
well as the two ensuing fiscal years. Congress used the authority provided by the
elastic clause of the Budget Act to adopt three-year budget resolutions for the period
covering the second budget resolution for FY1980 through the FY1986 budget
resolution. The practice of including three fiscal years was formalized by the 1985
Balanced Budget Act.
The Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1990 (Title XIII of P.L. 101-508,
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990, 104 Stat. 1388-573-1388 through 630)
10
Section 301(g)(2) of the Budget Act, as amended by the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Title II of P.L. 99-177, 99 Stat. 1038-1101).
CRS-12
temporarily extended to five fiscal years the period the budget resolution is required
to cover. The 1990 BEA provision originally covered five-year periods beginning
in FY1991 and continuing through FY1995; this provision was extended to cover
the FY1996 through FY1998 budget resolutions in 1993 (Title XIV of P.L. 103-66,
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, 107 Stat. 683-685). As an integral part
of Congress's goal of achieving a balanced budget by FY2002, the FY1996 and
FY1997 budget resolutions covered seven and six fiscal years, respectively. The
Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (Title X of P.L. 105-33, Balanced Budget Act of
1997, 111 Stat. 677-712) amended the Budget Act to require permanently that a
budget resolution cover the budget year and at least the four ensuing fiscal years.
Appendix H provides information regarding the number of years covered by the
budget resolutions agreed to by Congress.
Congress also may revise budget levels for the current year in the budget
resolution, pursuant to Section 304 of the Budget Act. Congress has adopted 14 first
budget resolutions that revised current-year budget levels.
Consideration and Adoption of
the Budget Resolution
Floor consideration of the budget resolution differs in the House and Senate.
Section 305 of the Budget Act sets forth special procedures for the consideration of
the budget resolution, generally to expedite its consideration. The House, however,
regularly adopts a special rule, a simple House resolution, setting forth the terms for
consideration of the measure. In particular, special rules have been used for more
than a decade to limit the offering of amendments to a few major substitutes.
Appendix I lists the special rules that provided for the consideration of budget
resolutions in the House.
In contrast, floor consideration in the Senate is governed by the procedures set
forth in the Congressional Budget Act. The procedures generally limit debate and
prohibit certain amendments and motions.11
Amendments to the Budget Resolution
The House has considered, on average, six amendments per budget resolution.12
The largest number of amendments considered was 45 in 1979; the largest number
agreed to was 11 in 1979 (the first FY1983 budget resolution also was amended 11
times, but it subsequently was rejected). Appendix J identifies the number of
accepted and rejected amendments to budget resolutions considered in the House.
11
For a discussion of these procedures, see CRS Report 98-511, Consideration of the Budget
Resolution, by Bill Heniff Jr.
12
These averages, as well as the averages related to Senate amendments, derive from all
first budget resolutions considered and adopted on the House or Senate floor. That is, the
averages do not include amendments to budget resolutions that subsequently were rejected.
CRS-13
The amending activity in the House during the last several years is in marked contrast
to the early years of the congressional budget process. During the first eight years,
the House considered, on average, more than 13 amendments per budget resolution,
agreeing to, on average, three of these. In contrast, during the past 25 years, the
House has considered very few amendments to budget resolutions, averaging almost
four per budget resolution, and agreeing to even fewer of these. Of the 89
amendments considered by the House during this time period, only four were
adopted. Since 1992, the House has rejected all amendments.
Contributing to this trend, the House special rule typically has allowed for
consideration of only amendments in the nature of a substitute to the budget
resolution. For example, between 1983 and 2007 (for the FY1984-FY2008 budget
resolutions), 84 out of the 89 amendments to the budget resolution made in order by
the special rule were amendments in the nature of a substitute. Only one of these 84
amendments in the nature of a substitute was agreed to; that one contained the budget
resolution text recommended by the House Budget Committee offered by its chair at
the time, Representative William H. Gray III (PA). Appendix K lists the
amendments in the nature of a substitute to the budget resolution made in order by
the special rule.
Unlike the House, which has no reporting deadline for its budget committee to
report a budget resolution, the Senate has an April 1 reporting deadline for the budget
resolution.13 In addition, the terms of debate and the consideration of amendments
are not structured by a special rule, as in the House, but instead are governed by the
procedures set forth in Section 305(b) of the Budget Act. Typically, a larger number
of amendments is considered, consisting of substitute amendments as well as
amendments that address specific issues.
During the period between 1975 and 2007, the Senate considered, on average,
about 42 amendments per budget resolution, agreeing to, on average, 22 of these.14
The largest number of amendments considered was 106 in 1998; the largest number
agreed to was 57 in 1998 and 1999. Appendix L identifies the number of
amendments accepted, rejected, withdrawn, and ruled out-of-order during Senate
consideration of budget resolutions. In contrast to the House, the number of
amendments considered by the Senate has increased over the last decade. For the last
14 budget resolutions considered on the floor for example, the Senate considered, on
average, 72 amendments per budget resolution, agreeing to, on average, about 43 of
these. Amendments have been agreed to in the Senate at a much higher rate
compared to the House as well. For instance, in 10 of the past 14 years in which a
budget resolution was considered on the floor, the success rate for amendments has
equaled or exceeded 60%.
13
For further information, see CRS Report RS20541, Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Reporting Deadline in the Senate, by Robert Keith.
14
This average does not include the FY2003 budget resolution because it was not considered
on the Senate floor.
CRS-14
Timing of Action on the Budget Resolution
Congress is required to complete action on the budget resolution by April 15
each year. Table 2 lists the dates of final adoption of budget resolutions for FY1976-
FY2008. Since 1974, Congress has met the budget resolution deadline only six
times, most recently in 2003 with the FY2004 budget resolution. Under the original
timetable (prior to 1986, the deadline was May 15), Congress adopted the annual
budget resolution on time twice, in 1975 and 1976. After the deadline was changed
to April 15 by the 1985 Balanced Budget Act, Congress has met its deadline four
times, in 1993, 1999, 2000, and 2003. Further, Congress did not adopt a budget
resolution four times (in 1998 for FY1999, in 2002 for FY2003, in 2004 for FY2005,
and in 2006 for FY2007).
Table 2. Dates of Final Adoption of
the Annual Budget Resolution, FY1976-FY2008
Fiscal Year Date Adopted Fiscal Year Date Adopted
1977 05-13-1976 1993 05-21-1992
1978 05-17-1977 1994 04-01-1993
1979 05-17-1978 1995 05-12-1994
1980 05-24-1979 1996 06-29-1995
1981 06-12-1980 1997 06-13-1996
1982 05-21-1981 1998 06-05-1997
1983 06-23-1982 1999 [none]
1984 06-23-1983 2000 04-15-1999
1985 10-01-1984 2001 04-13-2000
1986 08-01-1985 2002 05-10-2001
1987 06-27-1986 2003 [none]
1988 06-24-1987 2004 04-11-2003
1989 06-06-1988 2005 [none]
1990 05-18-1989 2006 04-28-2005
1991 10-09-1990 2007 [none]
1992 05-22-1991 2008 05-17-2007
In those years in which Congress has adopted a budget resolution (that is, not
including the budget resolutions for FY1999, FY2003, FY2005, and FY2007), it has
adopted the budget resolution an average of over 37 days after the target date. The
FY1991 budget resolution was adopted the latest, on October 9, 1990, or 177 days
after the deadline. The earliest adoption of a budget resolution was for FY1994, on
CRS-15
April 1, 1993, or 14 days before the deadline. Figure 1 illustrates the number of days
before or after the target date the annual budget resolution was adopted. Appendices
M and N provide a list of dates related to the consideration and adoption of the
budget resolution in the House and the Senate, respectively.
Figure 1. Number of Days Before or After Deadline That Action on
the Annual Budget Resolution Was Completed, FY1976-FY2008
1976 -1
1977 -2
1978 2
1979 2
1980 9
1981 28
1982 6
1983 39
1984 39
1985 139
1986 78
1987 73
1988 70
1989 52
1990 33
1991 177
1992 37
1993 36
1994 -14
1995 27
1996 75
1997 59
1998 51
1999
2000 0
2001 -2
2002 25
2003
2004 -4
2005
2006 13
2007
2008 32
-50 0 50 100 150 200
Days before (-) / after deadline
Notes: The deadline for adoption of the budget resolution was May 15 for FY1976-FY1986 and
April 15 thereafter. Congress did not complete action on the budget resolutions for FY1999, FY2003,
FY2005, and FY2007. The FY2000 budget resolution was adopted on the deadline of April 15; thus,
the value is zero.
CRS-16
Appendix A. Modifications to the Procedures and
Requirements Pertaining to the Formulation,
Content, and Consideration of
the Budget Resolution
Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1978 ("Humphrey-Hawkins
Act"; P.L. 95-523; 92 Stat. 1887-1908; October 27, 1978)
! Called for a period of up to four hours for debate on economic goals
and priorities, following the presentation of opening floor statements
on the budget resolution.
Temporary Increase in the Public Debt Limit (P.L. 96-5; 93 Stat. 8; April 2,
1979)
! Mandated that the President's budget and the Budget Committee's
reported budget resolution for FY1981 and FY1982 be in balance.
[Provision was repealed in 1982.]
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Title II of P.L. 99-
177; 99 Stat. 1038-1101; December 12, 1985)15
! Required Congress to complete action on a budget resolution by
April 15 of each year (deadline moved from May 15).
! Eliminated the requirement that Congress adopt a second budget
resolution annually by September 15.
! Formalized the practice of adopting a 3-year budget resolution, with
the second and third fiscal years non-binding. [Current law requires
budget resolutions to cover at least five fiscal years.]
! Called for off-budget entities, except Social Security, to be included
in the budget resolution and the President's budget.
! Formalized the practice of including credit authority (direct and
guaranteed loans) in the budget resolution.
15
For more information on changes made by the 1985 Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act, see out-of-print CRS Report 86-713, Changes in the Congressional
Budget Process Made by the 1985 Balanced Budget Act (P.L. 99-177), by Robert A. Keith;
and out-of-print CRS Report 85-1130, Explanation of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985 - Public Law 99-177 (The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), by
Allen Schick.
CRS-17
! Mandated that neither chamber may consider a budget resolution,
amendment to a budget resolution, or conference report on a budget
resolution that recommends a deficit amount greater than the
applicable maximum deficit amount established in the 1985
Balanced Budget Act.
! Excluded Social Security from budget totals, except for purposes of
calculating the deficit in order to determine if sequestration is
required. The budget resolution may contain two deficit totals, one
with Social Security, one without.
Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1990 (Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1990; P.L. 101-508; 104 Stat. 1388-573 through 630;
November 5, 1990)16
! Added language to the Budget Act allowing the option to include
pay-as-you-go procedures for the Senate and House in the budget
resolution (Sections 301(b)(7) and 301(b)(8)).
! Required that the budget resolutions for FY1991-FY1995 cover five
fiscal years. [Current law permanently requires at least five fiscal
years (see BEA of 1997 below).]
! In the Senate, prohibited the consideration of a reported budget
resolution calling for a reduction in Social Security surpluses.
! Changed deadline for submitting views and estimates reports from
"on or before February 25 of each year" to "within 6 weeks after the
President submits a budget."
! Added language to the Budget Act allowing the option of including
Social Security outlays and revenues in the budget resolution for
purposes of Senate enforcement.
! In the Senate, created a point of order that prohibits the
consideration of any budget resolution that would exceed any of the
discretionary spending limits. [Initially, this point of order was
added to the Budget Act as a temporary Section (601(b)); the BEA
of 1997 permanently added this point of order to the Budget Act as
Section 312(b) and applied the point of order to any legislation.]
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Title XIV of P.L. 103-66; 107 Stat.
683-685; August 10, 1993)
! Extended through FY1998 the BEA requirement that budget
resolutions cover five fiscal years.
16
See out-of-print CRS Report 90-520, Budget Enforcement Act of 1990: Brief Summary,
by Edward Davis and Robert Keith.
CRS-18
Budget Resolution for FY1995 (H.Con.Res. 218; 103rd Congress; May 12,
1994)17
! Made permanent a temporary modification found in the budget
resolutions for FY1993 and FY1994, which applied Section 301(i)
to a budget resolution at any stage of consideration. Section 301(i)
of the Budget Act prohibits the Senate from considering any reported
budget resolution that would decrease the excess of Social Security
revenues over Social Security outlays for any of the fiscal years
covered by the resolution, subject to a three-fifths waiver
requirement. This creates a so-called "firewall" to protect Social
Security balances.
Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (Title X of P.L. 105-33; 111 Stat. 677-712;
August 5, 1997)18
! Permanently required the budget resolution to cover at least five
fiscal years.
! Made optional rather than mandatory the inclusion of total direct
loan obligation and total primary loan guarantee commitment levels
in the budget resolution and the accompanying report.
! Modified the optional contents of the budget resolution to include
special pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) procedures in the Senate pertaining
to the use of reserve funds.
! Allowed the Budget Committees to set an alternative deadline for
committees to submit their views and estimates, instead of the usual
deadline of within 6 weeks after the President submits a budget.
! Applied the Senate point of order against a budget resolution
recommending a decrease in the projected surplus in the Social
Security trust funds to all its legislative stages.
Budget Resolution for FY2000 (H.Con.Res. 68; 106th Congress; April 15, 1999)
! Created a point of order that prohibited consideration of a revised
FY2000 or a FY2001 budget resolution setting forth an on-budget
deficit for any fiscal year (i.e., excluding any surplus resulting from
the Social Security trust fund). The provision did not apply if the
deficit for a fiscal year resulted solely from legislation that made
structural programmatic reforms to enhance retirement security.
17
Although budget resolutions, which are agreed to in the form of a concurrent resolution,
do not have the force of law, they can contain changes in congressional budget procedures.
18
For more information on changes made by the Budget Enforcement Act of 1997, see CRS
Report 97-931, Budget Enforcement Act of 1997: Summary and Legislative History, by
Robert Keith.
CRS-19
Budget Resolution for FY2001 (H.Con.Res. 290; 106th Congress; April 13, 2000)
! Applied the point of order against budget resolutions setting forth an
on-budget deficit for any fiscal year (see FY2000 budget resolution)
to a revised FY2001 or a FY2002 budget resolution. The provision
would not apply if the economy experienced low growth in two
consecutive quarters, or if a declaration of war was in effect.
! Specified that amendments that contain predominately "precatory"
language, such as sense-of-the-Senate amendments, are not germane,
effectively prohibiting such amendments to budget resolutions and
reconciliation legislation.
Budget Resolution for FY2004 (H.Con.Res. 95; 108th Congress; April 11, 2003)
! Extended through September 30, 2008, the three-fifths vote
requirement in the Senate to waive, and to sustain an appeal of a
ruling of the chair on, certain points of order specified in Sections
904(c)(2) and 904(d)(3) of the Budget Act.
Budget Resolution for FY2006 (H.Con.Res. 95; 109th Congress; April 28, 2005)
! Extended through September 30, 2010, the three-fifths vote
requirement in the Senate to waive, and to sustain an appeal of a
ruling of the chair on, certain points of order specified in Sections
904(c)(2) and 904(d)(3) of the Budget Act.
Budget Resolution for FY2008 (S.Con.Res. 21; 110th Congress; May 17, 2007)
! Extended through September 30, 2017, the three-fifths vote
requirement in the Senate to waive, and to sustain an appeal of a
ruling of the chair on, certain points of order specified in Sections
904(c)(2) and 904(d)(3) of the Budget Act.
CRS-20
Appendix B. U.S. Statutes-at-Large Citations
of Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008
Fiscal U.S. Statutes-at-Large
Congress year Typea Budget Resolution Citation
94th 1976 first H.Con.Res. 218 89 Stat. 1197-1198
second H.Con.Res. 466 89 Stat. 1209-1210
1977 first S.Con.Res. 109 90 Stat. 3029-3030
second S.Con.Res. 139 90 Stat. 3044-3045
95th 1977 third S.Con.Res. 10 91 Stat. 1666-1667
1978 first S.Con.Res. 19 91 Stat. 1670-1673
second H.Con.Res. 341 91 Stat. 1683-1684
1979 first S.Con.Res. 80 92 Stat. 3870-3872
second H.Con.Res. 683 92 Stat. 3878-3879
96th 1980 first H.Con.Res. 107 93 Stat. 1413-1416
second S.Con.Res. 53 93 Stat. 1428-1433
1981 first H.Con.Res. 307 94 Stat. 3655-3668
second H.Con.Res. 448 94 Stat. 3680-3688
97th 1982 first H.Con.Res. 115 95 Stat. 1743-1759
second S.Con.Res. 50 95 Stat. 1778
1983 -- S.Con.Res. 92 96 Stat. 2647-2661
98th 1984 -- H.Con.Res. 91 97 Stat. 1501-1523
1985 -- H.Con.Res. 280 98 Stat. 3484-3498
99th 1986 -- S.Con.Res. 32 99 Stat. 1941-1959
1987 -- S.Con.Res. 120 100 Stat. 4354-4370
100th 1988 -- H.Con.Res. 93 101 Stat. 1986-2003
1989 -- H.Con.Res. 268 102 Stat. 4875-4886
101st 1990 -- H.Con.Res. 106 103 Stat. 2540-2554
1991 -- H.Con.Res. 310 104 Stat. 5163-5181
102nd 1992 -- H.Con.Res. 121 105 Stat. 2414-2433
1993 -- H.Con.Res. 287 106 Stat. 5165-5189
103rd 1994 -- H.Con.Res. 64 107 Stat. 2508-2538
1995 -- H.Con.Res. 218 108 Stat. 5075-5103
CRS-21
Fiscal U.S. Statutes-at-Large
Congress year Typea Budget Resolution Citation
104th 1996 -- H.Con.Res. 67 109 Stat. 996-1030
1997 -- H.Con.Res. 178 110 Stat. 4434-4482
105th 1998 -- H.Con.Res. 84 111 Stat. 2710-2760
1999b -- -- --
106th 2000 -- H.Con.Res. 68 113 Stat. 1968-1999
2001 -- H.Con.Res. 290 114 Stat. 3139-3173
107th 2002 -- H.Con.Res. 83 115 Stat. 2486-2516
2003c -- -- --
108th 2004 -- H.Con.Res. 95 117 Stat. 2910-2942
2005d -- -- --
109th 2006 -- H.Con.Res. 95 119 Stat. 3633-3658
2007e -- -- --
110th 2008 -- S.Con.Res. 21 not available
Source: U.S. Statutes-at-Large, various volumes.
Note: Although concurrent resolutions such as budget resolutions have no statutory authority, they
are compiled in a special section of the U.S. Statutes-at-Large.
a. "Type" refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year.
For the first seven years of the congressional budget process, Congress adopted multiple budget
resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has adopted only one a
year.
b. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999.
c. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003.
d. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005.
e. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2007.
CRS-22
Appendix C. Budget Resolutions Rejected in
the House, FY1976-FY2008
Congress Fiscal year Budget Resolution Date Vote
95th 1978 H.Con.Res. 195 04-27-1977 84-320
96th 1980 H.Con.Res. 186a 09-19-1979 192-213
97th 1983 H.Con.Res. 345 05-27-1982 159-265
99th 1987 H.Con.Res. 296 03-13-1986 12-312
101st 1991 H.Con.Res. 310 10-05-1990 179-254
(conf. rept.)b
104th 1996 H.Con.Res. 122 12-19-1995 0-412
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
Notes: No budget resolutions in the Senate were rejected on roll-call votes. All budget resolutions
listed were first budget resolutions, except for FY1980, which was a second budget resolution.
a. House subsequently adopted the Senate's version of the second budget resolution for FY1980
(S.Con.Res. 53).
b. After this conference report (H.Rept. 101-802) was rejected, another conference report to
H.Con.Res. 310 (H.Rept. 101-820) was agreed to on October 8, 1990, by a vote of 250-164.
CRS-23
Appendix D. Committee Reports to
Budget Resolutions, FY1976- FY2008
Fiscal Budget Resolution House Senate Conference
year (companion measure) Report Report Report(s)
1976 H.Con.Res. 218 94-145 94-77 H.Rept. 94-198
(S.Con.Res. 32) S.Rept. 94-113
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 94-1030 94-731 H.Rept. 94-1108
(H.Con.Res. 611) S.Rept. 94-805
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 95-239 95-90 H.Rept. 95-291
(H.Con.Res. 214) S.Rept. 95-134
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 95-1055 95-739 H.Rept. 95-1173
(H.Con.Res. 559) S.Rept. 95-866
1980 H.Con.Res. 107 96-95 96-68 H.Rept. 96-211
(S.Con.Res. 22) S.Rept. 96-192
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 96-857 96-654 H.Rept. 96-1051
(S.Con.Res. 86) S.Rept. 96-792
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 97-23 97-49 H.Rept. 97-46
(S.Con.Res. 19) S.Rept. 97-86
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 97-597 97-385 H.Rept. 97-614
(H.Con.Res. 352) S.Rept. 97-478
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 98-41 98-63 H.Rept. 98-248
(S.Con.Res. 27) S.Rept. 98-155
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 [none] 98-399 H.Rept. 98-1079
(S.Con.Res. 106)
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 99-133 99-15 H.Rept. 99-249
(H.Con.Res. 152)
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 99-598 99-264 H.Rept. 99-664
(H.Con.Res. 337)
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 [none] [none] H.Rept. 100-175
(S.Con.Res. 49) S.Rept. 100-76
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 100-523 100-311 H.Rept. 100-658
(S.Con.Res. 113)
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 101-42 101-20 H.Rept. 101-50
(S.Con.Res. 30)
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 101-455 [none] H.Rept. 101-820
(S.Con.Res. 110)
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 102-32 102-40 H.Rept. 102-69
(S.Con.Res. 29)
CRS-24
Fiscal Budget Resolution House Senate Conference
year (companion measure) Report Report Report(s)
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 102-450 [none] H.Rept. 102-529
(S.Con.Res. 106)
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 103-31 103-19 H.Rept. 103-48
(S.Con.Res. 18)
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 103-428 103-238 H.Rept. 103-490
(S.Con.Res. 63)
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 104-120 104-82 H.Rept. 104-159
(S.Con.Res. 13)
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 104-575 104-271 H.Rept. 104-612
(S.Con.Res. 57)
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 105-100 [none] H.Rept. 105-116
(S.Con.Res. 27)
1999a H.Con.Res. 284 105-555 105-170 --
(S.Con.Res. 86)
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 106-73 106-27 H.Rept. 106-91
(S.Con.Res. 20)
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 106-530 106-251 H.Rept. 106-577
(S.Con.Res. 101)
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 107-26 [none] H.Rept. 107-60
(no companion measure)b
2003c H.Con.Res. 353 107-376 107-141 --
(S.Con.Res. 100)
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 108-37 [none]d H.Rept. 108-71
(S.Con.Res. 23)
2005e S.Con.Res. 95 108-441 [none] f H.Rept. 108-498
(H.Con.Res. 393)
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 109-17 [none]g H.Rept. 109-62
(S.Con.Res. 18)
2007 H.Con.Res. 376 109-402 [none]h --
(S Con. Res. 83)
2008 S.Con.Res. 21 110-69 [none]i H.Rept. 110-153
(H.Con.Res. 99)
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
Note: This list includes first budget resolutions only.
a. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999.
CRS-25
b. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead,
the Senate considered the House-passed budget resolution after the Senate Budget Committee
was discharged from its consideration.
c. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003.
d. The Senate Budget Committee issued a committee print (S.Prt. 108-19) in lieu of a written report.
e. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005. The House agreed to the
conference report to S.Con.Res. 95 on May 19, 2004, but the Senate did not consider it.
f. The Senate Budget Committee issued a committee print (S.Prt. 108-365) in lieu of a written report.
g. The Senate Budget Committee issued a committee print (S.Prt. 109-18) in lieu of a written report.
h. The Senate Budget Committee issued a committee print (S.Prt. 109-57) in lieu of a written report.
i. The Senate Budget Committee issued a committee print (S.Prt. 110-19) in lieu of a written report.
CRS-26
Appendix E. Selected Components Included in Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008
Reconciliation Credit Number of Number of Number of
Fiscal year Budget resolution directives Levels reserve fundsa declaratory statementsb procedural provisionsc
1976 H.Con.Res. 218 -- -- 0 0 0
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 -- -- 0 0 0
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 -- -- 0 1 0
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 -- -- 0 0 0
1980 H.Con.Res. 107 -- -- 0 0 0
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 X X 0 3 1
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 X X 0 2 1
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 X X 0 3 6
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 X X 1d 3 3
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 -- X 0 1 3
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 X X 0 7 2
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 X X 2 8 1
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 X X 3 3 4
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 -- X 3 3 1
CRS-27
Reconciliation Credit Number of Number of Number of
Fiscal year Budget resolution directives Levels reserve fundsa declaratory statementsb procedural provisionsc
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 X X 2 2 1
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 X X 1 0 1
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 -- X 5 2 3
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 -- X 5 8 4
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 X X 7 29 4
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 -- X 13 14 4
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 X X 2 14 5
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 X X 3 39 3
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 X X 10 40 3
1999e H.Con.Res. 284 X -- 0 7 1
S.Con.Res. 86 -- -- 4f 16 0
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 X -- 7 22 3
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 X -- 10 44 13
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 X -- 9 14 5
2003g H.Con.Res. 353 -- -- 6 7 1
S.Con.Res. 100 -- -- 3 27 6
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 X -- 8 16 5
2005h S.Con.Res. 95 X -- 9 15 5
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 X -- 10 8 6
CRS-28
Reconciliation Credit Number of Number of Number of
Fiscal year Budget resolution directives Levels reserve fundsa declaratory statementsb procedural provisionsc
2007i H.Con.Res. 376 X -- 8 4 7
S.Con.Res. 83 X -- 22 0 6
2008 S.Con.Res. 21 X -- 23 17 8
Sources: U.S. Statutes-at-Large, various volumes, and the respective conference reports on the budget resolutions.
Note: This list includes first budget resolutions only.
a. "Reserve fund" refers to any provision establishing procedures to revise spending or revenue levels, or both, if certain legislation is enacted or some other condition is met.
b. Declaratory statements express, in non-binding terms, the sense of the Congress, the sense of the House, or the sense of the Senate on various issues.
c. Some examples of the procedural provisions include deferred enrollment; automatic second budget resolutions; special budgetary treatment of certain activities, such as the sale
of government assets; and more recently, enforcement of a pay-as-you-go rules in the Senate, and limits on advance appropriations. The number of procedural provisions does
not include reconciliation instructions or reserve funds.
d. The FY1984 budget resolution provided for a single deficit-neutral reserve fund for all legislative initiatives included in the Manager's Statement.
e. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999. Entries represent FY1999 budget resolutions agreed to by the respective chamber.
f. This number does not include a provision allowing for revisions in spending levels if the line-item veto was ruled unconstitutional.
g. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003. Entries represent FY2003 budget resolutions agreed to by the House and reported by the Senate Budget
Committee, respectively.
h. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005. Entries represent the conference report to S.Con.Res. 95 (H.Rept. 108-498). The House agreed to the
conference report on May 19, 2004, but the Senate did not consider it.
i. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2007. Entries represent FY2007 budget resolutions agreed to by the respective chamber.
CRS-29
Appendix F. Budget Resolutions and Associated Reconciliation Acts, FY1976-FY2008
Fiscal Years Covered by Date Enacted
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution Associated Reconciliation Acts
Reconciliation Instructions (or Vetoed)
1976 H.Con.Res. 466a 1976 Revenue Adjustment Act of 1975 (H.R. 5559) 12-17-1975
(vetoed)
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 1980-1981b Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980 (P.L. 96-499) 12-05-1980
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 1981-1984c Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35) 08-13-1981
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 1983-1985 Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-248) 09-03-1982
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982 (P.L. 97-253) 09-08-1982
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 1984-1986 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983 (P.L. 98-270) 04-18-1984
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 1986-1988 Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 04-07-1986
(P.L. 99-272)
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 1987-1989 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-509) 10-21-1986
1988 S.Con.Res. 93 1988-1990 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (P.L. 100-203) 12-22-1987
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 1990 (Senate) Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989 (P.L. 101-239) 12-19-1989
1990-1991 (House)
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 1991-1995 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-508) 11-05-1990
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 1994-1998 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (P.L. 103-66) 08-10-1993
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 1996-2002 Balanced Budget Act of 1995 (H.R. 2491) 12-06-1995
(vetoed)
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 1997-2002 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 08-22-1996
1996 (P.L. 104-193)
CRS-30
Fiscal Years Covered by Date Enacted
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution Associated Reconciliation Acts
Reconciliation Instructions (or Vetoed)
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 1998-2002 Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-33) 08-05-1997
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-34) 08-05-1997
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 2000-2009 Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of 1999 (H.R. 2488) 09-23-1999
(vetoed)
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 2001-2005 Marriage Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2000 (H.R. 4810) 08-05-2000
(vetoed)
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 2001-2011 Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 07-07-2001
(P.L. 107-16)
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 2003-2013 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-27) 05-28-2003
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 2005-2010 Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171) 02-08-2006
Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 (P.L. 109- 05-17-2006
2006-2010 222)
2008 S.Con.Res.21 2007-2012 College Cost Reduction and Access Act (P.L. 110-84) 09-27-2007
Sources: U.S. Statutes-at-Large, various volumes, and the Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov/]. For further information on reconciliation
measures, see CRS Report RL33030, The Reconciliation Process: House and Senate Procedures, by Robert Keith and Bill Heniff Jr.
Notes: Each budget resolution listed was the first, or sole, budget resolution for the fiscal year, except for FY1976, which was the second budget resolution for that year.
a. There has been an ongoing controversy about whether the directive in this budget resolution was a reconciliation directive as set forth in Section 310 of the Congressional Budget
Act of 1974. The Senate treated it as such and considered the resultant legislation (H.R. 5559, as reported by the Senate Finance Committee, 94th Congress) under the
reconciliation procedures. The House did not, however, consider and adopt its version of the resultant legislation as a reconciliation measure, and thus it presumably did not
consider the directive as a reconciliation directive. See Floyd M. Riddick and Alan S. Frumin, Riddick's Senate Procedure: Precedents and Practices (Rev. ed.), S.Doc. 101-28,
101st Cong., 1st sess. (Washington: GPO, 1992), pp. 622-623.
b. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees were instructed in the budget resolution to submit legislation (e.g., rescissions of previously enacted appropriations) to reduce
spending for FY1980.
c. The Senate Appropriations Committee was instructed in the budget resolution to submit legislation to reduce spending for FY1981 (budget authority and outlays) and FY1982-1984
(outlays only).
CRS-31
Appendix G. Source of Economic Assumptions
Associated with Budget Levels in Budget
Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008
Fiscal Source of Economic
Budget Resolution Conference Report(s)
Year Assumptions
1976 H.Con.Res. 218 H.Rept. 94-198 Not indicated
S.Rept. 94-113
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 H.Rept. 94-1108 Not indicated
S.Rept. 94-805
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 H.Rept. 95-291 Not indicated
S.Rept. 95-134
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 H.Rept. 95-1173 Not indicated
S.Rept. 95-866
1980 H.Con.Res. 107 H.Rept. 96-211 Not indicated
S.Rept. 96-192
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 H.Rept. 96-1051 CBO
S.Rept. 96-792
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 H.Rept. 97-46 "closely correspond to"
S.Rept. 97-86 OMB (March 1981)
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 H.Rept. 97-614 Negotiators from
S.Rept. 97-478 House, Senate, and
Administration during
April 1982
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 H.Rept. 98-248 CBO (revised)
S.Rept. 98-155
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 H.Rept. 98-1079 CBO (revised --
August 1984)
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 H.Rept. 99-249 OMB
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 H.Rept. 99-664 CBO
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 H.Rept. 100-175 OMB (adjusted to
S.Rept. 100-76 reflect revisions in
economic data for
1986)
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 H.Rept. 100-658 OMB (adjusted to
reflect revisions in
economic data for
1987)
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 H.Rept. 101-50 OMB
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 H.Rept. 101-820 OMB
CRS-32
Fiscal Source of Economic
Budget Resolution Conference Report(s)
Year Assumptions
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 H.Rept. 102-69 CBO
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 H.Rept. 102-529 CBO
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 H.Rept. 103-48 CBO
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 H.Rept. 103-490 CBO
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 H.Rept. 104-159 CBO (adjusted for
anticipated CPI
revisions)
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 H.Rept. 104-612 CBO (revised -- May
1996, adjusted for
anticipated CPI
revisions)
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 H.Rept. 105-116 CBO (revised -- May
1997, adjusted for non-
legislative technical
CPI revisions)
1999a H.Con.Res. 284 -- CBO
S.Con.Res. 86 CBO
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 H.Rept. 106-91 CBO (adjusted for
increased real GDP
growth)
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 H.Rept. 106-577 CBO
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 H.Rept. 107-60 CBO
2003b H.Con.Res. 353 -- OMB
S.Con.Res. 100 CBO
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 H.Rept. 108-71 CBO
2005c S.Con.Res. 95 H.Rept. 108-498 CBO
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 H.Rept. 109-62 CBO
2007d H.Con.Res. 376 -- CBO
S.Con.Res. 83 CBO
2008 S.Con.Res. 21 H.Rept. 110-153 CBO
Sources: The respective conference reports on the budget resolutions, unless indicated otherwise.
Note: This list includes first budget resolutions only.
a. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999. Entries represent FY1999
budget resolutions agreed to by the respective chamber. The economic assumptions were
specified in the respective Budget Committee reports (H.Rept. 105-555 and S.Rept. 105-170).
b. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003. Entries represent FY2003
budget resolutions agreed to by the House and reported by the Senate Budget Committee,
CRS-33
respectively. The economic assumptions were specified in the respective Budget Committee
reports (H.Rept. 107-376 and S.Rept. 107-141).
c. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005. Entry represents the
conference report to S.Con.Res. 95 (H.Rept. 108-498). The House agreed to the conference
report on May 19, 2004, but the Senate did not consider it.
d. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2007. Entries represent FY2007
budget resolutions agreed to by the respective chamber.
CRS-34
Appendix H. Number of Years Covered by
Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008
Current Number of Years
Fiscal Budget Fiscal Year(s)
Fiscal Year Covered, Excluding
Year Resolution Covered
Revision Current Year
1976 H.Con.Res. 218 1976 -- 1
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 1976-1977 1976 1
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 1978 -- 1
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 1979 -- 1
1980 H.Con.Res. 107 1979-1980 1979 1
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 1980-1983 1980 3
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 1981-1984 1981 3
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 1982-1985 1982 3
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 1983-1986 1983 3
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 1984-1987 1984 3
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 1985-1988 1985 3
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 1987-1989 -- 3
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 1988-1990 -- 3
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 1989-1991 -- 3
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 1990-1992 -- 3
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 1991-1995 -- 5
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 1991-1996 1991 5
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 1993-1997 -- 5
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 1994-1998 -- 5
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 1995-1999 -- 5
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 1996-2002 -- 7
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 1997-2002 -- 6
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 1998-2002 -- 5
1999a H.Con.Res. 284 1998-2003 1998 5
S.Con.Res. 86 1998-2003 1998 5
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 2000-2009 -- 10
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 2000-2005 2000 5
CRS-35
Current Number of Years
Fiscal Budget Fiscal Year(s)
Fiscal Year Covered, Excluding
Year Resolution Covered
Revision Current Year
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 2001-2011 2001 10
2003b H.Con.Res. 353 2003-2007 -- 5
S.Con.Res. 100 2003-2012 -- 10
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 2003-2013 2003 10
2005c S.Con.Res. 95 2005-2009 -- 5
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 2005-2010 2005 5
2007d H.Con.Res. 376 2007-2011 -- 5
S.Con.Res. 83 2006-2011 2006 5
2008 S.Con.Res. 21 2007-2012 2007 5
Sources: U.S. Statutes-at-Large, various volumes, and the respective conference reports on the
budget resolutions.
Note: This list includes first budget resolutions only.
a. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999. Entries represent FY1999
budget resolutions agreed to by the respective chamber.
b. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003. Entries represent FY2003
budget resolutions agreed to by the House and reported by the Senate Budget Committee,
respectively.
c. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005. Entry represents the
conference report to S.Con.Res. 95 (H.Rept. 108-498). The House agreed to the conference
report on May 19, 2004, but the Senate did not consider it.
d. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2007. Entries represent FY2007
budget resolutions agreed to by the respective chamber.
CRS-36
Appendix I. Special Rules Providing for
the Consideration of Budget Resolutions in
the House, FY1976-FY2008
Fiscal Date Special Rule
Special Rule Budget Resolution Vote
Year Was Adopteda
1976 [none] H.Con.Res. 218 -- --
1977 [none] H.Con.Res. 611 -- --
1978 H.Res. 515 H.Con.Res. 195b 04-26-1977 400-1
[none] H.Con.Res. 214 -- --
1979 [none] H.Con.Res. 559 -- --
1980 [none] H.Con.Res. 107 -- --
1981 H.Res. 642 H.Con.Res. 307 04-23-1980 261-143
H.Res. 649c H.Con.Res. 307 04-30-1980 voice
1982 H.Res. 134 H.Con.Res. 115 04-30-1981 328-76
1983 H.Res. 477 H.Con.Res. 345b 05-21-1982 voice
H.Res. 496 H.Con.Res. 352 06-10-1982 339-72
1984 H.Res. 144 H.Con.Res. 91 03-22-1983 230-187
H.Res. 243 H.Con.Res. 91 06-23-1983 voice
(conf. rept.)
1985 H.Res. 476 H.Con.Res. 280 04-04-1984 302-89
1986 H.Res. 177 H.Con.Res. 152 05-22-1985 273-141
H.Res. 253 S.Con.Res. 32 08-01-1985 voice
(conf. rept.)
1987 H.Res. 397 H.Con.Res. 296b 03-13-1986 239-168
H.Res. 455 H.Con.Res. 337 05-14-1986 voice
1988 H.Res. 139 H.Con.Res. 93 04-08-1987 241-168
H.Res. 201 H.Con.Res. 93 06-23-1987 voice
(conf. rept.)
1989 H.Res. 410 H.Con.Res. 268 03-23-1988 voice
H.Res. 461 H.Con.Res. 268 05-26-1988 voice
(conf. rept.)
1990 H.Res. 145 H.Con.Res. 106 05-03-1989 voice
1991 H.Res. 382 H.Con.Res. 310 04-26-1990 voice
H.Res. 488 H.Con.Res. 310b 10-04-1990 339-94
(conf. rept.)
H.Res. 496d H.Con.Res. 310 10-06-1990 285-105
(conf. rept.)
CRS-37
Fiscal Date Special Rule
Special Rule Budget Resolution Vote
Year Was Adopteda
1992 H.Res. 123 H.Con.Res. 121 04-16-1991 392-9
H.Res. 157 H.Con.Res. 121 05-22-1991 257-164
(conf. rept.)
1993 H.Res. 386 H.Con.Res. 287 03-04-1992 239-183
H.Res. 463 H.Con.Res. 287 05-21-1992 253-160
(conf. rept.)
1994 H.Res. 131 H.Con.Res. 64 03-17-1993 voice
H.Res. 133e H.Con.Res. 64 03-18-1993 251-172
H.Res. 145 H.Con.Res. 64 03-31-1993 250-172
(conf. rept.)
1995 H.Res. 384 H.Con.Res. 218 03-10-1994 245-171
H.Res. 418 H.Con.Res. 218 05-05-1994 228-168
(conf. rept.)
1996 H.Res. 149 H.Con.Res. 67 05-17-1995 225-168
H.Res. 175 H.Con.Res. 67 06-29-1995 234-180
(conf. rept.)
H.Res. 309 H.Con.Res. 122b 12-19-1995 229-189
1997 H.Res. 435 H.Con.Res. 178 05-16-1996 227-196
H.Res. 450 H.Con.Res. 178 06-12-1996 232-190
(conf. rept.)
1998 H.Res. 152 H.Con.Res. 84 05-20-1997 278-142
H.Res. 160 H.Con.Res. 84 06-05-1997 373-47
(conf. rept.)
1999 H.Res. 455 H.Con.Res. 284 06-04-1998 216-197
2000 H.Res. 131 H.Con.Res. 68 03-25-1999 228-194
H.Res. 137 H.Con.Res. 68 04-14-1999 221-205
(conf. rept.)
2001 H.Res. 446 H.Con.Res. 290 03-23-2000 228-194
H.Res. 474 H.Con.Res. 290 04-13-2000 221-205
(conf. rept.)
2002 H.Res. 100 H.Con.Res. 83 03-28-2000 282-130
H.Res. 134f H.Con.Res. 83 05-08-2001 409-1
(conf. rept.)
H.Res. 136 H.Con.Res. 83 05-09-2001 218-208
(conf. rept.)
2003 H.Res. 372 H.Con.Res. 353 03-05-2002 222-206
2004 H.Res. 151 H.Con.Res. 95 03-20-2003 voice
H.Res. 191 H.Con.Res. 95 04-11-2003 221-202
(conf. rept.)
CRS-38
Fiscal Date Special Rule
Special Rule Budget Resolution Vote
Year Was Adopteda
2005 H.Res. 574 H.Con.Res. 393 03-25-2004 voice
H.Res. 649 S.Con.Res. 95 05-19-2004 220-204
(conf. rept.)
2006 H.Res. 154 H.Con.Res. 95 03-16-2005 228-196
H.Res. 248 H.Con.Res. 95 04-28-2005 voice
(conf. rept.)
2007 H.Res. 766g H.Con.Res. 376 04-06-2006 225-196
H.Res. 817 05-17-2006 226-193
2008 H.Res. 275h H.Con.Res. 99 03-28-2007 229-197
H.Res. 409 S.Con.Res. 21 05-17-2007 225-194
(conf. rept.)
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
Notes: A special rule is a simple resolution reported by the House Rules Committee to provide for
consideration of legislation by the House. This list includes first budget resolutions only.
a. No special rules were rejected.
b. The budget resolution was rejected (see Appendix C in this report).
c. The special rule provided for technical corrections of H.Res. 642.
d. The special rule provided for consideration of a revised conference report (H.Rept. 101-820); the
original conference report (H.Rept. 101-802) was rejected (see Appendix C in this report).
e. The special rule provided for further consideration of H.Con.Res. 64.
f. The special rule provided for the recommittal of the conference report to the conference committee;
two pages reportedly were missing from the original printed conference report (H.Rept. 107-55).
g. H.Res. 766 provided for debate only.
h. The House also considered and adopted H.Res. 370, which provided for the consideration of
S.Con.Res. 21, as amended by the text of H.Con.Res. 99, as adopted by the House, in order to
facilitate a conference with the Senate on S.Con.Res. 21. The House adopted H.Res. 370 by a
vote of 221-197 on May 8, 2007.
CRS-39
Appendix J. Number of Amendments to Budget
Resolutions Considered in the House,
FY1976-FY2008
Fiscal Amendmentsa
Budget Resolution
Year Accepted Rejected Total Success Rateb
1976 H.Con.Res. 218 3 3 6 50%
1977 H.Con.Res. 611 2 14 16 13%
1978 H.Con.Res. 195c 6 10 16 60%
H.Con.Res. 214 2 6 8 25%
1979 H.Con.Res. 559 3 13 16 19%
1980 H.Con.Res. 107 11 34 45 24%
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 1 10 11 9%
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 2 2 4 50%
1983 H.Con.Res. 345c 11 27 38 29%
H.Con.Res. 352 1 1 2 50%
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 0 0 0 --
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 0 7 7 0%
1986 H.Con.Res. 152 1 6 7 14%
1987 H.Con.Res. 296c 0 0 0 --
H.Con.Res. 337 0 3 3 0%
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 1 3 4 25%
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 0 3 3 0%
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 1 4 5 20%
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 0 3 3 0%
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 1 3 4 25%
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 0 3 3 0%
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 0 3 3 0%
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 0 4 4 0%
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 0 3 3 0%
H.Con.Res. 122c 0 0 0 --
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 0 3 3 0%
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 0 5 5 0%
CRS-40
Fiscal Amendmentsa
Budget Resolution
Year Accepted Rejected Total Success Rateb
1999 H.Con.Res. 284 0 2 2 0%
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 0 3 3 0%
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 0 5 5 0%
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 0 4 4 0%
2003 H.Con.Res. 100 0 0 0 --
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 0 4 4 0%
2005 H.Con.Res. 393 0 4 4 0%
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 0 4 4 0%
2007 H.Con.Res. 376 0 3 3 0%
2008 H.Con.Res. 99 0 3 3 0%
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
Notes: This list includes first budget resolutions only. The number of amendments in this table does
not include any amendments automatically agreed to upon the adoption of the special rule reported
by the House Rules Committee providing for the consideration of the budget resolution.
a. No amendments were withdrawn or ruled out of order.
b. "Success rate" is the percentage of amendments accepted.
c. The budget resolution was rejected (see Appendix C in this report).
CRS-41
Appendix K. Amendments in the Nature of a
Substitute to Budget Resolutions Made in Order by
a Special Rule in the House, FY1976-FY2008
Fiscal Budget Amendment
Date Vote Disposition
Year Resolution Sponsor
1976 H.Con.Res. 218a -- -- -- --
1977 H.Con.Res. 611a -- -- -- --
1978 H.Con.Res. 195b -- -- -- --
H.Con.Res. 214a -- -- -- --
1979 H.Con.Res. 559a -- -- -- --
1980 H.Con.Res. 107a -- -- -- --
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 Obey 04-30-1980 201-213 rejected
Ottinger 04-30-1980 70-336 rejected
Holt 05-01-1980 164-246 rejected
Rousselot 05-06-1980 191-218 rejected
Latta 05-06-1980 175-242 rejected
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 Fauntroy 05-06-1981 69-356 rejected
Obey 05-06-1981 119-303 rejected
Latta 05-07-1981 253-176 accepted
1983 H.Con.Res. 345c Miller (CA) 05-24-1982 181-225 rejected
Obey 05-24-1982 152-268 rejected
Fauntroy 05-24-1982 86-322 rejected
Rousselot 05-25-1982 182-242 rejected
Latta 05-27-1982 192-235 rejected
Aspin 05-27-1982 137-289 rejected
Jones (OK) 05-27-1982 171-253 rejected
H.Con.Res. 352 Latta 06-10-1982 220-207 accepted
Jones (OK) 06-10-1982 202-225 rejected
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 Lattad -- -- --
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 Wirth 04-04-1984 1-401 rejected
Dannemeyer 04-04-1984 51-354 rejected
Roemer 04-04-1984 59-338 rejected
Dixon 04-05-1984 76-333 rejected
McHugh 04-05-1984 132-284 rejected
MacKay 04-05-1984 108-310 rejected
Latta 04-05-1984 107-311 rejected
1986 H.Con.Res. 152 Dannemeyer 05-22-1985 39-382 rejected
Pursell 05-22-1985 87-335 rejected
Leland 05-22-1985 54-361 rejected
Latta 05-23-1985 102-329 rejected
1987 H.Con.Res. 296e -- -- -- --
H.Con.Res. 337 Dannemeyer 05-15-1986 73-338 rejected
Leland 05-15-1986 61-359 rejected
Latta 05-15-1986 145-280 rejected
CRS-42
Fiscal Budget Amendment
Date Vote Disposition
Year Resolution Sponsor
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 Gray (PA) 04-09-1987 230-192 accepted
Gray (PA) 04-09-1987 27-394 rejected
Dannemeyer 04-09-1987 47-369 rejected
Dymally 04-09-1987 56-362 rejected
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 Dannemeyer 03-23-1988 75-347 rejected
Porter 03-23-1988 64-354 rejected
Penny 03-23-1988 27-394 rejected
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 Dannemeyer 05-04-1989 72-350 rejected
Dellums 05-04-1989 81-343 rejected
Kasich 05-04-1989 30-393 rejected
Gephardt 05-04-1989 49-373 rejected
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 Kasich 04-26-1990 106-305 rejected
Dannemeyer 04-26-1990 48-354 rejected
Dellums 05-01-1990 90-334 rejected
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 Dannemeyer 04-17-1991 79-332 rejected
Kasich 04-17-1991 114-303 rejected
Gradison 04-17-1991 89-335 rejected
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 Dannemeyer 03-04-1992 60-344 rejected
Gradison 03-04-1992 42-370 rejected
Towns 03-05-1992 77-342 rejected
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 Kasich 03-18-1993 135-295 rejected
Solomon 03-18-1993 20-409 rejected
Mfume 03-18-1993 87-335 rejected
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 Frank (MA) 03-10-1994 105-313 rejected
Solomon 03-10-1994 73-342 rejected
Mfume 03-11-1994 81-326 rejected
Kasich 03-11-1994 165-243 rejected
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 Gephardt 05-18-1995 100-325 rejected
Neumann 05-18-1995 89-342 rejected
Payne (NJ) 05-18-1995 56-367 rejected
H.Con.Res. 122f -- -- -- --
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 Payne (NJ) 05-16-1996 63-362 rejected
Orton 05-16-1996 130-295 rejected
Sabo 05-16-1996 117-304 rejected
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 Doolittle 05-21-1997 119-313 rejected
Brown (CA) 05-21-1997 91-339 rejected
Waters 05-21-1997 72-358 rejected
Kennedy 05-21-1997 123-306 rejected
(MA) 05-21-1997 214-216 rejected
Shuster
1999 H.Con.Res. 284 Neumann 06-05-1998 158-262 rejected
Spratt 06-05-1998 164-257 rejected
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 Coburn 03-25-1999 2-426 rejected
Minge 03-25-1999 134-295 rejected
Spratt 03-25-1999 173-250 rejected
CRS-43
Fiscal Budget Amendment
Date Vote Disposition
Year Resolution Sponsor
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 Owens 03-23-2000 70-348 rejected
DeFazio 03-23-2000 61-351 rejected
Stenholm 03-23-2000 171-243 rejected
Sununu 03-23-2000 78-339 rejected
Spratt 03-23-2000 184-233 rejected
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 Kucinich 03-28-2001 79-343 rejected
Stenholm 03-28-2001 204-221 rejected
Flake 03-28-2001 81-341 rejected
Spratt 03-28-2001 183-243 rejected
2003 H.Con.Res. 353 -- -- -- --
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 Hill 03-20-2003 174-254 rejected
Toomey 03-20-2003 80-342 rejected
Cummings 03-20-2003 85-340 rejected
Spratt 03-20-2003 192-236 rejected
2005 H.Con.Res. 393 Cummings 03-25-2004 119-302 rejected
Stenholm 03-25-2004 183-243 rejected
Hensarling 03-25-2004 116-309 rejected
Spratt 03-25-2004 194-232 rejected
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 Hensarling 03-17-2005 102-320 rejected
Watt 03-17-2005 134-292 rejected
Spratt 03-17-2005 165-264 rejected
2007 H.Con.Res. 376 Watt 05-17-2006 131-294 rejected
Hensarling 05-18-2006 94-331 rejected
Spratt 05-18-2006 184-241 rejected
2008 H.Con.Res. 99 Kilpatrick 03-29-2007 115-312 rejected
Woolsey 03-29-2007 81-340 rejected
Ryan 03-29-2007 160-268 rejected
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
Notes: See Appendix H for a list of special rules providing for consideration of budget resolutions
in the House. An amendment in the nature of a substitute strikes all text after the resolving clause and
replaces it with a different text. This list includes first budget resolutions only. Text of the
amendments may be found in the Congressional Record and the report accompanying the special rule
(see Appendix I).
a. The budget resolution was not considered under a special rule.
b. The budget resolution was considered under an open rule (H.Res. 515); no specific amendments
in the nature of a substitute were made in order. H.Con.Res. 195 was rejected (see Appendix
C in this report).
c. H.Con.Res. 345 was rejected (see Appendix C in this report).
d. The special rule (H.Res. 144) made in order an amendment in the nature of a substitute by, and if
offered by, Rep. Latta, but he did not offer one.
e. The budget resolution was considered under a closed rule (H.Res. 397). H.Con.Res. 296 was
rejected (see Appendix C in this report).
f. The budget resolution was considered under a closed rule (H.Res. 309). H.Con.Res. 122 was
rejected (see Appendix C in this report).
CRS-44
Appendix L. Number of Amendments to Budget Resolutions
Considered in the Senate, FY1976-FY2008
Amendments
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution Withdrawn or Ruled
Accepted Rejected Total Success Ratea
Out-of-Order
1976 S.Con.Res. 32 1 4 0 5 20%
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 1 7 0 8 13%
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 5 2 0 7 71%
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 0 9 0 9 0%
1980 S.Con.Res. 22 5 12 0 17 29%
1981 S.Con.Res. 86 11 28 0 39 28%
1982 S.Con.Res. 9b 4 31 1 36 11%
S.Con.Res. 19 2 17 0 19 11%
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 9 28 0 37 24%
1984 S.Con.Res. 27 7 24 0 31 23%
1985 S.Con.Res. 106 2 0 0 2 100%
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 14 23 0 37 38%
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 15 5 2 22 68%
1988 S.Con.Res. 49 4 9 2 15 27%
CRS-45
Amendments
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution Withdrawn or Ruled
Accepted Rejected Total Success Ratea
Out-of-Order
1989 S.Con.Res. 113 8 4 0 12 67%
1990 S.Con.Res. 30 23 2 1 26 88%
1991 S.Con.Res. 110 1 0 0 1 100%
1992 S.Con.Res. 29 7 5 3 15 47%
1993 S.Con.Res. 106 15 3 3 21 71%
1994 S.Con.Res. 18 22 28 0 50 44%
1995 S.Con.Res. 63 26 9 4 39 67%
1996 S.Con.Res. 13 26 34 9 69 38%
1997 S.Con.Res. 57 41 22 4 67 61%
1998 S.Con.Res. 27 39 12 13 64 61%
1999 S.Con.Res. 86 57 8 41 106 54%
2000 S.Con.Res. 20 57 8 30 95 60%
2001 S.Con.Res. 101 38 12 8 58 66%
2002 H.Con.Res. 83c 51 10 5 66 77%
2003 S.Con.Res. 100d -- -- -- -- --
2004 S.Con.Res. 23 44 35 3 82 54%
CRS-46
Amendments
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution Withdrawn or Ruled
Accepted Rejected Total Success Ratea
Out-of-Order
2005 S.Con.Res. 95 39 19 6 64 61%
2006 S.Con.Res. 18 48 24 1 73 66%
2007 S.Con.Res. 83 54 27 6 87 62%
2008 S.Con.Res. 21 63 24 4 91 69%
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
Note: This list includes first budget resolutions only.
a. "Success rate" is the percentage of amendments accepted.
b. The budget resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 2, 1981, by a vote of 88-10; no further action was taken.
c. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the Senate considered the House-passed budget resolution after the Senate Budget Committee was
discharged from its consideration.
d. The Senate Budget Committee reported the FY2003 budget resolution, but the full Senate did not consider it.
CRS-47
Appendix M. Timing of House Action on Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008
Date Conference
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution (companion measure) Typea Date Consideration Began Date of Initial Passage
Report Adopted
1976 H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 32) first 04-30-1975 05-01-1975 05-14-1975
H.Con.Res. 466 (S.Con.Res. 76) second 11-11-1975 11-12-1975 12-12-1975
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 (H.Con.Res. 611) first 04-27-1976 04-29-1976 05-13-1976
S.Con.Res. 139 (H.Con.Res. 728) second 09-08-1976 09-09-1976 09-16-1976
S.Con.Res. 10 (H.Con.Res. 110) third 02-22-1977 02-23-1977 03-03-1977
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 (H.Con.Res. 214) first 05-03-1977 05-05-1977 05-17-1977
H.Con.Res. 341 (S.Con.Res. 43) second 09-07-1977 09-08-1977 09-15-1977
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 (H.Con.Res. 559) first 05-02-1978 05-10-1978 05-17-1978
H.Con.Res. 683 (S.Con.Res. 104) second 08-15-1978 08-16-1978 09-21-1978
1980 H.Con.Res. 107 (S.Con.Res. 22) first 04-30-1979 05-14-1979 05-24-1979
S.Con.Res. 53 (H.Con.Res. 186) second 11-28-1979 11-28-1979 --b
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 (S.Con.Res. 86) first 04-23-1980 05-07-1980 06-12-1980
H.Con.Res. 448 (S.Con.Res. 119) second 11-18-1980 11-18-1980 11-20-1980
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 (S.Con.Res. 19) first 04-30-1981 05-07-1981 05-20-1981
S.Con.Res. 50 (H.Con.Res. 230) second 12-10-1981 12-10-1981 --c
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 (H.Con.Res. 352) -- 06-10-1982 06-10-1982 06-22-1982
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 (S.Con.Res. 27) -- 03-22-1983 03-23-1983 06-23-1983
CRS-48
Date Conference
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution (companion measure) Typea Date Consideration Began Date of Initial Passage
Report Adopted
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 (S.Con.Res. 106) -- 04-04-1984 04-05-1984 10-01-1984
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 (H.Con.Res. 152) -- 05-22-1985 05-23-1985 08-01-1985
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 (H.Con.Res. 337) -- 05-14-1986 05-15-1986 06-26-1986
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 (S.Con.Res. 49) -- 04-08-1987 04-09-1987 06-23-1987
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 (S.Con.Res. 113) -- 03-23-1988 03-23-1988 05-26-1988
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 (S.Con.Res. 30) -- 05-03-1989 05-04-1989 05-17-1989
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 (S.Con.Res. 110) -- 04-25-1990 05-01-1990 10-08-1990
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 (S.Con.Res. 29) -- 04-16-1991 04-17-1991 05-22-1991
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 (S.Con.Res. 106) -- 03-04-1992 03-05-1992 05-21-1992
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 (S.Con.Res. 18) -- 03-17-1993 03-18-1993 03-31-1993
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 63) -- 03-10-1994 03-11-1994 05-05-1994
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 (S.Con.Res. 13) -- 05-17-1995 05-18-1995 06-29-1995
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 (S.Con.Res. 57) -- 05-15-1996 05-16-1996 06-12-1996
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 (S.Con.Res. 27) -- 05-20-1997 05-21-1997 06-05-1997
1999d H.Con.Res. 284 (S.Con.Res. 86) -- 06-04-1998 06-05-1998 --
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 (S.Con.Res. 20) -- 03-25-1999 03-25-1999 04-14-1999
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 (S.Con.Res. 101) -- 03-23-2000 03-23-2000 04-13-2001
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 (no companion measure)e -- 03-27-2001 03-28-2001 05-09-2001
CRS-49
Date Conference
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution (companion measure) Typea Date Consideration Began Date of Initial Passage
Report Adopted
2003f H.Con.Res. 353 (S.Con.Res. 100) -- 03-20-2002 03-20-2002 --
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 (S.Con.Res. 23) -- 03-20-2003 03-21-2003 04-11-2003
2005g S.Con.Res. 95 (H.Con.Res. 393) -- 03-24-2004 03-25-2004 05-19-2004
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 (S.Con.Res. 18) -- 03-16-2005 03-17-2005 04-28-2005
2007h H.Con.Res. 376 (S.Con.Res 83) -- 04-06-2006 05-18-2006 --
2008 S.Con.Res. 21 (H.Con.Res. 99) -- 03-28-2007 03-29-2007 05-17-2007
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
a. "Type" refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year. For the first seven years of the congressional budget process, Congress adopted
multiple budget resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has adopted only one a year.
b. The House rejected its version of the budget resolution (see Appendix C of this report) and adopted the Senate's version; no conference report was necessary.
c. The House laid its version of the budget resolution on the table by unanimous consent and adopted the Senate's version; no conference report was necessary.
d. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999.
e. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the Senate considered the House-passed budget resolution after the Senate Budget
Committee was discharged from its consideration.
f. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003.
g. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005. The House agreed to the conference report on S.Con.Res. 95, May 19, 2004; the Senate did not consider it.
h. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2007.
CRS-50
Appendix N. Timing of Senate Action on Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2008
Date Conference
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution (Companion Measure) Typea Date Consideration Began Date of Initial Passage
Report Adopted
1976 H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 32) first 04-29-1975 05-05-1975 05-14-1975
H.Con.Res. 466 (S.Con.Res. 76) second 11-19-1975 11-20-1975 12-11-1975
1977 S.Con.Res. 109 (H.Con.Res. 611) first 04-08-1976 04-12-1976 05-12-1976
S.Con.Res. 139 (H.Con.Res. 728) second 09-08-1976 09-09-1976 09-15-1976
S.Con.Res. 10 (H.Con.Res. 110) third 02-21-1977 02-22-1977 03-03-1977
1978 S.Con.Res. 19 (H.Con.Res. 214) first 05-02-1977 05-03-1977 05-13-1977
H.Con.Res. 341 (S.Con.Res. 43) second 09-07-1977 09-09-1977 09-15-1977
1979 S.Con.Res. 80 (H.Con.Res. 559) first 04-24-1978 04-26-1978 05-15-1978
H.Con.Res. 683 (S.Con.Res. 104) second 08-25-1978 09-06-1978 09-23-1978
1980 H.Con.Res. 107 (S.Con.Res. 22) first 04-23-1979 04-25-1979b 05-23-1979
S.Con.Res. 53 (H.Con.Res. 186) second 11-16-1979 11-16-1979 --c
1981 H.Con.Res. 307 (S.Con.Res. 86) first 05-05-1980 05-12-1980 06-12-1980
H.Con.Res. 448 (S.Con.Res. 119) second 11-18-1980 11-19-1980 11-20-1980
1982 H.Con.Res. 115 (S.Con.Res. 19) first 05-07-1981 05-12-1981 05-21-1981
S.Con.Res. 50 (H.Con.Res. 230) second 12-08-1981 12-09-1981 --c
1983 S.Con.Res. 92 (H.Con.Res. 352) -- 05-14-1982 05-21-1982 06-23-1982
1984 H.Con.Res. 91 (S.Con.Res. 27) -- 05-02-1983 05-19-1983 06-23-1983
1985 H.Con.Res. 280 (S.Con.Res. 106) -- 05-18-1984 05-18-1984 09-26-1984
CRS-51
Date Conference
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution (Companion Measure) Typea Date Consideration Began Date of Initial Passage
Report Adopted
1986 S.Con.Res. 32 (H.Con.Res. 152) -- 04-25-1985 05-09-1985 08-01-1985
1987 S.Con.Res. 120 (H.Con.Res. 337) -- 04-21-1986 05-01-1986 06-27-1986
1988 H.Con.Res. 93 (S.Con.Res. 49) -- 04-28-1987 05-06-1987 06-24-1987
1989 H.Con.Res. 268 (S.Con.Res. 113) -- 04-11-1988 04-14-1988 06-06-1988
1990 H.Con.Res. 106 (S.Con.Res. 30) -- 05-02-1989 05-04-1989 05-18-1989
1991 H.Con.Res. 310 (S.Con.Res. 110) -- 06-14-1990 06-14-1990 10-09-1990
1992 H.Con.Res. 121 (S.Con.Res. 29) -- 04-23-1991 04-25-1991 05-22-1991
1993 H.Con.Res. 287 (S.Con.Res. 106) -- 04-07-1992 04-10-1992 05-21-1992
1994 H.Con.Res. 64 (S.Con.Res. 18) -- 03-17-1993 03-25-1993 04-01-1993
1995 H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 63) -- 03-22-1994 03-25-1994 05-12-1994
1996 H.Con.Res. 67 (S.Con.Res. 13) -- 05-18-1995 05-25-1995 06-29-1995
1997 H.Con.Res. 178 (S.Con.Res. 57) -- 05-15-1996 05-23-1996 06-13-1996
1998 H.Con.Res. 84 (S.Con.Res. 27) -- 05-20-1997 05-23-1997 06-05-1997
1999d H.Con.Res. 284 (S.Con.Res. 86) -- 03-27-1998 04-02-1998 --
2000 H.Con.Res. 68 (S.Con.Res. 20) -- 03-25-1999 03-25-1999 04-15-1999
2001 H.Con.Res. 290 (S.Con.Res. 101) -- 04-04-2000 04-07-2000 04-13-2001
CRS-52
Date Conference
Fiscal Year Budget Resolution (Companion Measure) Typea Date Consideration Began Date of Initial Passage
Report Adopted
2002 H.Con.Res. 83 (no companion measure)e -- 04-02-2001 04-06-2001 05-10-2001
2003f H.Con.Res. 353 (S.Con.Res. 100) -- -- -- --
2004 H.Con.Res. 95 (S.Con.Res. 23) -- 03-18-2003 03-26-2003 04-11-2003
2005g S.Con.Res. 95 (H.Con.Res. 393) -- 03-08-2004 03-12-2004 --
2006 H.Con.Res. 95 (S.Con.Res. 18) -- 03-14-2005 03-17-2005 04-28-2005
2007h H.Con.Res. 376 (S.Con.Res. 83) -- 03-13-2006 03-16-2006 --
2008 S.Con.Res. 21 (H.Con.Res. 99) -- 03-20-2007 03-23-2007 05-17-2007
Source: Legislative Information System of the U.S. Congress [http://www.congress.gov].
a. "Type" refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year. For the first seven years of the congressional budget process, Congress adopted
multiple budget resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has adopted only one a year.
b. The text of S.Con.Res. 22 was inserted in H.Con.Res. 107 on May 15, 1979.
c. The House adopted the Senate's version of the budget resolution; no conference report was necessary.
d. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY1999.
e. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the Senate considered the House-passed budget resolution after the Senate Budget
Committee was discharged from its consideration.
f. The Senate did not consider the FY2003 budget resolution on the floor; ultimately, Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2003.
g. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2005. The House agreed to the conference report on S.Con.Res. 95, May 19, 2004; the Senate did not consider it.
h. Congress did not complete action on a budget resolution for FY2007.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For other versions of this document, see http://wikileaks.org/wiki/CRS-RL30297