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HR 9452

Budgeting for a Better America Act

119th Congress Introduced by Ken Calvert and 12 co-sponsors

Transforms budgeting to a two-year biennial cycle with a National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility to guide long-term deficit reduction and reform.

Introduced in House
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 9452

Summary of HR 9452 — Budgeting for a Better America Act

This bill proposes a sweeping overhaul of the House of Representatives’ budget and appropriations process, shifting from annual to biennial budgeting, creating a national fiscal reform commission, and implementing related procedural and analytical enhancements.

Main purpose and intent

  • Move the United States toward biennial budgeting and concurrent resolutions to set budgetary levels for a two-year period (a biennium) rather than annually.
  • Establish a National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to study, propose, and facilitate major long-term fiscal policy changes.
  • Improve transparency, long-range budget analysis, and alignment of budgetary processes with modern fiscal realities.

Key provisions and changes

Title I — Biennial Budget Resolutions

  • Amends the Congressional Budget Act to define biennial budgeting and revise timetables accordingly.
  • Redefines terms:
    • “Biennium” = two consecutive fiscal years beginning with an even-numbered year.
    • References to “budget year” and “direct spending” updated to align with biennial budgeting.
  • Revision of timetable (Section 103):
    • Establishes a new, two-year timetable for the budget process, with specific deadlines in the first and second sessions of each Congress (budget submission, CBO report, committee actions, and when appropriations may be considered).
    • Aims to complete action on a biennial budget within the first year or the transition toward it in the second year.
  • Biennial concurrent resolution on the budget (Section 104):
    • Requires completion of action on a concurrent budget resolution for the biennium by May 1 of odd-numbered years.
    • Restructures appropriations and scoring to reflect combined effects across the two-year period.
    • Adds required elements: subtotals for new budget authority and outlays by category (nondefense discretionary, defense discretionary, direct spending), debt-to-GDP ratio, deficit-to-GDP ratio, and tax expenditures impact; requires inclusion of a mechanism to adjust spending and revenues during the second session to reflect updated baselines.
  • Committee allocations and budgetary scoring adjustments (Section 105):
    • Changes how committee allocations are calculated and reported for the biennium, covering all fiscal years within the biennium.
  • Revision of the biennial budget (Section 106) and related enforcement (Section 107):
    • Allows revisions to the biennial budget and sets out the process for enforcing budget allocations across the two-year period.
  • Reconciliation and related procedural changes (Section 108, 109, 110):
    • Reforms reconciliation rules to apply to biennial budgeting.
    • Amends House Rules to reflect biennial budgeting, including use of the second session to study long-term budget and economic issues.
    • Provides rulemaking authority to codify these changes.

Title II — National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform

  • Establishment (Section 201):
    • Creates an 18-member National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform within the legislative branch.
    • Members appointed by the President, Senate, and House leadership from both parties; two co-chairs (one from each major party) designated by the President.
  • Mandate and duties (Section 201e):
    • Identify policies to improve the medium- and long-term fiscal outlook.
    • Target a plan to achieve an annual 3% deficit-to-GDP ratio by the end of a 10-year period, and address long-term entitlement growth and revenue-expenditure gaps.
  • Reporting (Section 201f):
    • Final report due within one year of appointment, with interim reports possible.
    • Reports require bipartisan cross-party support to be released.
  • Consideration of commission recommendations (Section 202):
    • Requires a proposed joint resolution to implement Commission recommendations within 60 days of a Commission report, after consultation with Congress and relevant committees.
  • Expedited consideration (Section 203):
    • Provides a streamlined process for consideration of the Commission’s joint resolution in both the House and Senate, including discharge mechanisms, fast-tracked debate, and limits on amendments.
  • Powers, staff, and termination (Sections 203, 201g-201l):
    • The Commission can hold hearings, request information from federal agencies, use official channels (including a website), and hire staff (subject to certain pay limits).
    • Termination date set 30 days after final report is submitted.
    • Authorized appropriations and flexible funding duration.

Title III — Other Matters

  • Views and estimates of committees (Section 301):
    • Requires committees to submit views and estimates on budget-relevant legislation, including potential budgetary impacts.
  • Long-term unfunded obligations (Section 302):
    • Adds analysis of long-term unfunded obligations (25-, 50-, 75-year horizons) to the annual budget process, including impacts of current or proposed legislation.
  • President’s annual supplemental budget (Section 303):
    • Requires an annual administrative budget submission by the President starting December 1, 2028, with up-to-date data and credit reestimates.
  • Hearing on the fiscal state of the nation (Section 304):
    • Mandates a hearing within 45 days after audited financial statements are submitted, featuring analysis from the Comptroller General on the federal financial position and sustainability measures.
  • New member orientation (Section 305):
    • Requires budget-focused orientation for new Members of Congress.
  • Modernizing the Committee on the Budget (Section 306):
    • Expands the roster of committee chairs and rankings to include leadership and budget-relevant committees (Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Appropriations).

Who/what would be affected

  • The House budget process and Rules Committee, which would implement biennial budgeting rules.
  • All committees with budgetary jurisdiction, including Ways and Means, Energy and Commerce, Appropriations, and the Senate counterparts for joint considerations.
  • The President and the Executive Office for budget submissions would interact with an annual supplemental budget and the Commission’s recommendations.
  • Federal agencies would provide information to the Commission, and the Government Accountability Office, CBO, and Joint Committee on Taxation would provide technical assistance.
  • New Members entering Congress would receive standardized budget-oriented orientation.

Procedural and timeline considerations

  • Effective date: Title I provisions take effect before noon on January 3, 2027.
  • The Commission would be established within 30 days of enactment, with initial appointments within 60 days.
  • The reform envisions expedited joint resolution consideration in both chambers if the Commission issues recommendations.
  • The biennial budget cycle would begin with actions expected to culminate in May of odd-numbered years, followed by second-session adjustments and continued budgeting for the next biennium.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Prospects for greater long-term focus and fiscal sustainability through a formal biennial framework and bipartisan commission oversight.
  • Increased emphasis on debt, deficits, and entitlement reform over a two-year horizon, potentially reducing the frequency of major mid-year budget fights.
  • Significant procedural changes may require substantial rulemaking and bipartisan cooperation to implement effectively.
  • The bill would create a structured path from recommendation to potential binding legislative action, albeit with explicit expedited procedures and the possibility of opposition from either party.

Note: This summary focuses on substantive provisions and potential impacts based on the text of HR 9452 as introduced.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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