Project Vote Smart

Legislation-Joint Resolution - Motion Agreed (House) - Feb. 4, 2010 (Key vote)

Title: Reinstating PAYGO Budget Rule

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote on a motion to concur with Titles 1 and 2 of a resolution that reinstates the Pay-As-You-Go budget rule.

Highlight: -Reinstates the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) budget rule, a rule that applies to bills or joint resolutions that affect direct spending or revenue relative to the baseline and that requires such bills to be budget-neutral (Sec. 2). -Requires PAYGO legislation to include an estimate of its budgetary effects, as provided by the Congressional Budget Office, at one of the following times (Sec. 4):

-Prior to a vote on passage in a chamber; -Prior to the first action by a chamber on a conference report or an amendment between the chambers; or -Upon enactment of the legislation.

-Requires the Office of Management and Budget to maintain and make public on every piece of PAYGO legislation two sets of scorecards, which shall measure the budgetary effects of such legislation over 5 years and over 10 years (Sec. 4). -Requires the Office of Management and Budget at the end of every Congressional session to publish and make public a PAYGO report, which shall include the following (Sec. 5):

-Current PAYGO scorecards on all PAYGO legislation; -Any current policy adjustments; -Information about any emergency legislation; -Sequestration orders that show how direct spending will be adjusted to offset any costs shown on PAYGO scorecards; and -Other data that would "enhance public understanding" of the above items.

-Requires the Office of Management and Budget to calculate the uniform percentage of funds that are to be seized in order to balance spending, and specifies that any uniform percentage exceeding 4 percent shall result in Medicare spending reductions of 4 percent, as well as spending reductions in other nonexempt direct spending programs (Sec. 6). -Lists several federal programs and activities that would be exempt from payment reductions, including, but not limited to, Social Security Benefits and Tier I Railroad Retirement Benefits, Veterans Programs, and Refundable Income Tax Credits (Sec. 11). -The text of this resolution was replaced by a substitute amendment sponsored by Sen. Harry Reid. -This vote follows an agreement pursuant to the passage of House Resolution 1065, which requires the House of Representatives to vote on a motion to concur with the Senate amendments to HJR 45 relating to PAYGO and various government programs as a divided question, separate from the provision raising the debt limit. The provision raising the debt limit was concurred with pursuant to the passage of House Resolution 1065.

Note:

NOTE: THIS IS A MOTION TO ADOPT A PROVISION PURSUANT TO A PROCEDURE PREVIOUSLY AGREED TO. THE MOTION EFFECTIVELY PASSES THE LEGISLATION.

Legislation-Joint Resolution - Bill Passed (Senate) - Jan. 28, 2010 (Key vote)

Title: Increasing the Public Debt Limit and Reinstating PAYGO

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a joint resolution that increases the national debt limit from $12.39 trillion to $14.29 trillion and reinstates the Pay-As-You-Go budget rule.

Highlight: -Reinstates the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) budget rule, a rule that applies to bills or joint resolutions that affect direct spending or revenue relative to the baseline and that requires such bills to be budget-neutral (Sec. 2). -Requires PAYGO legislation to include an estimate of its budgetary effects, as provided by the Congressional Budget Office, at one of the following times (Sec. 4):

-Prior to a vote on passage in a chamber; -Prior to the first action by a chamber on a conference report or an amendment between the chambers; or -Upon enactment of the legislation.

-Requires the Office of Management and Budget to maintain and make public on every piece of PAYGO legislation two sets of scorecards, which shall measure the budgetary effects of such legislation over 5 years and over 10 years (Sec. 4). -Requires the Office of Management and Budget at the end of every Congressional session to publish and make public a PAYGO report, which shall include the following (Sec. 5):

-Current PAYGO scorecards on all PAYGO legislation; -Any current policy adjustments; -Information about any emergency legislation; -Sequestration orders that show how direct spending will be adjusted to offset any costs shown on PAYGO scorecards; and -Other data that would "enhance public understanding" of the above items.

-Requires the Office of Management and Budget to calculate the uniform percentage of funds that are to be seized in order to balance spending, and specifies that any uniform percentage exceeding 4 percent shall result in Medicare spending reductions of 4 percent, as well as spending reductions in other nonexempt direct spending programs (Sec. 6). -Lists several federal programs and activities that would be exempt from payment reductions, including, but not limited to, Social Security Benefits and Tier I Railroad Retirement Benefits, Veterans Programs, and Refundable Income Tax Credits (Sec. 11). -The text of this resolution was replaced by a substitute amendment sponsored by Sen. Harry Reid.

Note:

NOTE: THIS IS A SUBSTITUTE BILL, MEANING THE LANGUAGE OF THE ORIGINAL BILL HAS BEEN REPLACED. THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE SUBSTITUTE BILL TEXT DIFFERS FROM THE PREVIOUS VERSION OF THE TEXT CAN VARY GREATLY.

Legislation-Joint Resolution - Introduced (House) - April 29, 2009

Title: Increasing the Public Debt Limit

Legislation-Joint Resolution - Joint Resolution Passed (House) - April 29, 2009

Highlight: -The House of Representatives passed HJR 45 pursuant to the passage of S Con Res 13.