Budget Process Reform: Proposals and Legislative Actions in 2012

Summary

An array of budget process reform proposals are put forth each year seeking to refine or modify the existing constitutional requirements, laws, and rules that make up the federal budget process. This report identifies, tracks, and explains current budget process reform proposals reported from committee or considered on the floor during 2012. The proposals are organized into categories related to the existing budget process. When appropriate, a brief description of the current process is provided.

Measures included in this report are H.R. 3575, the Legally Binding Budget Act of 2011; H.R. 3521, the Expedited Legislative Line-Item Veto and Rescission Act of 2011; H.R. 3578, the Baseline Reform Act of 2012; H.R. 3582, the Pro-Growth Budgeting Act of 2011; and H.R. 3581, the Budget and Accounting Transparency Act of 2011.