The Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform

Summary

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-123), signed into law on February 9, 2018, creates a new joint select committee of the House and Senate. The Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform, made up of 16 Members from the House and Senate—four chosen by each of the chambers’ party leaders—is intended to formulate recommendations and legislative language that will “significantly reform the budget and appropriations process.” The law directs the committee to make a report no later than November 30, 2018, which will be submitted along with legislative language to the President, the Speaker of the House, and the majority and minority leaders of the House and Senate.

The act includes procedures that are intended to allow the Senate to reach a timely vote on the question of whether or not to consider legislation embodying the recommendations of the joint select committee. Under the terms of the act, the Senate is directed to vote on a motion to proceed to consider any reported joint committee bill before the conclusion of the 115th Congress (2017-2018). The support of at least three-fifths of the Senate (60 votes if there is no more than one vacancy) would be necessary to take up and approve the motion. The act does not specify any procedures governing consideration of the bill once the Senate has agreed to take it up. There are also no provisions in the act concerning the consideration of the recommendations of the joint select committee in the House, nor are there any provisions concerning resolving any differences between the House and Senate. Such actions would occur under the regular procedures of each chamber.

This report discusses the structure, powers, and funding of the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform and provides an overview of the parliamentary procedures the chambers may use to consider its recommendations.