SCONRES-14 : Still Just a Bill

This concurrent resolution establishes the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2022, sets forth budgetary levels for FY2023-FY2031, and provides reconciliation instructions for legislation that increases the deficit.

The resolution recommends levels and amounts for FY2022-FY2031 for

• federal revenues,
• new budget authority,
• budget outlays,
• deficits,
• public debt,
• debt held by the public, and
• the major functional categories of spending.

It also recommends levels and amounts for Social Security and Postal Service discretionary administrative expenses for the purpose of budget enforcement in the Senate.

The resolution includes reconciliation instructions that direct (1) several House and Senate committees to report legislation that will increase the deficit over FY2022-FY2031 by no more than an amount specified for each committee, and (2) the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee to report legislation that will reduce the deficit by at least $1 billion over FY2022-FY2031.

(Under current law, reconciliation bills are considered by Congress using expedited legislative procedures that prevent a filibuster and restrict amendments in the Senate.)

In addition, the resolution establishes reserve funds that allow certain adjustments to committee allocations and other budgetary levels to accommodate

• reconciliation legislation,
• tax legislation that does not raise taxes on people making less than $400,000, and
• legislation that would not increase the deficit over specified time periods.

The resolution also sets forth budget enforcement procedures that address issues such as emergency legislation, advance appropriations, infrastructure legislation, adjustments to budget allocations, and cost estimates for child care or prekindergarten legislation.