§068. Pub. L. 114–074 – Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015

Public Laws

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015
Public Law 114–74

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015; Pub. L. 114–74; 129 Stat. 584; November 2, 2015; H.R. 1314 (114th Congress)

Pub. L. 114–74, title I, §101(a), title VIII, §815, Nov. 2, 2015, 129 Stat. 585 (Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015).

Summary

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 was in many respects a sequel to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. From a technical drafting standpoint, it repeated much of the budgetary process elements of that bill and attached them to a variety of spending reductions. The most significant differences were the nature of the way it was enacted — with the former the result of broad based bipartisan negotiations largely in the context of the budget process — the result stemming from a conference on the budget resolution for fiscal year 2014. The BBA 2015 was instead produced almost entirely from negotiations between the Obama Administration and Speaker Boehner’s leadership offices. Significantly, it was completed and enacted without any participation of the Budget Committees. The later disgraced House Budget Chairman Tom Price said weakly that he was told to “stand down” from the negotiations.

The discretionary spending levels set by this bill were observed later by the following budget resolution, H. Con. Res. 127, causing it to fail to be adopted by the House in any fashion.

General Information

Public Law: Pub. L. 114–74

Stat. At Large: 129 Stat. 584

Enacted: Nov. 2, 2015

Bill Number: H.R. 1314 (114th Congress)

Sponsor: Rep. Meehan, Patrick [R-PA-7]

Note: Revised the discretionary spending limits and extended the Budget Control Act of 2011 sequestration orders through fiscal year 2025.

Applicable Text of Statute

TITLE I—BUDGET ENFORCEMENT

SEC. 101. AMENDMENTS TO THE BALANCED BUDGET AND EMERGENCY DEFICIT CONTROL ACT OF 1985.

(a) Revised Discretionary Spending Limits.—Section 251(c) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(c)) is amended by striking paragraphs (3) and (4) and inserting the following:

“(3) for fiscal year 2016—

“(A) for the revised security category, $548,091,000,000 in new budget authority; and

“(B) for the revised nonsecurity category $518,491,000,000 in new budget authority;

“(4) for fiscal year 2017—

“(A) for the revised security category, $551,068,000,000 in new budget authority; and

“(B) for the revised nonsecurity category, $518,531,000,000 in new budget authority;”.

(b) Direct Spending Adjustments for Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017.—Section 251A of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a), is amended—

(1) in paragraph (5)(B), by striking “paragraph (10)” and inserting “paragraphs (10) and (11)”; and

(2) by adding at the end the following:

“(11) Implementing Direct Spending Reductions For Fiscal Years 2016 and 2017.—(A) OMB shall make the calculations necessary to implement the direct spending reductions calculated pursuant to paragraphs (3) and (4) without regard to the amendment made to section 251(c) revising the discretionary spending limits for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015.

“(B) Paragraph (5)(B) shall not be implemented for fiscal years 2016 and 2017.”.

(c) Extension of Direct Spending Reductions for Fiscal Year 2025.—Section 251A(6) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901a(6)) is amended—

(1) in subparagraph (B), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking “and for fiscal year 2024” and by inserting “for fiscal year 2024, and for fiscal year 2025”;

(2) by striking subparagraph (C) and redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and

(3) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated), by striking “fiscal year 2024” and inserting “fiscal year 2025”.

(d) Overseas Contingency Operations Amounts.—In fiscal years 2016 and 2017, the adjustments under section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2)(A)) for Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terrorism appropriations will be as follows:

(1) For budget function 150—

(A) for fiscal year 2016, $14,895,000,000; and

(B) for fiscal year 2017, $14,895,000,000.

(2) For budget function 050—

(A) for fiscal year 2016, $58,798,000,000; and

(B) for fiscal year 2017, $58,798,000,000.

This subsection shall not affect the applicability of section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

SEC. 102. AUTHORITY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 BUDGET RESOLUTION IN THE SENATE.

(a) Fiscal Year 2017.—For the purpose of enforcing the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, after April 15, 2016, and enforcing budgetary points of order in prior concurrent resolutions on the budget, the allocations, aggregates, and levels provided for in subsection (b) shall apply in the Senate in the same manner as for a concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017 with appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2018 through 2026.

(b) Committee Allocations, Aggregates, and Levels.—After April 15, 2016, but not later than May 15, 2016, the Chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate shall file—

(1) for the Committee on Appropriations, committee allocations for fiscal year 2017 consistent with discretionary spending limits set forth in section 251(c)(4) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended by this Act, for the purpose of enforcing section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974;

(2) for all committees other than the Committee on Appropriations, committee allocations for fiscal years 2017, 2017 through 2021, and 2017 through 2026 consistent with the most recent baseline of the Congressional Budget Office, as adjusted for the budgetary effects of any provision of law enacted during the period beginning on the date such baseline is issued and ending on the date of submission of such statement, for the purpose of enforcing section 302 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974;

(3) aggregate spending levels for fiscal year 2017 in accordance with the allocations established under paragraphs (1) and (2), for the purpose of enforcing section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974;

(4) aggregate revenue levels for fiscal years 2017, 2017 through 2021, and 2017 through 2026 consistent with the most recent baseline of the Congressional Budget Office, as adjusted for the budgetary effects of any provision of law enacted during the period beginning on the date such baseline is issued and ending on the date of submission of such statement, for the purpose of enforcing section 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974; and

(5) levels of Social Security revenues and outlays for fiscal years 2017, 2017 through 2021, and 2017 through 2026 consistent with the most recent baseline of the Congressional Budget Office, as adjusted for the budgetary effects of any provision of law enacted during the period beginning on the date such baseline is issued and ending on the date of submission of such statement, for the purpose of enforcing sections 302 and 311 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.

(c) Additional Matter.—The filing referred to in subsection (b) may also include for fiscal year 2017 the matter contained in subtitles A and B of title IV of S. Con. Res. 11 (114th Congress) updated by 1 fiscal year.

(d) Expiration.—This section shall expire if a concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2017 is agreed to by the Senate and the House of Representatives pursuant to section 301 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.