[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3289 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3289
To establish a commission on fiscal responsibility and reform.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 8, 2025
Mr. Huizenga (for himself, Mr. Peters, Mr. Timmons, Mr. Case, Mr.
Mills, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Bergman, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Moore of Utah, Ms.
Perez, Mr. Smith of Nebraska, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr.
Gray, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. Landsman, Mr. Grothman, Mr.
Moskowitz, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Moolenaar, Ms. Scholten,
Mr. Rouzer, Mr. Schneider, Mrs. Houchin, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Valadao, Mr.
Panetta, and Mr. Barr) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the
Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To establish a commission on fiscal responsibility and reform.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Fiscal Commission Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Co-chair.--The term ``co-chair'' means an individual
appointed to serve as a co-chair of the Fiscal Commission under
section 3(a)(3)(B)(i).
(2) Fiscal commission.--The term ``Fiscal Commission''
means the commission established under section 3(a).
(3) Implementing bill.--The term ``implementing bill''
means a bill or joint resolution consisting solely of the
legislative text the Fiscal Commission approves and submits
under clauses (i) and (v), respectively, of section 3(a)(2)(B).
(4) Outside expert.--The term ``outside expert'' is an
individual who is not an elected official or an officer or
employee of the Federal Government or of any State.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF FISCAL COMMISSION.
(a) Establishment of Fiscal Commission.--
(1) Establishment.--
(A) In general.--Not later than 60 days after the
date of enactment of this Act, there is established in
Congress a Fiscal Commission.
(B) Goals.--The goals of the Commission shall be to
educate, and bring awareness to, the American public
about the fiscal path the Nation is on, including--
(i) educating the American people so they
understand the fiscal state of the Nation and
the cost of not addressing such state; and
(ii) informing the American people about
the deterioration of our Nation's fiscal
health, and that the debt poses a significant
risk to the Nation's long-term fiscal
sustainability with implications for future
generations.
(2) Duties.--
(A) Improve fiscal situation.--
(i) In general.--The Fiscal Commission
shall identify policies to--
(I) meaningfully improve the long-
term fiscal condition of the Federal
Government, including reducing the debt
and deficit;
(II) achieve a sustainable ratio of
the public debt of the Federal
Government to the gross domestic
product of the United States, which
shall be not more than 100 percent, by
fiscal year 2039; and
(III) improve the solvency of
Federal programs for which a Federal
trust fund exists for a period of at
least 75 years.
(ii) Requirements.--In carrying out clause
(i), the Fiscal Commission shall, to the extent
practicable, consider the budgetary effects of
changes in economic output, employment, capital
stock, and other macroeconomic variables
resulting from public and private investments
and propose recommendations that meaningfully
improve the long-term fiscal condition of the
Federal Government, including--
(I) changes to address the current
levels of discretionary appropriations,
direct spending, and revenues and the
gap between current revenues and
expenditures of the Federal Government;
and
(II) changes to address the growth
of discretionary appropriations, direct
spending, and revenues and the gap
between the projected revenues and
expenditures of the Federal Government.
(iii) Recommendations of committees.--Not
later than 60 days after the date described in
paragraph (1), each committee of the Senate and
the House of Representatives may transmit to
the Fiscal Commission any recommendations of
the committee relating to changes in law to
further the duties described in clause (ii).
(iv) Interim report.--The Fiscal Commission
may meet to consider, and vote on, an interim
report on--
(I) any findings, conclusions, or
recommendations of the Fiscal
Commission described in subparagraph
(A)(i);
(II) any findings or
recommendations with respect to
carrying out the goals described in
paragraph (1)(B); and
(III) as the Fiscal Commission
determines appropriate, any findings
resulting from any hearing held or
evidence received by the Commission.
(B) Report identified policies.--
(i) In general.--Notwithstanding paragraph
(4)(D)(ii)(II), and consistent with clause
(vi), not earlier than November 4, 2026, but
not later than November 13, 2026, the Fiscal
Commission shall meet to consider, and vote
on--
(I) a report that contains a
detailed statement of the findings,
conclusions, and recommendations of the
Fiscal Commission described in
subparagraph (A)(i) and the estimate of
the Congressional Budget Office
required under paragraph (4)(D)(ii);
and
(II) legislative language to carry
out the recommendations of the Fiscal
Commission in the report described in
subclause (I), which shall include a
statement of the economic and budgetary
effects of the recommendations.
(ii) Approval of report and legislative
language.--A report and legislative language of
the Fiscal Commission under clause (i) shall
require the approval of a majority of the
members of the Fiscal Commission, provided that
such majority shall be required to include not
less than 2 members of the Fiscal Commission
appointed by members of the Republican Party
and 2 members appointed by members of the
Democratic party.
(iii) Additional views.--
(I) In general.--A member of the
Fiscal Commission who gives notice of
an intention to file supplemental,
minority, or additional views at the
time of the final Fiscal Commission
vote on the approval of the report and
legislative language of the Fiscal
Commission under clause (i) shall be
entitled to 3 days to file those views
in writing with the staff director of
the Fiscal Commission.
(II) Inclusion in report.--Views
filed under subclause (I) shall be
included in the report of the Fiscal
Commission under clause (i) and printed
in the same volume, or part thereof,
and such inclusion shall be noted on
the cover of the report, except that,
in the absence of timely notice, the
report may be printed and transmitted
immediately without such views.
(iv) Report and legislative language to be
made public.--Upon the approval or disapproval
of a report and legislative language under
clause (i) by the Fiscal Commission, the Fiscal
Commission shall promptly, and not more than 24
hours after the approval or disapproval or, if
timely notice is given under clause (iii), not
more than 24 hours after additional views are
filed under such clause, make the report, the
legislative language, and a record of the vote
on the report and legislative language
available to the public.
(v) Submission of report and legislative
language.--If a report and legislative language
are approved by the Fiscal Commission under
clause (i), not later than 3 days after the
date on which the report and legislative
language are made available to the public under
clause (iv), the Fiscal Commission shall submit
the report and legislative language to the
President, the Vice President, the Speaker of
the House of Representatives, and the majority
and minority leaders of each House of Congress.
(vi) Extension.--The Fiscal Commission may
extend the deadline set forth in clause (i) to
April 13, 2027, if the Fiscal Commission
determines that additional time is necessary to
complete their duties under this Act. Such
extension shall require the approval of a
majority of the members of the Fiscal
Commission, provided that such majority shall
be required to include not less than 2 members
of the Fiscal Commission appointed by members
of the Republican Party and 2 members appointed
by members of the Democratic party.
(C) Public awareness campaign.--Not later than 30
days after the date the Fiscal Commission submits the
report under paragraph (2)(B)(v), the Fiscal Commission
shall complete a national campaign to increase public
awareness and education with respect to the fiscal
condition of the Federal Government.
(3) Membership.--
(A) In general.--The Fiscal Commission shall be
composed of 16 members appointed, not later than 14
days after the date described in paragraph (1) and with
due consideration to chairs and ranking minority
members of the committees and subcommittees of subject
matter jurisdiction (as applicable), as follows:
(i) 3 individuals from among the Members of
the Senate, and 1 outside expert, appointed by
the majority leader of the Senate.
(ii) 3 individuals from among the Members
of the Senate, and 1 outside expert, appointed
by the minority leader of the Senate.
(iii) 3 individuals from among the Members
of the House of Representatives, and 1 outside
expert, appointed by the Speaker of the House
of Representatives.
(iv) 3 individuals from among the Members
of the House of Representatives, and 1 outside
expert, appointed by the minority leader of the
House of Representatives.
(B) Co-chairs.--
(i) In general.--Not later than 14 days
after the date described in paragraph (1), with
respect to the Fiscal Commission--
(I) the leadership of the Senate
and House of Representatives of the
same political party as the President
shall appoint 1 individual from among
the members of the Fiscal Commission
who shall serve as a co-chair of the
Fiscal Commission; and
(II) the leadership of the Senate
and House of Representatives of the
opposite political party as the
President shall appoint 1 individual
from among the members of the Fiscal
Commission who shall serve as a co-
chair of the Fiscal Commission.
(ii) Staff director.--With respect to the
Fiscal Commission, the co-chairs of the Fiscal
Commission, acting jointly, shall hire the
staff director of the Fiscal Commission.
(C) Period of appointment.--
(i) In general.--The members of the Fiscal
Commission shall be appointed for the life of
the Fiscal Commission.
(ii) Vacancy.--
(I) In general.--Any vacancy in the
Fiscal Commission shall not affect the
powers of the Fiscal Commission, but
shall be filled not later than 14 days
after the date on which the vacancy
occurs, in the same manner as the
original appointment was made.
(II) Ineligible members.--If a
member of the Fiscal Commission who was
appointed as a Member of the Senate or
the House Representatives ceases to be
a Member of the Senate or the House of
Representatives, as applicable--
(aa) the member shall no
longer be a member of the
Fiscal Commission; and
(bb) a vacancy in the
Fiscal Commission exists.
(4) Administration.--
(A) In general.--With respect to the Fiscal
Commission, to enable the Fiscal Commission to exercise
the powers, functions, and duties of the Fiscal
Commission, there are authorized to be disbursed by the
Senate the actual and necessary expenses of the Fiscal
Commission approved by the co-chairs of the Fiscal
Commission, subject to the rules and regulations of the
Senate.
(B) Expenses.--With respect to the Fiscal
Commission, in carrying out the functions of the Fiscal
Commission, the Fiscal Commission is authorized to
incur expenses in the same manner and under the same
conditions as the Joint Economic Committee is
authorized under section 11(d) of the Employment Act of
1946 (15 U.S.C. 1024(d)).
(C) Quorum.--With respect to the Fiscal Commission,
7 members of the Fiscal Commission shall constitute a
quorum for purposes of voting, meeting, and holding
hearings. Outside experts shall not count for purposes
of determining whether there is a quorum under this
subparagraph.
(D) Voting.--
(i) Proxy voting.--No proxy voting shall be
allowed on behalf of any member of the Fiscal
Commission.
(ii) Congressional budget office
estimates.--
(I) In general.--The Director of