February 05, 2013
The Hill: Tuesday: House Takes Up Bill Forcing Obama to Balance the Budget
The House meets at 10 a.m. for speeches, then at noon to start work on the Require a PLAN Act, H.R. 444.
The bill calls on President Obama to submit a 2014 budget that balances in some future year. If Obama fails to do this, he would be required to submit a supplemental budget estimating when the budget will balance, and outlining the steps needed to get to that point.
Members on Tuesday are expected to debate and approve the rule, and possibly debate the bill itself. But work on amendments is expected Wednesday.
On Monday, the House Rules Committee approved a rule that makes five amendments in order, including one that calls on Obama to use the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan as a basis for balancing the budget. Other amendments are from:
- John Fleming (R-La.), requiring Obama's supplemental budget to evaluate the possibility of consolidating agencies;
- Luke Messer (R-Ind.), requiring Obama's supplemental to include the per-taxpayer cost of the budget deficit for each year in which a deficit is expected;
- Steve Scalise (R-La.), requiring the supplemental to note the growth of means-tested and non-means-tested direct spending; and
- Mark Takano (D-Calif.), clarifying that Congress holds the responsibility for passing budgets and appropriating funds.
The Senate is out Tuesday for the Senate Democratic retreat; senators return to work Thursday.