[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 143 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 143
To establish a budgetary level reduction schedule, and for other
purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 3, 2025
Mrs. Cammack (for herself and Mr. Schmidt) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government
Reform, and in addition to the Committees on the Budget, and 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
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A BILL
To establish a budgetary level reduction schedule, and for other
purposes.
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 ``Unauthorized Spending Accountability
Act''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF BUDGETARY LEVEL REDUCTION SCHEDULE.
(a) In General.--There is hereby established a reoccurring three-
year budgetary level reduction cycle with respect to any unauthorized
program, to begin in fiscal year 2026, consistent with the requirements
of this Act.
(b) Definitions.--In this Act:
(1) Budgetary level.--The term ``budgetary level'' means
the allocation made under section 302(a) of the Congressional
Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 633(a)) to the Committee on
Appropriations of the House of Representatives or the Senate in
a concurrent resolution on the budget for a fiscal year, and
includes any such allocation made pursuant to a deeming
resolution.
(2) Expiring fiscal year.--The term ``expiring fiscal
year'' means, with respect to an unauthorized program, the
fiscal year during which authorizations of appropriations will
expire for such program.
(3) Unauthorized program.--The term ``unauthorized
program'' means any program or activity listed in the annual
report published by the Congressional Budget Office, entitled
``Expired and Expiring Authorizations of Appropriations'', or
any successor report, with respect to which authorizations of
appropriations will expire during the fiscal year in which such
report is published.
(c) Application to Programs That Expired Before Fiscal Year 2026.--
For purposes of applying this Act to any unauthorized program funded
during fiscal year 2026 and for which authorizations of appropriations
expired before such fiscal year, such program shall be deemed to be a
program or activity listed in the report referred to in subsection
(b)(3) with respect to which authorizations of appropriations will
expire during fiscal year 2026.
SEC. 3. REDUCTION IN BUDGETARY LEVEL FOR UNAUTHORIZED PROGRAMS.
(a) Budgetary Level for Fiscal Year Following Expiration of
Authorization.--With respect to any unauthorized program, on the date
that a budgetary level is established for the fiscal year immediately
following the expiring fiscal year, such level shall immediately be
reduced by an amount equal to 10 percent of the funds appropriated for
such program in the expiring fiscal year.
(b) Budgetary Level for Second and Third Fiscal Years Following
Expiration of Authorization.--With respect to any unauthorized program
that results in a budgetary level reduction under subsection (a) that
remains an unauthorized program in the second or third fiscal year
following the expiring fiscal year, on the date that a budgetary level
is established for either such second or third fiscal year, the
budgetary level for either such fiscal year shall be reduced by an
amount equal to 15 percent of the funds appropriated for such program
in the expiring fiscal year.
(c) Transmittal of New Budgetary Level.--Upon the reduction of a
budgetary level (if any) under subsection (a) or (b), the chair of the
Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate
shall submit the revised budgetary level to the chair of the Committee
on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate,
respectively.
SEC. 4. TERMINATION OF UNAUTHORIZED PROGRAMS AFTER THIRD UNAUTHORIZED
YEAR.
(a) In General.--Any unauthorized program that causes a budgetary
level reduction under section 3(b) applicable to the third fiscal year
following the expiring fiscal year shall, effective immediately on
October 1 of the fiscal year immediately following such third fiscal
year, be terminated, except that any unobligated amounts available for
such program after the date of termination shall remain available for
recording, adjusting, and liquidating valid obligations of such program
issued before such termination date.
(b) Obligation of Funds Prohibited Without Reauthorization.--No
funds may be obligated for any program terminated pursuant to
subsection (a) in any fiscal year without an express reauthorization of
the program by Congress containing an authorization of appropriations
period not to exceed three years.
SEC. 5. EXEMPTION FROM BUDGETARY LEVEL REDUCTION.
(a) In General.--Consistent with subsection (b)--
(1) any unauthorized program that causes a budgetary level
reduction applicable to a fiscal year under section 3 that is
expressly reauthorized during the fiscal year in which such
level is established shall not be subject to the requirements
of this Act; and
(2) upon the date of such reauthorization, any such
reduction shall be restored.
(b) Limitation.--Subsection (a) shall only apply if the
reauthorization contains a sunset provision applicable to such program
providing for an authorization of appropriations period of not more
than three years.
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