Us Congress 2023-2024 Regular Session

Us Congress Senate Bill SB6

Introduced
1/23/23  

Caption

Balanced Budget Accountability Act This bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), upon adoption by a chamber of Congress of a concurrent budget resolution for a fiscal year, to certify to the Speaker of the House of Representatives or the President pro tempore of the Senate whether that chamber has adopted a balanced budget. Balanced budget means a concurrent budget resolution providing that for FY2033 and each succeeding fiscal year to which the resolution applies total outlays do not exceed total receipts and are not more than 18% of the projected domestic product for such fiscal year. The bill requires the salary of Members of Congress to be held in escrow if OMB determines a chamber has not adopted a balanced budget for FY2024 before April 16, 2023, and for FY2025 before April 16, 2024. The bill also provides for the release of these funds to the Members. Beginning in FY2026, if OMB does not certify that a chamber has adopted a balanced budget before April 16 of the prior fiscal year, each Member of that chamber shall be paid at the rate of $1 annually for pay periods after that date in the same calendar year. The bill also requires that legislation in either chamber to increase revenue be agreed upon by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the Members of that chamber.

Impact

The act would significantly shift how budgets are approached in Congress, as it ties the financial well-being of its members to the responsibility of passing a balanced budget. Specifically, it introduces a painful consequence for failure to act, which may encourage swifter legislative processes regarding fiscal policy. The structure of the bill is designed to create a sense of urgency for achieving a balanced budget, compelling lawmakers to prioritize budget resolutions over other legislative business to avoid personal financial penalties.

Summary

SB6, known as the Balanced Budget Accountability Act, aims to enforce fiscal discipline among members of Congress by imposing salary reductions if they fail to adopt a balanced federal budget. The bill requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to certify whether a chamber of Congress has passed a budget resolution that meets the standards of a balanced budget, defined as one where total outlays do not exceed total receipts and are capped at 18% of the projected domestic product for the fiscal year. If a chamber does not adopt such a budget by certain deadlines, members' salaries would be temporarily held in escrow or reduced to $1 annually in subsequent years.

Contention

Some lawmakers may view the provisions of SB6 as excessively punitive, questioning the fairness of linking congressional pay to budgetary decisions. Critics may argue that this approach could lead to hasty or poor fiscal policies, where the pressure to achieve a balanced budget blurs the lines between responsible governance and the potential for manipulating figures to meet technical definitions. As such, the bill has sparked discussions regarding the balance between accountability and the flexibility required for effective governance.

Companion Bills

US HB225

Related bill No Budget, No Pay Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not agreed to a budget resolution for FY2024 by April 15, 2023, as required by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Salaries are withheld from April 16, 2023, until the earlier of (1) the day on which the chamber of Congress agrees to a budget resolution, or (2) the last day of the 118th Congress.

Previously Filed As

US HB208

No Budget, No Pay Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not agreed to a budget resolution for the next fiscal year by April 15, as required by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.Salaries are withheld from April 16 until the earlier of (1) the day on which the chamber of Congress agrees to a budget resolution for the next fiscal year, or (2) the last day of the Congress.

US HB225

No Budget, No Pay Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not agreed to a budget resolution for FY2024 by April 15, 2023, as required by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. Salaries are withheld from April 16, 2023, until the earlier of (1) the day on which the chamber of Congress agrees to a budget resolution, or (2) the last day of the 118th Congress.

US SB89

No Budget, No Pay Act This bill prohibits Members of Congress from being paid in a fiscal year until both chambers approve the budget resolution and pass all regular appropriations bills for that fiscal year. Retroactive pay is prohibited for such a period.

US HB224

Inaction Has Consequences Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not passed each of the annual appropriations bills before the beginning of the fiscal year, beginning with FY2024. Salaries are released on the earlier of (1) the date on which the chamber of Congress passes the bills, or (2) the last day of the Congress.

US HB209

Inaction Has Consequences Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not passed each of the annual appropriations bills before the beginning of the fiscal year, beginning with FY2026. Salaries are released on the earlier of (1) the date on which the chamber of Congress passes the bills, or (2) the last day of the Congress.

US HJR6

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a two-thirds roll call vote of each chamber. The amendment also requires the President to submit an annual budget in which total outlays for the fiscal year do not exceed total receipts. Congress may waive the requirements for any fiscal year in which (1) a declaration of war is in effect by a roll call vote, or (2) a declaration of a natural disaster or a national emergency is in effect that was declared by a joint resolution that became law after being adopted by a majority of each chamber of Congress.

US HB135

No Pay Raise for Congress Act This bill cancels the automatic adjustment to the pay of Members of Congress that is based on the employment cost index if the Congressional Budget Office determines that there was a federal budget deficit in the last fiscal year.

US HJR4

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to prohibit Members of Congress from receiving compensation during a fiscal year unless both Houses of Congress have agreed to a concurrent resolution on the budget for that fiscal year prior to the beginning of that fiscal year.

US SCR41

A concurrent resolution setting forth the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2025 and setting forth the appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2026 through 2034.

US HB260

Nickel Plan Act This bill modifies the federal budget process to establish and enforce new spending caps. The bill establishes an outlay cap (less net interest payments) for FY2024 of $5.953 trillion, less 5%. For each year from FY2025-FY2027, the outlay cap is 5% less than the previous year's outlay cap. For FY2028 and subsequent years, total outlays (including net interest payments) may not exceed 17.5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) for that year as estimated by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Beginning in FY2029, total projected outlays for any year may not be less than the total projected outlays for the preceding year. The OMB must enforce the spending caps using a sequester to eliminate any excess spending through automatic cuts. The bill eliminates the existing exemptions from sequestration. If the OMB projects a sequester, the congressional budget committees may report a resolution directing congressional committees to change existing law to achieve the spending reductions necessary to meet the outlay limits. The bill also establishes procedures for Congress to enforce the outlay caps established by this bill.

Similar Bills

US HB224

Inaction Has Consequences Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not passed each of the annual appropriations bills before the beginning of the fiscal year, beginning with FY2024. Salaries are released on the earlier of (1) the date on which the chamber of Congress passes the bills, or (2) the last day of the Congress.

US HB209

Inaction Has Consequences Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not passed each of the annual appropriations bills before the beginning of the fiscal year, beginning with FY2026. Salaries are released on the earlier of (1) the date on which the chamber of Congress passes the bills, or (2) the last day of the Congress.

US SB45

Balanced Budget Accountability Act

US HB5805

No Work, No Pay Act of 2023

US HB1973

No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act

US HB3538

No Pay for Congress During Default or Shutdown Act

US HB7561

No Pay Until Peace Act

US HB208

No Budget, No Pay Act This bill withholds the salaries of Members of a chamber of Congress that has not agreed to a budget resolution for the next fiscal year by April 15, as required by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974.Salaries are withheld from April 16 until the earlier of (1) the day on which the chamber of Congress agrees to a budget resolution for the next fiscal year, or (2) the last day of the Congress.