[110th CONGRESS House Bills] [From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access] [DOCID: hc312rh.txt] [Reported in House] Union Calendar No. 331 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 312 [Report No. 110-543] Revising the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2008, establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2009, and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2010 through 2013. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES March 7, 2008 Mr. Spratt, from the Committee on the Budget, reported the following concurrent resolution; which was committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed _______________________________________________________________________ CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Revising the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2008, establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2009, and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2010 through 2013. Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), SECTION 1. CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2009. (a) Declaration.--The Congress determines and declares that the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2008 is revised and replaced and that this is the concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2009, including appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2010 through 2013. (b) Table of Contents.-- Sec. 1. Concurrent resolution on the budget for fiscal year 2009. TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS Sec. 101. Recommended levels and amounts. Sec. 102. Major functional categories. TITLE II--RECONCILIATION Sec. 201. Reconciliation in the House of Representatives. TITLE III--RESERVE FUNDS Sec. 301. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for SCHIP legislation. Sec. 302. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for veterans and servicemembers. Sec. 303. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for education benefits for servicemembers, veterans, and their families. Sec. 304. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for infrastructure investment. Sec. 305. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for renewable energy and energy efficiency. Sec. 306. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for middle-income tax relief and economic equity. Sec. 307. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for reform of the alternative minimum tax. Sec. 308. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for higher education. Sec. 309. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for affordable housing. Sec. 310. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for medicare improvements. Sec. 311. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for health care quality, effectiveness, and efficiency. Sec. 312. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for Medicaid and other programs. Sec. 313. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for trade adjustment assistance and unemployment insurance modernization. Sec. 314. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for county payments legislation. Sec. 315. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for San Joaquin River restoration and Navajo Nation water rights settlements. Sec. 316. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for the National Park Centennial Fund. Sec. 317. Deficit-neutral reserve fund for child support enforcement. TITLE IV--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT Sec. 401. Program integrity initiatives. Sec. 402. Oversight of government performance. Sec. 403. Point of order against advance appropriations. Sec. 404. Overseas deployments and emergency needs. Sec. 405. Budgetary treatment of certain discretionary administrative expenses. Sec. 406. Application and effect of changes in allocations and aggregates. Sec. 407. Adjustments to reflect changes in concepts and definitions. Sec. 408. Exercise of rulemaking powers. TITLE V--POLICY Sec. 501. Policy on middle-income tax relief. Sec. 502. Policy on defense priorities. TITLE VI--SENSE OF THE HOUSE Sec. 601. Sense of the House on the Innovation Agenda and America Competes Act. Sec. 602. Sense of the House on servicemembers' and veterans' health care and other priorities. Sec. 603. Sense of the House on homeland security. Sec. 604. Sense of the House regarding long-term fiscal reform. Sec. 605. Sense of the House regarding waste, fraud, and abuse. Sec. 606. Sense of the House regarding extension of the statutory pay- as-you-go rule. Sec. 607. Sense of the House on long-term budgeting. Sec. 608. Sense of the House regarding the need to maintain and build upon efforts to fight hunger. Sec. 609. Sense of the House regarding affordable health coverage. Sec. 610. Sense of the House regarding pay parity. Sec. 611. Sense of the House regarding subprime lending and foreclosures. Sec. 612. Sense of House regarding the importance of child support enforcement. TITLE I--RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS SEC. 101. RECOMMENDED LEVELS AND AMOUNTS. The following budgetary levels are appropriate for each of fiscal years 2008 through 2013: (1) Federal revenues.--For purposes of the enforcement of this resolution: (A) The recommended levels of Federal revenues are as follows: Fiscal year 2008: $1,879,540,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: $2,027,124,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: $2,205,864,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: $2,442,025,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: $2,669,315,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: $2,771,740,000,000. (B) The amounts by which the aggregate levels of Federal revenues should be adjusted are as follows: Fiscal year 2008: $0. Fiscal year 2009: -$70,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: $23,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: $14,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: $16,000,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: $17,000,000,000. (2) New budget authority.--For purposes of the enforcement of this resolution, the appropriate levels of total new budget authority are as follows: Fiscal year 2008: $2,556,254,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: $2,529,246,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: $2,564,161,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: $2,698,039,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: $2,740,065,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: $2,866,862,000,000. (3) Budget outlays.--For purposes of the enforcement of this resolution, the appropriate levels of total budget outlays are as follows: Fiscal year 2008: $2,462,616,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: $2,563,380,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: $2,622,295,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: $2,716,979,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: $2,728,965,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: $2,857,394,000,000. (4) Deficits (on-budget).--For purposes of the enforcement of this resolution, the amounts of the deficits (on-budget) are as follows: Fiscal year 2008: $583,076,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: $536,256,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: $416,431,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: $274,954,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: $59,650,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: $85,654,000,000. (5) Debt subject to limit.--Pursuant to section 301(a)(5) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the appropriate levels of the debt subject to limit are as follows: Fiscal year 2008: $9,567,484,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: $10,199,551,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: $10,724,264,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: $11,103,954,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: $11,295,107,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: $11,495,218,000,000. (6) Debt held by the public.--The appropriate levels of debt held by the public are as follows: Fiscal year 2008: $5,396,807,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: $5,753,900,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: $5,981,334,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: $6,047,654,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: $5,885,687,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: $5,744,120,000,000. SEC. 102. MAJOR FUNCTIONAL CATEGORIES. The Congress determines and declares that the appropriate levels of new budget authority and outlays for fiscal years 2008 through 2013 for each major functional category are: (1) National Defense (050): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $590,686,000,000. (B) Outlays, $576,173,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $542,497,000,000. (B) Outlays, $573,362,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $550,414,000,000. (B) Outlays, $560,726,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $557,026,000,000. (B) Outlays, $560,099,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $565,800,000,000. (B) Outlays, $556,699,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $576,223,000,000. (B) Outlays, 568,829,000,000. (2) International Affairs (150): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $32,648,000,000. (B) Outlays, $32,843,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $37,111,000,000. (B) Outlays, $35,702,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $38,516,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,918,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $39,433,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,679,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $40,247,000,000. (B) Outlays, $38,154,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $40,677,000,000. (B) Outlays, $38,346,000,000. (3) General Science, Space, and Technology (250): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $27,407,000,000. (B) Outlays, $26,456,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $29,934,000,000. (B) Outlays, $28,700,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $31,165,000,000. (B) Outlays, $30,604,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $32,474,000,000. (B) Outlays, $32,201,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $33,853,000,000. (B) Outlays, $33,564,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $35,298,000,000. (B) Outlays, $34,477,000,000. (4) Energy (270): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $3,548,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,681,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $4,674,000,000. (B) Outlays, $2,192,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $4,645,000,000. (B) Outlays, $2,878,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $4,712,000,000. (B) Outlays, $3,371,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $4,803,000,000. (B) Outlays, $3,738,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $4,895,000,000. (B) Outlays, $4,020,000,000. (5) Natural Resources and Environment (300): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $32,560,000,000. (B) Outlays, $34,440,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $38,651,000,000. (B) Outlays, $35,576,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $33,782,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,192,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $34,670,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,420,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $35,568,000,000. (B) Outlays, $36,745,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $36,490,000,000. (B) Outlays, $37,299,000,000. (6) Agriculture (350): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $22,456,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,528,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $21,529,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,279,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $21,719,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,680,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $21,891,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,876,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $22,263,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,435,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $22,621,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,816,000,000. (7) Commerce and Housing Credit (370): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $11,216,000,000. (B) Outlays, $5,381,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $9,560,000,000. (B) Outlays, $3,722,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $13,887,000,000. (B) Outlays, $5,835,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $8,998,000,000. (B) Outlays, $2,193,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $9,246,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,735,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $9,642,000,000. (B) Outlays, $1,648,000,000. (8) Transportation (400): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $79,794,000,000. (B) Outlays, $77,795,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $73,444,000,000. (B) Outlays, $80,443,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $77,507,000,000. (B) Outlays, $83,861,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $78,534,000,000. (B) Outlays, $86,062,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $79,485,000,000. (B) Outlays, $88,134,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $80,478,000,000. (B) Outlays, $90,443,000,000. (9) Community and Regional Development (450): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $20,029,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,819,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $14,553,000,000. (B) Outlays, $24,251,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $14,826,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,816,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $15,134,000,000. (B) Outlays, $17,874,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $15,450,000,000. (B) Outlays, $15,817,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $15,755,000,000. (B) Outlays, $15,561,000,000. (10) Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services (500): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $90,077,000,000. (B) Outlays, $90,729,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $95,235,000,000. (B) Outlays, $90,947,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $102,594,000,000. (B) Outlays, $98,345,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $105,612,000,000. (B) Outlays, $103,135,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $107,828,000,000. (B) Outlays, $104,397,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $101,690,000,000. (B) Outlays, $103,490,000,000. (11) Health (550): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $285,101,000,000. (B) Outlays, $286,688,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $306,795,000,000. (B) Outlays, $305,334,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $323,767,000,000. (B) Outlays, $324,138,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $344,749,000,000. (B) Outlays, $343,718,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $367,766,000,000. (B) Outlays, $366,312,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $393,085,000,000. (B) Outlays, $391,326,000,000. (12) Medicare (570): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $390,458,000,000. (B) Outlays, $390,454,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $420,191,000,000. (B) Outlays, $419,974,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $445,225,000,000. (B) Outlays, $445,349,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $494,370,000,000. (B) Outlays, $494,193,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $491,353,000,000. (B) Outlays, $491,110,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $552,389,000,000. (B) Outlays, $552,503,000,000. (13) Income Security (600): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $389,865,000,000. (B) Outlays, $394,100,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $411,699,000,000. (B) Outlays, $414,032,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $417,519,000,000. (B) Outlays, $418,617,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $426,924,000,000. (B) Outlays, $427,541,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $412,355,000,000. (B) Outlays, $412,831,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $427,988,000,000. (B) Outlays, $427,703,000,000. (14) Social Security (650): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $19,378,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,378,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $21,308,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,308,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $23,794,000,000. (B) Outlays, $23,794,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $27,330,000,000. (B) Outlays, $27,330,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $30,342,000,000. (B) Outlays, $30,342,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $33,162,000,000. (B) Outlays, $33,162,000,000. (15) Veterans Benefits and Services (700): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $86,365,000,000. (B) Outlays, $83,551,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $93,268,000,000. (B) Outlays, $92,443,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $96,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $95,710,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $101,800,000,000. (B) Outlays, $101,475,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $99,115,000,000. (B) Outlays, $98,271,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $105,094,000,000. (B) Outlays, $104,266,000,000. (16) Administration of Justice (750): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $46,237,000,000. (B) Outlays, $44,282,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $48,104,000,000. (B) Outlays, $47,936,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $49,101,000,000. (B) Outlays, $49,602,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $50,338,000,000. (B) Outlays, $50,596,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $51,622,000,000. (B) Outlays, $51,501,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $52,967,000,000. (B) Outlays, $52,542,000,000. (17) General Government (800): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $56,407,000,000. (B) Outlays, $56,920,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $23,520,000,000. (B) Outlays, $23,890,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $19,961,000,000. (B) Outlays, $19,987,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $20,611,000,000. (B) Outlays, $20,496,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $21,319,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,332,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $22,007,000,000. (B) Outlays, $21,787,000,000. (18) Net Interest (900): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $349,296,000,000. (B) Outlays, $349,296,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $334,233,000,000. (B) Outlays, $334,233,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $370,534,000,000. (B) Outlays, $370,534,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $406,997,000,000. (B) Outlays, $406,997,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $427,954,000,000. (B) Outlays, $427,954,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $436,292,000,000. (B) Outlays, $436,292,000,000. (19) Allowances (920): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $1,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $531,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $307,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, -$150,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$53,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, -$200,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$164,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, -$200,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$178,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, -$200,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$200,000,000. (20) Undistributed Offsetting Receipts (950): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, -$86,330,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$86,330,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, -$67,060,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$67,060,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, -$70,645,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$70,645,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, -$73,364,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$73,364,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, -$76,104,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$76,104,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, -$79,691,000,000. (B) Outlays, -$79,691,000,000. (21) Overseas Deployments and Other Activities (970): Fiscal year 2008: (A) New budget authority, $108,056,000,000. (B) Outlays, $28,901,000,000. Fiscal year 2009: (A) New budget authority, $70,000,000,000. (B) Outlays, $74,809,000,000. Fiscal year 2010: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $47,407,000,000. Fiscal year 2011: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $18,251,000,000. Fiscal year 2012: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $5,176,000,000. Fiscal year 2013: (A) New budget authority, $0. (B) Outlays, $1,775,000,000. TITLE II--RECONCILIATION SEC. 201. RECONCILIATION IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. (a) Changes in Mandatory Spending.--Not later than September 12, 2008, the House Committee on Ways and Means shall report a reconciliation bill making changes in laws within its jurisdiction sufficient to reduce direct spending by $750,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013. (b) Changes in Revenue.--Not later than July 15, 2008, the House Committee on Ways and Means shall report a reconciliation bill making changes in laws within its jurisdiction that will reduce total revenues by $70,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2009 and will increase total revenues by $70,000,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2010 through 2013. (c) Adjustments to Allocations and Aggregates.-- (1) Upon the reporting to the House of any bill that has complied with reconciliation instructions, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may file with the House appropriately revised allocations under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and revised functional levels and aggregates. (2) Upon the submission to the House of any conference report recommending a reconciliation bill in which a committee has complied with its reconciliation instructions, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may file with the House appropriately revised allocations under section 302(a) of such Act and revised functional levels and aggregates. (3) Allocations and aggregates revised pursuant to this subsection shall be considered to be allocations and aggregates established by the concurrent resolution on the budget pursuant to section 301 of such Act. TITLE III--RESERVE FUNDS SEC. 301. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR SCHIP LEGISLATION. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations of a committee or committees, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report, which contains matter within the jurisdiction of the Committee on Energy and Commerce that expands coverage and improves children's health through the State Childrens Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) under title XXI of the Social Security Act and the program under title XIX of such Act (commonly known as Medicaid) and that increases new budget authority that will result in no more than $50,000,000,000 in outlays in fiscal years 2008 through 2013, and others which contain offsets so designated for the purpose of this section within the jurisdiction of another committee or committees, if the combined changes would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 302. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR VETERANS AND SERVICEMEMBERS. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that-- (1) enhances medical care for wounded or disabled military personnel or veterans; (2) maintains affordable health care for military retirees and veterans; (3) improves disability benefits or evaluations for wounded or disabled military personnel or veterans, including measures to expedite the claims process; (4) expands eligibility to permit additional disabled military retirees to receive both disability compensation and retired pay; (5) eliminates the offset between Survivor Benefit Plan annuities and veterans' dependency and indemnity compensation; or (6) provides or increases benefits for Filipino veterans of World War II or their survivors and dependents; by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 303. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR EDUCATION BENEFITS FOR SERVICEMEMBERS, VETERANS, AND THEIR FAMILIES. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that enhances education benefits or assistance for servicemembers (including Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve), veterans, or their spouses, survivors, or dependents by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 304. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides for increased investment in infrastructure projects by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 305. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides tax incentives for or otherwise encourages the production of renewable energy or increased energy efficiency; encourages investment in emerging energy or vehicle technologies or carbon capture and sequestration; provides for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; or facilitates the training of workers for these industries (``green collar jobs'') by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 306. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR MIDDLE-INCOME TAX RELIEF AND ECONOMIC EQUITY. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides for tax relief for middle-income families and taxpayers or enhanced economic equity, such as extension of the child tax credit, extension of marriage penalty relief, extension of the 10 percent individual income tax bracket, elimination of estate taxes on all but a minute fraction of estates by reforming and substantially increasing the unified credit, extension of the research and experimentation tax credit, extension of the deduction for small business expensing, extension of the deduction for State and local sales taxes, and a tax credit for school construction bonds, by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 307. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR REFORM OF THE ALTERNATIVE MINIMUM TAX. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides for reform of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 by reducing the tax burden of the alternative minimum tax on middle-income families by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 308. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR HIGHER EDUCATION. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that makes college more affordable or accessible through reforms to the Higher Education Act of 1965 or other legislation by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 309. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides for an affordable housing fund, offset by reforming the regulation of certain government-sponsored enterprises, by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 310. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR MEDICARE IMPROVEMENTS. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that improves the Medicare program for beneficiaries and protects access to care, through measures such as increasing the reimbursement rate for physicians while protecting beneficiaries from associated premium increases and making improvements to the prescription drug program under part D, by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 311. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR HEALTH CARE QUALITY, EFFECTIVENESS, AND EFFICIENCY. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that-- (1) provides incentives or other support for adoption of modern information technology, including electronic prescribing, to improve quality and protect privacy in health care; (2) establishes a new Federal or public-private initiative for research on the comparative effectiveness of different medical interventions; or (3) provides parity between health insurance coverage of mental health benefits and benefits for medical and surgical services, including parity in public programs; by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 312. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR MEDICAID AND OTHER PROGRAMS. (a) Regulations and Administrative Actions.--In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that prevents or delays the implementation or administration of regulations or other administrative actions that would affect the Medicaid, SCHIP, or other programs by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. (b) Transitional Medical Assistance and Qualifying Individuals.--In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that extends the transitional medical assistance program or the qualifying individuals program, which are included in title XIX of the Social Security Act, by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 313. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR TRADE ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE MODERNIZATION. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that reauthorizes the trade adjustment assistance program to better meet the challenges of globalization or modernizes the unemployment insurance system to improve access to needed benefits by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 314. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR COUNTY PAYMENTS LEGISLATION. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides for the reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-393) or makes changes to the Payments in Lieu of Taxes Act of 1976 (Public Law 94-565) by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 315. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR SAN JOAQUIN RIVER RESTORATION AND NAVAJO NATION WATER RIGHTS SETTLEMENTS. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that would fulfill the purposes of the San Joaquin River Restoration Settlement Act or implement a Navajo Nation water rights settlement as authorized by the Northwestern New Mexico Rural Water Projects Act by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. SEC. 316. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR THE NATIONAL PARK CENTENNIAL FUND. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that provides for the establishment of the National Parks Centennial Fund by the amounts provided in such measure for that purpose if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018 SEC. 317. DEFICIT-NEUTRAL RESERVE FUND FOR CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT. In the House, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may revise the allocations, aggregates, and other appropriate levels in this resolution for any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that improves Federal child support collection efforts or results in more collected child support reaching families by the amounts provided in such measure if such measure would not increase the deficit or decrease the surplus for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2013 or for the period of fiscal years 2008 through 2018. TITLE IV--BUDGET ENFORCEMENT SEC. 401. PROGRAM INTEGRITY INITIATIVES. (a) Adjustments to Discretionary Spending Limits.-- (1) Continuing disability reviews and supplemental security income redeterminations.--In the House, prior to consideration of a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for fiscal year 2009 that appropriates $264,000,000 for continuing disability reviews and Supplemental Security Income redeterminations for the Social Security Administration, and provides an additional appropriation of up to $240,000,000, and the amount is designated for continuing disability reviews and Supplemental Security Income redeterminations for the Social Security Administration, the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations shall be increased by the amount of the additional budget authority and outlays resulting from that budget authority for fiscal year 2009. (2) Internal revenue service tax compliance.--In the House, prior to consideration of a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for fiscal year 2009 that appropriates $6,997,000,000 to the Internal Revenue Service and the amount is designated to improve compliance with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and provides an additional appropriation of up to $490,000,000, and the amount is designated to improve compliance with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations shall be increased by the amount of the additional budget authority and outlays resulting from that budget authority for fiscal year 2009. (3) Health care fraud and abuse control program.--In the House, prior to consideration of a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for fiscal year 2009 that appropriates up to $198,000,000 and the amount is designated to the health care fraud and abuse control program at the Department of Health and Human Services, the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations shall be increased by the amount of additional budget authority and outlays resulting from that budget authority for fiscal year 2009. (4) Unemployment insurance program integrity activities.-- In the House, prior to consideration of a bill or joint resolution making appropriations for fiscal year 2009 that appropriates $10,000,000 for in-person reemployment and eligibility assessments and unemployment insurance improper payment reviews for the Department of Labor and provides an additional appropriation of up to $40,000,000, and the amount is designated for in-person reemployment and eligibility assessments and unemployment insurance improper payment reviews for the Department of Labor, the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations shall be increased by the amount of additional budget authority and outlays resulting from that budget authority for fiscal year 2009. (b) Procedure for Adjustments.-- (1) In general.--In the House, prior to consideration of a bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget shall make the adjustments set forth in subsection (a) for the incremental new budget authority in that measure and the outlays resulting from that budget authority if that measure meets the requirements set forth in subsection (a), except that no adjustment shall be made for provisions exempted for the purposes of titles III and IV of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 under section 404 of this resolution. (2) Matters to be adjusted.--The adjustments referred to in paragraph (1) are to be made to-- (A) the allocations made pursuant to the appropriate concurrent resolution on the budget pursuant to section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974; and (B) the budgetary aggregates as set forth in this resolution. SEC. 402. OVERSIGHT OF GOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE. In the House, all committees are directed to review programs within their jurisdiction to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in program spending, giving particular scrutiny to issues raised by Government Accountability Office reports. Based on these oversight efforts and committee performance reviews of programs within their jurisdiction, committees are directed to include recommendations for improved governmental performance in their annual views and estimates reports required under section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to the Committee on the Budget. SEC. 403. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST ADVANCE APPROPRIATIONS. (a) In General.--In the House, except as provided in subsection (b), a bill or joint resolution making a general appropriation or continuing appropriation, or an amendment thereto or a conference report thereon, may not provide for advance appropriations. (b) Exceptions.--In the House, an advance appropriation may be provided for fiscal year 2010 for programs, projects, activities, or accounts identified in the report to accompany this resolution or the joint explanatory statement of managers to accompany this resolution under the heading ``Accounts Identified for Advance Appropriations'' in an aggregate amount not to exceed $27,558,000,000 in new budget authority, and for 2011, accounts separately identified under the same heading. (c) Definition.--In this section, the term ``advance appropriation'' means any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill or joint resolution making general appropriations or any new discretionary budget authority provided in a bill or joint resolution continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2009 that first becomes available for any fiscal year after 2009. SEC. 404. OVERSEAS DEPLOYMENTS AND EMERGENCY NEEDS. (a) Overseas Deployments and Related Activities.--In the House, if any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report makes appropriations for fiscal year 2008 or fiscal year 2009 for overseas deployments and related activities, and such amounts are so designated pursuant to this subsection, then new budget authority and outlays resulting therefrom shall not count for the purposes of titles III and IV of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. (b) Emergency Needs.--In the House, if any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report makes appropriations for discretionary amounts, and such amounts are designated as necessary to meet emergency needs, then the new budget authority and outlays resulting therefrom shall not count for the purposes of titles III and IV of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. SEC. 405. BUDGETARY TREATMENT OF CERTAIN DISCRETIONARY ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES. (a) In General.--In the House, notwithstanding section 302(a)(1) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, section 13301 of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990, and section 4001 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989, the joint explanatory statement accompanying the conference report on any concurrent resolution on the budget shall include in its allocation under section 302(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to the Committee on Appropriations amounts for the discretionary administrative expenses of the Social Security Administration and of the Postal Service. (b) Special Rule.--In the House, for purposes of applying section 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, estimates of the level of total new budget authority and total outlays provided by a measure shall include any off-budget discretionary amounts. SEC. 406. APPLICATION AND EFFECT OF CHANGES IN ALLOCATIONS AND AGGREGATES. (a) Application.--Any adjustments of allocations and aggregates made pursuant to this resolution shall-- (1) apply while that measure is under consideration; (2) take effect upon the enactment of that measure; and (3) be published in the Congressional Record as soon as practicable. (b) Effect of Changed Allocations and Aggregates.--Revised allocations and aggregates resulting from these adjustments shall be considered for the purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as allocations and aggregates contained in this resolution. (c) Budget Committee Determinations.--In the House, for purposes of this resolution, the levels of new budget authority, outlays, direct spending, new entitlement authority, revenues, deficits, and surpluses for a fiscal year or period of fiscal years shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by the Committee on the Budget. SEC. 407. ADJUSTMENTS TO REFLECT CHANGES IN CONCEPTS AND DEFINITIONS. In the House, upon the enactment of any bill or joint resolution providing for a change in concepts or definitions, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget may make adjustments to the levels and allocations in this resolution in accordance with section 251(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (as in effect prior to September 30, 2002). SEC. 408. EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING POWERS. The House adopts the provisions of this title-- (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the House and as such they shall be considered as part of the rules of the House, and these rules shall supersede other rules of the House only to the extent that they are inconsistent with other such rules of the House; and (2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of the House to change those rules at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of the House. TITLE V--POLICY SEC. 501. POLICY ON MIDDLE-INCOME TAX RELIEF. It is the policy of this resolution to-- (1) minimize fiscal burdens on middle-income families and their children and grandchildren; (2) provide immediate relief for the tens of millions of middle-income households who would otherwise be subject to the alternative minimum tax (AMT) under current law, in the context of permanent, revenue-neutral AMT reform; and (3) support extension of middle-income tax relief and enhanced economic equity through policies such as-- (A) extension of the child tax credit; (B) extension of marriage penalty relief; (C) extension of the 10 percent individual income tax bracket; (D) elimination of estate taxes on all but a minute fraction of estates by reforming and substantially increasing the unified tax credit; (E) extension of the research and experimentation tax credit; (F) extension of the deduction for State and local sales taxes; (G) extension of the deduction for small business expensing; and (H) enactment of a tax credit for school construction bonds. This resolution assumes that the cost of enacting such policies is offset by reforms within the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that promote a fairer distribution of taxes across families and generations, economic efficiency, higher rates of tax compliance to close the ``tax gap,'' and reduced taxpayer burdens through tax simplification. SEC. 502. POLICY ON DEFENSE PRIORITIES. It is the policy of this resolution that-- (1) the Administration's budget requests should comply with section 1008, Public Law 109-364, the John Warner National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2007, and the Administration should no longer attempt to fund overseas military operations through emergency supplemental appropriations requests; (2) the Department of Defense should exclude nonwar requirements from its funding requests for Iraq and Afghanistan; (3) implementing the recommendation of the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (commonly referred to as the 9/11 Commission) to adequately fund cooperative threat reduction and nuclear nonproliferation programs (securing ``loose nukes'') is a high priority and should receive far greater emphasis than the President's budget provides; (4) readiness of our troops, particularly the National Guard and Reserve, is a high priority, and that greater emphasis needs to be placed on mitigating equipment and training shortfalls; (5) TRICARE fees for military retirees under the age of 65 should not be increased as the President's budget proposes; (6) military pay and benefits should be enhanced to improve the quality of life of military personnel; (7) improving military health care services continues to be a high priority and adequate funding to ensure quality health care for returning combat veterans should be provided; (8) higher priority defense needs could be addressed by funding missile defense at an adequate but lower level, not providing funding for development of space-based missile defense interceptors, and by restraining excessive cost and schedule growth in defense research, development and procurement programs; (9) the Department of Defense should reassess current defense plans to ensure that weapons developed to counter cold war-era threats are not redundant and are applicable to 21st century threats; (10) sufficient resources should be provided for the Department of Defense to do an aggressive job of addressing as many as possible of the 1,260 unimplemented recommendations made by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) over the last 7 years to improve practices at the Department of Defense, including investigation of the billions of dollars of obligations, disbursements and overcharges for which the Department of Defense cannot account; (11) savings from the actions recommended in paragraphs (8) and (10) of this section should be used to fund the priorities identified in paragraphs (3) through (7); (12) the Department of Defense report to Congress on its assessment of cold war weapons and progress on implementing GAO recommendations as outlined in paragraphs (9) and (10) by a time determined by the appropriate authorizing committees; and (13) the GAO report to the appropriate congressional committees by the end of the 110th Congress regarding the Department of Defense's progress in implementing its audit recommendations. TITLE VI--SENSE OF THE HOUSE SEC. 601. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON THE INNOVATION AGENDA AND AMERICA COMPETES ACT. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) the House should provide sufficient funding so that our Nation may continue to be the world leader in education, innovation and economic growth; (2) last year, Congress passed and the President signed the America COMPETES Act, bipartisan legislation designed to ensure that American students, teachers, businesses, and workers are prepared to continue leading the world in innovation, research, and technology well into the future; (3) this resolution supports the efforts authorized in the America COMPETES Act, providing substantially increased funding above the President's requested level for 2009, and increased amounts after 2009 in Function 250 (General Science, Space and Technology) and Function 270 (Energy); (4) additional increases for scientific research and education are included in Function 500 (Education, Employment, Training and Social Services), Function 550 (Health), Function 300 (Environment and Natural Resources), and Function 370 (Commerce and Housing Credit), all of which receive more funding than the President's budget provides; (5) because America's greatest resource for innovation resides within classrooms across the country, the increased funding provided in this resolution will support initiatives within the America COMPETES Act to educate tens of thousands of new scientists, engineers, and mathematicians, and place highly qualified teachers in math and science K-12 classrooms; and (6) because independent scientific research provides the foundation for innovation and future technologies, this resolution will keep us on the path toward doubling funding for the National Science Foundation, basic research in the physical sciences, and collaborative research partnerships, and toward achieving energy independence through the development of clean and sustainable alternative energy technologies. SEC. 602. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON SERVICEMEMBERS' AND VETERANS' HEALTH CARE AND OTHER PRIORITIES. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) the House supports excellent health care for current and former members of the United States Armed Services--they have served well and honorably and have made significant sacrifices for this Nation; (2) this resolution provides $48,150,000,000 in discretionary budget authority for 2009 for Function 700 (Veterans Benefits and Services), including veterans' health care, which is $4,888,000,000 more than the 2008 level, $3,602,000,000 more than the Congressional Budget Office's baseline level for 2009, and $3,232,000,000 more than the President's budget for 2009; and also provides more discretionary budget authority than the President's budget in every year after 2009; (3) this resolution provides funding to continue addressing problems such as those identified at Walter Reed Army Medical Center to improve military and veterans' health care facilities and services; (4) this resolution assumes the rejection of the health care enrollment fees and pharmaceutical co-payment increases in the President's budget; (5) this resolution provides additional funding above the President's inadequate budget levels for the Department of Veterans Affairs to research and treat veterans' mental health, post-traumatic stress disorder, and traumatic brain injury; and (6) this resolution provides additional funding above the President's inadequate budget levels for the Department of Veterans Affairs to improve the speed and accuracy of its processing of disability compensation claims, including funding to hire additional personnel above the President's requested level. SEC. 603. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON HOMELAND SECURITY. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) this resolution assumes additional homeland security funding above the President's requested level for 2009 and every subsequent year; (2) this resolution assumes funding above the President's requested level for 2009, and additional amounts in subsequent years, in the four budget functions--Function 400 (Transportation), Function 450 (Community and Regional Development), Function 550 (Health), and Function 750 (Administration of Justice)--that fund most nondefense homeland security activities; and (3) the homeland security funding provided in this resolution will help to strengthen the security of our Nation's transportation system, particularly our ports where significant security shortfalls still exist and foreign ports, by expanding efforts to identify and scan all high-risk United States-bound cargo, equip, train and support first responders (including enhancing interoperable communications and emergency management), strengthen border patrol, and increase the preparedness of the public health system. SEC. 604. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING LONG-TERM FISCAL REFORM. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) both the Government Accountability Office and the Congressional Budget Office have warned that the Federal budget is on an unsustainable path of rising deficits and debt; (2) using recent trend data and reasonable policy assumptions, CBO has projected that the gap between spending and revenues over the next 75 years will reach 6.9 percent of GDP; (3) publicly held debt will rise from 36 percent today to 400 percent of GDP by the decade beginning in 2050 under CBO's alternative policy scenario; (4) the most significant factor affecting the long-term Federal fiscal landscape is the expectation that total public and private health spending will continue to grow faster than the economy; (5) the House calls upon governmental and nongovernmental experts to develop specific options to reform the health care system and control costs, that further research and analysis on topics including comparative effectiveness, health information technology, preventative care, and provider incentives is needed, and that of critical importance is the development of a consensus on the appropriate methods for estimating the budgetary impact and health outcome effects of these proposals; and (6) immediate policy action is needed to address the long- term fiscal challenges facing the United States, including the rising costs of entitlements, in a manner that is fiscally responsible, equitable, and lasting, and that also honors commitments made to beneficiaries, and that such action should be bipartisan, bicameral, involve both legislative and executive branch participants, as well as public participation, and be conducted in a manner that ensures full, fair, and timely Congressional consideration. SEC. 605. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) all committees should examine programs within their jurisdiction to identify wasteful and fraudulent spending; (2) title IV of this resolution includes cap adjustments to provide appropriations for agencies that control programs that accounted for a significant share of improper payments reported by Federal agencies: Social Security Administration Continuing Disability Reviews, the Medicare/Medicaid Health Care Fraud and Abuse Control Program, and Unemployment Insurance Program Integrity; (3) title IV also includes a cap adjustment for the Internal Revenue Services for tax compliance efforts to close the $300,000,000,000 tax gap; (4) the resolution's deficit-neutral reserve funds require authorizing committees to cut lower priority and wasteful spending to accommodate any new high-priority entitlement benefits; and (5) title IV of the resolution directs all committees to review the performance of programs within their jurisdiction and report recommendations annually to the Committee on the Budget as part of the views and estimates process required by section 301(d) of the Congressional Budget Act. SEC. 606. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING EXTENSION OF THE STATUTORY PAY- AS-YOU-GO RULE. It is the sense of the House that to reduce the deficit, Congress should extend the PAYGO rules originally enacted in the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990. SEC. 607. SENSE OF THE HOUSE ON LONG-TERM BUDGETING. It is the sense of the Congress that the determination of the congressional budget for the United States Government and the President's budget request should include consideration of the Financial Report of the United States Government, especially its information regarding the Governments net operating cost, financial position, and long-term liabilities. SEC. 608. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING THE NEED TO MAINTAIN AND BUILD UPON EFFORTS TO FIGHT HUNGER. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) 35.5 million Americans (12.6 million of them children) are food insecure--uncertain of having, or unable to acquire, enough food, and that 11.1 million Americans are hungry because of lack of food; (2) despite the critical contributions of the Department of Agriculture nutrition programs (particularly the food stamp program), which significantly reduced payment error rates while providing help to partially mitigate the effects of rising poverty and unemployment, significant need remains, even among families that receive food stamps; (3) nearly 25 million people, including more than nine million children and nearly three million seniors, sought emergency food assistance from food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and local charities last year; (4) legislation that passed the House with bipartisan support was an appropriate first step toward ensuring that nutrition assistance keeps up with inflation and rising food prices; and (5) Department of Agriculture programs that help us fight hunger should be maintained and that the House should continue to seize opportunities to reach Americans in need and to fight hunger. SEC. 609. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING AFFORDABLE HEALTH COVERAGE. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) nearly 47 million Americans, including nine million children, lack health insurance; (2) people without health insurance are more likely to experience problems getting medical care and to be hospitalized for avoidable health problems; (3) most Americans receive health coverage through their employers, and a major issue facing all employers is the rising cost of health insurance; (4) small businesses, which have generated most of the new jobs annually over the last decade, have an especially difficult time affording health coverage, because of higher administrative costs and fewer people over whom to spread the risk of catastrophic costs; (5) because it is especially costly for small businesses to provide health coverage, their employees make up a large proportion of the Nation's uninsured individuals; and (6) legislation consistent with the pay-as-you-go principle should be adopted that makes health insurance more affordable and accessible, with attention to the special circumstances affecting employees of small businesses, and that lowers costs and improves the quality of health care by encouraging integration of health information technology tools into the practice of medicine, and by promoting improvements in disease management and disease prevention. SEC. 610. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING PAY PARITY. It is the sense of the House that rates of compensation for civilian employees of the United States should be adjusted at the same time, and in the same proportion, as are rates of compensation for members of the uniformed services. SEC. 611. SENSE OF THE HOUSE REGARDING SUBPRIME LENDING AND FORECLOSURES. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) over the last six months, the Nation has experienced a significant increase in the number of homeowners facing the risk of foreclosure with estimates of as many as 2.8 million subprime and other distressed borrowers facing the loss of their homes over the next five years; (2) the rise in foreclosures not only has an immediate, devastating impact on homeowners and their families, but it also has ripple effects-- (A) local communities experiencing high levels of foreclosures experience deterioration as a result of the large number of vacant foreclosed and abandoned homes; (B) rising foreclosure rates can accelerate drops in home prices, affecting all homeowners; and (C) home mortgage default and foreclosure rates increase risk for lenders, further restricting the availability of credit, which can in turn slow economic growth; and (3) the rise in foreclosures is not only a crisis for subprime borrowers, but a larger problem for communities as a whole, and considering the multi-layered effects of increasing foreclosures, the House should consider steps to address this complex problem. SEC. 612. SENSE OF HOUSE REGARDING THE IMPORTANCE OF CHILD SUPPORT ENFORCEMENT. It is the sense of the House that-- (1) additional legislative action is needed to ensure that States have the necessary resources to collect all child support that is owed to families and to allow them to pass 100 percent of support on to families without financial penalty; and (2) when 100 percent of child support payments are passed to the child, rather than administrative expenses, program integrity is improved and child support participation increases. Union Calendar No. 331 110th CONGRESS 2d Session H. CON. RES. 312 [Report No. 110-543] _______________________________________________________________________ CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Revising the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2008, establishing the congressional budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2009, and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2010 through 2013. _______________________________________________________________________ March 7, 2008 Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union and ordered to be printed