,,ii  #aagth ,,congress  #ast ,session  
,s4 #aagd  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,april #ae1    
#bjba,ms4 ,lummis 7for herself1 ,ms4    
,ernst1 ,mr4 ,cramer1 ,mr4 ,rounds1 and 
,mr4 ,johnson7 introduced the following 
bill2 which was read twice and referred 
to the ,committee on the ,budget  ,a    
,,bill  ,to establish a national        
commission on fiscal responsibility and 
reform1 and for other purposes4  #a4    
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,sustainable ,budget ,act of #bjba4 
#b4 ,establishment of commission  7a7   
,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7     
,commission ,the term ,commission means 
the ,national ,commission on ,fiscal    
,responsibility and ,reform established 
under subsection 7b74  7#b7 ,federal    
agency ,the term ,federal agency means  
an establishment in the executive1      
legislative1 or judicial branch of the  
,federal ,government4  7b7              
,establishment ,not later than #cj days 
after the date of the enactment of this 

,act1 there shall be established within 
the legislative branch a commission to  
be known as the ,national ,commission on
 ,fiscal ,responsibility and ,reform4   
7c7 ,membership  7#a7 ,composition of   
,commission ,the ,commission shall be   
composed of #ah members1 of whom-- 7,a7 
#f shall be appointed by the ,president1
 of whom not more than #c shall be from 
the same political party2  7,b7 #c shall
 be appointed by the majority leader of 
the ,senate1 from among current ,members
 of the ,senate2  7,c7 #c shall be      
appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house 
of ,representatives1 from among current 
,members of the ,house of               
,representatives2  7,d7 #c shall be     
appointed by the minority leader of the 
,senate1 from among current ,members of 
the ,senate2 and  7,e7 #c shall be      
appointed by the minority leader of the 
,house of ,representatives1 from among  
current ,members of the ,house of       
,representatives4  7#b7 ,initial        
appointments ,not later than #fj days   

after the date on which the ,commission 
is established1 initial appointments to 
the ,commission shall be made4  7#c7    
,vacancy ,a vacancy on the ,commission  
shall be filled in the same manner as   
the initial appointment4  7d7           
,co-,chairpersons ,from among the       
members appointed under subsection 7c71 
the ,president shall designate #b       
members1 who shall not be of the same   
political party1 to serve as            
co-chairpersons of the ,commission4  7e7
 ,qualifications ,members appointed to  
the ,commission shall have significant  
depth of experience and responsibilities
 in matters relating to-- 7#a7          
government service2  7#b7 fiscal policy2
  7#c7 economics2  7#d7 ,federal agency 
management or private sector management2
  7#e7 public administration2 and  7#f7 
law4  7f7 ,duties  7#a7 ,in general ,the
 ,commission shall identify policies    
to-- 7,a7 improve the fiscal situation  
of the ,federal ,government in the      
medium term2 and  7,b7 achieve fiscal   

sustainability of the ,federal          
,government in the long term4  7#b7     
,requirements ,in carrying out paragraph
 7#a71 the ,commission shall-- 7,a7     
propose recommendations designed to     
balance the budget of the ,federal      
,government1 excluding interest payments
 on the public debt1 by the date that is
 #aj years after the date on which the  
,commission is established1 in order to 
stabilize the ratio of the public debt  
to the gross domestic product of the    
,united ,states at an acceptable level2 
and  7,b7 propose recommendations that  
meaningfully improve the long-term      
fiscal outlook of the ,federal          
,government1 including changes to       
address the growth of entitlement       
spending and the gap between the        
projected revenues and expenditures of  
the ,federal ,government4  7g7 ,reports 
and proposed joint resolution  7#a7 ,in 
general  7,a7 ,final report ,not later  
than #a year after the date on which all
 members of the ,commission are         

appointed under subsection 7c71 the     
,commission shall vote on the approval  
of a final report1 which shall contain--
 7i7 the recommendations required under 
subsection 7f77#b72 and  7ii7 a proposed
 joint resolution implementing the      
recommendations described in clause 7i74
  7,b7 ,interim reports ,at any time    
after the date on which all members of  
the ,commission are appointed and prior 
to voting on the approval of a final    
report under subparagraph 7,a71 the     
,commission may vote on the approval of 
an interim report containing such       
recommendations described in subsection 
7f77#b7 as the ,commission may provide4 
7#b7 ,approval of report ,the           
,commission may only issue a report     
under this subsection if-- 7,a7 not less
 than #ab members of the ,commission    
approve the report2 and  7,b7 of the    
members approving the report under      
subparagraph 7,a71 not less than #d are 
members of the same political party to  
which the ,speaker of the ,house of     

,representatives belongs and not less   
than #d are members of the same         
political party to which the minority   
leader of the ,house of ,representatives
 belongs4  7#c7 ,submission of report   
,with respect to each report approved   
under this subsection1 the ,commission  
shall-- 7,a7 submit to ,congress the    
report2 and  7,b7 make the report       
available to the public4  7#d7          
,preparation of joint resolution  7,a7  
,in general ,in drafting the proposed   
joint resolution described in paragraph 
7#a77;,a77ii71 the ,commission-- 7i7 may
 use the services of the offices of the 
,legislative ,counsel of the ,senate and
 ,house of ,representatives2 and  7ii7  
shall consult with the ,comptroller     
,general of the ,united ,states and the 
,director of the ,congressional ,budget 
,office4  7,b7 ,consultation with       
committees ,in drafting the proposed    
joint resolution described in paragraph 
7#a77;,a77ii71 the co-chairpersons of   
the ,commission1 with respect to the    

contents of the proposed joint          
resolution1 shall consult with-- 7i7 the
 chairperson and ranking member of each 
relevant committee of the ,senate and   
the ,house of ,representatives2  7ii7   
the majority and minority leader of the 
,senate2 and  7iii7 the ,speaker and    
minority leader of the ,house of        
,representatives4  7,c7 ,requirements   
for consultation ,the consultation      
required under subparagraph 7,b7 shall  
provide the opportunity for each        
individual described in subparagraph    
7,b7 to provide-- 7i7 recommendations   
for alternative means of addressing the 
recommendations described in paragraph  
7#a77;,a77i72 and  7ii7 recommendations 
regarding which recommendations         
described in paragraph 7#a77;,a77i7     
should not be addressed in the proposed 
joint resolution4  7,d7 ,relevant       
committees ,for the purpose of this     
paragraph1 the relevant committees of   
the ,senate and the ,house of           
,representatives shall be-- 7i7 the     

,committee on ,finance of the ,senate2  
7ii7 the ,committee on ,ways and ,means 
of the ,house of ,representatives2      
7iii7 the ,committee on ,health1        
,education1 ,labor1 and ,pensions of the
 ,senate2 and  7iv7 the ,committee on   
,energy and ,commerce of the ,house of  
,representatives4  7h7 ,powers of the   
commission  7#a7 ,hearings ,the         
,commission may hold such hearings1 sit 
and act at such times and places1 take  
such testimony1 and receive such        
evidence as the ,commission considers   
advisable to carry out the duties of the
 ,commission described in subsection    
7f74  7#b7 ,information from ,federal   
agencies  7,a7 ,in general ,the         
,commission may secure directly from any
 ,federal agency such information as the
 ,commission considers necessary to     
carry out the duties of the ,commission 
described in subsection 7f74  7,b7      
,provision of information ,upon request 
from the co-chairpersons of the         
,commission1 the head of a ,federal     

agency shall provide information        
described in subparagraph 7,a7 to the   
,commission4  7#c7 ,postal services ,the
 ,commission may use the ,united ,states
 mail in the same manner and under the  
same conditions as departments and      
agencies of the ,federal ,government4   
7#d7 ,website  7,a7 ,contents ,the      
,commission shall establish a website   
containing-- 7i7 the recommendations    
required under subsection 7f77#b72 and  
7ii7 the records of attendance of the   
members of the ,commission for each     
meeting of the ,commission4  7,b7 ,date 
of publication ,not later than #gb hours
 after the conclusion of a meeting of   
the ,commission1 the ,commission shall  
publish a recommendation or record of   
attendance described under subparagraph 
7,a7 that is made or taken at the       
meeting on the website established under
 such subparagraph4  7i7 ,assistance of 
other legislative branch entities ,as   
the ,commission conducts the work of the
 ,commission-- 7#a7 the ,comptroller    

,general shall provide technical        
assistance to the ,commission on        
findings and recommendations of the     
,government ,accountability ,office2    
7#b7 the ,director of the ,congressional
 ,budget ,office shall provide technical
 assistance to the ,commission on       
findings and recommendations of the     
,congressional ,budget ,office2 and     
7#c7 the chair of the ,joint ,committee 
on ,taxation shall provide technical    
assistance to the ,commission on        
findings and recommendations of the     
,joint ,committee on ,taxation4  7j7    
,personnel matters  7#a7 ,in general    
,members of the ,commission shall serve 
without compensation4  7#b7 ,travel     
expenses ,members of the ,commission    
shall be allowed travel expenses1       
including per diem in lieu of           
subsistence1 at rates authorized for    
employees of agencies under subchapter  
,i of chapter #eg of title #e1 ,united  
,states ,code1 while away from the homes
 or regular places of business of the   

members in the performance of services  
for the ,commission4  7#c7 ,staff  7,a7 
,in general  7i7 ,appointment ,the      
co-chairpersons of the ,commission may1 
without regard to civil service laws and
 regulations1 appoint and terminate an  
executive director and such other       
additional personnel as may be necessary
 to enable the ,commission to perform   
the duties of the ,commission4  7ii7    
,approval ,the appointment of an        
executive director under clause 7i7     
shall be subject to confirmation by the 
,commission4  7,b7 ,compensation  7i7   
,in general ,the co-chairpersons of the 
,commission may fix the compensation of 
the executive director and other        
personnel of the ,commission without    
regard to the provisions of chapter #ea 
and subchapter ,,iii of chapter #ec of  
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1        
relating to the classification of       
positions and ,general ,schedule pay    
rates4  7ii7 ,pay rate ,the rate of pay 
for the executive director and other    

personnel of the ,commission may not    
exceed the rate payable for level ,v of 
the ,executive ,schedule under section  
#efac of title #e1 ,united ,states      
,code4  7#d7 ,detail of government      
employees ,any employee of the ,federal 
,government may be detailed to the      
,commission-- 7,a7 without              
reimbursement2 and  7,b7 without        
interruption or loss of civil service   
status or privilege4  7#e7 ,procurement 
of temporary and intermittent services  
,the co-chairpersons of the ,commission 
may procure temporary and intermittent  
services under section #caji7;b7 of     
title #e1 ,united ,states ,code1 at     
rates for individuals that do not exceed
 the daily equivalent of the annual rate
 of basic pay prescribed for level ,v of
 the ,executive ,schedule under section 
#ecaf of such title4  7k7 ,termination  
of the commission ,the ,commission shall
 terminate on the date that is #cj days 
after the date on which the ,commission 
submits the final report of the         

,commission under subsection            
7g77#a77;,a74  7l7 ,rules of            
construction ,nothing in this ,act shall
 be construed to-- 7#a7 impair or       
otherwise affect-- 7,a7 authority       
granted by law to a ,federal agency or a
 head thereof2 or  7,b7 functions of the
 ,director of the ,office of ,management
 and ,budget relating to budgetary1     
administrative1 or legislative          
proposals2 or  7#b7 create any right or 
benefit1 substantive or procedural1     
enforceable at law or in equity1 by any 
party against the ,united ,states1 the  
departments1 agencies1 entities1        
officers1 employees1 or agents of the   
,united ,states1 or any other person4   
7m7 ,authorization of appropriations    
7#a7 ,in general ,there are authorized  
to be appropriated to the ,commission   
such sums as may be necessary to carry  
out this ,act4  7#b7 ,availability ,any 
sums appropriated under paragraph 7#a7  
shall remain available1 without fiscal  
year limitation1 until expended4  7n7   

,inapplicability of ,federal ,advisory  
,committee ,act ,the ,federal ,advisory 
,committee ,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app47    
shall not apply to the ,commission4  #c4
 ,special message of the ,president  7a7
 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7    
,commission report ,the term ,commission
 report means the final report of the   
,national ,commission on ,fiscal        
,responsibility and ,reform described in
 section #b7;g77#a77;,a74  7#b7 ,special
 message ,the term special message means
 the special message on the ,commission 
report required under subsection        
7b77#a74  7b7 ,submission of special    
message  7#a7 ,in general ,not later    
than #fj days after the date on which   
the ,commission submits the ,commission 
report to ,congress1 the ,president     
shall submit to ,congress a special     
message on the report4  7#b7            
,transmittal ,the ,president shall      
submit the special message-- 7,a7 to the
 ,secretary of the ,senate if the       
,senate is not in session2 and  7,b7 to 

the ,clerk of the ,house of             
,representatives if the ,house of       
,representatives is not in session4  7c7
 ,contents of special message ,the      
special message shall describe the      
reasons for the support or opposition of
 the ,president to the proposed joint   
resolution contained in the ,commission 
report4  7d7 ,public availability ,the  
,president shall-- 7#a7 make a copy of a
 special message publicly available1    
including on a website of the           
,president2 and  7#b7 publish in the    
,federal ,register a notice of a special
 message and information on how the     
special message can be obtained4  #d4   
,expedited consideration of proposed    
joint resolution  7a7 ,definition of    
,commission joint resolution ,in this   
section1 the term ,commission joint     
resolution means a joint resolution that
 consists solely of the text of the     
proposed joint resolution required to be
 included in the final report of the    
,commission under section               

#b7;g77#a77;,a77ii74  7b7 ,qualifying   
legislation ,only a ,commission joint   
resolution shall be entitled to         
expedited consideration under this      
section4  7c7 ,consideration in the     
,house of ,representatives  7#a7        
,introduction ,a ,commission joint      
resolution may be introduced in the     
,house of ,representatives 7by          
request7-- 7,a7 by the majority leader  
of the ,house of ,representatives1 or by
 a ,member of the ,house of             
,representatives designated by the      
majority leader of the ,house of        
,representatives1 on the next           
legislative day after the date on which 
the ,commission approves the final      
report of the ,commission under section 
#b7;g77#a77;,a72 or  7,b7 if the        
,commission joint resolution is not     
introduced under subparagraph 7,a71 by  
any ,member of the ,house of            
,representatives on any legislative day 
beginning on the legislative day after  
the legislative day described in        

subparagraph 7,a74  7#b7 ,referral and  
reporting ,any committee of the ,house  
of ,representatives to which a          
,commission joint resolution is referred
 shall report the ,commission joint     
resolution to the ,house of             
,representatives without amendment not  
later than #aj legislative days after   
the date on which the ,commission joint 
resolution was so referred4 ,if a       
committee of the ,house of              
,representatives fails to report a      
,commission joint resolution within that
 period1 it shall be in order to move   
that the ,house of ,representatives     
discharge the committee from further    
consideration of the ,commission joint  
resolution4 ,such a motion shall not be 
in order after the last committee       
authorized to consider the ,commission  
joint resolution reports it to the      
,house of ,representatives or after the 
,house of ,representatives has disposed 
of a motion to discharge the ,commission
 joint resolution4 ,the previous        

question shall be considered as ordered 
on the motion to its adoption without   
intervening motion1 except #bj minutes  
of debate equally divided and controlled
 by the proponent and an opponent4 ,if  
such a motion is adopted1 the ,house of 
,representatives shall proceed          
immediately to consider the ,commission 
joint resolution in accordance with     
paragraphs 7#c7 and 7#d74 ,a motion to  
reconsider the vote by which the motion 
is disposed of shall not be in order4   
7#c7 ,proceeding to consideration ,after
 the last committee authorized to       
consider a ,commission joint resolution 
reports it to the ,house of             
,representatives or has been discharged 
7other than by motion7 from its         
consideration1 it shall be in order to  
move to proceed to consider the         
,commission joint resolution in the     
,house of ,representatives4 ,such a     
motion shall not be in order after the  
,house of ,representatives has disposed 
of a motion to proceed with respect to  

the ,commission joint resolution4 ,the  
previous question shall be considered as
 ordered on the motion to its adoption  
without intervening motion4 ,a motion to
 reconsider the vote by which the motion
 is disposed of shall not be in order4  
7#d7 ,consideration ,the ,commission    
joint resolution shall be considered as 
read4 ,all points of order against the  
,commission joint resolution and against
 its consideration are waived4 ,the     
previous question shall be considered as
 ordered on the ,commission joint       
resolution to its passage without       
intervening motion1 except #b hours of  
debate equally divided and controlled by
 the proponent and an opponent and #a   
motion to limit debate on the           
,commission joint resolution4 ,a motion 
to reconsider the vote on passage of the
 ,commission joint resolution shall not 
be in order4  7#e7 ,vote on passage ,the
 vote on passage of the ,commission     
joint resolution shall occur not later  
than #c legislative days after the date 

on which the last committee authorized  
to consider the ,commission joint       
resolution reports it to the ,house of  
,representatives or is discharged4  7d7 
,expedited procedure in the ,senate     
7#a7 ,introduction in the ,senate ,a    
,commission joint resolution may be     
introduced in the ,senate 7by request7--
 7,a7 by the majority leader of the     
,senate1 or by a ,member of the ,senate 
designated by the majority leader of the
 ,senate1 on the next legislative day   
after the date on which the ,president  
submits the proposed joint resolution   
under section #c7;b72 or  7,b7 if the   
,commission joint resolution is not     
introduced under subparagraph 7,a71 by  
any ,member of the ,senate on any day on
 which the ,senate is in session        
beginning on the day after the day      
described in subparagraph 7,a74  7#b7   
,committee consideration ,a ,commission 
joint resolution introduced in the      
,senate under paragraph 7#a7 shall be   
jointly referred to the committee or    

committees of jurisdiction1 which       
committees shall report the ,commission 
joint resolution without any revision   
and with a favorable recommendation1 an 
unfavorable recommendation1 or without  
recommendation1 not later than #aj      
session days after the date on which the
 ,commission joint resolution was so    
referred4 ,if any committee to which a  
,commission joint resolution is referred
 fails to report the ,commission joint  
resolution within that period1 that     
committee shall be automatically        
discharged from consideration of the    
,commission joint resolution1 and the   
,commission joint resolution shall be   
placed on the appropriate calendar4     
7#c7 ,proceeding ,notwithstanding rule  
,,xxii of the ,standing ,rules of the   
,senate1 it is in order1 not later than 
#b days of session after the date on    
which a ,commission joint resolution is 
reported or discharged from all         
committees to which the ,commission     
joint resolution was referred1 for the  

majority leader of the ,senate or the   
designee of the majority leader to move 
to proceed to the consideration of the  
,commission joint resolution4 ,it shall 
also be in order for any ,member of the 
,senate to move to proceed to the       
consideration of the ,commission joint  
resolution at any time after the        
conclusion of such #b-;day period4 ,a   
motion to proceed is in order even      
though a previous motion to the same    
effect has been disagreed to4 ,all      
points of order against the motion to   
proceed to the ,commission joint        
resolution are waived4 ,the motion to   
proceed shall not be debatable4 ,the    
motion is not subject to a motion to    
postpone4 ,a motion to reconsider the   
vote by which the motion is agreed to or
 disagreed to shall not be in order4 ,if
 a motion to proceed to the             
consideration of the ,commission joint  
resolution is agreed to1 the ,commission
 joint resolution shall remain the      
unfinished business until disposed of4  

,all points of order against a          
,commission joint resolution and against
 consideration of the ,commission joint 
resolution are waived4  7#d7 ,no        
amendments ,an amendment to a           
,commission joint resolution1 a motion  
to postpone1 a motion to proceed to the 
consideration of other business1 or a   
motion to recommit the ,commission joint
 resolution1 is not in order4  7#e7     
,rulings of the ,chair on procedure     
,appeals from the decisions of the      
,chair relating to the application of   
the rules of the ,senate1 as the case   
may be1 to the procedure relating to a  
,commission joint resolution shall be   
decided without debate4  7e7 ,amendment 
,a ,commission joint resolution shall   
not be subject to amendment in either   
the ,senate or the ,house of            
,representatives4  7f7 ,consideration by
 the other ,house  7#a7 ,in general ,if1
 before passing a ,commission joint     
resolution1 a ,house receives from the  
other ,house a ,commission joint        

resolution of the other ,house-- 7,a7   
the ,commission joint resolution of the 
other ,house shall not be referred to a 
committee2 and  7,b7 the procedure in   
the receiving ,house shall be the same  
as if no ,commission joint resolution   
had been received from the other ,house 
until the vote on passage1 when the     
,commission joint resolution received   
from the other ,house shall supplant the
 ,commission joint resolution of the    
receiving ,house4  7#b7 ,revenue        
measures ,this subsection shall not     
apply to the ,house of ,representatives 
if a ,commission joint resolution       
received from the ,senate is a revenue  
measure4  7g7 ,rules ,to coordinate     
action with other ,house  7#a7          
,treatment of ,commission joint         
resolution of other ,house ,if a        
,commission joint resolution is not     
introduced in the ,senate or the ,senate
 fails to consider a ,commission joint  
resolution under this section1 the      
,commission joint resolution of the     

,house of ,representatives shall be     
entitled to expedited floor procedures  
under this section4  7#b7 ,treatment of 
companion measures in the ,senate ,if1  
following passage of a ,commission joint
 resolution in the ,senate1 the ,senate 
receives from the ,house of             
,representatives a ,commission joint    
resolution1 the ,house-passed           
,commission joint resolution shall not  
be debatable4 ,the vote on passage of   
the ,commission joint resolution in the 
,senate shall be considered to be the   
vote on passage of the ,commission joint
 resolution received from the ,house of 
,representatives4  7#c7 ,vetoes ,if the 
,president vetoes a ,commission joint   
resolution1 consideration of a veto     
message in the ,senate under this       
paragraph shall be #aj hours equally    
divided between the majority and        
minority leaders of the ,senate or the  
designees of the majority and minority  
leaders of the ,senate4  7h7 ,exercise  
of rulemaking power ,this section is    

enacted by ,congress-- 7#a7 as an       
exercise of the rulemaking power of the 
,senate and ,house of ,representatives1 
respectively1 and1 as such-- 7,a7 it is 
deemed a part of the rules of each      
,house1 respectively1 but applicable    
only with respect to the procedure to be
 followed in that ,house in the case of 
a ,commission joint resolution2 and     
7,b7 it supersedes other rules only to  
the extent that it is inconsistent with 
such rules2 and  7#b7 with full         
recognition of the constitutional right 
of either ,house to change the rules 7so
 far as relating to the procedure of    
that ,house7 at any time1 in the same   
manner1 and to the same extent as in the
 case of any other rule of that ,house4