Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2019

Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2019

This bill modifies the federal budget process to require biennial congressional budget resolutions, instead of the annual budget resolutions required under current law. The bill retains the existing annual process for budget reconciliation and appropriations bills.

The bill also modifies the budget process to

• allow budget resolutions that have bipartisan support, establish a target for the ratio of the public debt to the gross domestic product, and meet other specified requirements to be considered in the Senate using expedited procedures;
• require the congressional budget committees to hold joint hearings to hear testimony from the Comptroller General regarding the audited financial statements of the executive branch and the financial position and condition of the federal government;
• allow budget resolutions to include the total combined outlays and revenues for tax expenditures; and
• require the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee to serve on the Senate Budget Committee.