United States House Committee on the Budget

The United States House Committee on the Budget, commonly known as the House Budget Committee, is a standing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Its responsibilities include legislative oversight of the federal budget process, reviewing all bills and resolutions on the budget, and monitoring agencies and programs funded outside of the budgetary process. The committee briefly operated as a select committee in 1919 and 1921, during the 66th and 67th United States Congresses, before being made a standing committee in 1974.^[1]

House Budget Committee

Standing committee
Active United States House of Representatives 118th Congress
History
Formed	1974
Leadership
Chair	Jodey Arrington (R) Since January 3, 2023
Ranking member	Brendan Boyle (D) Since January 3, 2023
Structure
Seats	37
Political parties	Majority (21)   Republican (21) Minority (16)   Democratic (16)
Jurisdiction
Senate counterpart	Senate Budget Committee
Website
budget.house.gov

Role of the committee

The primary responsibility of the Budget Committee is the drafting and preparation of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget, commonly referred to as the "budget resolution". This resolution sets the aggregate levels of revenue and spending that is expected to occur in a given fiscal year. A budget resolution by law must be enacted by Congress by April 15. This target date is rarely met, and in at least four years (FY1999, FY2003, FY2005, and FY2007) no budget resolution was ultimately adopted. This resolution also gives to each committee of the House an "allocation" of "new budget authority". This allocation is important in the consideration of legislation on the floor of the House. If a bill comes to the floor to be considered and it causes an increase in spending above this allocation, it is subject to a point of order (under 302(f) of the Congressional Budget Act). This is true for discretionary spending (spending that is provided to the Federal Government each year) and mandatory spending (spending such as entitlements where a beneficiary class is defined and a benefit is provided). If an entitlement is expanded and it has not been budgeted for in the budget resolution, it is subject to a point of order on the floor and, if not waived, will prevent it from being called up for consideration (if a Member of Congress stands before the body and makes the point of order).

In general, legislation is cleared of such problems prior to consideration through discussions between the House Parliamentarian, the House Leadership, and the House Budget Committee.

The committee holds hearings on federal budget legislation and congressional resolutions related to the federal budget process. The committee holds hearings on the president's annual budget request to Congress and drafts the annual Congressional Budget Resolution, which sets overall spending guidelines for Congress as it develops the annual federal appropriations bills. The committee also reviews supplemental budget requests submitted by the president, which cover items which for one reason or another were not included in the original budget request, usually for emergency spending. Recently, emergency budget supplementals have been used to request funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as for disaster recovery after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The committee may amend, approve, or table budget-related bills. It also has the power to enforce established federal budget rules, hold budget-related investigations, and subpoena witnesses. Additionally, the committee has oversight of the Congressional Budget Office.

Rules of the committee

 

Paul Ryan (R) chairing a meeting of the Committee on the Budget

The committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month while the House is in session. Though this is required, it is almost always waived and the committee only meets when a subject of sufficient importance arises. This usually occurs during the early part of the calendar year when the president's budget is issued and important budgetary decisions must be made.

It is not permitted to conduct business unless a quorum is present. For hearings, two members must be present for a hearing to begin. For a business meeting, such as a "mark-up" of a legislative document, a majority of its members must be present. If a bill is passed out of committee without the requisite quorum, it may be subject to a point of order on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The committee may only consider measures placed before it either by the chairman or by a majority vote of its members.

Each member of the committee may question witnesses during hearings, in order of seniority when the hearing is called to order. Otherwise, members are recognized in order of their arrival after the gavel has brought the committee to order.

Committee members

The committee is chaired by Republican Jodey Arrington from Texas. The ranking member is Democrat Brendan Boyle from Pennsylvania.

Also under House rules, unlike other committees of the House of Representatives, membership on the Budget Committee is term limited. Rank-and-file members must rotate off the committee after serving for three terms. Chairmen and ranking members may serve no more than four terms. (See Clause 5 of Rule X of the Rules of the House of Representatives).^[2] These limits are often waived, as they have been for Chairman John Kasich (R-OH), Chairman Jim Nussle (R-IA) and Chairman John Spratt (D-SC). Such a waiver requires a vote of the whole House, and is usually included in the opening day "Rules Package" that sets the rules for each successive Congress. Such a resolution is normally introduced as "House Resolution 5" or "House Resolution 6".

Several high-profile budget committee members have gone on to serve as Director of the Office of Management and Budget: Leon Panetta (budget committee chairman 1989–1993), Rob Portman (budget committee vice chairman) and Jim Nussle (budget committee chairman 2001–2007). Additionally, John Kasich (chairman 1995–2001) went on to serve as Governor of Ohio from 2011 to 2019, while Paul Ryan (chairman 2011–2015) was the Republican nominee for vice president in 2012 and the House speaker from 2015 to 2019.

Members, 118th Congress

 

Steve Womack, ranking member, and John Yarmuth, chair, during a meeting in March 2020

Majority

Minority

Jodey Arrington, Texas, Chair Ralph Norman, South Carolina Tom McClintock, California Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin Lloyd Smucker, Pennsylvania Michael Burgess, Texas Buddy Carter, Georgia Ben Cline, Virginia Bob Good, Virginia Jack Bergman, Michigan Drew Ferguson, Georgia Chip Roy, Texas Blake Moore, Utah David Valadao, California Ron Estes, Kansas Stephanie Bice, Oklahoma Lisa McClain, Michigan Michelle Fischbach, Minnesota Rudy Yakym, Indiana Josh Brecheen, Oklahoma Chuck Edwards, North Carolina

Brendan Boyle, Pennsylvania, Ranking Member Brian Higgins, New York Jan Schakowsky, Illinois Earl Blumenauer, Oregon Dan Kildee, Michigan Scott Peters, California Barbara Lee, California Lloyd Doggett, Texas Jimmy Panetta, California Jennifer Wexton, Virginia Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Ilhan Omar, Minnesota David Trone, Maryland Becca Balint, Vermont Bobby Scott, Virginia Adriano Espaillat, New York

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 14 (Chair), H.Res. 15 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 102 (D), H.Res. 103 (R), H.Res. 164 (D), H.Res. 205 (amending rank)

Historical membership rosters

117th Congress

Majority

Minority

John Yarmuth, Kentucky, Chair Hakeem Jeffries, New York Brian Higgins, New York Brendan Boyle, Pennsylvania, Vice Chair Lloyd Doggett, Texas David Price, North Carolina Jan Schakowsky, Illinois Dan Kildee, Michigan Joseph Morelle, New York Steven Horsford, Nevada Barbara Lee, California Judy Chu, California Stacey Plaskett, U.S. Virgin Islands Jennifer Wexton, Virginia Bobby Scott, Virginia Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Jim Cooper, Tennessee Albio Sires, New Jersey Scott Peters, California Seth Moulton, Massachusetts Pramila Jayapal, Washington

Jason Smith, Missouri, Ranking Member Blake Moore, Utah (since June 22, 2022) Trent Kelly, Mississippi Tom McClintock, California Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin Lloyd Smucker, Pennsylvania Chris Jacobs, New York Michael Burgess, Texas Buddy Carter, Georgia Ben Cline, Virginia Lauren Boebert, Colorado Byron Donalds, Florida Randy Feenstra, Iowa Bob Good, Virginia Ashley Hinson, Iowa Jay Obernolte, California Marjorie Taylor Greene, Georgia (until February 4, 2021) Carol Miller, West Virginia (since September 20, 2021) Mike Carey, Ohio (since December 1, 2021) Joe Sempolinski, New York (since September 13, 2022)

Resolutions electing members: H.Res. 9 (Chair), H.Res. 10 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 62 (D), H.Res. 63 (R), H.Res. 91 (removing Marjorie Taylor Greene), H.Res. 95 (R), H.Res. 122 (R), H.Res. 658 (R), H.Res. 826 (R), H.Res. 1197 (R), H.Res. 1340 (R)

116th Congress

Majority

Minority

John Yarmuth, Kentucky, Chair Barbara Lee, California Seth Moulton, Massachusetts Hakeem Jeffries, New York Brian Higgins, New York Brendan Boyle, Pennsylvania Rosa DeLauro, Connecticut Lloyd Doggett, Texas David Price, North Carolina Jan Schakowsky, Illinois Dan Kildee, Michigan Jimmy Panetta, California Joe Morelle, New York Steven Horsford, Nevada Bobby Scott, Virginia Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Pramila Jayapal, Washington Ilhan Omar, Minnesota Jim Cooper, Tennessee Ro Khanna, California Scott Peters, California Albio Sires, New Jersey

Steve Womack, Arkansas, Ranking Member Rob Woodall, Georgia Bill Johnson, Ohio, Vice Ranking Member Jason Smith, Missouri Bill Flores, Texas George Holding, North Carolina Chris Stewart, Utah Ralph Norman, South Carolina Kevin Hern, Oklahoma (since July 10, 2019) Chip Roy, Texas Dan Meuser, Pennsylvania William Timmons, South Carolina Dan Crenshaw, Texas Tim Burchett, Tennessee Chris Jacobs, New York (since July 21, 2020)

Sources: H.Res. 7 (Chair), H.Res. 8 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 73 (D), H.Res. 74 (R), H.Res. 125 (D), H.Res. 481 (R), H.Res. 870 (D), H.Res. 1058 (R)

115th Congress

Majority

Minority

Steve Womack, Arkansas, Chair Diane Black, Tennessee Mario Díaz-Balart, Florida Tom Cole, Oklahoma Tom McClintock, California Todd Rokita, Indiana, Vice Chair Rob Woodall, Georgia Mark Sanford, South Carolina Dave Brat, Virginia Glenn Grothman, Wisconsin Gary Palmer, Alabama Bruce Westerman, Arkansas Jim Renacci, Ohio Bill Johnson, Ohio Jason Lewis, Minnesota Jack Bergman, Michigan John Faso, New York Lloyd Smucker, Pennsylvania Matt Gaetz, Florida Jodey Arrington, Texas Drew Ferguson, Georgia

John Yarmuth, Kentucky, Ranking Member Barbara Lee, California Michelle Lujan Grisham, New Mexico Seth Moulton, Massachusetts Hakeem Jeffries, New York Brian Higgins, New York Suzan DelBene, Washington Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Florida Brendan Boyle, Pennsylvania Ro Khanna, California Pramila Jayapal, Washington, Vice Ranking Member Salud Carbajal, California Sheila Jackson Lee, Texas Jan Schakowsky, Illinois

Sources: H.Res. 6 (Chair), H.Res. 7 (Ranking Member), H.Res. 36 (R), H.Res. 45, H.Res. 52, H.Res. 95 (D), H.Res. 131 (R)

Major legislation reported out of the committee

• U.S. House Fiscal Year 2014 Budget (H. Con. Res. 25; 113th Congress) - was reported out of the Budget Committee on March 15, 2013, and introduced by Committee Chairman Paul Ryan to the House floor. It passed the House on March 21, 2013, 221–207.

See also

• List of current United States House of Representatives committees

References

1. Walter Stubbs (1985), Congressional Committees, 1789-1982: A Checklist, Greenwood Press, pp. 16–17
2. Haas, Karen. "Rules of the House of Representatives One Hundred Fifteenth Congress" (PDF). Clerk of the House of Representatives.

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to United States House Committee on the Budget.

• House Budget Committee homepage (Archive)
• House Budget Committee. Legislation activity and reports, Congress.gov.