Reconciliation

2 U.S.C. § 641

• Title: 2 — The Congress
• Chapter: SUBCHAPTER I—CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET PROCESS

Text

(a) Inclusion of reconciliation directives in concurrent resolutions on the budget
A concurrent resolution on the budget for any fiscal year, to the extent necessary to effectuate the provisions and requirements of such resolution, shall—
(1) specify the total amount by which—
(A) new budget authority for such fiscal year;
(B) budget authority initially provided for prior fiscal years;
(C) new entitlement authority which is to become effective during such fiscal year; and
(D) credit authority for such fiscal year,
contained in laws, bills, and resolutions within the jurisdiction of a committee, is to be changed and direct that committee to determine and recommend changes to accomplish a change of such total amount;
(2) specify the total amount by which revenues are to be changed and direct that the committees having jurisdiction to determine and recommend changes in the revenue laws, bills, and resolutions to accomplish a change of such total amount;
(3) specify the amounts by which the statutory limit on the public debt is to be changed and direct the committee having jurisdiction to recommend such change; or
(4) specify and direct any combination of the matters described in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) (including a direction to achieve deficit reduction).
(b) Legislative procedure
If a concurrent resolution containing directives to one or more committees to determine and recommend changes in laws, bills, or resolutions is agreed to in accordance with subsection (a), and—
(1) only one committee of the House or the Senate is directed to determine and recommend changes, that committee shall promptly make such determination and recommendations and report to its House reconciliation legislation containing such recommendations; or
(2) more than one committee of the House or the Senate is directed to determine and recommend changes, each such committee so directed shall promptly make such determination and recommendations and submit such recommendations to the Committee on the Budget of its House, which, upon receiving all such recommendations, shall report to its House reconciliation legislation carrying out all such recommendations without any substantive revision.
For purposes of this subsection, a reconciliation resolution is a concurrent resolution directing the Clerk of the House of Representatives or the Secretary of the Senate, as the case may be, to make specified changes in bills and resolutions which have not been enrolled.
(c) Compliance with reconciliation directions
(1) Any committee of the House of Representatives or the Senate that is directed, pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget, to determine and recommend changes of the type described in paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (a) with respect to laws within its jurisdiction, shall be deemed to have complied with such directions—
(A) if—
(i) the amount of the changes of the type described in paragraph (1) of such subsection recommended by such committee do not exceed or fall below the amount of the changes such committee was directed by such concurrent resolution to recommend under that paragraph by more than—
(I) in the Senate, 20 percent of the total of the amounts of the changes such committee was directed to make under paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection; or
(II) in the House of Representatives, 20 percent of the sum of the absolute value of the changes the committee was directed to make under paragraph (1) and the absolute value of the changes the committee was directed to make under paragraph (2); and
(ii) the amount of the changes of the type described in paragraph (2) of such subsection recommended by such committee do not exceed or fall below the amount of the changes such committee was directed by such concurrent resolution to recommend under that paragraph by more than—
(I) in the Senate, 20 percent of the total of the amounts of the changes such committee was directed to make under paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection; or
(II) in the House of Representatives, 20 percent of the sum of the absolute value of the changes the committee was directed to make under paragraph (1) and the absolute value of the changes the committee was directed to make under paragraph (2); and
(B) if the total amount of the changes recommended by such committee is not less than the total of the amounts of the changes such committee was directed to make under paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection.
(2)(A) Upon the reporting to the Committee on the Budget of the Senate of a recommendation that shall be deemed to have complied with such directions solely by virtue of this subsection, the chairman of that committee may file with the Senate appropriately revised allocations under section 633(a) of this title and revised functional levels and aggregates to carry out this subsection.
(B) Upon the submission to the Senate of a conference report recommending a reconciliation bill or resolution in which a committee shall be deemed to have complied with such directions solely by virtue of this subsection, the chairman of the Committee on the Budget of the Senate may file with the Senate appropriately revised allocations under section 633(a) of this title and revised functional levels and aggregates to carry out this subsection.
(C) Allocations, functional levels, and aggregates revised pursuant to this paragraph shall be considered to be allocations, functional levels, and aggregates contained in the concurrent resolution on the budget pursuant to section 632 of this title.
(D) Upon the filing of revised allocations pursuant to this paragraph, the reporting committee shall report revised allocations pursuant to section 633(b) of this title to carry out this subsection.
(d) Limitation on amendments to reconciliation bills and resolutions
(1) It shall not be in order in the House of Representatives to consider any amendment to a reconciliation bill or reconciliation resolution if such amendment would have the effect of increasing any specific budget outlays above the level of such outlays provided in the bill or resolution (for the fiscal years covered by the reconciliation instructions set forth in the most recently agreed to concurrent resolution on the budget), or would have the effect of reducing any specific Federal revenues below the level of such revenues provided in the bill or resolution (for such fiscal years), unless such amendment makes at least an equivalent reduction in other specific budget outlays, an equivalent increase in other specific Federal revenues, or an equivalent combination thereof (for such fiscal years), except that a motion to strike a provision providing new budget authority or new entitlement authority may be in order.
(2) It shall not be in order in the Senate to consider any amendment to a reconciliation bill or reconciliation resolution if such amendment would have the effect of decreasing any specific budget outlay reductions below the level of such outlay reductions provided (for the fiscal years covered) in the reconciliation instructions which relate to such bill or resolution set forth in a resolution providing for reconciliation, or would have the effect of reducing Federal revenue increases below the level of such revenue increases provided (for such fiscal years) in such instructions relating to such bill or resolution, unless such amendment makes a reduction in other specific budget outlays, an increase in other specific Federal revenues, or a combination thereof (for such fiscal years) at least equivalent to any increase in outlays or decrease in revenues provided by such amendment, except that a motion to strike a provision shall always be in order.
(3) Paragraphs (1) and (2) shall not apply if a declaration of war by the Congress is in effect.
(4) For purposes of this section, the levels of budget outlays and Federal revenues for a fiscal year shall be determined on the basis of estimates made by the Committee on the Budget of the House of Representatives or of the Senate, as the case may be.
(5) The Committee on Rules of the House of Representatives may make in order amendments to achieve changes specified by reconciliation directives contained in a concurrent resolution on the budget if a committee or committees of the House fail to submit recommended changes to its Committee on the Budget pursuant to its instruction.
(e) Procedure in Senate
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the provisions of section 636 of this title for the consideration in the Senate of concurrent resolutions on the budget and conference reports thereon shall also apply to the consideration in the Senate of reconciliation bills reported under subsection (b) and conference reports thereon.
(2) Debate in the Senate on any reconciliation bill reported under subsection (b), and all amendments thereto and debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than 20 hours.
(f) Completion of reconciliation process
It shall not be in order in the House of Representatives to consider any resolution providing for an adjournment period of more than three calendar days during the month of July until the House of Representatives has completed action on the reconciliation legislation for the fiscal year beginning on October 1 of the calendar year to which the adjournment resolution pertains, if reconciliation legislation is required to be reported by the concurrent resolution on the budget for such fiscal year.
(g) Limitation on changes to Social Security Act
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, it shall not be in order in the Senate or the House of Representatives to consider any reconciliation bill or reconciliation resolution reported pursuant to a concurrent resolution on the budget agreed to under section 632 or 635 of this title, or a joint resolution pursuant to section 907d of this title, or any amendment thereto or conference report thereon, that contains recommendations with respect to the old-age, survivors, and disability insurance program established under title II of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.].

History

(Pub. L. 93–344, title III, §310, July 12, 1974, 88 Stat. 315; Pub. L. 99–177, title II, §201(b), Dec. 12, 1985, 99 Stat. 1053; Pub. L. 101–508, title XIII, §§13112(a)(9), 13207(c), (d), 13210(2), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–608, 1388–618 to 1388–620; Pub. L. 105–33, title X, §10111, Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 685; Pub. L. 113–67, div. A, title I, §122(9), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 1175.)

Editorial Notes

Editorial Notes

References in Text
The Social Security Act, referred to in subsec. (g), is act Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, 49 Stat. 620, as amended. Title II of the Social Security Act is classified generally to subchapter II (§401 et seq.) of chapter 7 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1305 of Title 42 and Tables.

Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 1331 of Title 31 prior to the general revision and enactment of Title 31, Money and Finance, by Pub. L. 97–258, §1, Sept. 13, 1982, 96 Stat. 877.

Amendments
2013—Subsec. (c)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 113–67, which directed amendment of cl. (i) by substituting "under that paragraph by more than—" for "under that paragraph by more than", was executed by making the substitution for "under such paragraph by more than" to reflect the probable intent of Congress.
Subsec. (c)(1)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 113–67 substituted "under that paragraph by more than—" for "under that paragraph by more than".
1997—Subsec. (c)(1)(A)(i). Pub. L. 105–33, §10111(1), substituted subcls. (I) and (II) for "20 percent of the total of the amounts of the changes such committee was directed to make under paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection, and".
Subsec. (c)(1)(A)(ii). Pub. L. 105–33, §10111(2), substituted subcls. (I) and (II) for "20 percent of the total of the amounts of the changes such committee was directed to make under paragraphs (1) and (2) of such subsection; and".
1990—Subsec. (a)(4). Pub. L. 101–508, §13207(d), inserted before period at end "(including a direction to achieve deficit reduction)".
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 101–508, §13207(c), designated existing provisions as par. (1), redesignated former par. (1) and subpars. (A) and (B) thereof as subpar. (A) and cls. (i) and (ii), respectively, redesignated former par. (2) as subpar. (B) of par. (1), and added par. (2).
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 101–508, §13210(2), struck out par. (1) heading "In general" and text which directed Congress to complete action on any reconciliation bill or reconciliation resolution reported under subsec. (b) of this section not later than June 15 of each year, and struck out the par. (2) designation and heading "Point of order in the House of Representatives".
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 101–508, §13112(a)(9), substituted "joint resolution pursuant" for "resolution pursuant" and "section 907d of this title" for "section 904(b) of this title".
1985—Pub. L. 99–177 substituted "Reconciliation" for "Second required concurrent resolution and reconciliation process" in section catchline.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–177 amended subsec. (a) generally, inserting provisions relating to new entitlement authority and credit authority, and deleting provision that any such concurrent resolution could be reported, and the report accompanying it could be filed, in either House notwithstanding that that House was not in session on the day on which such concurrent resolution is reported.
Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 99–177 amended subsec. (b) generally, substituting provisions relating to legislative procedure respecting concurrent resolutions with directives to committees to determine and recommend changes in laws, etc., for provisions relating to completion of action on concurrent resolutions.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–177 amended subsec. (c) generally, substituting provisions relating to compliance with reconciliation directives, for provisions relating to the reconciliation process.
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 99–177 amended subsec. (d) generally, substituting provisions relating to limitations on amendments to reconciliation bills and resolutions, for provisions relating to completion of the reconciliation process.
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 99–177 amended subsec. (e) generally, substituting references to subsec. (b) for references to subsec. (c) wherever appearing, and deleting references to reconciliation resolutions.
Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 99–177 amended subsec. (f) generally, inserting provision that Congress complete action on reconciliation bills or resolutions reported under subsec. (b) not later than June 15 of each year and revising provisions relating to adjournment periods of the House of Representatives with respect to completion of action on fiscal year reconciliation legislation.
Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 99–177, in amending section generally, added subsec. (g).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1985 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–177 effective Dec. 12, 1985, and applicable with respect to fiscal years beginning after Sept. 30, 1985, except that such amendment, insofar as it relates to subsecs. (c), (d), and (g) of this section, to become effective Apr. 15, 1986, see section 275(a)(1), (2)(A) of Pub. L. 99–177, formerly set out as an Effective and Termination Dates note under section 900 of this title prior to repeal by Pub. L. 112–25, title I, §104(a), Aug. 2, 2011, 125 Stat. 246.