Order Code RL30297
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Selected Statistics and Information Guide
Updated March 18, 2002
Bill Heniff Jr.
Analyst in American National Government
Government and Finance Division
Congressional Research Service ˜ The Library of Congress

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Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Selected Statistics and Information Guide
Summary
The Congressional Budget Act (CBA) of 1974 (Titles I-IX of P.L. 93-344, 2
U.S.C. 601-688), as amended, establishes the concurrent resolution on the budget as
the centerpiece of the congressional budget process. The annual budget resolution
is an agreement between the House and Senate on a budget plan for the upcoming
fiscal year and at least the following 4 fiscal years. As a concurrent resolution, it is
not presented to the President for his signature and thus does not become law. The
budget resolution, however, provides the framework for subsequent legislative action
on budgetary legislation during each congressional session.
Congress has adopted 34 budget resolutions during the 27 years that the
congressional budget process has been in effect (covering FY1976 through FY2002).
At least one budget resolution has been adopted every year except 1998 (for
FY1999). Second budget resolutions were adopted in each of the first 7 years and a
third budget resolution was adopted for FY1977. Since 1982, Congress has adopted
only one budget resolution for each fiscal year. Congress initially was required to
cover only the upcoming fiscal year in the budget resolution, but over the years
Congress has expanded this time frame. Currently, the budget resolution must include
at least 5 fiscal years; the FY2002 budget resolution covered 10 fiscal years.
The budget resolution may include reconciliation instructions, directing one or
more committees to recommend legislative changes to meet the spending and revenue
levels included in the budget resolution. In 16 of the past 27 years, Congress included
reconciliation instructions in the budget resolution. Pursuant to these instructions, 15
reconciliation measures have been enacted into law. In 1982 and 1997, two
reconciliation measures were adopted. Three reconciliation measures have been
vetoed, in 1995, 1999, and 2001.
Over the past 27 years, the House has considered and adopted fewer
amendments to the budget resolution than the Senate. The House has considered an
average of over six amendments per budget resolution, adopting an average of one
of these. For more than a decade, the House has considered the budget resolutions
under “special rules” that allow only amendments in the nature of a substitute to be
offered. In all but one year, the House has rejected all such amendments. In contrast,
the Senate has considered an average of almost 35 amendments per budget resolution,
adopting over 17 of these on average.
The budget resolution originally was supposed to be adopted by May 15 of each
year; this deadline was changed to April 15 beginning with the FY1987 budget
resolution. The budget resolution deadline has been met only five times over the last
27 years, most recently in 2000 for FY2001. Budget resolutions have been adopted
an average of 40 days after the deadline.

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Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Formulation and Content of the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Formulation of the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Content of the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Number of Years Covered by Budget Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Consideration and Adoption of
the Budget Resolution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Amendments to Budget Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Timing of Budget Resolutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Appendix A. Provisions in Law and Budget Resolutions Modifying the
Congressional Budget Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Appendix B. Statutes-at-Large Citations of Budget Resolutions
Adopted by Congress, FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Appendix C. Budget Resolutions Rejected by the House, FY1976-FY2002 . . 20
Appendix D. Budget Resolution Committee Reports, FY1976- FY2002 . . . . . 21
Appendix E. Selected Components of Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Appendix F. Budget Resolutions and Resultant Reconciliation Acts,
FY1981-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Appendix G. Number of Years Covered by Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Appendix H. “Special Rules” Providing for the Consideration of
Budget Resolutions in the House, FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Appendix I. Number of Amendments to Budget Resolutions
Considered in the House, FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Appendix J. House Amendments in the Nature of a Substitute to
Budget Resolutions, FY1988-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Appendix K. Number of Amendments to Budget Resolutions
Considered in the Senate, FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Appendix L. Timing of House Action on Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Appendix M. Timing of Senate Action on Budget Resolutions,
FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

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List of Figures
Figure 1. Dates of Final Adoption of Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2002 . . 11
Figure 2. Number of Days Before or After Deadline That Action on the
Budget Resolution Was Completed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
List of Tables
Table 1. Budget Resolutions Adopted by Congress, FY1976-FY2002 . . . . . . . 3

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Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Selected Statistics and Information Guide
Introduction
The Congressional Budget Act (CBA) of 1974 (Titles I-IX of P.L. 93-344, 2
U.S.C. 601-688), as amended, establishes the concurrent budget resolution as the
centerpiece of the congressional budget process. The annual budget resolution is an
agreement between the House and Senate on a budget plan for the upcoming fiscal
year and at least the following 4 fiscal years. As a concurrent resolution, it is not
presented to the President for his signature and thus does not become law. The
budget resolution, however, provides the framework for subsequent legislative action
on the annual appropriations bills, revenue measures, debt-limit legislation,
reconciliation legislation (discussed below), and any other budgetary legislation.
This report provides current and historical information on the budget resolution.1
It provides a list of the budget resolutions adopted and rejected by Congress since
implementation of the CBA, including the Statutes-at-Large citations and committee
report numbers, and describes their formulation and content. The report provides a
table of selected optional components, a list of reconciliation laws, and information
on the number of years covered by budget resolutions. It also provides information
on the consideration and adoption of budget resolutions, including: an identification
of the House “special rules” that provided for consideration of budget resolutions; the
amendments in the nature of a substitute to the budget resolution considered in the
House; the number and disposition of House and Senate amendments to budget
resolutions; and dates of House and Senate action on budget resolutions.
Congress has modified the congressional budget process several times since it
was first established in 1974. Appendix A identifies laws and budget resolutions that
changed requirements pertaining to the formulation, content, and consideration of the
budget resolution.
As originally enacted, the CBA required that Congress adopt two budget
resolutions each year. The first budget resolution, which was to be adopted by May
15, was advisory in nature. The second budget resolution, which was to be adopted
by September 15 (about two weeks before the beginning of the fiscal year), was
binding. The second budget resolution revised or reaffirmed the first budget
resolution by taking into account budget and economic changes in the months since
the first resolution. Additional budget resolutions could be adopted at any time.
1 This report revises and updates an earlier Congressional Research Service report: CRS
Report 96-934, Congressional Budget Resolutions: Formulation, Content, and Historical
Information, by Jennifer Suttle.

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CRS-2
The Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Title II of
P.L. 99-177, 99 Stat. 1038-1101) eliminated the requirement for a second budget
resolution beginning in FY1987. For several preceding years, FY1983-FY1986,
Congress did not adopt a second budget resolution, but instead included a provision
in the first budget resolution that made the spending and revenue totals in it binding
automatically as of the beginning of the fiscal year.
Since 1975, Congress has adopted an annual budget resolution every year except
one. In 1998, the House and Senate each adopted a budget resolution for FY1999,
but did not reach final agreement.2 Second budget resolutions were adopted in 7 of
the 27 years covered by this report. In 2 of these years (1979 for FY1980 and 1981
for FY1982), the House adopted the Senate version of the second budget resolution
rather than adopting its own. Therefore, no conference report was necessary for these
budget resolutions. A third budget resolution, further revising the previous budget
resolutions, was adopted for FY1977.
Table 1 lists all budget resolutions adopted by Congress, with the House and
Senate votes on initial passage and adoption of the conference report. The Statutes-
at-Large citations for adopted budget resolutions are listed in Appendix B.
(Although concurrent resolutions such as budget resolutions have no statutory
authority, they are compiled in a special section of the Statutes-at-Large.) Appendix
C lists the budget resolutions rejected in the House. No budget resolutions were
rejected in the Senate.
2 Section 209 of H.Con.Res. 68, the FY2000 budget resolution, provided that budget levels
submitted pursuant to H.Res. 5 (106th Congress) and S.Res. 312 (105th Congress), and any
revisions, be considered to be the budget levels of the concurrent resolution on the budget for
FY1999. In the House, Section 2(a) of H.Res. 5 provided for the House Budget Committee
chair to publish in the Congressional Record budget totals and allocations for each of the
fiscal years 1999 through 2003, so as to complete congressional action on the budget
resolution for FY1999. Pursuant to this resolution, the budget allocations for FY1999-
FY2003 were printed in the Congressional Record on February 25, 1999 (pp. H809-H810);
the budget aggregates and allocations to the House Appropriations Committee were printed
in the Congressional Record on March 3, 1999 (pp. H949-H951). The budget aggregates
and allocations for FY1999 were revised and printed in the Congressional Record on March
18 (p. H1453), May 6 (p. H2907), and May 18, 1999 (pp. H3274-H3275). In the Senate,
S.Res. 312 (passed on October 21, 1998) amended S.Res. 209 (passed on April 2, 1998,
which provided budget allocations to the Senate Appropriations Committee for FY1999), to
provide budget aggregate levels in the Senate for FY1999-FY2003. Subsequently, the
committee allocations for FY1999-FY2003 were printed in the Congressional Record on
October 21, 1998 (pp. S12915-S12916). The budget aggregates and allocations for FY1999
were revised and printed in the Congressional Record on May 4, 1999 (pp. S4660-S4661).

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CRS-3
Table 1. Budget Resolutions Adopted by Congress, FY1976-FY2002
Initial Passage
Conference Report
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Senate
House
Senate
Congress
Typea
House
Year
(companion measure)
vote
vote
vote
vote
94th
1976
H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 32)
first
200-196
69-22
230-193
voice
H.Con.Res. 466 (S.Con.Res. 76)
second
225-191
69-23
189-187
74-19
1977
S.Con.Res. 109 (H.Con.Res. 611)
first
221-155
62-22
224-170
65-29
S.Con.Res. 139 (H.Con.Res. 728)
second
227-151
55-23
234-143
66-20
95th
1977
S.Con.Res. 10 (H.Con.Res. 110)
third
239-169
72-20
226-173
voice
1978
S.Con.Res. 19 (H.Con.Res. 214)
first
213-179
56-31
221-177
54-23
H.Con.Res. 341 (S.Con.Res. 43)
second
199-188
63-21
215-187
68-21
1979
S.Con.Res. 80 (H.Con.Res. 559)
first
201-197
64-27
201-198
voice
H.Con.Res. 683 (S.Con.Res. 104)
second
217-178
56-18
225-162
47-7
96th
1980
H.Con.Res. 107 (S.Con.Res. 22)
first
220-184
64-20
202-196
72-17
S.Con.Res. 53 (H.Con.Res. 186)b
second
206-186
57-20
—
—
1981
H.Con.Res. 307 (S.Con.Res. 86)
first
225-193c
68-28
205-195
61-26
241-174
H.Con.Res. 448 (S.Con.Res. 119)
second
203-191
48-46
voice
50-38

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CRS-4
Initial Passage
Conference Report
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Senate
House
Senate
Congress
Typea
House
Year
(companion measure)
vote
vote
vote
vote
97th
1982
H.Con.Res. 115 (S.Con.Res. 19)
first
270-154
78-20
244-155
76-20
S.Con.Res. 50 (H.Con.Res. 230)d
second
206-200
49-48
—
—
1983
S.Con.Res. 92 (H.Con.Res. 352)
—
219-206
49-43
210-208
51-45
98th
1984
H.Con.Res. 91 (S.Con.Res. 27)
—
229-196
50-49
239-186
51-43
1985
H.Con.Res. 280 (S.Con.Res. 106)
—
250-168
41-34
232-162
voice
99th
1986
S.Con.Res. 32 (H.Con.Res. 152)
—
258-170
voice
309-119
67-32
1987
S.Con.Res. 120 (H.Con.Res. 337)
—
245-179
70-25
333-43
voice
100th
1988
H.Con.Res. 93 (S.Con.Res. 49)
—
voice
56-42
215-201
53-46
1989
H.Con.Res. 268 (S.Con.Res. 113)
—
319-102
69-26
201-181
58-29
101st
1990
H.Con.Res. 106 (S.Con.Res. 30)
—
263-157
68-31
241-185
63-37
1991
H.Con.Res. 310 (S.Con.Res. 110)
—
218-208
voice
250-164
66-33
102nd
1992
H.Con.Res. 121 (S.Con.Res. 29)
—
261-163
voice
239-181
57-41
1993
H.Con.Res. 287 (S.Con.Res. 106)
—
215-201e
voice
209-207
52-41
224-191
103rd
1994
H.Con.Res. 64 (S.Con.Res. 18)
—
243-183
54-45
240-184
55-45
1995
H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 63)
—
223-175
57-40
220-183
53-46

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CRS-5
Initial Passage
Conference Report
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Senate
House
Senate
Congress
Typea
House
Year
(companion measure)
vote
vote
vote
vote
104th
1996
H.Con.Res. 67 (S.Con.Res. 13)
—
238-193
57-42
239-194
54-46
1997
H.Con.Res. 178 (S.Con.Res. 57)
—
226-195
53-46
216-211
53-46
105th
1998
H.Con.Res. 84 (S.Con.Res. 27)
—
333-99
78-22
327-97
76-22
1999f
H.Con.Res. 284 (S.Con.Res. 86)
—
216-204
57-41
—
—
106th
2000
H.Con.Res. 68 (S.Con.Res. 20)
—
221-208
55-44
220-208
54-44
2001
H.Con.Res. 290 (S.Con.Res. 101)
—
211-207
51-45
220-208
50-48
107th
2002
H.Con.Res. 83g
—
222-205
63-35
221-207
53-47
a. “Type” refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year. For the first 7 years of the congressional budget
process, Congress adopted multiple budget resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has adopted only one a year.
b. House rejected its budget resolution (see Appendix C of this report) and adopted Senate resolution; no conference report necessary.
c. Question divided, separate votes on sections 1-5 and 7, and on section 6 (revised FY1980 budget resolution).
d. House laid its budget resolution on the table by unanimous consent and adopted Senate resolution; no conference report necessary.
e. Question divided, separate votes on sections 1, 2 and 4, and on section 3 (revised the spending and revenue levels if certain legislation was not
enacted into law before conferees on the budget resolution were appointed).
f. House and Senate did not reach final agreement on FY1999 budget resolution.
g. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the House-passed budget resolution was
discharged from the committee and considered by the Senate.

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CRS-6
Formulation and Content of the Budget Resolution
Formulation of the Budget Resolution
Following the submission of the President’s budget in January or February,
Congress begins formulating its budget resolution. The House and Senate Budget
Committees are responsible for developing and reporting the budget resolution.
Within 6 weeks after the President’s budget submission, House and Senate
committees are required to submit “views and estimates” statements of budget matters
under their jurisdiction to their respective Budget Committees (Section 301(d) of the
CBA). These “views and estimates,” often submitted in the form of a letter to the
chair and ranking member of the budget committee, typically include comments on
the President’s budget proposals and estimates of the budgetary impact of any
legislation likely to be considered during the current session of Congress. The Budget
Committees are not bound by these recommendations. The “views and estimates”
statements often are printed in the committee report accompanying the resolution in
the Senate or compiled as a separate committee print in the House.
The budget resolution was designed to provide a framework to make budget
decisions, leaving specific program determinations to the Appropriations Committees
and other committees with spending and revenue jurisdiction. In many instances,
however, particular program changes are considered when formulating the budget
resolution. Program assumptions are sometimes referred to in the reports of the
Budget Committees or may be discussed during floor action. Although these program
changes are not binding, committees may be strongly influenced by these
recommendations when formulating appropriations bills, reconciliation measures, or
other budgetary legislation.
Appendix D provides a list of the House, Senate, and conference reports to the
first budget resolutions adopted by Congress each year.
Content of the Budget Resolution
Section 301(a) of the CBA requires that the budget resolution include the
following matters for the upcoming fiscal year and at least the ensuing 4 fiscal years:
! aggregate levels of new budget authority, outlays, the budget surplus or deficit,
and the public debt;
! aggregate levels of federal revenues and the amount, if any, by which the
aggregate levels of federal revenues should be increased or decreased by
legislative action;
! amounts of new budget authority and outlays for each of the major functional
categories; and

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CRS-7
! for purposes of Senate enforcement procedures, Social Security outlays and
revenues (although these amounts are not included in the budget surplus or
deficit totals due to their off-budget status).
In addition to the content required by the CBA, Section 301(b) lists several other
matters that may be included in the budget resolution. Appendix E provides a table
indicating selected components included in first budget resolutions for FY1976-
FY2002.
The most important of the optional matters is the inclusion of reconciliation
directives provided by section 310 of the CBA. Budget reconciliation is a two-step
process that Congress may use to assure compliance with the spending, revenue, and
debt-limit levels set forth in budget resolutions. First, Congress includes
reconciliation instructions in a budget resolution directing one or more committees
to recommend changes in statute to achieve the levels of spending, revenues, and debt
limit agreed to in the budget resolution. Second, the legislative language
recommended by committees is packaged “without substantive revision” into one or
more reconciliation bills, as set forth in the budget resolution, by the House and
Senate Budget Committees. In some instances, a committee may be required to
report its legislative recommendations directly to its chamber.3
In 16 of the past 27 years, Congress has included reconciliation instructions in
the budget resolution.4 Reconciliation was first used in calendar year 1980 for
FY1981. Since then, reconciliation directives have been included in the budget
resolution for every fiscal year except 1985, 1989, 1992, 1993, and 1995. Pursuant
to these instructions, 15 reconciliation measures have been enacted into law. In 1982
and 1997, two reconciliation measures were adopted. Three reconciliation measures
have been vetoed, in 1995, 1999, and 2001. Appendix F lists the budget resolutions
that contained reconciliation instructions and the resultant reconciliation acts.
Beginning with the FY1981 budget resolution, Congress also included amounts
for federal credit activities. The 1985 Balanced Budget Act permanently required the
inclusion of aggregate and functional levels of direct loan obligations and primary loan
guarantee commitments in budget resolutions. The inclusion of federal credit levels,
however, was made optional by the Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (Title X of P.L.
105-33; 111 Stat. 677-712). Of the 26 first budget resolutions adopted by Congress,
18 included federal credit amounts.
Another optional component of budget resolutions has been the inclusion of
reserve funds. The reserve fund provisions generally provide for the revision of
budget resolution aggregates, functional allocations, and committee allocations if
certain deficit-neutral legislation is enacted or some other condition is met. Over the
last decade, Congress often has included several reserve funds in budget resolutions.
3 For more information on reconciliation legislation see CRS Report RL30458, The
Reconciliation Process: Timing of Legislative Action, by Robert Keith.
4 This does not include the House-version of the FY1999 budget resolution, since final
agreement was not reached with the Senate. The Senate-version did not include reconciliation
instructions.

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CRS-8
For instance, the FY2002 budget resolution (H.Con.Res. 83, 107th Congress) included
nine reserve funds.5
In recent years, declaratory statements increasingly have been included in budget
resolutions. These non-binding statements express the sense of Congress, the sense
of the House, or the sense of the Senate on various issues. As indicated in Appendix
E, an average of about 27 declaratory statements have been included in the last eight
budget resolutions (not including the FY1999 budget resolution), but only an average
of two and a half declaratory statements appeared in the first 18 budget resolutions.
The annual budget resolution also may require a deferred enrollment procedure
(see Section 301(b)(3) of the CBA), under which all or certain bills providing new
budget authority or new entitlement authority for the upcoming fiscal year cannot be
enrolled until Congress has completed action on a reconciliation measure (or, prior
to FY1987, a reconciliation measure or the second budget resolution). Budget
resolutions for fiscal years 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984 contained deferred enrollment
provisions. The FY1983 budget resolution exempted legislation dealing with certain
trust funds from its deferred enrollment provision. A deferred enrollment provision
was struck from the House version of the FY1980 budget resolution by a House
amendment.6
Lastly, Congress has included several other procedural provisions in budget
resolutions. Under Section 301(b)(4) of the CBA, the so-called elastic clause,
Congress may “set forth such other matters, and require such other procedures,
relating to the budget, as may be appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Act”
in the budget resolution. The number of procedural provisions included in budget
resolutions is listed in the last column of Appendix E. Some of these procedural
provisions include: deferred enrollment; automatic second resolutions; special
budgetary treatment of certain activities, such as the sale of government assets; and
more recently, enforcement of a pay-as-you-go requirement in the Senate, and limits
on advance appropriations.
Number of Years Covered by Budget Resolutions
Originally, the CBA mandated that budget resolutions cover only the upcoming
fiscal year beginning on October 1 (referred to as the budget year). A desire to use
the budget resolution as a tool for budget planning and other factors prompted
Congress to expand this time frame to include the upcoming fiscal year as well as the
2 ensuing fiscal years. Congress used the authority provided by the elastic clause of
the CBA to adopt 3-year budget resolutions for the period covering the second
budget resolution for FY1980 through the FY1986 budget resolution. The practice
of including 3 fiscal years was formalized by the 1985 Balanced Budget Act.
5 For information on the FY2002 reserve funds, see CRS Report RS21038, Reserve Funds
in the FY2002 Budget Resolution, by Bill Heniff Jr.
6 See Congressional Record, v. 125, May 3, 1979, pp. 9677-9684.

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CRS-9
The Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1990 (Title XIII of P.L. 101-508; 104
Stat. 1388-573 through 630) temporarily extended to 5 fiscal years the period the
budget resolution is required to cover. The BEA of 1990 provision originally covered
5-year periods beginning in FY1991 and continuing through FY1995; this provision
was extended to cover the FY1996 through FY1998 budget resolutions by the
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (see Title XIV of P.L. 103-66; 107 Stat.
683-685). As an integral part of Congress’s goal of achieving a balanced budget by
FY2002, the FY1996 and FY1997 budget resolutions covered seven and 6 fiscal
years, respectively. The Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 amended the CBA to
require permanently that a budget resolution cover the budget year and at least the
4 ensuing fiscal years. The FY2002 budget resolution adopted by Congress covered
10 fiscal years.
Appendix G provides information regarding the number of years covered by
budget resolutions.
Congress also may revise budget levels for the current year in the budget
resolution, pursuant to Section 304 of the CBA. Congress has adopted 10 first
budget resolutions that revise current-year budget levels. The House and Senate
budget resolutions for FY1999 included revised budget levels for FY1998, but the
chambers did not reach final agreement on a budget resolution.

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CRS-10
Consideration and Adoption of
the Budget Resolution
Floor consideration of the budget resolution differs in the House and Senate.
Although the CBA sets forth procedures for the consideration of a budget resolution,
the House regularly adopts a “special rule,” a simple House resolution, setting further
terms for the consideration of the measure. In particular, “special rules” have been
used for more than a decade to limit the offering of amendments to a few major
substitutes. Appendix H lists the “special rules” that provided for the consideration
of budget resolutions.
Amendments to Budget Resolutions
The House has considered an average of over six amendments per budget
resolution, adopting an average of one of these.7 The largest number of amendments
considered was 45 in 1979; the largest number adopted was 11 in 1979 (the first
FY1983 budget resolution also was amended 11 times, but it subsequently was
rejected). Appendix I identifies the number of accepted and rejected amendments to
budget resolutions considered in the House. The amending activity in the House
during the last several years is in marked contrast to the early years of the
congressional budget process. During the first 8 years, the House considered an
average of 16 amendments per budget resolution, adopting an average of four of
these. In contrast, during the last 19 years, the House has considered very few
amendments to budget resolutions, averaging only three per budget resolution, and
adopting even fewer of these. Out of the 71 amendments considered by the House
during this time period, only four were adopted. Since 1992, the House has rejected
all amendments.
Contributing to this trend, the House “special rule” typically has allowed for
consideration of only amendments in the nature of a substitute to the budget
resolution. For example, between 1987 and 2001, 47 out of 49 amendments to the
budget resolution were amendments in the nature of a substitute. Appendix J lists
the amendments in the nature of a substitute to the budget resolution and their
disposition for the past 15 years.
Unlike the House, which has no reporting deadline for its budget committee to
report a budget resolution, the Senate has an April 1 reporting deadline for the budget
resolution.8 In addition, the terms of debate and the consideration of amendments are
not structured by a “special rule,” as in the House. Typically, a larger number of
amendments is considered, consisting of substitute amendments as well as
amendments that address specific issues. In recent years, many of these amendments
have been declaratory statements that express the sense of the Senate on various
policy issues, but have no binding effect. In an attempt to reduce such amendments,
7 This average, as well as the average number of Senate amendments, derives from all first
budget resolutions considered and adopted on the House or Senate floor.
8 For further information, see CRS Report RS20541, Congressional Budget Resolutions:
Reporting Deadline in the Senate, by Robert Keith.

---

CRS-11
the FY2001 budget resolution included a provision specifying predominately
“precatory” amendments as not germane.9 The CBA prohibits non-germane
amendments to budget resolutions.10
During the period between 1975 and 2001, the Senate considered an average of
almost 35 amendments per budget resolution, adopting an average of over 17 of
these. The largest number of amendments considered was 106 in 1998; the largest
number adopted was 57 in 1998 and 1999. Appendix K identifies the number of
amendments accepted, rejected, withdrawn, and
declared out-of-order during Senate consideration
Figure 1. Dates of Final
of budget resolutions. In contrast to the House,
Adoption of Budget
the number of amendments considered by the
Resolutions, FY1976-FY2002
Senate has increased in recent years. Over the
last 9 years, the Senate considered an average of
Fiscal year
Date adopted
68 amendments per budget resolution, adopting
1976
05-14-1975
an average of almost 40 of these. Amendments
1977
05-13-1976
1978
05-17-1977
have been accepted in the Senate at a much higher
rate compared to the House as well. In 6 of the
1979
05-17-1978
last 9 years, the success rate for amendments has
1980
05-24-1979
exceeded 60%.
1981
06-12-1980
1982
05-21-1981
1983
06-23-1982
1984
06-23-1983
Timing of Budget Resolutions
1985
10-01-1984
1986
08-01-1985
The congressional budget timetable sets
1987
06-27-1986
April 15 as a target date for completion of the
1988
06-24-1987
annual budget resolution. Figure 1 lists the dates
1989
06-06-1988
of final adoption of budget resolutions for
1990
05-18-1989
FY1976-FY2002. Since the timetable was
1991
10-09-1990
established in 1974, Congress has met the budget
1992
05-22-1991
resolution deadline only five times, most recently
1993
05-21-1992
in 2000 for FY2001. Under the original deadline
1994
04-01-1993
(prior to 1986, the deadline was May 15),
1995
05-12-1994
Congress adopted the annual budget resolution on
1996
06-29-1995
time in 1975 and 1976. After the deadline was
1997
06-13-1996
changed to April 15 by the 1985 Balanced Budget
1998
06-05-1997
Act (see Section 201(b)), Congress has met its
1999
—
deadline only three times, in 1993, 1999, and
2000
04-15-1999
2000. Congress did not adopt a FY1999 budget
2001
04-13-2000
resolution in 1998.
2002
05-10-2001
Budget resolutions were adopted an average
of 40 days after the deadline for FY1976-
FY2002, not including FY1999. The FY1991 budget resolution was adopted the
9 Section 204(g) of H.Con.Res. 68, 106th Congress.
10 Section 305(b)(2) of the CBA, as amended. This ban on non-germane amendments also
applies to reconciliation legislation.

---

CRS-12
latest, on October 9, 1990. The earliest adoption of a budget resolution was for
FY1994, on April 1, 1993. Figure 2 illustrates the number of days before or after the
deadline budget resolutions were adopted. Appendices L and M provide a list of
dates related to the consideration and adoption of the budget resolution in the House
and the Senate, respectively.
Figure 2. Number of Days Before or After Deadline That
Action on the Budget Resolution Was Completed
1976
-1
1977
-2
1978
2
1979
2
1980
9
1981
28
1982
6
1983
39
39
1984
1985
139
1986
78
1987
73
1988
70
1989
52
FY
1990
33
1991
177
1992
37
1993
36
1994
-14
1995
27
1996
75
1997
59
51
1998
1999
2000
0
2001
-2
2002
25
-25
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200
Days before (-)/after deadline
Note: The deadline for adoption of the budget resolution was May 15 for FY1976-FY1986 and
April 15 thereafter. No budget resolution was adopted for FY1999. The FY2000 budget resolution
was adopted on the deadline of April 15; thus, the value is zero.

---

CRS-13
Appendix A. Provisions in Law and Budget
Resolutions Modifying the Congressional
Budget Process
Full Employment and Balanced Growth Act of 1978 (“Humphrey-Hawkins
Act”; P.L. 95-523; 92 Stat. 1887-1908; October 27, 1978)
! Called for a period of up to four hours for debate on economic goals and
priorities, following the presentation of opening floor statements on the budget
resolution.
Temporary Increase in the Public Debt Limit (P.L. 96-5; 93 Stat. 8; April 2,
1979)
! Mandated that the President’s budget and the Budget Committee’s reported
budget resolution for FY1981 and FY1982 be in balance. Provision was
repealed in 1982.
Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-272; 100
Stat. 82-391; April 7, 1986)
! Prohibited the inclusion of extraneous matter in reconciliation legislation.
Originally this procedural restriction, known as the Byrd rule, applied during
the period from April 7, 1986 to January 2, 1987; it was later incorporated into
the 1974 CBA.11
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Title II of P.L. 99-
177; 99 Stat. 1038-1101; December 12, 1985)12
! Required Congress to complete action on a budget resolution by April 15 of
each year (deadline moved from May 15).
! Eliminated the requirement that Congress adopt a second budget resolution
annually by September 15.
11 The Byrd rule was extended to January 2, 1988 under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-509; 100 Stat. 1874-2078; October 21, 1986) and to September 30,
1992 by a measure to increase the statutory limit on the public debt (P.L. 100-119; 101 Stat.
754-788; September 29, 1987) before the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 (see below)
incorporated the Byrd rule into the CBA as Section 313.
12 For more information on changes made by the 1985 Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act, see CRS Report 86-713, Changes in the Congressional Budget Process
Made by the 1985 Balanced Budget Act (P.L. 99-177), by Robert A. Keith; and CRS Report
85-1130, Explanation of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 -
Public Law 99-177 (The Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), by Allen Schick.

---

CRS-14
! Formalized the practice of adopting a 3-year budget resolution, with the
second and third fiscal years non-binding. (Current law requires budget
resolutions to cover at least 5 fiscal years.)
! Called for off-budget entities, except Social Security, to be included in the
budget resolution and the President’s budget.
! Formalized the practice of including credit authority (direct and guaranteed
loans) in the budget resolution.
! Mandated that neither chamber may consider a budget resolution, amendment
to a budget resolution, or conference report on a budget resolution that
recommends a deficit amount greater than the applicable maximum deficit
amount established in the 1985 Balanced Budget Act.
! Excluded Social Security from budget totals, except for purposes of
calculating the deficit in order to determine if sequestration is required. The
budget resolution may contain two deficit totals, one with Social Security, one
without.
! Allowed committees subject to reconciliation legislation (essentially the House
Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee) to shift up to 20
percent of deficit reduction between revenue increases and spending
reductions.
Budget Enforcement Act (BEA) of 1990 (Title XIII of the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1990; P.L. 101-508; 104 Stat. 1388-573 through 630;
November 5, 1990)13
! Added language to the CBA allowing the option to include pay-as-you-go
procedures for the Senate and House in the budget resolution (Sections
301(b)(7) and 301(b)(8)).
! Incorporated the Byrd rule as Section 313 of the CBA. The rule bars
extraneous matter from being included in reconciliation legislation.
! Required that FY1991 through FY1995 budget resolutions cover 5 fiscal
years. Current law permanently requires at least five fiscal years (see BEA of
1997 below).
! In the Senate, prohibited the consideration of a reported budget resolution
calling for a reduction in Social Security surpluses.
! Changed deadline for submitting views and estimates reports from “on or
before February 25 of each year” to “within 6 weeks after the President
submits a budget.” Also changes the deadline for the President’s budget
13 See CRS Report 90-520, Budget Enforcement Act of 1990: Brief Summary, by Edward
Davis and Robert Keith.

---

CRS-15
submission from “on or before the first Monday after January 3 of each year”
to “on or after the first Monday in January but not later than the first Monday
in February of each year.”
! Added language to the CBA allowing the option of including Social Security
outlays and revenues in the budget resolution for purposes of Senate
enforcement.
! In the Senate, created a point of order that prohibits the consideration of any
budget resolution that would exceed any of the discretionary spending limits.
Initially, this point of order was added to the CBA as a temporary Section
(601(b)); the BEA of 1997 permanently added this point of order to the CBA
as Section 312(b) and applied the point of order to any legislation.
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 (Title XIV of P.L. 103-66; 107 Stat.
683-685; August 10, 1993)
! Extended through FY1998 the BEA requirement that budget resolutions cover
5 fiscal years.
Budget Resolution for FY1994 (H.Con.Res. 64; 103rd Congress; April 1, 1993)14
! Created a Senate pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) point of order that prohibits the
consideration of any direct spending or revenue legislation that would increase
the deficit in the first fiscal year, the period of the first 5 fiscal years, or the
following 5 fiscal years, covered by the most recently adopted budget
resolution. The point of order required a three-fifths vote, or unanimous
consent, of the Senate to waive. The current language of the Senate PAYGO
point of order is included in the FY2000 budget resolution.
Budget Resolution for FY1995 (H.Con.Res. 218; 103rd Congress; May 12, 1994)
! Made permanent a temporary modification found in the budget resolutions for
FY1993 and FY1994, which applied Section 301(i) to a budget resolution at
any stage of consideration. Section 301(i) of the CBA prohibits the Senate
from considering any reported budget resolution that would decrease the
excess of Social Security revenues over Social Security outlays for any of the
fiscal years covered by the resolution, subject to a three-fifths waiver
requirement. This creates a so-called “firewall” to protect Social Security
balances.
! Prohibited the scoring of proceeds from asset sales in the budget process
through the FY1998 budget cycle. Similar, temporary provisions were
included in budget resolutions from FY1988-FY1994. This provision was
repealed by the FY1997 budget resolution.
14 Although budget resolutions, which are agreed to in the form of a concurrent resolution, do
not have the force of law, they can contain changes in congressional budget procedures.

---

CRS-16
! Clarified the language of Senate PAYGO point of order. Also, it scheduled the
point or order to expire on September 30, 1998. Current language of the
Senate PAYGO point of order is included in the FY2000 budget resolution.
Budget Resolution for FY1996 (H.Con.Res. 67; 104th Congress; June 29, 1995)
! Extended Senate PAYGO point of order through FY2002.
Budget Resolution for FY1997 (H.Con.Res. 178; 104th Congress; June 16, 1996)
! Repealed the asset sale scoring prohibition put in place by the FY1995 budget
resolution.
Budget Enforcement Act of 1997 (Title X of P.L. 105-33; 111 Stat. 677-712;
August 5, 1997)15
! Permanently required the budget resolution to cover at least five fiscal years.
! Made optional rather than mandatory the inclusion of total direct loan
obligation and total primary loan guarantee commitment levels in the budget
resolution and the accompanying report.
! Modified the optional contents of the budget resolution to include special
“pay-as-you-go” procedures in the Senate pertaining to the use of “reserve
funds.”
! Allowed the Budget Committees to set an alternative deadline for committees
to submit their “views and estimates” reports instead of the usual deadline of
within 6 weeks after submission of the President’s budget.
! Applied the Senate point of order against a budget resolution recommending
a decrease in the projected surplus in the Social Security trust funds to all its
legislative stages.
! Clarified that House committees subject to reconciliation legislation (primarily
the House Ways and Means Committee) may alter the mix of revenue and
spending legislative changes so long as the “absolute value” of these changes
does not exceed 20 percent of the directed revenue and spending changes.
Budget Resolution for FY2000 (H.Con.Res. 68; 106th Congress; April 15, 1999)
! Applied the Senate PAYGO point of order to the on-budget deficit, permitting
on-budget surpluses to be used for tax reductions or spending increases. It is
scheduled to expire at the end of FY2002.
15 For more information on changes made by the Budget Enforcement Act of 1997, see CRS
Report 97-931, Budget Enforcement Act of 1997: Summary and Legislative History, by
Robert Keith.

---

CRS-17
! Created a point of order that prohibits consideration of a revised FY2000 or
a FY2001 budget resolution setting forth an on-budget deficit for any fiscal
year (i.e., excluding any surplus resulting from the Social Security trust fund).
The provision does not apply if the deficit for a fiscal year results solely from
legislation that “enhances retirement security through structural programmatic
reforms.”
Budget Resolution for FY2001 (H.Con.Res. 290; 106th Congress; April 13, 2000)
! Applied the point of order against budget resolutions setting forth an on-
budget deficit for any fiscal year (see FY2000 budget resolution) to a revised
FY2001 or a FY2002 budget resolution. The provision would not apply if the
economy experienced low growth in two consecutive quarters, or if a
declaration of war was in effect.
! Created a point of order in the Senate that prohibits consideration of legislation
providing advance appropriations in excess of $23.5 billion. It required a
three-fifths vote, or unanimous consent, of the Senate to waive. The point of
order was scheduled to expire on October 1, 2002, but was superseded by a
similar provision in the FY2002 budget resolution.
! Created a point of order in the Senate that prohibits consideration of legislation
providing delayed obligations, except for appropriations in the defense
category and “appropriations reoccurring or customary.” It requires a three-
fifths vote, or unanimous consent, of the Senate to waive. The point of order
is scheduled to expire on October 1, 2002.
! Specified that amendments that contain predominately “precatory” language,
such as sense-of-the-Senate amendments, are not germane, effectively
prohibiting such amendments to budget resolutions and reconciliation
legislation.
! Created a point of order against a designation of any provision of legislation
as an emergency requirement under Section 251(b)(2)(A) or 252(e) of the
1985 Balanced Budget Act, as amended, except for discretionary defense
appropriations. The point of order requires a three-fifths vote, or unanimous
consent, of the Senate to waive.
Budget Resolution for FY2002 (H.Con.Res. 83; 107th Congress; May 10, 2001)
! Created points of order in the House and Senate that prohibit consideration of
legislation providing advance appropriations, except for certain accounts listed
in the conference report to the budget resolution in the amount of $23.159
billion, and the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. In the Senate, the point
of order requires a three-fifths vote or unanimous consent to waive.

---

CRS-18
Appendix B. Statutes-at-Large Citations of Budget
Resolutions Adopted by Congress, FY1976-FY2002
Fiscal
Budget
Statutes-at-large
Congress
Typea
Year
Resolution
Citation
94th
1976
first
H.Con.Res. 218
89 Stat. 1197-1198
second
H.Con.Res. 466
89 Stat. 1209-1210
1977
first
S.Con.Res. 109
90 Stat. 3029-3030
second
S.Con.Res. 139
90 Stat. 3044-3045
95th
1977
third
S.Con.Res. 10
91 Stat. 1666-1667
1978
first
S.Con.Res. 19
91 Stat. 1670-1673
second
H.Con.Res. 341
91 Stat. 1683-1684
1979
first
S.Con.Res. 80
92 Stat. 3870-3872
second
H.Con.Res. 683
92 Stat. 3878-3879
96th
1980
first
H.Con.Res. 107
93 Stat. 1413-1416
second
S.Con.Res. 53
93 Stat. 1428-1433
1981
first
H.Con.Res. 307
94 Stat. 3655-3668
second
H.Con.Res. 448
94 Stat. 3680-3688
97th
1982
first
H.Con.Res. 115
95 Stat. 1743-1759
second
S.Con.Res. 50
95 Stat. 1778
1983
—
S.Con.Res. 92
96 Stat. 2647-2661
98th
1984
—
H.Con.Res. 91
97 Stat. 1501-1523
1985
—
H.Con.Res. 280
98 Stat. 3484-3498
99th
1986
—
S.Con.Res. 32
99 Stat. 1941-1959
1987
—
S.Con.Res. 120
100 Stat. 4354-4370
100th
1988
—
H.Con.Res. 93
101 Stat. 1986-2003
1989
—
H.Con.Res. 268
102 Stat. 4875-4886
101st
1990
—
H.Con.Res. 106
103 Stat. 2540-2554
1991
—
H.Con.Res. 310
104 Stat. 5163-5181
102nd
1992
—
H.Con.Res. 121
105 Stat. 2414-2433
1993
—
H.Con.Res. 287
106 Stat. 5165-5189
103rd
1994
—
H.Con.Res. 64
107 Stat. 2508-2538
1995
—
H.Con.Res. 218
108 Stat. 5075-5103

---

CRS-19
Fiscal
Budget
Statutes-at-large
Congress
Typea
Year
Resolution
Citation
104th
1996
—
H.Con.Res. 67
109 Stat. 996-1030
1997
—
H.Con.Res. 178
110 Stat. 4434-4482
105th
1998
—
H.Con.Res. 84
111 Stat. 2710-2760
1999b
—
—
—
106th
2000
—
H.Con.Res. 68
113 Stat. 1968-1999
2001
—
H.Con.Res. 290
not available
107th
2002
—
H.Con.Res. 83
not available
Note: Although concurrent resolutions such as budget resolutions have no statutory authority, they
are compiled in a special section of the Statutes-at-Large.
a. “Type” refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year.
For the first seven years of the congressional budget process, Congress adopted multiple budget
resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has only adopted one a
year.
b. House and Senate did not reach final agreement on FY1999 budget resolution.

---

CRS-20
Appendix C. Budget Resolutions Rejected by
the House, FY1976-FY2002
Fiscal
Congress
Budget Resolution
Date
Vote
Year
95th
1978
H.Con.Res. 195
04-27-1977
84-320
96th
1980
H.Con.Res. 186a
09-19-1979
192-213
97th
1983
H.Con.Res. 345
05-27-1982
159-265
99th
1987
H.Con.Res. 296
03-13-1986
12-312
101st
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
10-5-1990
179-254
(conf. rept.)b
104th
1996
H.Con.Res. 122
12-19-1995
0-412
Note: No budget resolutions in the Senate were rejected on roll-call votes. All budget resolutions
listed are first budget resolutions, except for FY1980, which is a second budget resolution.
a. House subsequently adopted the Senate’s version of the second budget resolution for FY1980
(S.Con.Res. 53).
b. Another conference report to H.Con.Res. 310 was agreed to on October 8, 1990, by a vote of 250-
164.

---

CRS-21
Appendix D. Budget Resolution Committee
Reports, FY1976- FY2002
Budget Resolution
Fiscal
House
Senate
Conference
(companion
Year
Report
Report
Report(s)
measure)
1976
H.Con.Res. 218
94-145
94-77
H.Rept. 94-198
(S.Con.Res. 32)
S.Rept. 94-113
1977
S.Con.Res. 109
94-1030
94-731
H.Rept. 94-1108
(H.Con.Res. 611)
S.Rept. 94-805
1978
S.Con.Res. 19
95-239
95-90
H.Rept. 95-291
(H.Con.Res. 214)
S.Rept. 95-134
1979
S.Con.Res. 80
95-1055
95-739
H.Rept. 95-1173
(H.Con.Res. 559)
S.Rept. 95-866
1980
H.Con.Res. 107
96-95
96-68
H.Rept. 96-211
(S.Con.Res. 22)
S.Rept. 96-192
1981
H.Con.Res. 307
96-857
96-654
H.Rept. 96-1051
(S.Con.Res. 86)
S.Rept. 96-792
1982
H.Con.Res. 115
97-23
97-49
H.Rept. 97-46
(S.Con.Res. 19)
S.Rept. 97-86
1983
S.Con.Res. 92
97-597
97-385
H.Rept. 97-614
(H.Con.Res. 352)
S.Rept. 97-478
1984
H.Con.Res. 91
98-41
98-63
H.Rept. 98-248
(S.Con.Res. 27)
S.Rept. 98-155
1985
H.Con.Res. 280
none
98-399
H.Rept. 98-1079
(S.Con.Res. 106)
1986
S.Con.Res. 32
99-133
99-15
H.Rept. 99-249
(H.Con.Res. 152)
1987
S.Con.Res. 120
99-598
99-264
H.Rept. 99-664
(H.Con.Res. 337)
1988
H.Con.Res. 93
none
none
H.Rept. 100-175
(S.Con.Res. 49)
S.Rept. 100-76
1989
H.Con.Res. 268
100-523
100-311
H.Rept. 100-658
(S.Con.Res. 113)
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
101-42
101-20
H.Rept. 101-50
(S.Con.Res. 30)
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
101-455
none
H.Rept. 101-820
(S.Con.Res. 110)

---

CRS-22
Budget Resolution
Fiscal
House
Senate
Conference
(companion
Year
Report
Report
Report(s)
measure)
1992
H.Con.Res. 121
102-32
102-40
H.Rept. 102-69
(S.Con.Res. 29)
1993
H.Con.Res. 287
102-450
none
H.Rept. 102-529
(S.Con.Res. 106)
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
103-31
103-19
H.Rept. 103-48
(S.Con.Res. 18)
1995
H.Con.Res. 218
103-428
103-238
H.Rept. 103-490
(S.Con.Res. 63)
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
104-120
104-82
H.Rept. 104-159
(S.Con.Res. 13)
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
104-575
104-271
H.Rept. 104-612
(S.Con.Res. 57)
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
105-100
none
H.Rept. 105-116
(S.Con.Res. 27)
1999a
H.Con.Res. 284
105-555
105-170
—
(S.Con.Res. 86)
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
106-73
106-27
H.Rept. 106-91
(S.Con.Res. 20)
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
106-530
106-251
H.Rept. 106-577
(S.Con.Res. 101)
2002
H.Con.Res. 83b
107-26
none
H.Rept. 107-60
Note: This list includes only first budget resolutions.
a. House and Senate did not reach final agreement on the FY1999 budget resolution.
b. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead,
the House-passed budget resolution was discharged from the committee and considered by the
Senate.

---

CRS-23
Appendix E. Selected Components of
Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2002
Number of
Number of
Number of
Fiscal
Budget
Reconciliation
Credit
Reserve
Declaratory
Procedural
Year
Resolution
Instructions
Levels
Fundsa
Statementsb
Provisionsc
1976
H.Con.Res. 218
—
—
0
0
0
1977
S.Con.Res. 109
—
—
0
0
0
1978
S.Con.Res. 19
—
—
0
1
0
1979
S.Con.Res. 80
—
—
0
0
0
1980
H.Con.Res. 107
—
—
0
0
0
1981
H.Con.Res. 307
X
X
0
3
1
1982
H.Con.Res. 115
X
X
0
2
1
1983
S.Con.Res. 92
X
X
0
3
6
1984
H.Con.Res. 91
X
X
1d
3
3
1985
H.Con.Res. 280
—
X
0
1
3
1986
S.Con.Res. 32
X
X
0
7
2
1987
S.Con.Res. 120
X
X
2
8
1
1988
H.Con.Res. 93
X
X
3
3
4
1989
H.Con.Res. 268
—
X
3
3
1
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
X
X
2
2
1
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
X
X
1
0
1

---

CRS-24
Number of
Number of
Number of
Fiscal
Budget
Reconciliation
Credit
Reserve
Declaratory
Procedural
Year
Resolution
Instructions
Levels
Fundsa
Statementsb
Provisionsc
1992
H.Con.Res. 121
—
X
5
2
3
1993
H.Con.Res. 287
—
X
5
8
4
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
X
X
7
29
4
1995
H.Con.Res. 218
—
X
13
14
4
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
X
X
2
14
5
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
X
X
3
39
3
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
X
X
10
40
3
1999e
H.Con.Res. 284
X
—
0
7
1
S.Con.Res. 86
—
—
4 f
16
0
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
X
—
7
22
3
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
X
—
10
44
13
2002
H.Con.Res. 83
X
—
9
14
5
Note: This list includes only first budget resolutions.
a. “Reserve fund” refers to any provision establishing procedures to revise spending or revenue levels, or both, if certain legislation is enacted or some
other condition is met.
b. Declaratory statements express, in non-binding terms, the sense of the Congress, the sense of the House, or the sense of the Senate on various issues.
c. Some examples of the procedural provisions include: deferred enrollment; automatic second budget resolutions; special budgetary treatment of
certain activities, such as the sale of government assets; and more recently, enforcement of a pay-as-you-go rules in the Senate, and limits on
advance appropriations. The number of procedural provisions does not include reconciliation instructions or reserve funds.
d. The FY1984 budget resolution provided for a single deficit-neutral reserve fund for all legislative initiatives included in the Manager’s Statement.
e. House and Senate did not reach final agreement on FY1999 budget resolution.
f. This number does not include a provision allowing for revisions in spending levels if the line-item veto was ruled unconstitutional.

---

CRS-25
Appendix F. Budget Resolutions and Resultant
Reconciliation Acts, FY1981-FY2002
Fiscal
Fiscal Years Covered by
Date Enacted
Budget Resolution
Resultant Reconciliation Laws
Year
Reconciliation Instructions
or Vetoed
1981
H.Con.Res. 307
1980-1981a
Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1980 (P.L.
12-05-1980
96-499)
1982
H.Con.Res. 115
1981-1984b
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981
08-13-1981
(P.L. 97-35)
1983
H.Con.Res. 92
1983-1985
Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act of
09-03-1982
1982 (P.L. 97-248)
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1982
09-08-1982
(P.L. 97-253)
1984
H.Con.Res. 91
1984-1986
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1983
04-18-1984
(P.L. 98-270)
1986
S.Con.Res. 32
1986-1988
Consolidated Omnibus Budget
04-07-1986
Reconciliation Act of 1985 (P.L. 99-272)
1987
S.Con.Res. 120
1987-1989
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986
10-21-1986
(P.L. 99-509)
1988
S.Con.Res. 93
1988-1990
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987
12-22-1987
(P.L. 100-203)
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
1990 (Senate)
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1989
12-19-1989
1990-1991 (House)
(P.L. 101-239)
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
1991-1995
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990
11-05-1990
(P.L. 101-508)
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
1994-1998
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
08-10-1993
(P.L. 103-66)

---

CRS-26
Fiscal
Fiscal Years Covered by
Date Enacted
Budget Resolution
Resultant Reconciliation Laws
Year
Reconciliation Instructions
or Vetoed
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
1996-2002
Balanced Budget Act of 1995
12-06-1995
(vetoed)c
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
1997-2002
Personal Responsibility and Work
08-22-1996
Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996
(P.L. 104-193)
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
1998-2002
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
08-05-1997
(P.L. 105-33)
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
08-05-1997
(P.L. 105-34)
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
2000-2009
Taxpayer Refund and Relief Act of 1999
09-23-1999
(H.R. 2488)
(vetoed)
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
2001-2005
Marriage Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of
08-05-2000
2000 (H.R. 4810)
(vetoed)
2002
H.Con.Res. 83
2001-2011
Economic Growth and Tax Relief
07-07-2001
Reconciliation Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-16)
Source: CRS Report RL30458, The Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Legislative Action, by Robert Keith.
a. The House and Senate Appropriations Committees were instructed in the budget resolution to submit legislation (e.g., rescissions of previously
enacted appropriations) to reduce spending for FY1980.
b. The Senate Appropriations Committee was instructed in the budget resolution to submit legislation to reduce spending for FY1981 (budget authority
and outlays) and FY1982-1984 (outlays only).

---

CRS-27
Appendix G. Number of Years Covered by
Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2002
Number of Years
Fiscal
Budget
Fiscal Years
Current Fiscal
Covered, Excluding
Year
Resolution
Covered
Year Revision
Current Year
1976
H.Con.Res. 218
1976
—
1
1977
S.Con.Res. 109
1976-1977
1976
1
1978
S.Con.Res. 19
1978
—
1
1979
S.Con.Res. 80
1979
—
1
1980
H.Con.Res. 107
1979-1980
1979
1
1981
H.Con.Res. 307
1980-1983
1980
3
1982
H.Con.Res. 115
1981-1984
1981
3
1983
S.Con.Res. 92
1982-1985
1982
3
1984
H.Con.Res. 91
1983-1986
1983
3
1985
H.Con.Res. 280
1984-1987
1984
3
1986
S.Con.Res. 32
1985-1988
1985
3
1987
S.Con.Res. 120
1987-1989
—
3
1988
H.Con.Res. 93
1988-1990
—
3
1989
H.Con.Res. 268
1989-1991
—
3
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
1990-1992
—
3
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
1991-1995
—
5
1992
H.Con.Res. 121
1991-1996
1991
5
1993
H.Con.Res. 287
1993-1997
—
5
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
1994-1998
—
5
1995
H.Con.Res. 218
1995-1999
—
5
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
1996-2002
—
7
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
1997-2002
—
6
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
1998-2002
—
5
1999 a
H.Con.Res. 284/
1998-2003
1998
5
S.Con.Res. 86
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
2000-2009
—
10

---

CRS-28
Number of Years
Fiscal
Budget
Fiscal Years
Current Fiscal
Covered, Excluding
Year
Resolution
Covered
Year Revision
Current Year
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
2000-2005
2000
5
2002
H.Con.Res. 83
2001-2011
2001
10
Note: This list includes only first budget resolutions.
a. House and Senate did not reach final agreement on a FY1999 budget resolution.

---

CRS-29
Appendix H. “Special Rules” Providing for the
Consideration of Budget Resolutions in the House,
FY1976-FY2002
Fiscal
Date “Special Rule”
“Special Rule”
Budget Resolution
Vote
Year
was Adopteda
1976
none
—
—
—
1977
none
—
—
—
1978
H.Res. 515
H.Con.Res. 195
04-26-1977
400-1
1979
none
—
—
—
1980
none
—
—
—
1981
H.Res. 642
H.Con.Res. 307
04-23-1980
261-143
H.Res. 649b
H.Con.Res. 307
04-30-1980
voice
1982
H.Res. 134
H.Con.Res. 115
04-30-1981
328-76
1983
H.Res. 477
H.Con.Res. 345
05-21-1982
voice
H.Res. 496
H.Con.Res. 352
06-10-1982
339-72
1984
H.Res. 144
H.Con.Res. 91
03-22-1983
230-187
H.Res. 243
H.Con.Res. 91
06-23-1983
voice
(conf. rept.)
1985
H.Res. 476
H.Con.Res. 280
04-04-1984
302-89
1986
H.Res. 177
H.Con.Res. 152
05-22-1985
273-141
H.Res. 253
S.Con.Res. 32
08-01-1985
voice
(conf. rept.)
1987
H.Res. 397
H.Con.Res. 296
03-13-1986
239-168
H.Res. 455
H.Con.Res. 337
05-14-1986
voice
1988
H.Res. 139
H.Con.Res. 93
04-08-1987
241-168
H.Res. 201
H.Con.Res. 93
06-23-1987
voice
(conf. rept.)
1989
H.Res. 410
H.Con.Res. 268
03-23-1988
voice
H.Res. 461
H.Con.Res. 268
05-26-1988
voice
(conf. rept.)
1990
H.Res. 145
H.Con.Res. 106
05-03-1989
voice
1991
H.Res. 382
H.Con.Res. 310
04-26-1990
voice
H.Res. 488
H.Con.Res. 310
10-04-1990
339-94
(conf. rept.)
H.Res. 496c
H.Con.Res. 310
10-06-1990
285-105
(conf. rept.)

---

CRS-30
Fiscal
Date “Special Rule”
“Special Rule”
Budget Resolution
Vote
Year
was Adopteda
1992
H.Res. 123
H.Con.Res. 121
04-16-1991
392-9
H.Res. 157
H.Con.Res. 121
05-22-1991
257-164
(conf. rept.)
1993
H.Res. 386
H.Con.Res. 287
03-04-1992
239-183
H.Res. 463
H.Con.Res. 287
05-21-1992
253-160
(conf. rept.)
1994
H.Res. 131
H.Con.Res. 64
03-17-1993
voice
H.Res. 133d
H.Con.Res. 64
03-18-1993
251-172
H.Res. 145
H.Con.Res. 64
03-31-1993
250-172
(conf. rept.)
1995
H.Res. 384
H.Con.Res. 218
03-10-1994
245-171
H.Res. 418
H.Con.Res. 218
05-05-1994
228-168
(conf. rept.)
1996
H.Res. 149
H.Con.Res. 67
05-17-1995
225-168
H.Res. 175
H.Con.Res. 67
06-29-1995
234-180
(conf. rept.)
H.Res. 309
H.Con.Res. 122
12-19-1995
229-189
1997
H.Res. 435
H.Con.Res. 178
05-16-1996
227-196
H.Res. 450
H.Con.Res. 178
06-12-1996
232-190
(conf. rept.)
1998
H.Res. 152
H.Con.Res. 84
05-20-1997
278-142
H.Res. 160
H.Con.Res. 84
06-05-1997
373-47
(conf. rept.)
1999
H.Res. 455
H.Con.Res. 284
06-04-1998
216-197
2000
H.Res. 131
H.Con.Res. 68
03-25-1999
228-194
H.Res. 137
H.Con.Res. 68
04-14-1999
221-205
(conf. rept.)
2001
H.Res. 446
H.Con.Res. 290
03-23-2000
228-194
H.Res. 474
H.Con.Res. 290
04-13-2000
221-205
(conf. rept.)
2002
H.Res. 100
H.Con.Res. 83
03-28-2000
282-130
H.Res. 134e
H.Con.Res. 83
05-08-2001
409-1
(conf. rept.)
H.Res. 136
H.Con.Res. 83
05-09-2001
218-208
(conf. rept.)
Note: A “special rule” is a simple resolution reported from the House Rules Committee to provide for
consideration of legislation by the House. This list includes only first budget resolutions.
a. No “special rules” were rejected.
b. Provided for technical corrections of H.Res. 642.
c. Provided for consideration of a revised conference report (H.Rept. 101-820); the original conference report
(H.Rept. 101-802) was rejected on October 5, 1990, by a vote of 179-254.
d. Provided for further consideration of H.Con.Res. 64.
e. Provided for the recommittal of the conference report to the conference committee; two pages were reportedly
missing from the original printed conference report (H.Rept. 107-55).

---

CRS-31
Appendix I. Number of Amendments to Budget
Resolutions Considered in the House,
FY1976-FY2002
Fiscal
House budget
Amendmentsa
Year
Resolution
Accepted
Rejected
Total
Success Rateb
1976
H.Con.Res. 218
3
3
6
50%
1977
H.Con.Res. 611
2
14
16
13%
1978
H.Con.Res. 195c
6
10
16
60%
H.Con.Res. 214
2
6
8
25%
1979
H.Con.Res. 559
3
13
16
19%
1980
H.Con.Res. 107
11
34
45
24%
1981
H.Con.Res. 307
1
10
11
9%
1982
H.Con.Res. 115
2
2
4
50%
1983
H.Con.Res. 345c
11
27
38
29%
H.Con.Res. 352
1
1
2
50%
1984
H.Con.Res. 91
—
—
—
—
1985
H.Con.Res. 280
0
7
7
0%
1986
H.Con.Res. 152
1
6
7
14%
1987
H.Con.Res. 296c
—
—
—
—
H.Con.Res. 337
0
3
3
0%
1988
H.Con.Res. 93
1
3
4
25%
1989
H.Con.Res. 268
0
3
3
0%
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
1
4
5
20%
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
0
3
3
0%
1992
H.Con.Res. 121
1
3
4
25%
1993
H.Con.Res. 287
0
3
3
0%
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
0
3
3
0%
1995
H.Con.Res. 218
0
4
4
0%
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
0
3
3
0%
H.Con.Res. 122c
—
—
—
—
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
0
3
3
0%
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
0
5
5
0%

---

CRS-32
Fiscal
House budget
Amendmentsa
Year
Resolution
Accepted
Rejected
Total
Success Rateb
1999
H.Con.Res. 284
0
2
2
0%
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
0
3
3
0%
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
0
5
5
0%
2002
H.Con.Res. 83
0
4
4
0%
Note: This list includes only first budget resolutions.
a. No amendments were withdrawn or ruled out of order.
b. “Success rate” is the percentage of amendments accepted.
c. Budget resolution was rejected in the House; see Appendix C in this report.

---

CRS-33
Appendix J. House Amendments in the
Nature of a Substitute toBudget Resolutions,
FY1988-FY2002
Fiscal
Budget
Amendment
Date
Vote
Disposition
Year
Resolution
Sponsor
1988
H.Con.Res. 93
Gray (PA)
04-09-1987
230-192
accepted
Gray (PA)
04-09-1987
27-394
rejected
Dannemeyer
04-09-1987
47-369
rejected
Dymally
04-09-1987
56-362
rejected
1989
H.Con.Res. 268
Dannemeyer
03-23-1988
75-347
rejected
Porter
03-23-1988
64-354
rejected
Penny
03-23-1988
27-394
rejected
1990
H.Con.Res. 106
Dannemeyer
05-04-1989
72-350
rejected
Dellums
05-04-1989
81-343
rejected
Kasich
05-04-1989
30-393
rejected
Gephardt
05-04-1989
49-373
rejected
1991
H.Con.Res. 310
Kasich
04-26-1990
106-305
rejected
Dannemeyer
04-26-1990
48-354
rejected
Dellums
05-01-1990
90-334
rejected
1992
H.Con.Res. 121
Dannemeyer
04-17-1991
79-332
rejected
Kasich
04-17-1991
114-303
rejected
Gradison
04-17-1991
89-335
rejected
1993
H.Con.Res. 287
Dannemeyer
03-04-1992
60-344
rejected
Gradison
03-04-1992
42-370
rejected
Towns
03-05-1992
77-342
rejected

---

CRS-34
Fiscal
Budget
Amendment
Date
Vote
Disposition
Year
Resolution
Sponsor
1994
H.Con.Res. 64
Kasich
03-18-1993
135-295
rejected
Solomon
03-18-1993
20-409
rejected
Mfume
03-18-1993
87-335
rejected
1995
H.Con.Res. 218
Frank (MA)
03-10-1994
105-313
rejected
Solomon
03-10-1994
73-342
rejected
Mfume
03-11-1994
81-326
rejected
Kasich
03-11-1994
165-243
rejected
1996
H.Con.Res. 67
Gephardt
05-18-1995
100-325
rejected
Neumann
05-18-1995
89-342
rejected
Payne (NJ)
05-18-1995
56-367
rejected
1997
H.Con.Res. 178
Payne (NJ)
05-16-1996
63-362
rejected
Orton
05-16-1996
130-295
rejected
Sabo
05-16-1996
117-304
rejected
1998
H.Con.Res. 84
Doolittle
05-21-1997
119-313
rejected
Brown (CA)
05-21-1997
91-339
rejected
Waters
05-21-1997
72-358
rejected
Kennedy (MA)
05-21-1997
123-306
rejected
Shuster
05-21-1997
214-216
rejected
1999
H.Con.Res. 284
Neumann
06-05-1998
158-262
rejected
Spratt
06-05-1998
164-257
rejected
2000
H.Con.Res. 68
Coburn
03-25-1999
2-426
rejected
Minge
03-25-1999
134-295
rejected
Spratt
03-25-1999
173-250
rejected

---

CRS-35
Fiscal
Budget
Amendment
Date
Vote
Disposition
Year
Resolution
Sponsor
2001
H.Con.Res. 290
Owens
03-23-2000
70-348
rejected
DeFazio
03-23-2000
61-351
rejected
Stenholm
03-23-2000
171-243
rejected
Sununu
03-23-2000
78-339
rejected
Spratt
03-23-2000
184-233
rejected
2002
H.Con.Res. 83
Kucinich
03-28-2001
79-343
rejected
Stenholm
03-28-2001
204-221
rejected
Flake
03-28-2001
81-341
rejected
Spratt
03-28-2001
183-243
rejected
Note: An amendment in the nature of a substitute strikes all text after resolving clause and inserts substitute legislative
language. This list includes only first budget resolutions.

---

CRS-36
Appendix K. Number of Amendments to Budget Resolutions
Considered in the Senate, FY1976-FY2002
Amendments
Senate Budget
Withdrawn or
Fiscal Year
Accepted
Rejected
Total
Success Ratea
Resolution
Out-of-Order
1976
S.Con.Res. 32
1
4
0
5
20%
1977
S.Con.Res. 109
1
7
0
8
13%
1978
S.Con.Res. 19
5
2
0
7
71%
1979
S.Con.Res. 80
0
9
0
9
0%
1980
S.Con.Res. 22
5
12
0
17
29%
1981
S.Con.Res. 86
11
28
0
39
28%
1982
S.Con.Res. 9b
4
31
1
36
11%
S.Con.Res. 19
2
17
0
19
11%
1983
S.Con.Res. 92
9
28
0
37
24%
1984
S.Con.Res. 27
7
24
0
31
23%
1985
S.Con.Res. 106
2
0
0
2
100%
1986
S.Con.Res. 32
14
23
0
37
38%
1987
S.Con.Res. 120
15
5
2
22
68%
1988
S.Con.Res. 49
4
9
2
15
27%
1989
S.Con.Res. 113
8
4
0
12
67%
1990
S.Con.Res. 30
23
2
1
26
88%

---

CRS-37
Amendments
Senate Budget
Withdrawn or
Fiscal Year
Accepted
Rejected
Total
Success Ratea
Resolution
Out-of-Order
1991
S.Con.Res. 110
1
0
0
1
100%
1992
S.Con.Res. 29
7
5
3
15
47%
1993
S.Con.Res. 106
15
3
3
21
71%
1994
S.Con.Res. 18
22
28
0
50
44%
1995
S.Con.Res. 63
26
9
4
39
67%
1996
S.Con.Res. 13
26
34
9
69
38%
1997
S.Con.Res. 57
41
22
4
67
61%
1998
S.Con.Res. 27
39
12
13
64
61%
1999
S.Con.Res. 86
57
8
41
106
54%
2000
S.Con.Res. 20
57
8
30
95
60%
2001
S.Con.Res. 101
38
12
8
58
66%
2002
H.Con.Res. 83c
51
10
5
66
77%
Note: This list includes only first budget resolutions.
a. “Success rate” is the percentage of amendments accepted.
b. Budget resolution was adopted by the Senate on April 2, 1981, by a vote of 88-10; no further action was taken.
c. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the House-passed budget resolution was
discharged from the committee and considered by the Senate.

---

CRS-38
Appendix L. Timing of House Action on
Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2002
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Date of Initial
Date Conference
Typea
Date Consideration
Year
(companion measure)
Began
Passage
Report Adopted
1976
H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 32)
first
04-30-1975
05-01-1975
05-14-1975
H.Con.Res. 466 (S.Con.Res. 76)
second
11-11-1975
11-12-1975
12-12-1975
1977
S.Con.Res. 109 (H.Con.Res. 611)
first
04-27-1976
04-29-1976
05-13-1976
S.Con.Res. 139 (H.Con.Res. 728)
second
09-08-1976
09-09-1976
09-16-1976
S.Con.Res. 10 (H.Con.Res. 110)
third
02-22-1977
02-23-1977
03-03-1977
1978
S.Con.Res. 19 (H.Con.Res. 214)
first
05-03-1977
05-05-1977
05-17-1977
H.Con.Res. 341 (S.Con.Res. 43)
second
09-07-1977
09-08-1977
09-15-1977
1979
S.Con.Res. 80 (H.Con.Res. 559)
first
05-02-1978
05-10-1978
05-17-1978
H.Con.Res. 683 (S.Con.Res. 104)
second
08-15-1978
08-16-1978
09-21-1978
1980
H.Con.Res. 107 (S.Con.Res. 22)
first
04-30-1979
05-14-1979
05-24-1979
S.Con.Res. 53 (H.Con.Res. 186)b
second
11-28-1979
11-28-1979
—
1981
H.Con.Res. 307 (S.Con.Res. 86)
first
04-23-1980
05-07-1980
06-12-1980
H.Con.Res. 448 (S.Con.Res. 119)
second
11-18-1980
11-18-1980
11-20-1980
1982
H.Con.Res. 115 (S.Con.Res. 19)
first
04-30-1981
05-07-1981
05-20-1981
S.Con.Res. 50 (H.Con.Res. 230)c
second
12-10-1981
12-10-1981
—

---

CRS-39
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Date of Initial
Date Conference
Typea
Date Consideration
Year
(companion measure)
Began
Passage
Report Adopted
1983
S.Con.Res. 92 (H.Con.Res. 352)
—
06-10-1982
06-10-1982
06-22-1982
1984
H.Con.Res. 91 (S.Con.Res. 27)
—
03-22-1983
03-23-1983
06-23-1983
1985
H.Con.Res. 280 (S.Con.Res. 106)
—
04-04-1984
04-05-1984
10-01-1984
1986
S.Con.Res. 32 (H.Con.Res. 152)
—
05-22-1985
05-23-1985
08-01-1985
1987
S.Con.Res. 120 (H.Con.Res. 337)
—
05-14-1986
05-15-1986
06-26-1986
1988
H.Con.Res. 93 (S.Con.Res. 49)
—
04-08-1987
04-09-1987
06-23-1987
1989
H.Con.Res. 268 (S.Con.Res. 113)
—
03-23-1988
03-23-1988
05-26-1988
1990
H.Con.Res. 106 (S.Con.Res. 30)
—
05-03-1989
05-04-1989
05-17-1989
1991
H.Con.Res. 310 (S.Con.Res. 110)
—
04-25-1990
05-01-1990
10-08-1990
1992
H.Con.Res. 121 (S.Con.Res. 29)
—
04-16-1991
04-17-1991
05-22-1991
1993
H.Con.Res. 287 (S.Con.Res. 106)
—
03-04-1992
03-05-1992
05-21-1992
1994
H.Con.Res. 64 (S.Con.Res. 18)
—
03-17-1993
03-18-1993
03-31-1993
1995
H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 63)
—
03-10-1994
03-11-1994
05-05-1994
1996
H.Con.Res. 67 (S.Con.Res. 13)
—
05-17-1995
05-18-1995
06-29-1995
1997
H.Con.Res. 178 (S.Con.Res. 57)
—
05-15-1996
05-16-1996
06-12-1996
1998
H.Con.Res. 84 (S.Con.Res. 27)
—
05-20-1997
05-21-1997
06-05-1997
1999d
H.Con.Res. 284 (S.Con.Res. 86)
—
06-04-1998
06-05-1998
—
2000
H.Con.Res. 68 (S.Con.Res. 20)
—
03-25-1999
03-25-1999
04-14-1999

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CRS-40
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Date of Initial
Date Conference
Typea
Date Consideration
Year
(companion measure)
Began
Passage
Report Adopted
2001
H.Con.Res. 290 (S.Con.Res. 101)
—
03-23-2000
03-23-2000
04-13-2001
2002
H.Con.Res. 83e
—
03-27-2001
03-28-2001
05-09-2001
a. “Type” refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year. For the first 7 years of the congressional budget
process, Congress adopted multiple budget resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has only adopted one a
year.
b. House rejected its budget resolution (see Appendix C of this report) and adopted Senate resolution; no conference report necessary.
c. House laid its budget resolution on the table by unanimous consent and adopted Senate resolution; no conference report necessary.
d. House and Senate did not reach final agreement on FY1999 budget resolution.
e. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the House-passed budget resolution was
discharged from the committee and considered by the Senate.

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CRS-41
Appendix M. Timing of Senate Action on
Budget Resolutions, FY1976-FY2002
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Typea
Date Consideration
Date of Initial
Date Conference
Year
(companion measure)
Began
Passage
Report Adopted
1976
H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 32)
first
04-29-1975
05-05-1975
05-14-1975
H.Con.Res. 466 (S.Con.Res. 76)
second
11-19-1975
11-20-1975
12-11-1975
1977
S.Con.Res. 109 (H.Con.Res. 611)
first
04-08-1976
04-12-1976
05-12-1976
S.Con.Res. 139 (H.Con.Res. 728)
second
09-08-1976
09-09-1976
09-15-1976
S.Con.Res. 10 (H.Con.Res. 110)
third
02-21-1977
02-22-1977
03-03-1977
1978
S.Con.Res. 19 (H.Con.Res. 214)
first
05-02-1977
05-03-1977
05-13-1977
H.Con.Res. 341 (S.Con.Res. 43)
second
09-07-1977
09-09-1977
09-15-1977
1979
S.Con.Res. 80 (H.Con.Res. 559)
first
04-24-1978
04-26-1978
05-15-1978
H.Con.Res. 683 (S.Con.Res. 104)
second
08-25-1978
09-06-1978
09-23-1978
1980
H.Con.Res. 107 (S.Con.Res. 22)
first
04-23-1979
04-25-1979b
05-23-1979
S.Con.Res. 53 (H.Con.Res. 186)c
second
11-16-1979
11-16-1979
—
1981
H.Con.Res. 307 (S.Con.Res. 86)
first
05-05-1980
05-12-1980
06-12-1980
H.Con.Res. 448 (S.Con.Res. 119)
second
11-18-1980
11-19-1980
11-20-1980
1982
H.Con.Res. 115 (S.Con.Res. 19)
first
05-07-1981
05-12-1981
05-21-1981
S.Con.Res. 50 (H.Con.Res. 230)c
second
12-08-1981
12-09-1981
—

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CRS-42
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Typea
Date Consideration
Date of Initial
Date Conference
Year
(companion measure)
Began
Passage
Report Adopted
1983
S.Con.Res. 92 (H.Con.Res. 352)
—
05-14-1982
05-21-1982
06-23-1982
1984
H.Con.Res. 91 (S.Con.Res. 27)
—
05-02-1983
05-19-1983
06-23-1983
1985
H.Con.Res. 280 (S.Con.Res. 106)
—
05-18-1984
05-18-1984
09-26-1984
1986
S.Con.Res. 32 (H.Con.Res. 152)
—
04-25-1985
05-09-1985
08-01-1985
1987
S.Con.Res. 120 (H.Con.Res. 337)
—
04-21-1986
05-01-1986
06-27-1986
1988
H.Con.Res. 93 (S.Con.Res. 49)
—
04-28-1987
05-06-1987
06-24-1987
1989
H.Con.Res. 268 (S.Con.Res. 113)
—
04-11-1988
04-14-1988
06-06-1988
1990
H.Con.Res. 106 (S.Con.Res. 30)
—
05-02-1989
05-04-1989
05-18-1989
1991
H.Con.Res. 310 (S.Con.Res. 110)
—
06-14-1990
06-14-1990
10-09-1990
1992
H.Con.Res. 121 (S.Con.Res. 29)
—
04-23-1991
04-25-1991
05-22-1991
1993
H.Con.Res. 287 (S.Con.Res. 106)
—
04-07-1992
04-10-1992
05-21-1992
1994
H.Con.Res. 64 (S.Con.Res. 18)
—
03-17-1993
03-25-1993
04-01-1993
1995
H.Con.Res. 218 (S.Con.Res. 63)
—
03-22-1994
03-25-1994
05-12-1994
1996
H.Con.Res. 67 (S.Con.Res. 13)
—
05-18-1995
05-25-1995
06-29-1995
1997
H.Con.Res. 178 (S.Con.Res. 57)
—
05-15-1996
05-23-1996
06-13-1996
1998
H.Con.Res. 84 (S.Con.Res. 27)
—
05-20-1997
05-23-1997
06-05-1997
1999d
H.Con.Res. 284 (S.Con.Res. 86)
—
03-27-1998
04-02-1998
—
2000
H.Con.Res. 68 (S.Con.Res. 20)
—
03-25-1999
03-25-1999
04-15-1999

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CRS-43
Fiscal
Budget Resolution
Typea
Date Consideration
Date of Initial
Date Conference
Year
(companion measure)
Began
Passage
Report Adopted
2001
H.Con.Res. 290 (S.Con.Res. 101)
—
04-04-2000
04-07-2000
04-13-2001
2002
H.Con.Res. 83e
—
04-02-2001
04-06-2001
05-10-2001
a. “Type” refers to whether the budget resolution was the first, second, or third for the fiscal year. For the first 7 years of the congressional budget
process, Congress adopted multiple budget resolutions each year. Since the FY1983 budget resolution, Congress has only adopted one a
year.
b. Text of S.Con.Res. 22 inserted in H.Con.Res. 107 on May 15, 1979.
c. House adopted Senate resolution; no conference report necessary.
d. House and Senate did not reach final agreement on FY1999 budget resolution.
e. The Senate Budget Committee did not mark up or report a budget resolution for FY2002. Instead, the House-passed budget resolution was
discharged from the committee and considered by the Senate

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