Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of
Committee Responses to Reconciliation
Directives

Megan S. Lynch
Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process
October 24, 2013
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R41151


Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

Summary
When reconciliation directives, also referred to as reconciliation instructions, are included in an
annual budget resolution, their purpose is to require committees to develop and report
reconciliation legislation that will achieve the budgetary goals set forth in the annual budget
resolution. The reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution specify several things,
including the committee instructed to report reconciliation legislation, the level of budgetary
changes the committee should report, and the date by which the committee should report.
Although reconciliation directives included in an annual budget resolution direct a committee to
report legislation achieving a specific budgetary outcome by a specific date, there is no
procedural mechanism for enforcing this date. Committees have often reported reconciliation
legislation in response to their directives after the date specified, with no impact on whether the
resultant legislation was considered under House and Senate procedures as reconciliation
legislation.
In some years, committees have not formally responded to the reconciliation directive instructing
them to report legislation. Although there is no procedural mechanism for enforcing the date
included in the committee’s reconciliation directive, Congress may employ methods of moving
forward with reconciliation legislation that falls within a non-reporting committee’s jurisdiction
in the event that the committee has not yet reported. These methods vary by chamber and are only
employable in certain situations.
Both the legislative committees and the Budget Committees in both chambers have important
roles to play in using the reconciliation process. This report examines the timing of certain stages
of the reconciliation process and the extent to which the submission due date included in a
reconciliation instruction is a predictor for the timing of committee response. Specifically, it
provides information on the dates by which committees have been directed to respond to
reconciliation directives and the timing of House and Senate committees in responding to such
directives in the past 10 Congresses (101st-111th Congresses).
This report will be updated as needed.


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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

Contents
The Reconciliation Process .............................................................................................................. 1
Overview of the Reconciliation Process .................................................................................... 1
Reconciliation Directives ................................................................................................................. 2
The Committee(s) Directed to Report Reconciliation Legislation ............................................ 3
Single Committee Directive vs. Multiple Committee Directives ........................................ 3
Particular Committees Directed to Report .......................................................................... 3
Multiple Directives to a Single Committee ......................................................................... 4
The Date by Which Committees Are Directed to Report .......................................................... 4
Procedural Enforcement of Budget Reconciliation Timing ................................................ 6
Extensions to the Committee Due Date .............................................................................. 6
In the Event that a Committee Does Not Respond to a Reconciliation Directive by the
Date Indicated ............................................................................................................................... 7
House of Representatives .......................................................................................................... 7
Senate ........................................................................................................................................ 7
The Recent Practice of House and Senate Committees in Responding to Reconciliation
Directives ...................................................................................................................................... 8
The House of Representatives ................................................................................................... 8
The Senate ............................................................................................................................... 12

Figures
Figure 1. Major Stages of the Reconciliation Process ..................................................................... 2
Figure 2. A Comparative Timeline of House Action on Reconciliation in Selected Years ............ 12
Figure 3. A Comparative Timeline of Senate Action on Reconciliation in Selected Years............ 16

Tables
Table 1. Due Dates for Committee Reconciliation Response .......................................................... 5
Table 2. Timing of House Committees Responses for Omnibus Reconciliation Measures:
1989-2009 ................................................................................................................................... 10
Table 3. Timing of Senate Committees Responses for Omnibus Reconciliation Measures:
1989-2009 ................................................................................................................................... 14
Table 4. Dates Related to House Committee Reconciliation Directives ........................................ 18
Table 5. Dates Related to Senate Committee Reconciliation Directives ....................................... 26

Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 33

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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

The Reconciliation Process
The purpose of the reconciliation process is to enhance Congress’s ability to bring existing
spending, revenue, and debt-limit laws into compliance with current fiscal priorities established in
the annual budget resolution.1 When Congress adopts a budget resolution, it is agreeing upon
budgetary goals for the upcoming fiscal year. In some cases, for these goals to be achieved,
Congress must pass legislation that alters current revenue, direct spending, or debt-limit laws. In
this situation Congress seeks to reconcile existing law with its current priorities. The
reconciliation process is still a relatively new congressional process in that there have only been
23 reconciliation bills passed by Congress since the first use of reconciliation in 1980.
Overview of the Reconciliation Process
Budget reconciliation is an optional congressional process that consists of several different stages
(Figure 1). The first stage in the reconciliation process is the adoption of the budget resolution. If
Congress intends to utilize the reconciliation process, reconciliation directives (also referred to as
reconciliation instructions) must be included in the annual budget resolution. These directives
trigger the second stage of the process by instructing individual committees to develop and report
legislation that would change laws within their jurisdiction related to spending, revenue, or the
debt-limit. These directives detail which committee(s) should report reconciliation legislation, the
date by which the committee(s) should report, the dollar amount of budgetary change to be
achieved in the reconciliation legislation, and the time period over which the impact of the
budgetary change should be measured.2 If a single committee is directed in the budget resolution
to develop reconciliation legislation, it will likely be instructed to report this language directly to
its full chamber. If, however, several committees are directed to report reconciliation legislation,
they typically will be directed to submit the language to their respective Budget Committee for
packaging, without any substantive change, into an omnibus measure.3
During the second stage of the reconciliation process, the specified committee develops
legislation in response to the reconciliation directive included in the budget resolution. The
committee will then meet to vote whether to report that language. The committee may vote to
report the language favorably or unfavorably, the latter meaning that although it satisfied its
directive, the committee did not support the language.4
As stated above, if more than one committee has been directed to report reconciliation legislation,
they are directed to submit such language to their respective Budget Committee. The Budget
Committee then packages all committee responses into an omnibus budget reconciliation bill

1 As provided in the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 as amended, Titles I-IX of P.L. 93-344, 2 U.S.C. 601-688 (the
Budget Act). Section 310 of the act is codified at 2 U.S.C. 641. Although the reconciliation process was first used by
the House and Senate in 1980 (for FY1981), this report focuses on the period covering 1989 (for FY1990) through
2009 (for FY2010).
2 Directives sometimes also include language regarding the type of change that should be reported as well as procedural
provisions, contingencies, and programmatic direction. For more information on the language of directives, see the
section below.
3 Section 310(b)(2) of the Budget Act.
4 For example, on October 15, 1990, the Post Office and Civil Service committee voted unanimously to report
unfavorably reconciliation language to satisfy its reconciliation directive.
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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

without making any substantive revisions and votes on whether to report the omnibus
reconciliation bill to the full chamber. In this way, both the legislative committees and the Budget
Committees in both chambers have important roles to play in using the reconciliation process.
During the final stages of the reconciliation process, the reported legislation is considered under
expedited procedures in both the House and Senate.5 As with all legislation, any differences in the
reconciliation legislation as passed by the two chambers must be resolved before the bill can be
sent to the President for the final stage of the process, either approval or veto.
Sometimes the reconciliation process triggered in the annual budget resolution of a specific year
is not completed until the subsequent year. For instance, the FY2006 budget resolution,6 agreed to
on April 28, 2005, included reconciliation directives that resulted in the enactment of two
reconciliation bills, but these bills were not signed into law until February and May of 2006.7
Figure 1. Major Stages of the Reconciliation Process

Source: Congressional Research Service.
Reconciliation Directives
As described above, Congress has the option of including reconciliation directives in its annual
budget resolution. These directives trigger the reconciliation process, and without their inclusion
in a budget resolution, no measure would be eligible to be considered under expedited
reconciliation procedures.
When reconciliation directives are included in an annual budget resolution, their purpose is to
require committees to develop and report legislation that will allow Congress to achieve the
budgetary goals set forth in the annual budget resolution. These directives detail which
committee(s) should report reconciliation legislation, the date by which the committee(s) should
report, the dollar amount of budgetary change that should exist within the reconciliation

5 For more information on the consideration of reconciliation legislation in the House and Senate, see CRS Report
RL33030, The Budget Reconciliation Process: House and Senate Procedures, by Robert Keith and Bill Heniff Jr.
6 H.Con.Res. 95 (109th Congress).
7 Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-171), signed into law on February 8, 2006, and Tax Increase Prevention and
Reconciliation Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-222) signed into law on May 17, 2006.
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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

legislation, and the time period over which the budgetary change should occur. They might also
include language regarding the type of budgetary change that should be reported (revenue,
spending, or debt-limit legislation), as well as other procedural provisions, contingencies, and
programmatic direction.
In this way, the reconciliation process allows the Budget Committees to assist Congress in
implementing the budgetary changes outlined in the budget resolution, while at the same time
protecting legislative committee jurisdiction over direct spending and revenue laws by allowing
them to report legislative changes of their choice.
The Committee(s) Directed to Report Reconciliation Legislation
As described above, reconciliation directives in a budget resolution direct a specific committee or
committees to develop legislation achieving a desired budgetary outcome.
Single Committee Directive vs. Multiple Committee Directives
In both the House and Senate, reconciliation instructions in a budget resolution have directed
either a single committee to report or multiple committees to report. In cases when only one
committee has been directed to report, the process directs the committee to report its
reconciliation legislation directly to its full chamber. If the budget resolution instructs more than
one committee to report reconciliation legislation, then those committees have been directed to
submit their legislative recommendations to their respective Budget Committee.8 The Budget
Committee then packages the committee responses into an omnibus budget reconciliation bill
without making any substantive revisions, and votes on whether to report the omnibus
reconciliation bill.
Particular Committees Directed to Report
Any legislative committee with jurisdiction over spending, revenues, or the debt limit may be
directed to report reconciliation legislation, and many have been instructed to report
reconciliation legislation at some point. Because the Senate Finance Committee and the House
Committee on Ways and Means each have jurisdiction within their respective chambers over all
revenue and debt-limit legislation, as well as some direct spending legislation, these committees
are often directed to report some type of reconciliation legislation when reconciliation directives
are included in a budget resolution. Since 1989, 13 budget resolutions have included
reconciliation directives to Senate committees. Twelve of those 13 budget resolutions directed the
Senate Finance Committee to report reconciliation legislation. Similarly, since 1989, 13 budget
resolutions have included reconciliation directives to House committees. Twelve of those 13
budget resolutions directed the House Ways and Means Committee to report reconciliation
legislation.
In current practice, reconciliation may include direct spending legislation, but does not include
discretionary spending provisions. Discretionary spending is subject to other enforcement
mechanisms.9 The Appropriations Committees have only been directed to report reconciliation

8 Section 310(b) of the Budget Act.
9 Discretionary spending levels are enforced by Section 302(f) of the Budget Act, which prohibits consideration of any
(continued...)
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legislation on two occasions, and have not been directed to report reconciliation legislation since
1981.10
Multiple Directives to a Single Committee
Individual committees sometimes are given several separate reconciliation directives within a
single budget resolution. In 2000, for instance, the budget resolution included four separate
reconciliation instructions to the House Ways and Means Committee.11
There are several reasons why a budget resolution may include multiple directives to a single
committee. First, a committee may be directed to report more than one kind of reconciliation
legislation with a separate directive given for each type. Section 310 of the Budget Act recognizes
three types of reconciliation legislation that committees may be directed to report: spending,
revenue, and debt limit. The Budget Act also recognizes that committees may be directed to
report a combination of spending and revenue legislation, including a direction to achieve deficit-
neutral reductions. If a committee is given more than one directive, for instance to increase
revenues and decrease spending, then the committee may respond with separate pieces of
legislation.
Under current practice in the Senate, however, this provision has been interpreted to mean that no
more than one reconciliation measure of each type is permitted. Reconciliation instructions,
therefore, may result in the creation of no more than three reconciliation bills that may be
considered on the floor under expedited procedures, and only if they are divided so that there is
one for spending, one for revenue, and one for the debt limit.
A committee also may be asked to report reconciliation legislation that achieves budgetary goals
over different periods of time. Lastly, reconciliation directives may be separated to make clear
that the directives are intended to achieve separate policy goals.12
The Date by Which Committees Are Directed to Report
Reconciliation directives included in an annual budget resolution direct a committee to report (or
submit to the Budget Committee) legislation by a specific date. For example,
(b) Not later than June 20, 1980, each committee specified in subsection (a) shall submit its
recommendations to the Committee on the Budget of its House.13

(...continued)
measure or amendment that would cause 302(a) committee allocations or 302(b) subdivisions to be exceeded. For more
information, see CRS Report R40472, The Budget Resolution and Spending Legislation, by Megan S. Lynch.
10 In the budget resolution for FY1981 (H.Con.Res. 307, 96th Congress), the House Appropriations Committee and the
Senate Appropriations Committee were directed to report reconciliation legislation, and in the budget resolution for
FY1982 (H.Con.Res. 115, 97th Congress), the Senate Appropriations Committee was directed to report reconciliation
legislation.
11 H.Con.Res. 290 (106th Congress), the budget resolution for FY2001, Sec. 103.
12 For instance, the budget resolution for FY2010 (S.Con.Res. 13) included two directives to the House Committee on
Education and Labor: one under the subheading Health Care Reform, and the other under Investing in Education.
13 H.Con.Res. 307 (96th Congress).
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(1) Not later than July 23, 1999, the Senate Committee on Finance shall report to the Senate
a reconciliation bill....14
As can be seen in Table 1, these due dates may vary in several respects. In some years, they have
been the same for both the House and Senate committees, though not always. Due dates
sometimes have been as early as April or as late as October15 and have fallen within every month
between except August (due to the annually scheduled recess).
The decision regarding when to set committee response dates may be influenced by various
factors. One factor may be a desire to achieve the President’s legislative priorities as quickly as
possible, particularly in the first year of his term. For instance, in 2000, President George W.
Bush proposed the enactment of revenue reductions. Congress used reconciliation to consider
revenue reduction legislation, setting a May due date for committee submissions, and clearing the
measure for the President by May 26.16
Conversely, submission deadlines may be set for later in the session when the need for extensive
negotiations is foreseen. For example, the FY1996 budget resolution was adopted on June 29, but
the submission date for reconciliation legislation was September 22. In 1990, prolonged
negotiations with the President over a “budget summit” agreement delayed the adoption of the
budget resolution until October, which also prolonged the triggering of the reconciliation process.
As a result, the FY1991 budget resolution set a submission deadline in both chambers of October
15, five days after the annual budget resolution was agreed to.
When a single committee is directed to report multiple pieces of reconciliation legislation,
staggered deadlines may be used to regulate the pace of legislative activity. For example, the
reconciliation instructions included in the FY2006 budget resolution in 2005 included three sets
of instructions for the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee
with three different due dates. These due dates were staggered with a week between each,
allowing the committees time to develop and report legislation to satisfy each individual
directive.
Table 1. Due Dates for Committee Reconciliation Response
(1989-2009)
Budget Resolution
(Related Fiscal Year)
House Due Date(s)
Senate Due Date(s)
H.Con.Res. 106 (1990)
07/15/89
07/15/89
H.Con.Res. 310 (1991)
10/15/90
10/15/90
H.Con.Res. 64 (1994)
04/02/93; 05/14/93
04/02/93; 06/18/93
H.Con.Res. 67 (1996)
09/22/95
09/22/95
H.Con.Res. 178 (1997)
06/13/96; 07/18/96; 09/06/96
06/21/96; 07/24/96; 09/18/96

14 H.Con.Res. 68 (106th Congress).
15 H.Con.Res. 64 (103rd Congress) included a due date of April 2. S.Con.Res. 13 (111th Congress) and H.Con.Res. 310
(101st Congress) both included due dates of October 15.
16 The revenue reduction legislation, the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, was signed into
law on June 7, 2001, as P.L. 107-16.
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Budget Resolution
(Related Fiscal Year)
House Due Date(s)
Senate Due Date(s)
H.Con.Res. 84 (1998)
06/13/97; 06/14/97
06/13/97; 06/20/97
H.Con.Res. 68 (2000)
07/16/99
07/23/99
H.Con.Res. 290 (2001)
07/14/00; 09/13/00
07/14/00; 09/13/00
H.Con.Res. 83 (2002)
05/08/01
05/18/01
H.Con.Res. 95 (2004)
05/08/03
05/08/03
H.Con.Res. 95 (2006)
09/16/05; 09/23/05; 09/30/05
09/16/05; 09/23/05; 09/30/05
S.Con.Res. 21 (2008)
09/10/07
09/10/07
S.Con.Res. 13 (2010)
10/15/09
10/15/09
Source: Information in this table is based on data from Table 4 and Table 5.
Procedural Enforcement of Budget Reconciliation Timing
The Budget Act includes a budget process timetable stating that Congress is to complete action on
reconciliation legislation on or before June 15.17 There is no corresponding enforcement
mechanism, however, for ensuring that reconciliation legislation be completed by that date, and
Congress has instead followed a timetable established by the committee due dates in
reconciliation directives in the budget resolution. Another provision in the Budget Act prohibits
House consideration of any resolution providing for adjournment of more than three days during
the month of July if the House has not completed action on any required reconciliation
legislation.18
There is no procedural mechanism, such as a point of order, for enforcing the date specified in the
reconciliation directive as it appears in the budget resolution. Committees sometimes have
reported reconciliation legislation in response to their directives after the date specified in the
directive with no impact on whether the resultant legislation was considered as reconciliation
legislation. In other words, the late response of one or more committees did not cause the bill to
lose its privileged status as a reconciliation bill.19
In the case of omnibus reconciliation measures, the House and Senate Budget Committees have at
times delayed reporting a bill until tardy committee submissions were received.
Extensions to the Committee Due Date
During the first years in which the reconciliation process was used, explicit extensions were
sometimes granted to committees that were unable to meet their reporting due date. For instance,
in 1983, the House and Senate extended their committee submission due date from July 22 to
September 23. Since this specific extension, however, the House has not employed the use of due
date extensions, although the Senate continued the practice through the 1980s.

17 Section 300 of the Budget Act. It does not speak to when committees should respond to reconciliation directives.
18 Section 310(f) of the Budget Act.
19 For information on the dates of committee responses to reconciliation directives that have resulted in a bill being
presented to the President, see Table 4 and Table 5.
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Because committee due dates have no mechanism for enforcement, in current practice neither
chamber utilizes formal committee due date extensions.
In the Event that a Committee Does Not Respond to
a Reconciliation Directive by the Date Indicated

In some years, committees have not formally responded to the reconciliation directive instructing
them to report legislation. There may be several reasons for the lack of a formal committee
submission. For instance, there may have been a shift in policy priorities and Congress no longer
desired to pass reconciliation legislation. It could also be that a committee fails to approve
reconciliation language20 or it may be that although committees did not respond formally to the
directive, they reported freestanding legislation that was not considered under reconciliation
procedures but that may have satisfied the goal of the reconciliation directive.
As explained above, there is no procedural mechanism for requiring a committee to report
reconciliation legislation by the date indicated in the reconciliation directive. Each chamber,
however, may employ methods of moving forward with reconciliation legislation, and to include
legislative language that falls within the non-reporting committee’s jurisdiction, in the event that
the committee has not yet reported. These methods vary by chamber.
House of Representatives
In the House, if a committee has not responded to a reconciliation directive, it still may be
possible to consider reconciliation legislation on the House floor that would satisfy the
committee’s directive. The Budget Act states that the House Rules Committee may make in order
amendments to a reconciliation bill to satisfy reconciliation directives if a committee has not
submitted reconciliation legislation to the House Budget Committee.21 This would be in order
only if there were a reconciliation bill available for consideration by the House, either reported
from the Budget Committee or received from the Senate.
Senate
In the Senate, if a committee has not responded to a reconciliation directive, it still may be
possible to consider reconciliation legislation on the Senate floor that would satisfy the
committee’s directive. This would be in order on the floor in the form of a motion to recommit
the bill to that committee with instructions that it report the measure back to the Senate forthwith
with an amendment.22 Unlike amendments to the reconciliation bill, the motion to recommit
would not have to be germane if it were made in this situation. Such a motion to recommit would

20 In 1995, the House Agriculture Committee became deadlocked and was unable to adopt a recommendation.
21 For more information on special rules and the amending process, see CRS Report 98-612, Special Rules and Options
for Regulating the Amending Process
, by Megan S. Lynch.
22 If adopted, a motion to recommit sends the bill to a specified committee. It may be offered with or without
instructions, and instructions typically direct a committee to amend a bill in a specific way. Motions to recommit with
instructions can be offered “forthwith,” which means if successful, the amendments would be made immediately on the
Senate floor and the measure would not be returned to committee.
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allow any Senator to craft legislative language within the directed committee’s jurisdiction on the
floor.
The Recent Practice of House and Senate
Committees in Responding to Reconciliation
Directives

The following section provides information on the timing of committee responses to
reconciliation directives during the period covering 1989-2009 and offers insight on the extent to
which the submission date included in a reconciliation instruction is a predictor for the timing of
committee responses.
The House of Representatives
Table 2 provides information on the timing of House committee responses to reconciliation
directives. The table only includes reconciliation acts that involved multiple committee directives.
It includes the relevant reconciliation act; the number of directives to House committees included
in the budget resolution; the number of committee responses that were submitted on time; the
number of responses that were submitted late; the number of House committee directives that
were not formally responded to; and the number of days before or after the deadline that the last
reporting committee submitted its response. It does not speak to the content of the response.
The table also includes the date the House Budget Committee reported and the number of days
between the final included committee submission to the House Budget Committee and the date
when the House Budget Committee reported.
The data in Table 2 illustrate several concepts. First, they show that directed committees have
sometimes submitted reconciliation legislation before the due date, at the due date, and after the
due date, and that in some cases committees never formally responded. Further, they show that
reconciliation legislation has been passed by the House regardless of whether committees
reported late or that some committees never formally submitted a response.
Table 2 illustrates at least three practices of the House Budget Committee. First, the Budget
Committee has sometimes delayed the reporting of an omnibus reconciliation bill in order to
allow a committee that has missed its directed date to submit its response. Conversely, it shows
that in some cases, the Budget Committee has not waited for all committees to submit before
reporting the bill. Lastly, it shows that, except for in one case, once the House Budget Committee
has received the last submission to ultimately be included in the omnibus bill, it reports the
legislation without substantial delay.23

23 The House Budget Committee waited 153 days before reporting the Heath Care and Education Reconciliation Act of
2010, perhaps because the committee (as well as its Senate counterpart and the leadership of both chambers) expected
the legislative text that it received to be considered outside of the reconciliation process as shown in the following
excerpt from an article that appeared in Congressional Quarterly:
Schumer said that “if Baucus cannot get a deal by September 15, Democrats may move forward
with budget reconciliation procedures that would require only 50 votes to pass a bill.” “If the
(continued...)
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In the case of omnibus reconciliation bills, the committee responses ranged from all committees
submitting on time (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990), to all committees submitting
late (Deficit Reduction Act of 1997). Several omnibus bills included both timely and tardy
responses.
In some years, reconciliation was included in budget resolutions adopted by one or both
chambers, but in the absence of final agreement, the process was not triggered. Such years are not
included in this report.24

(...continued)
Republicans are not able to produce an agreement, we will have contingencies in place,” said
Schumer, indicating that he was talking about budget reconciliation. “These plans will likely be
considered as a last resort, but they are on the table.”
Drew Armstrong, “Hopes for Bipartisan Health Care Deal Lie With Baucus; Reconciliation Still on the Table,”
Congressional Quarterly, August 3, 2009, CQ Today Print Edition-Health.
24 The FY2013 budget resolution agreed to by the House (H.Con.Res. 112, 112th Congress, agreed to on March 29,
2012), for example, contained reconciliation directives to six House committees. Although the House and Senate did
not come to agreement on a budget resolution, the six specified House committees submitted their reconciliation
language to the House Budget Committee by the specified deadline (April 27, 2012). The House Budget Committee
reported the measure (May 7) and the House passed H.R. 5652, the Sequester Replacement Reconciliation Act (May
10). The House was able to develop and consider H.R. 5652 as a reconciliation measure because the budget resolution
passed by the House was “deemed” enforceable by the House as if the Senate had agreed to it (H.Res. 614, 112th
Congress).24 Because Congress had not agreed to the underlying budget resolution, the House reconciliation bill, H.R.
5652, was not considered a reconciliation measure in the Senate, and, therefore was not eligible for consideration in the
Senate under reconciliation procedures.
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Table 2. Timing of House Committees Responses for Omnibus Reconciliation Measures: 1989-2009
House Budget Committee
Number of Committee Reconciliation Directives
Report
Number of Days
Number of
Latest Included
Days After
Directives to
Submitted/
Not
Submission Made
Latest
Submit/Report
Reported On
Submitted/
Submitted/
Before (-) or After
Date
Committee
Reconciliation Act
Legislation
Time
Reported Late
Reported
(+) Due Date
Reported
Submission
Reconciliation Acts Involving Multiple-Committee Directives
Omnibus Budget
10 4 6 0 +65
9/20/89
2
Reconciliation Act of 1989
Omnibus Budget
12 12 0 0
0 10/16/90
1
Reconciliation Act of 1990
Omnibus Budget
13 10 3 0 +460 5/25/93 7
Reconciliation Act of 1993
Balanced Budget Act of 1995
12
2
8
2
+19
10/17/95
6
Personal Responsibility and
4 3 1 0 +7
6/27/96
7
Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996b
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
8
6
2
0
+4
6/24/97
7
Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997
8
1
0
7
0
6/24/1997
10
Deficit Reduction Act (2005)
7
0
7
0
+46
11/07/05
6
Health Care and Education
4 3 0 1 0 3/17/10
153
Reconciliation Act of 2010
Source: This information is based on data included in Table 4.
Notes: The number of days is calendar days and not legislative days.
a. Note that the submission made 46 days after the due date was a directive pertaining to debt limit and that otherwise the latest included submission was submitted 3
days after due date.
b. There were three sets of reconciliation directives included in the FY1997 budget resolution, H.Con.Res. 178. This information only refers to the first set of directives.
There were no formal committee responses to the second and third set of directives.

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Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

Figure 2 presents a timeline of four particular stages of reconciliation action in the House for six
different reconciliation acts. The figure includes reconciliation acts agreed to by both chambers
that involved multiple committee instructions with the same due date. It shows (1) the date that
the budget resolution which directed committees to report reconciliation was agreed to by both
chambers; (2) the date by which the instructed committees were directed to submit their responses
to the House Budget Committee; (3) the date that the last responding committee submitted
reconciliation legislation to the House Budget Committee; and (4) the date that the House Budget
Committee reported reconciliation legislation.
Figure 2 shows the variability in timing for three of the four stages. Although the first stage
shown (budget resolution agreed to) tends to occur between April and June, the timing for the
other three stages varies. Further, there is considerable variation in the total time taken for all four
stages to be completed. In one case it took only a month (1997) and in another other case it took
almost 11 months (2009/2010).
There is also variability in the stages as they relate to one another. For instance, sometimes the
first two stages (adoption of budget resolution and the due date for committee submission) have
been within the same month, and sometimes they have been several months apart. This is true
also for the relationship between the second and third stages (committee submission due dates
and actual committee submission date). However, the amount of time between stages three and
four (the submission date of the last committee formally submitting and the date the budget
committee reports an omnibus bill) has been fairly consistent, except in one case. As in Table 2,
this shows that, except in one case, the House Budget Committee has reported the omnibus
legislation shortly after it has received the final submission to be included in the omnibus bill.
Congressional Research Service
11


Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

Figure 2. A Comparative Timeline of House Action on Reconciliation in
Selected Years

Source: This information is based on data included in Table 4.
The Senate
Table 3 provides information on the timing of Senate committee responses to reconciliation
directives. The table only includes reconciliation acts that involved multiple committee directives.
It includes the relevant reconciliation act; the number of directives to Senate committees included
in the budget resolution; the number of committee responses that were submitted on time; the
number of committee responses that were submitted late; the number of committees directives
that were not formally responded to; and the number of days before or after the deadline that the
last reporting committee submitted its response. It does not speak to the content of the response.
The table also includes the date the Senate Budget Committee reported the omnibus bill, the
number of days between the final included committee submission to the Senate Budget
Committee, and the date when the Senate Budget Committee reported.
The data in Table 3 illustrate several concepts. First, they show that directed committees have
sometimes reported or submitted reconciliation legislation before the due date, at the due date,
and after the due date, and that in some cases, committees never formally responded. Further, it
shows that reconciliation legislation has been passed by the Senate regardless of whether
committees submitted late or that some committees never formally submitted a response.
Congressional Research Service
12

Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

Table 3 illustrates at least three practices of the Senate Budget Committee. First, the Budget
Committee has sometimes delayed the reporting of a reconciliation bill to allow a committee that
has missed its deadline to submit. Conversely, it shows that in some cases, the Budget Committee
has not waited for all committees to submit before reporting the omnibus reconciliation bill.
Lastly, it shows that once the Senate Budget Committee has received the last submission to be
included in the omnibus, it reports the legislation without substantial delay.
In the case of omnibus reconciliation bills, the committee responses ranged from all committees
submitting on time (Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990), to all committees submitting
late (Deficit Reduction Act). Several omnibus bills included both timely and tardy responses.

Congressional Research Service
13


Table 3. Timing of Senate Committees Responses for Omnibus Reconciliation Measures: 1989-2009
Senate Budget Committee
Number of Committee Reconciliation Directives
Report
Number of Days
Latest Included
Number of Days
Directives to
Submitted/
Submission Made
After Latest
Submit/Report
Reported On
Submitted/
Not Submitted/ Before (-) or After
Date
Committee
Reconciliation Act
Legislation
Time
Reported Late
Reported
(+) Due Date
Reported
Submission
Reconciliation Acts Involving Multiple-Committee Directives
Omnibus Budget
8 0 7 1 +83
10/12/89
6
Reconciliation Act of
1989
Omnibus Budget
10 10 0 0 0
10/16/90
1
Reconciliation Act of
1990
Omnibus Reconciliation
14 13 0 1 0
6/22/93
5
Act of 1993
Balanced Budget Act of
12 3 9 0 +25
10/23/95
4
1995
Personal Responsibility
2 0 2 0 +30
7/16/96
5
and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of
1996a
Balanced Budget Act of
8 3 5 0 +6
6/20/97
1
1997
Deficit Reduction Act
8 0 8 0 +39
10/27/05
2
(2005)
Source: This information is based on data included in Table 5.
Notes: The number of days is calendar days and not legislative days.
a. There were three sets of reconciliation directives included in H.Con.Res. 178. This information only refers to the first set of directives. There were no formal
committee responses to the second and third set of directives.


CRS-14

Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

Table 3 presents a timeline of reconciliation action in the Senate for six particular reconciliation
acts. The figure includes reconciliation acts agreed to by both chambers that involved multiple
committee instructions with the same due date. It shows (1) the date that the budget resolution
which directed committees to report reconciliation was agreed to by both chambers; (2) the date
by which the instructed committees were directed to submit their responses to the Senate Budget
Committee; (3) the date that the last responding committee submitted reconciliation legislation to
the Senate Budget Committee; and (4) the date that the Senate Budget Committee reported
reconciliation legislation.
Figure 3 shows variability in timing for three of the four stages. Although the first stage shown
(budget resolution agreed to) tends to occur between April and June, the timing for the other three
stages varies. Further, there is considerable variation in the total time taken for all four stages to
be completed. In one case, it took only one month (1997) and in another case it took eight months
(2005).
There is also variability in the stages as they relate to one another. For instance, sometimes the
first two stages (adoption of budget resolution and the due date for committee submission) have
been within the same month, and sometimes they have been several months apart. This is true
also for the relationship between the second and third stages (committee submission due dates
and actual committee submission date). However, the amount of time between stages three and
four (the submission date of the last committee formally submitting and the date the budget
committee reports an omnibus bill) has been fairly consistent. As in Table 3, this shows that the
Senate Budget Committee reports legislation shortly after it has received the last submission to be
included in the omnibus bill.
Congressional Research Service
15


Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

Figure 3. A Comparative Timeline of Senate Action on Reconciliation in
Selected Years

Source: This information is based on data included in Table 5.
The following tables provide more detailed information on House and Senate committee
responses to reconciliation directives. Table 4 pertains to the House and Table 5 pertains to the
Senate. Both include the relevant Congress and session; the fiscal year to which the budget
resolution pertains; the budget resolution number; the date the budget resolution was agreed to by
both chambers; the committees directed to report reconciliation legislation; the date by which the
committee was directed to respond; the date on which the committee responded; the date that the
budget committee reported a reconciliation bill (if applicable); and the reconciliation legislation
that was subsequently passed by Congress.
The date of response for each committee has been determined in two ways, depending on whether
the committee was directed to report to the full chamber or to submit to the Budget Committee. In
the case that a committee was instructed to report directly to the full chamber, the date of the
committee report was used. In the case that the committee was directed to report to its respective
Budget Committee, the date on the submission letters accompanying their reconciliation
responses was used. These letters were found in committee reports and committee prints
Congressional Research Service
16

Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives

accompanying the reconciliation legislation. In some cases these letters had been inserted into the
Congressional Record.
In some cases, the tables do not show a committee response date. Committees have not always
formally responded to the reconciliation directive instructing them to report legislation. There
may be a number of reasons for the lack of a formal submission. For instance, there may have
been a shift in policy priorities over the course of the year and Congress no longer desired to
consider reconciliation legislation within that committee’s jurisdiction. It may also be that even
though committees did not respond formally to the reconciliation directive, they did report
freestanding legislation that would have satisfied the goal of the reconciliation directive.

Congressional Research Service
17


Table 4. Dates Related to House Committee Reconciliation Directives
Reconciliation Directives for FY1990-FY2010
Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Agriculture 07/15/89
07/21/89
Banking, Finance and
Urban Affairs
07/15/89
07/15/89
Education and Labor
07/15/89
07/26/89
Energy and
Commerce 07/15/89
09/15/89
Government
Operations 07/15/89
06/28/89
Omnibus Budget
101/1 H.Con.Res.
106
1990
05/18/89
09/20/89
Reconciliation Act of
Interior and Insular
1989 (P.L. 101-239)
Affairs 07/15/89
07/10/89
Merchant Marine and
Fisheries 07/15/89
08/02/89
Post Office and Civil
Service 07/15/89
07/14/89
Veterans’ Affairs
07/15/89
07/17/89
Ways and Means
07/15/89
09/18/89
CRS-18


Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Agriculture 10/15/90
10/15/90
Banking, Finance and
Urban Affairs
10/15/90
10/15/90
Education and Labor
10/15/90
10/15/90
Energy and
Commerce 10/15/90
10/15/90
Interior and Insular
Affairs 10/15/90
10/12/90
Judiciary 10/15/90
10/12/90
Omnibus Budget
101/2 H.Con.Res.
310
1991
10/10/90
10/16/90
Reconciliation Act of
Merchant Marine and
1990 (P.L. 101-508)
Fisheries 10/15/90
10/14/90
Post Office and Civil
Service 10/15/90
10/15/90
Public Works and
Transportation 10/15/90 10/12/90
Science, Space, and
Technology 10/15/90
10/14/90
Veterans’ Affairs
10/15/90
10/13/90
Ways and Means
10/15/90
10/15/90
102/1
H.Con.Res. 121
1992
05/22/91
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
102/2
H.Con.Res. 287
1993
03/20/92
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
CRS-19


Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Agriculture 05/14/93
05/14/93
Armed Services
05/14/93
05/14/93
Banking, Finance and
Urban Affairs
05/14/93
05/14/93
Education and Labor
05/14/93
05/17/93
Energy and
Commerce 05/14/93
05/14/93
Foreign Affairs
05/14/93
05/13/93
Judiciary 05/14/93
05/12/93
Omnibus Budget
103/1 H.Con.Res.
64
1994
04/01/93
05/25/93
Reconciliation Act of
1993 (P.L. 103-66)
Merchant Marines
and Fisheries
05/14/93
05/14/93
Natural Resources
05/14/93
05/13/93
Post Office and Civil
Service 05/14/93
05/17/93
Public Works and
Transportation 05/14/93 05/14/93
Veterans' Affairs
05/14/93
05/14/93
Ways and Means
04/02/93
05/18/93
103/2 H.Con.Res.
218
1995
05/14/94
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
CRS-20


Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Agriculture
09/22/95
-


Government Reform

and Oversight
09/22/95
-

Banking and Financial
Services 09/22/95
09/19/95
Commerce 09/22/95
10/06/95
Economic and
Educational
Opportunities 09/22/95
09/29/95
104/1 H.Con.Res.
67
1996
06/29/95
International
Relations 09/22/95
09/28/95
10/17/95
Balanced Budget Act of
Judiciary 09/22/95
09/19/95
1995 (Vetoed)
National Security
09/22/95
09/26/95
Resources 09/22/95
09/29/95
Transportation and
Infrastructure 09/22/95
10/11/95
Veterans' Affairs
09/22/95
09/29/95
Ways and Means
09/22/95
09/28/95
CRS-21


Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Agriculture (1)
06/13/96
06/13/96
Commerce (1)
06/13/96
06/20/96
Personal Responsibility
and Work Opportunity
Economic and
06/27/96
Reconciliation Act of
Educational
1996 (P.L. 104-193)
Opportunities (1)
06/13/96
06/13/96
Ways and Means (1)
06/13/96
06/13/96
Commerce (2)
07/18/96
-


Ways and Means (2)
07/18/96
-


Agriculture (3)
09/06/96
-


Banking and Financial


Services (3)
09/06/96
-
Commerce (3)
09/06/96
-


104/2 H.Con.Res.
178
1997
05/23/96
Economic and
Educational


Opportunities (3)
09/06/96
-
Government and


Reform Oversight (3)
09/06/96
-
International


Relations (3)
09/06/96
-
Judiciary (3)
09/06/96
-


National Security (3)
09/06/96
-


Resources (3)
09/06/96
-


Science (3)
09/06/96
-


Transportation and


Infrastructure 3
09/06/96
-
CRS-22


Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Veterans' Affairs 3
09/06/96
-


Ways and Means (3)
09/06/96
-


Agriculture (1)
06/13/97
06/16/97
Banking and Financial
Services (1)
06/13/97
06/13/97
Commerce (1)
06/13/97
06/17/97
Education and the
Workforce (1)
06/13/97
06/13/97
06/24/97
Balanced Budget Act of
Governmental
1997 (P.L. 105-33)
Reform and
Oversight (1)
06/13/97
06/13/97
Transportation and
Infrastructure (1)
06/13/97
06/13/97
105/1 H.Con.Res.
84
1998
06/04/97
Veteran's Affairs (1)
06/13/97
06/13/97
Ways and Means (1)
06/13/97
06/13/97
Agriculture (2)
06/14/97
-


Banking and Financial
Services (2)
06/14/97
-


Commerce (2)
06/14/97
-


Education and the


Workforce (2)
06/14/97
-
Government Reform


and Oversight (2)
06/14/97
-
Transportation and
Infrastructure (2)
06/14/97
-


CRS-23


Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Veterans' Affairs (2)
06/14/97
-


Taxpayer Relief Act of
Ways and Means (2)
06/14/97
06/14/97
06/24/97
1997 (P.L. 105-34)
105/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
Taxpayer Refund and
106/1 H.Con.Res.
68
2000
04/14/99

Relief Act of 1999
Ways and Means
07/16/99
07/16/99
(Vetoed)
Ways and Means (1)
07/14/00
-

Marriage Tax Relief
Ways and Means (2)
09/13/00
-

106/2 H.Con.Res.
290
2001
04/12/00
Reconciliation Act of
Ways and Means (3)
07/14/00
-

2000 (Vetoed)
Ways and Means (4)
09/13/00
-

Economic Growth and
107/1
H.Con.Res. 83
2002
05/08/01
Ways and Means
05/18/01
-

Tax Relief Reconciliation
Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-16)
107/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
Jobs and Growth Tax
108/1
H.Con.Res. 95
2004
04/10/03
Ways and Means
05/08/03
05/08/03

Relief Reconciliation Act
of 2003 (P.L. 108-27)
108/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
Agriculture 09/16/05
11/01/05
Education and the
Deficit Reduction Act
109/1 H.Con.Res.
95
2006
04/28/05
Workforce 09/16/05
10/28/
11/07/
05 05
(P.L. 109-171)
Energy and
Commerce 09/16/05
11/01/05
CRS-24


Date by Which
Date Budget House Committee Committee was
Resolution
Directed to
Directed to
Date Budget
was Agreed to
Report
Submit/ Report Date Committee Committee
Reconciliation Bill
Congress/
Related
by Both
Reconciliation
(Type of
Submitted/
Reported (If
Passed Both
Session Budget
Resolution
Fiscal Year Chambers
Legislation
Directive)
Reported
Applicable)
Chambers
Financial Services
09/16/05
10/31/05
Judiciary 09/16/05
10/28/05
Resources 09/16/05
10/28/05
Ways and Means (1)
09/16/05
10/28/05
Tax Increase Prevention
Ways and Means (2)
09/23/05
11/17/05

and Reconciliation Act of
2005 (P.L. 109-222)
109/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
College Cost Reduction
110/1
S.Con.Res. 21
2008
05/17/07
Education and Labor
09/10/07
06/25/07

and Access Act
(P.L. 110-84)
110/2
S.Con.Res. 70
2009
06/05/08
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
Energy and
Commerce
10/15/09
-


Ways and Means
10/15/09
10/15/09
111/1 S.Con.Res.
13
2010
04/27/09
Health Care and
Education and Labor
(1) 10/15/09
10/13/09a
03/17/ 10
Education Reconciliation
Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-
152)
Education and Labor
(2) 10/15/09
10/07/09b
Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.
Notes: A number following the name of the committee directed to report reconciliation indicates separate sets of reconciliation directives within the budget resolution.
a. Although the Committee voted on July 17, 2009, to authorize the chairman to transmit language to the Budget Committee, the date on the letter of transmittal to the
Budget Committee included in H.Rept. 111-443 Part II, is October 13, 2009.
b. Although the Committee voted on July 21, 2009, to authorize the chairman to transmit language to the Budget Committee, the date on the letter of transmittal to the
Budget Committee included in H.Rept. 111-443 Part II, is October 7, 2009.
CRS-25


Table 5. Dates Related to Senate Committee Reconciliation Directives
Reconciliation Directives for FY1990-FY2010
Senate
Date by
Date Budget
Committee
Which
Resolution
Directed to
Committee
Date
Date Budget
Related was Agreed to
Report
was Directed
Committee
Committee
Congress/
Budget
Fiscal
by Both
Reconciliation
to Submit/
Submitted/
Reported (If
Reconciliation Bill
Session
Resolution
Year
Chambers
Legislation
Report
Reported
Applicable)
Passed Both Chambers
Banking, Housing,


and Urban Affairs
07/15/89
-
Agriculture,
Nutrition, and
Forestry 07/15/89
10/03/89
Commerce,
Science, and
Transportation 07/15/89 08/04/89
101/1 H.Con.Res.
106
1990
05/18/89
Environment and
Omnibus Budget
Public Works
07/15/89
07/27/89
10/12/89
Reconciliation Act of 1989
(P.L. 101-239)
Finance 07/15/89
10/06/89
Governmental
Affairs 07/15/89
07/21/89
Labor and Human
Resources 07/15/89
10/05/89
Veterans' Affairs
07/15/89
07/24/89
Agriculture,
Nutrition, and
Forestry 10/15/90
10/15/90
Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
10/15/90
10/12/90
Omnibus Budget
101/2 H.Con.Res.
310
1991
10/10/90
10/16/90
Reconciliation Act of 1990
Commerce,
(P.L. 101-508)
Science, and
Transportation 10/15/90 10/12/90
Energy and Natural
Resources 10/15/90
10/15/90
CRS-26


Senate
Date by
Date Budget
Committee
Which
Resolution
Directed to
Committee
Date
Date Budget
Related was Agreed to
Report
was Directed
Committee
Committee
Congress/
Budget
Fiscal
by Both
Reconciliation
to Submit/
Submitted/
Reported (If
Reconciliation Bill
Session
Resolution
Year
Chambers
Legislation
Report
Reported
Applicable)
Passed Both Chambers
Environment and
Public Works
10/15/90
10/15/90
Finance 10/15/90
10/15/90
Governmental
Affairs 10/15/90
10/15/90
Judiciary 10/15/90
10/12/90
Labor and Human
Resources 10/15/90
10/12/90
Veterans' Affairs
10/15/90
10/12/90
102/1
H.Con.Res. 121
1992
05/22/91
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
102/2
H.Con.Res. 287
1993
03/20/92
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
Agriculture,
Nutrition, and
Forestry 06/18/93
06/18/93
Armed Services
06/18/93
06/10/93
Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
06/18/93
06/15/93
Commerce,
Omnibus Budget
103/1 H.Con.Res.
64
1994
04/01/93
Science, and
06/22/93
Reconciliation Act of 1993
Transportation 06/18/93 06/16/93
(P.L. 103-66)
Energy and Natural
Resources 06/18/93
06/17/93
Environment and
Public Works
06/18/93
06/11/93
Finance (1)
06/18/93
06/18/93
Finance (2)
06/18/93
06/18/93
CRS-27


Senate
Date by
Date Budget
Committee
Which
Resolution
Directed to
Committee
Date
Date Budget
Related was Agreed to
Report
was Directed
Committee
Committee
Congress/
Budget
Fiscal
by Both
Reconciliation
to Submit/
Submitted/
Reported (If
Reconciliation Bill
Session
Resolution
Year
Chambers
Legislation
Report
Reported
Applicable)
Passed Both Chambers
Foreign Relations
06/18/93
06/10/93
Governmental
Affairs 06/18/93
06/09/93
Judiciary 06/18/93
06/10/93
Labor and Human
Resources 06/18/93
06/17/93
Veterans' Affairs
06/18/93
06/15/93
Finance (3)
04/02/93
-


103/2
H.Con.Res. 218
1995
05/14/94
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
Agriculture,
Nutrition, and
Forestry 09/22/95
09/29/95
Armed Services
09/22/95
09/26/95
Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
09/22/95
09/29/95
Commerce,
Science, and
Transportation 09/22/95 09/29/95
104/1 H.Con.Res.
67
1996
06/26/95
10/23/95
Balanced Budget Act of
1995 (Vetoed)
Energy and Natural
Resources 09/22/95
09/27/95
Environment and
Public Works
09/22/95
09/22/95
Finance (1)
09/22/95
10/17/95
Governmental
Affairs 09/22/95
09/28/95
Judiciary 09/22/95
09/22/95
CRS-28


Senate
Date by
Date Budget
Committee
Which
Resolution
Directed to
Committee
Date
Date Budget
Related was Agreed to
Report
was Directed
Committee
Committee
Congress/
Budget
Fiscal
by Both
Reconciliation
to Submit/
Submitted/
Reported (If
Reconciliation Bill
Session
Resolution
Year
Chambers
Legislation
Report
Reported
Applicable)
Passed Both Chambers
Labor and Human
Resources 09/22/95
10/03/95
Veterans' Affairs
09/22/95
10/05/95
5 days after
certification by
Finance (2)
CBOa 10/19/95
Agriculture,
Personal Responsibility and
Nutrition, and
Work Opportunity
Forestry (1)
06/21/96
06/28/96
07/16/96
Reconciliation Act of 1996
(P.L. 104-193)
Finance (1)
06/21/96
07/11/96
Finance (2)
07/24/96
-


Agriculture,
Nutrition, and


Forestry (2)
09/18/96
-
Armed Services
09/18/96
-


Banking, Housing,


104/2 H.Con.Res.
178
1997
05/23/96
and Urban Affairs
09/18/96
-
Commerce,
Science, and


Transportation 09/18/96 -
Energy and Natural


Resources 09/18/96
-
Environment and
Public Works
09/18/96
-


Finance (3)
09/18/96
-


Governmental


Affairs 09/18/96
-
CRS-29


Senate
Date by
Date Budget
Committee
Which
Resolution
Directed to
Committee
Date
Date Budget
Related was Agreed to
Report
was Directed
Committee
Committee
Congress/
Budget
Fiscal
by Both
Reconciliation
to Submit/
Submitted/
Reported (If
Reconciliation Bill
Session
Resolution
Year
Chambers
Legislation
Report
Reported
Applicable)
Passed Both Chambers
Judiciary
09/18/96
-


Labor and Human
Resources 09/18/96
-


Agriculture,
Nutrition, and
Forestry 06/13/97
06/13/97
Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
06/13/97
06/18/97
Commerce,
Science, and
Transportation 06/13/97 06/19/97
Balanced Budget Act of
Energy and Natural
06/20/97
1997 (P.L. 105-33)
105/1 H.Con.Res.
84
1998
06/04/97
Resources 06/13/97
06/13/97
Finance (1)
06/13/97
06/19/97
Governmental
Affairs 06/13/97
06/19/97
Labor and Human
Resources 06/13/97
06/18/97
Veterans' Affairs
06/13/97
06/12/97

Taxpayer Relief Act of
Finance (2)
06/20/97
6/20/97
1997 (P.L. 105-34)
105/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
Taxpayer Refund and Relief
106/1 H.Con.Res.
68
2000
04/14/99
Finance 07/23/99
07/26/99

Act of 1999 (Vetoed)
106/2 H.Con.Res.
290
2001
04/12/00
Finance
07/14/00
07/05/00
Marriage Tax Relief

Reconciliation Act of 2000




Finance 09/13/00
07/05/00
(Vetoed)
CRS-30


Senate
Date by
Date Budget
Committee
Which
Resolution
Directed to
Committee
Date
Date Budget
Related was Agreed to
Report
was Directed
Committee
Committee
Congress/
Budget
Fiscal
by Both
Reconciliation
to Submit/
Submitted/
Reported (If
Reconciliation Bill
Session
Resolution
Year
Chambers
Legislation
Report
Reported
Applicable)
Passed Both Chambers
Economic Growth and Tax
107/1 H.Con.Res.
83
2002
05/08/01

Relief Reconciliation Act of
Finance 05/18/01
05/16/01
2001 (P.L. 107-16)
107/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
Jobs and Growth Tax
108/1 H.Con.Res.
95
2004
04/10/03

Relief Reconciliation Act of
Finance 05/08/03
05/13/03
2003 (P.L. 108-27)
108/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
Agriculture,
Nutrition, and
Forestry 09/16/05
10/21/05
Banking, Housing,
and Urban Affairs
09/16/05
10/21/05
Commerce,
Science, and
Transportation 09/16/05 10/20/05
Energy and Natural
10/27/05
Deficit Reduction Act
(P.L. 109-171)
Resources 09/16/05
10/19/05
109/1 H.Con.Res.
95
2006
04/28/05
Environment and
Public Works
09/16/05
10/19/05
Finance
09/16/05
10/25/05
Health, Education,
Labor, and Pensions
09/16/05
10/19/05
Judiciary 09/16/05
10/25/05
Tax Increase Prevention

and Reconciliation Act of
Finance (2)
09/23/05
11/16/05
2005 (P.L. 109-222)
CRS-31


Senate
Date by
Date Budget
Committee
Which
Resolution
Directed to
Committee
Date
Date Budget
Related was Agreed to
Report
was Directed
Committee
Committee
Congress/
Budget
Fiscal
by Both
Reconciliation
to Submit/
Submitted/
Reported (If
Reconciliation Bill
Session
Resolution
Year
Chambers
Legislation
Report
Reported
Applicable)
Passed Both Chambers
Finance (3)
09/30/05
-


109/2
No budget resolution was agreed to
College Cost Reduction
110/1
S.Con.Res. 21
2008
05/17/07
Health, Education,

and Access Act (P.L. 110-
Labor, and Pensions
09/10/07
07/10/07
84)
110/2
S.Con.Res. 70
2009
06/05/08
No reconciliation directives included in the budget resolution
Finance 10/15/09
-


111/1 S.Con.Res.
13
2010
04/27/09
Health Care and
Health, Education,

Education Reconciliation
Labor, and Pensions
10/15/09
-
Act of 2010 (P.L. 111-152)
Source: Prepared by the Congressional Research Service.
a. Section 105(b)(2) of the budget resolution stated that Committee on Finance should report revenue related reconciliation legislation no later than five days after a
certification from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) stating that certain legislative recommendations would balance the budget by FY2003. The CBO certification
was dated October 18, 1995.


CRS-32

Budget Reconciliation Process: Timing of Committee Responses to Reconciliation Directives


Author Contact Information

Megan S. Lynch

Analyst on Congress and the Legislative Process
mlynch@crs.loc.gov, 7-7853


Congressional Research Service
33