To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to establish certain procedures for consideration of annual appropriation bills, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8380
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Economics and Public Finance
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-20: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-05T08:07:13Z
AI-Generated Summary
Summary of H.R. 8380: Procedures for Consideration of Annual Appropriation Bills
Purpose
This bill amends the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to create stricter rules for how Congress debates and passes annual appropriation bills (laws that fund government operations for the fiscal year starting October 1). The goal is to ensure these bills are approved more promptly, especially before summer breaks.
Key Provisions
- Senate Rules (new Section 309(a)):
- Applies the same fast-track procedures used for budget resolutions (under existing Section 305) to annual appropriation bills.
- Limits total debate time—including on amendments, motions, and appeals—to 20 hours.
- These rules do not apply to "continuing resolutions" (temporary funding measures used when regular bills are delayed).
- House Rules (new Section 309(b)):
- Prohibits the House from approving any adjournment (break) longer than 3 calendar days during July until all annual appropriation bills (covering every subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee) for the upcoming fiscal year are passed.
- Requires the House Appropriations Committee chair to regularly update the Speaker on subcommittee jurisdictions to track progress.
- Technical Update:
- Updates the Act's table of contents to reflect the new title: "Approval of regular appropriation bills."
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Completely replaces the prior Section 309 (2 U.S.C. 640) with these new procedures.
- Introduces time limits on Senate debate and a House adjournment restriction—features not in the original 1974 Act's Section 309.
- Ties House summer scheduling directly to completing appropriations work, enforcing timeliness through procedural barriers.
Potential Impacts
- Government Agencies: Could lead to more predictable, on-time funding, reducing risks of government shutdowns (which occur if appropriations lapse).
- Citizens: Less disruption from funding delays, as federal programs (e.g., defense, education, social services) would have stable budgets before the fiscal year starts.
- Congress: Increases pressure to finalize bills early, potentially streamlining the process but limiting extended debate.
- No direct international relations impact noted.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Members of Congress: Especially House and Senate Appropriations Committees, leadership (e.g., Speaker of the House), and members involved in budget debates.
- Federal Agencies and Programs: Rely on these bills for annual funding.
- Taxpayers and the Public: Indirectly affected by smoother government operations and avoidance of shutdowns.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Enforces internal congressional procedures via federal statute, making them harder to waive without a supermajority or rule change.
- Constitutional: Aligns with Congress's exclusive power (under Article I, Section 9) to control government spending, without altering that authority.
- Political: May reduce partisan gridlock on spending bills by limiting debate and blocking recesses, but could spark debates over reduced deliberation time; introduced by Republicans, it targets timely budgeting amid past shutdown risks.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (5)
Rep. Cole, Tom [R-OK-4], Rep. Bice, Stephanie I. [R-OK-5], Rep. Maloy, Celeste [R-UT-2], Rep. Rose, John W. [R-TN-6], Rep. Fuller, Clay [R-GA-14]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-20: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-20: Referred to the Committee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-20: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-20: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to establish certain procedures for consideration of annual appropriation bills, and for other purposes. — issued 2026-04-20 — PDF (3 pages)