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119-s-181119th Congress

A bill to require agencies submit zero-based budgets.

Sponsored By: Senator Risch, James E. [R-ID]

Introduced

Summary

Zero-based budgeting would require agencies to re-examine and rank every program to justify each dollar. The bill would also make most agencies recommend cuts equal to at least 2% of the prior year’s discretionary spending.

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  • Agency managers must examine current objectives, operations, and costs, consider alternative ways to run programs, and rank activities by importance. Every sixth year each agency would submit a zero-based budget for the next fiscal year and the four following years.
  • Except for the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration, agencies would submit recommendations for program cuts or reductions that total at least a 2% decrease from the previous year’s discretionary appropriations.
  • The Office of Management and Budget and the congressional budget committees would receive those zero-based budgets and the agencies’ recommended cuts for consideration.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Agencies must file zero-based budgets

If enacted, each federal agency would have to send a zero-based budget every sixth year to the Director of OMB and the House and Senate Budget Committees. The budget would cover the next fiscal year and the four following years. Agencies would review objectives, operations, costs, and rank programs by importance. This rule would not itself change appropriations but could influence future funding choices.

Most agencies must propose 2% cuts

If enacted, every federal agency except the Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration would have to list programs Congress should cut or reduce by at least 2 percent of the agency’s prior-year discretionary spending. These lists are recommendations to Congress and do not by themselves change appropriation amounts.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Risch, James E. [R-ID]

ID • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Crapo, Mike [R-ID]

    ID • R

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Ricketts, Pete [R-NE]

    NE • R

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Cruz, Ted [R-TX]

    TX • R

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Sheehy, Tim [R-MT]

    MT • R

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Scott, Rick [R-FL]

    FL • R

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 1/22/2025

  • Sen. McCormick, David [R-PA]

    PA • R

    Sponsored 8/4/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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