Sustainable Budget Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform to develop recommendations to balance the federal budget, excluding interest, within 10 years and to address long-term entitlement spending and the gap between projected revenues and expenditures.
Show full summary
- Congress and lawmakers would receive the commission's reports and would be required to consider its recommendations under expedited legislative procedures aimed at achieving the 10-year budget goal.
- The commission would be an 18-member body appointed by the President and congressional leaders, with two presidential appointees designated co-chairs who must be from different political parties.
- The commission would vote on a final report no later than 1 year after member appointments, must secure broad bipartisan support to approve recommendations, and would get technical help from the Government Accountability Office, the Congressional Budget Office, and the Joint Committee on Taxation while having authority to request information from federal agencies and publish its reports and meeting attendance.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 3 mixed.
Create bipartisan national fiscal commission
This bill would create a National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform within 30 days of enactment. It would have 18 members: six picked by the President, and three each by the four top congressional leaders. Initial appointments would be due within 60 days after the commission is set up. The President would name two Co-Chairs from different parties. Members would need experience in government, economics, management, public administration, or law.
Fast-track votes on commission budget plan
The Commission would have to vote on a final report within one year after members are appointed. It could pass only with at least 12 votes, including at least four aligned with the Speaker's party and four with the House minority leader's party. Within 60 days after a report, the President would send Congress a special message and a proposed joint resolution with legislative text, after consulting committees and working with GAO, CBO, and the Joint Committee on Taxation. The President's message would list which ideas are included or excluded and why, and identify programs to eliminate or merge. That joint resolution could not be amended and would get fast-track votes: committees get 10 days, House debate is two hours with a prompt vote, and Senate debate and motions are tightly limited. These rules would apply only to commission joint resolutions. The Commission would end 30 days after it files its final report.
Commission transparency and agency data access
The Commission could request information directly from any federal agency. If the Co-Chairs ask, agency heads would have to provide it. The Commission would run a public website and post recommendations and member attendance. It would have to post within 72 hours after each meeting.
Funding and staffing rules for commission
The bill would authorize whatever money is needed to run the Commission. Any funds Congress provides would stay available until spent. Commission members would not get extra pay, but could get travel and per diem like federal employees. The Co-Chairs could hire and fire an executive director and staff, with pay capped at Level V of the Executive Schedule. Federal employees could be detailed to the Commission without reimbursement and without losing status.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Case, Ed [D-HI-1]
HI • D
Cosponsors
Womack
AR • R
Sponsored 1/7/2025
Peters
CA • D
Sponsored 1/7/2025
Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]
IA • R
Sponsored 1/7/2025
Rep. Bacon, Don [R-NE-2]
NE • R
Sponsored 2/7/2025
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
GA • R
Sponsored 2/10/2025
Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
PA • R
Sponsored 4/7/2025
LaLota
NY • R
Sponsored 4/29/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov