H.R. 1591: Zero-based Budgeting Ensures Responsible Oversight (ZERO) Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-03-24 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on the Budget.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-03-24 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on the Budget. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Zero-based Budgeting Ensures Responsible Oversight (ZERO) Act of 2015

Plain summary

Zero-based Budgeting Ensures Responsible Oversight (ZERO) Act of 2015 This bill requires the President to submit annual department and agency budgets that include: a description of each activity for which funds were appropriated during the current year or are requested for the budget year; the legal basis for each activity; three alternative funding levels and the priorities that could be accomplished with each, including at least two levels that are below the current funding level; and measures of cost efficiency and effectiveness for each activity. The Office of Management and Budget must publish guidelines to carry out this bill by assuming the baseline budget of each department or agency to be zero and requiring each proposed expenditure to be justified as if it were new.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Zero-based Budgeting Ensures Responsible Oversight (ZERO) Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Ross, Dennis A. [R-FL-15] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Glenn Grothman (R-WI)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr1591.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr1591 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114