S. 385: Biennial Appropriations Act

114th Congress · introduced 2015-02-05 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-02-05 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the 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

Biennial Appropriations Act

Plain summary

Biennial Appropriations Act This bill amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to change the annual appropriations process to a biennial process for nondefense spending. Congress must consider the defense appropriations bill annually and the remaining appropriations bills in either odd-numbered or even-numbered years. In each year that the appropriations bill for an agency is not considered, Congress must conduct oversight hearings. The bill requires the congressional budget resolution to be accompanied by committee allocations for biennial appropriations and the President's budget to include details that reflect the biennial process. It also creates a point of order against considering: (1) legislation authorizing appropriations for less than two years unless the program requires no further appropriations and will be completed after appropriations are expended, and (2) authorization or revenue legislation until Congress completes action on the budget resolution, appropriations bills, and reconciliation bills. The Office of Management and Budget must report to Congress on the impact and feasibility of a biennial budget process.

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

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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

Biennial Appropriations Act

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Enzi, Michael B. [R-WY] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)

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 (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
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).
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s385.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s385 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114