S. 63: Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2019

116th Congress · introduced 2019-01-09 · 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 2019-01-09 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · 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

Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2019

Plain summary

Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2019 This bill modifies the federal budget process to require biennial congressional budget resolutions, instead of the annual budget resolutions required under current law. The bill retains the existing annual process for budget reconciliation and appropriations bills. The bill also modifies the budget process to allow budget resolutions that have bipartisan support, establish a target for the ratio of the public debt to the gross domestic product, and meet other specified requirements to be considered in the Senate using expedited procedures; require the congressional budget committees to hold joint hearings to hear testimony from the Comptroller General regarding the audited financial statements of the executive branch and the financial position and condition of the federal government; allow budget resolutions to include the total combined outlays and revenues for tax expenditures; and require the chairmen and ranking members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and the Senate Finance Committee to serve on the Senate Budget Committee.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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

Bipartisan Budget and Appropriations Reform Act of 2019

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] · 7 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Tim Kaine (D-VA), James Lankford (R-OK), Angus S. King, Jr. (I-ME), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE)

Sponsor's campaign money: Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] reported raising $652,856 (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (3)

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).
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-116s63.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/s>

Record fed-us-cong116-s63 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116