Y 4. B85: R24 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING CONGRESSIONAL CONTROL JOINT STUDY COMMITTEE ON BUDGET CONTROL Co-Chairmen JAMIE L. WHITTEN, House Appropriations AL ULLMAN, House Ways and Means Co-Vice Chairmen JOHN L. MCCLELLAN, Senate Appro- RUSSELL B. LONG, Senate Finance priations ROMAN L. HRUSKA, Senate Appropriations Senate Appropriations Committee JOHN C. STENNIS ALAN BIBLE MILTON R. YOUNG HERMAN T. SCHNEEBELI, House Ways and Means Senate Finance Committee HERMAN E. TALMADGE J. W. FULBRIGHT WALLACE F. BENNETT CARL T. CURTIS PAUL J. FANNIN Senate at Large LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL JOINT STUDY COMMITTEE ON BUDGET CONTROL, Hon. CARL ALBERT, Washington, D.C., April 18, 1973. Speaker of the House of Representatives. Hon. JAMES O. EASTLAND, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. Senate. DEAR MR. SPEAKER AND MR. PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE: By direction of the Joint Study Committee on Budget Control, we submit herewith the committee's final report pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 92-599, approved October 27, 1972, (as modified by Senate Concurrent Resolution 8, agreed to February 27, 1973). Since making its interim report, the committee held hearings from March 6 through March 15, 1973. More than one-half of those who appeared and who submitted written statements were members of the House and Senate who have interested themselves in this problem of Congressional budgetary control. The committee received numerous worthwhile suggestions in these hearings, and many of them have been incorporated in the recommendations which are presented in this report. Basically the committee in the following report has followed the interim recommendations presented last February. The Joint Study Committee in this report presents institutional changes which it believes will enable Congress to obtain better control over the budget. It does this both by providing procedures for an overall consideration of the budget and at the same time presenting an improved congressional system for determining relative funding priorities. Part I of this report presents a summary of the committee's recommendations. Part II presents the needs for Congressional budgetary controls, Part III the general objectives of the committee recommendations, and Part IV the specific recommendations of the Joint Study Committee on Budget Control. This report was adopted unanimously by all members who were able to attend the most recent meeting on April 16. Committee members plan today to introduce a bill which will implement the recommendations contained in this report. The members of the Joint Study Committee also stand ready to assist the Congress in completing the legislative action required to translate their recommendations into an effective operating mechanism. COCHAIRMEN JAMIE L. WHITTEN, House Appropriations AL ULLMAN, House Ways and Means. CO-VICE CHAIRMEN TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Summary II. Need for Congressional Budgetary Controls--- III. General Objectives of Committee Recommendations__. IV. Recommendations of Joint Study Committee on Budget Control___ Table 1. Comparative data on the Federal budget estimates originally submitted to Congress and the final budget results, fiscal years 1921–74_. Table 2. Outlays, receipts and surpluses or deficits in the unified budget, Federal funds and trust funds, fiscal years Table 3. Totals of regular annual, supplemental and deficiency appropriation bills, as enacted, and comparison with estimates considered, 83d through 92d Congresses__ Percentage distributon of total budget outlays by major functions, fiscal years 1965-74__ Appropriation actions, by bill, fiscal years 1969-73 (during the last two sessions of Congress) – Table 10. Aggregate Federal individual income tax liability as a Table 11. Relationship of individual income tax receipts and personal income on national income accounts basis, calendar years 1951-71. Table 12. Comparison of dates of last congressional action on annual authorizations and related appropriation acts, 90th Congress, 2d session, to 92d Congress 1st Table 13. Authorizations and appropriations by agency and function, fiscal years 1966-70 (programs with fixed Table 14. Legislative actions relating to the fiscal year 1973 44 |