S. 5377: To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to establish certain procedures for consideration of appropriation bills, and for other purposes.

This bill would change the rules Congress uses to handle annual appropriations bills, which are the spending bills that keep the federal government funded.

What it would do

• Applies existing Senate budget procedures to appropriations bills. The bill says that the same general procedures used for certain budget resolutions in the Senate would also apply when the Senate considers appropriations bills.
• Limits Senate debate time. Debate on any annual appropriations bill, along with related amendments, motions, and appeals, would be limited to 20 hours total in the Senate.
• Restricts long July recesses in the House. The House of Representatives would not be allowed to take up an adjournment period of more than three calendar days during July unless it has already approved appropriations bills covering all of the House Appropriations subcommittees for the upcoming fiscal year.
• Updates the law’s table of contents. The bill makes a technical conforming change to reflect the revised section title, changing section 309 to “Approval of appropriation bills.”

Practical effect

In plain terms, the bill is meant to push Congress to act on spending bills on a faster schedule. In the Senate, it would reduce how long appropriations bills can be debated. In the House, it would make it harder to take a long summer break before finishing work on the main spending bills needed to fund the government for the coming fiscal year.

Relevant Companies

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