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H.R. 2142 101st Congress House

Biennial Budget Act

Official title: To provide for a 2-year Federal budget cycle, and for other purposes.

Introduced: April 27, 1989 See on congress.gov
Economics and Public Finance AppropriationsAuthorizationBudget deficitsCongressional agencies
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Congressional budget processCongressional committeesCongressional information resourcesCongressional oversightCongressional reporting requirementsFederal budget processFederal budgetsFederal receipts and expendituresGovernment spending reductionsHouse rules and procedureLegislationLegislative resolutionsPublic debtSenate rules and procedureSunset legislation
This bill died when the 101st Congress ended
It never became law before the 101st Congress (1989–1990) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 5 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Dec 31, 1989
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Legislative Process.
May 2, 1989
Referred to the Subcommittee on Legislation and National Security.
Apr 27, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
Apr 27, 1989
Referred to the House Committee on Government Operations.
Apr 27, 1989
Introduced in House
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 Latest action December 31, 1989

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Legislative Process.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Biennial Budget Act - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to revise the Federal and congressional budget processes by establishing a two-year budgeting and appropriations cycle and timetable, beginning in the 102d Congress. Defines the budget biennium as the two consecutive fiscal years beginning on October 1 of any odd-numbered year.

Devotes the first session of any Congress to the budget resolution and to appropriations decisions, retaining current deadlines in most cases. Changes relevant deadlines as follows to conform to the biennial scheme: (1) from April 1 to March 31 for the Senate Budget Committee's report on the concurrent resolution on the budget; (2) from June 15 to September 30 for completion of congressional action on reconciliation legislation; and (3) from June 30 to September 30 for completion of congressional action on appropriations bills. Devotes each second session to authorization activity, subject to deadlines of: (1) May 15 for the submission of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report to the Budget Committees; and (2) the last day of the session for completion of congressional action on bills and resolutions authorizing new budget authority for the next biennium.

Changes from January 15 to February 15 of each year the date by which the CBO Director must submit to the Congress a report on authorizations. Requires the Director of the CBO to issue four-year projections of congressional budget action. (Current projections are on a five-year basis.)

Amends provisions relating to the reconciliation process to: (1) increase from 20 hours to 100 hours the time of debate permitted in the Senate with respect to reconciliation measures; and (2) make it out of order in both the House and the Senate to consider any reconciliation legislation changing any provision of law other than one relating to new budget or spending authority, revenues, or the public debt limit.

Revises the extent of projections to be included in CBO analyses of reported bills.

Amends Federal law to require the President's budget for a biennium to be set forth in the same accounts as those set forth in the table titled "The Federal Program by Agency and Account" in the budget submitted for FY 1991. Requires the President to consult with committees having jurisdiction over programs affected by proposed changes before any changes may be made in the budget tables. (Current law requiring consultation with the Budget and Appropriations Committees remains unchanged.)

Conforms provisions governing the President's budget, including maximum deficit amount requirements, to the biennial framework.

Changes the due date for the President's report on estimated budget outlays and proposed budget authority, making the report due at the same time as the President's budget. Requires the Joint Economic Committee to submit its evaluation of these estimates by February 25 of each odd-numbered year. (The current annual deadline is March 1).

Directs the heads of Federal executive agencies, the Comptroller General, and the Directors of the Congressional Budget Office, the Office of Technology Assessment, and the Congressional Research Service to provide studies, analyses, reports, and other documentation concerning program administration to assist the standing committees of the House and the Senate having jurisdiction over the programs in question.

Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to conform to the biennial framework.

 Related & companion bills 2
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 4
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 2142: Biennial Budget Act. 101st Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-2142/
MLA
"H.R. 2142: Biennial Budget Act." 101st Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-2142/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 2142, 101st Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-2142/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 2142: Biennial Budget Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HR-2142/)
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