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H.R. 4604 103rd Congress House

Budget Control Act of 1994

Official title: To establish direct spending targets, and for other purposes.

Introduced: June 21, 1994 See on congress.gov
Economics and Public Finance AppropriationsBalanced budgetsBudget deficitsCongress
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Congressional budget processCongressional reporting requirementsCongressional votingDeposit insuranceEntitlementsExpedited congressional procedureFederal budgetsFederal receipts and expendituresFinance and Financial SectorGovernment Operations and PoliticsGovernment spending reductionsHouse rules and procedureIncome taxInterestLegislationLegislative resolutionsOff-budget expendituresOld age, survivors and disability insurancePresidential messagesSocial WelfareTax ratesTaxation
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This bill died when the 103rd Congress ended
It never became law before the 103rd Congress (1993–1994) 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 28 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 22, 1994
Received in the Senate and read twice and referred jointly to the Committees on Budget; Governmental Affairs pursuant to the order of August 4, 1977, with instructions that if one Committee reports, the other Committee have thirty days to report or be discharged.
Jul 21, 1994
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Jul 21, 1994
On passage Passed by recorded vote: 316 - 107 (Roll no. 346).
Jul 21, 1994
Pursuant to the foregoing order of the House, the Committee on Rules reported the bill back to the House with the following amendments.
Jul 21, 1994
On motion to recommit with instructions Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 424 - 0 (Roll No. 345). (consideration: CR H6004-6005)
Jul 21, 1994
The previous question was ordered without objection.
Jul 21, 1994
DEBATE - The House proceeded with ten minutes of debate on the Goss motion to recommit the bill to the Committee on Rules with instructions that the Committee report the bill back to the House with amendments to delete the bill's prohibition on proposing reductions in Social Security benefits to achieve additional spending cuts, in the event that entitlement outlays exceed the caps agreed to in the budget resolution.
Jul 21, 1994
Mr. Goss moved to recommit with instructions to Rules.
Jul 21, 1994
The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.
Jul 21, 1994
The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
Jul 21, 1994
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.R. 4604.
Jul 21, 1994
DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Stupak amendment.
Jul 21, 1994
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 484, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Stenholm amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Jul 21, 1994
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 484, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Kasich amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Jul 21, 1994
GENERAL DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 484, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of general debate.
Jul 21, 1994
The Speaker designated the Honorable Peter J. Visclosky to act as Chairman of the Committee.
Jul 21, 1994
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 484 and Rule XXIII.
Jul 21, 1994
Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4604 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of the bill modified by the amendment printed in Part 1 of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order.
Jul 21, 1994
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 484. (consideration: CR H5969-6006)
Jul 21, 1994
Rule H. Res. 484 passed House.
Jul 20, 1994
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 484 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 4604 with 1 hour of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit with or without instructions. It shall be in order to consider as an original bill for the purpose of amendment under the five-minute rule an amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of the bill modified by the amendment printed in Part 1 of the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Measure will be considered read. Specified amendments are in order.
Jul 14, 1994
Reported by the Committee on Rules. H. Rept. 103-602, Part I.
Jul 14, 1994
Ordered to be Reported.
Jul 14, 1994
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held.
Jun 24, 1994
Referred to the Subcommittee on Legislation and National Security.
Jun 21, 1994
Referred to the House Committee on Rules.
Jun 21, 1994
Referred to the House Committee on Government Operations.
Jun 21, 1994
Introduced in House
 Votes taken on this bill 2
DateChamberWhat was voted onResultYes–No
Jul 21, 1994 House · vote #346 On Passage Passed 316–107 See who voted →
Jul 21, 1994 House · vote #345 On Motion to Recommit with Instructions Passed 424–0 See who voted →
 Amendments to this bill 4

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

2 agreed to 2 failed

AmendmentSponsorPurposeStatusLatest action
HAMDT 774 – An amendment to delete the bill's prohibition on proposing reductions in Social Security benefits to achieve … Agreed to Jul 21, 1994
HAMDT 773 – An amendment in the nature of a substitute identical to the original text of the bill, with the exception tha… Agreed to Jul 21, 1994
HAMDT 772 – An amendment to set annual caps on entitlement spending for FY 1996 through FY 2000. It would require cuts in… Failed Jul 21, 1994
HAMDT 771 – An amendment in the nature of a substitute which would transform the current budget resolution from a concurr… Failed Jul 21, 1994
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 Latest action July 22, 1994

Received in the Senate and read twice and referred jointly to the Committees on Budget; Governmental Affairs pursuant to the order of August 4, 1977, with instructions that if one Committee reports, the other Committee have thirty days to report or be discharged.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Budget Control Act of 1994 - Directs the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to submit a report to the Congress setting forth projected direct spending targets for FY 1994 through 1997. Makes the initial targets equal to the total outlays for all direct spending (except net interest and deposit insurance) as determined above by OMB, subject to annual adjustment for increases in numbers of direct spending program beneficiaries, and for revenue and emergency legislation.

Requires an annual review of direct spending and receipts by the President as part of the budget process. Specifies the information to be included in the President's budget, such as information on target adjustments, and, in appropriate cases such as where direct spending outlays for the current year are projected to exceed applicable targets, a special direct spending message that includes a draft resolution recommending reduced outlays or increased revenues by specified amounts.

Sets forth procedures governing congressional consideration of such recommendations (which may not consist of any proposed changes under the Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance Program), including: (1) requirements for a separate vote in the House of Representatives to increase direct spending targets; and (2) special rules regarding the applicability of budget process and enforcement provisions of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 and the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) whenever budget resolutions or reconciliation legislation proposing target changes, outlay reductions, or revenue increases are reported.

States that: (1) the procedures set forth in this Act shall not apply when the coverage for any fiscal year is less than one-half of one percent of the direct spending target for that year; and (2) the President and the Congress should seriously consider all other alternatives before recommending reductions in means-tested programs.

Declares it shall not be in order in the House to consider any general appropriation bill if the President has submitted a special direct spending message until the Congress has adopted a concurrent budget resolution meeting the requirements of this Act.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • HRES 484 Procedurally related Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 4604) to establish direct spending targets, and for other purposes.
 Bill text 3 versions

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 5
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4604: Budget Control Act of 1994. 103rd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4604/
MLA
"H.R. 4604: Budget Control Act of 1994." 103rd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4604/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4604, 103rd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4604/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4604: Budget Control Act of 1994](https://openamerica.io/bill/103-HR-4604/)
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