PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Congressional Research Service
Version 81 · Passed House without amendment · Apr 2, 2009
(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The expanded summary of the House reported version is repeated here.)
Sets forth the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2010, including the appropriate budgetary levels for FY2009, and FY2011-FY2014.
Title I: Recommended Levels and Amounts - (Sec. 101) Recommends budgetary levels and amounts for FY2009-FY2014 with respect to: (1) federal revenues; (2) new budget authority; (3) budget outlays; (4) deficits (on-budget); (5) debt subject to limit; and (6) debt held by the public.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
(Sec. 102) Lists the appropriate levels of new budget authority and outlays for specified major functional categories for FY2009-FY2014.
Title II: Reconciliation - (Sec. 201) Sets forth reconciliation instructions for the Committees on: (1) Energy and Commerce; (2) Ways and Means; and (3) Education and Labor.
Authorizes the House to direct the House Clerk to add at the end of a health care reform bill or an education investment bill, subject to these reconciliation instructions, the text of another such measure as passed by the House to form a single engrossed reconciliation bill.
Title III: Reserve Funds - (Sec. 301) Creates certain deficit-neutral reserve funds, subject to specified conditions, for legislation concerning: (1) health care reform; (2) college access, affordability, and completion; (3) an increase in energy independence; (4) America's veterans and servicemembers; (5) certain tax relief; (6) a 9/11 health program; (7) child nutrition; (8) structural unemployment insurance reforms; (9) child support; (10) the Affordable Housing Trust Fund; (11) home visiting for certain individuals and families; and (12) a low-income home energy assistance program (LIHEAP) trigger.
(Sec. 313) Creates a reserve fund, subject to specified conditions, for legislation concerning reauthorization of surface transportation programs.
(Sec. 314) Creates a current policy reserve fund, subject to specified conditions, for legislation concerning: (1) Medicare improvements; (2) middle-class tax relief; (3) Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) reform; and (4) the Estate and Gift Tax.
Title IV: Budget Enforcement - (Sec. 401) Prescribes adjustments for direct spending and revenues to maintain such current policy reserves, only if certain conditions and pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) requirements are met.
Authorizes adjustments for the LIHEAP program, and prescribes other adjustments for the deposit insurance guarantee commitment (in effect as of the enactment of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 [EESA]).
(Sec. 402) Authorizes or prescribes adjustments to discretionary spending limits, budgetary aggregates, and allocations for: (1) continuing disability reviews, Supplemental Security Income (SSI) redeterminations, and SSI asset verification by the Social Security Administration (SSA); (2) Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax compliance; (3) the health care fraud and abuse control program; (4) unemployment insurance improper payments reviews; and (5) a Partnership Fund for Program Integrity Innovation in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
States that new budget authority, outlays, and receipts resulting from adoption of legislation making appropriations for FY2009-FY2010 for overseas deployments and related activities, or appropriations for discretionary spending to meet emergency needs, shall not count for certain purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA).
(Sec. 403) Prohibits House legislation that would require advance appropriations, except certain FY2011 or FY2012 programs, projects, activities, or accounts.
(Sec. 404) Encourages all House committees to: (1) conduct rigorous oversight hearings to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in all aspects of federal spending and operations, giving particular scrutiny to issues raised by the Office of Inspector General or Comptroller General; and (2) make recommendations, based on these oversight efforts, to reduce wasteful federal spending to promote deficit reduction and long-term fiscal responsibility.
(Sec. 405) Requires in the House the joint explanatory statement accompanying the conference report on any budget resolution to include in its allocation to the House Committee on Appropriations amounts for the discretionary administrative expenses of the SSA and of the Postal Service.
Title V: Policy - (Sec. 501) Declares the policy of this resolution on: (1) middle-income tax relief and revenues; and (2) defense priorities.
Title VI: Sense of the House - (Sec. 601) Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives on: (1) veterans' and servicemembers' health care; (2) homeland security; (3) American innovation and economic competitiveness; (4) pay parity; (5) college affordability; (6) Great Lakes restoration; and (7) the importance of child support enforcement.
People & committees
Rep. Spratt, John M., Jr. [D-SC-5] · D–SC
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 233 - 196 (Roll no. 192). (text: CR H4431-4437)
House roll call 192 · Individual votesPassed/agreed to in House: On agreeing to the resolution Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 233 - 196 (Roll no. 192).(text: CR H4431-4437)
House roll call 192 · Individual votesThe previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. (consideration: CR H4487)
The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H. Con. Res. 85.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Ryan (WI) amendment in the nature of a substitute.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Lee(CA) amendment in the nature of a substitute.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Jordan(OH) amendment in the nature of a substitute.
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 316, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 40 minutes of debate on the Woolsey amendment in the nature of a substitute.
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
GENERAL LEAVE - Mr. Spratt asked unanimous consent that Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on H.Con.Res. 85. Agreed to without objection.
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H. Con. Res. 85 as unfinished business.
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with the remaining one hour of general debate on H. Con. Res. 85.
The House resolved into Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union for further consideration.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H4415-4487)
Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union rises leaving H. Con. Res. 85 as unfinished business.
On motion that the Committee rise Agreed to by voice vote.
Mrs. Maloney moved that the Committee rise.
GENERAL DEBATE - General Debate on H. Con. Res. 85 continued beyond 12 midnight and on into April 2, 2009.
GENERAL DEBATE - The Committee of the Whole proceeded with four hours of general debate on H. Con. Res. 85.
The Speaker designated the Honorable Ellen O. Tauscher to act as Chairwoman of the Committee.
House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 305 and Rule XVIII.
Rule provides for consideration of H. Con. Res. 85 with 4 hours of general debate. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the concurrent resolution.
Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 305. (consideration: CR H4370-4393)
Rule H. Res. 305 passed House.
Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 305 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H. Con. Res. 85 with 4 hours of general debate. The resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the concurrent resolution.
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 25.
The House Committee on The Budget reported an original measure, H. Rept. 111-60, by Mr. Spratt.
The House Committee on The Budget reported an original measure, H. Rept. 111-60, by Mr. Spratt.
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Analyze H.Con.Res.85 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
Examine H.Con.Res.85 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
Examine H.Con.Res.85 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
Examine H.Con.Res.85 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.