House Republicans have made key changes to the internal rulebook that governs how the chamber operates in a subtle move that could have far reaching implications.
The rules package, approved Tuesday by House GOP leaders, has received much attention for the Republicans’ decision to direct the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Tax Committee to use “dynamic scoring” to determine the fiscal impact to federal coffers of major legislation. “Major” legislation is classified as anything deemed such by the chairman of the Budget Committee or that has a .25 percent impact on gross domestic product.
That means CBO and JCT, Congress’ two official bipartisan scorekeepers charged with measuring the fiscal impact of legislation, would be directed to account for the economic effects of legislation when calculating its overall budgetary impact. For instance, such analysis could presume an increase in tax revenue to the government through the economic growth generated from cutting taxes. This could help a Republican Congress make the case that a tax reform plan that cuts taxes won’t add to the deficit, as Democrats usually claim.
“An estimate provided by the Congressional Budget Office under section 402 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 for any major legislation shall, to the extent practicable, incorporate the budgetary effects of changes in economic output, employment, capital stock, and other macroeconomic variables resulting from such legislation,” the rules package reads.
The Republicans made other potentially significant changes in preparation for their party assuming command of the Senate for the first time under President Obama.
Previously, House-Senate conference committees to resolve differences over legislation were provided breathing room of 30 calendar days or 15 legislative days — whichever came first — before the minority party in the House was permitted to force votes on the House floor on amendments to the bill being negotiated by the conference committee. These votes, known as “motions to instruct” have the ability to gum up the legislative calendar and force the majority to take politically uncomfortable votes.
To allow more time for members of a conference committee to conclude their work and hold off annoying motions to recommit in the House, GOP leaders lengthened the time at which such votes would be allowed, to 45 calendar days and 25 legislative days. House and Senate GOP leaders said they intend to rely on regular order to pass a budget and all 12 appropriations bills, and if they hold to that, several conference committee negotiations on the way.
In another change, the new House rules package is granting expanded power to conduct depositions to four committees: Energy and Commerce; Financial Services; Science, Space and Technology and Ways and Means. Usually such additional authority is granted on a case-by-case basis.
