Reps. Ed Whitfield (Ky.) and Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) recently introduced legislation that would implement a two-year federal budget cycle to eliminate the need to repeatedly pass short-term spending bills.
The Biennial Budgeting and Appropriations Act of 2013 would require the president to submit a two-year budget proposal. It would also require Congress to consider a two-year budget resolution as well as a two-year appropriations cycle.
“I genuinely believe that one of the major problems facing Congress today is our budgetary and appropriations process,” Whitfield said. “If we could simplify the process, we could provide more oversight and more opportunity for meaningful review, and I believe the American people would benefit from it.”
Whitfield and Stivers said adopting a two year budget process would lead to better examination of federal spending and the elimination of wasteful and duplicative government programs. In one year, Congress would focus on making federal programs better or eliminating them. In the next year, Congress would focus on the spending levels for those programs.
“Washington can learn something about getting things done from the heartland,” Stivers said. “Ohio and 18 other states have biennial budgets that give time to review every program and move budget decisions out of the campaign year. This is a common-sense reform.”
The legislation was referred to the House committees on Budget, Rules, and Oversight and Government Reform.