Sen. Perdue Proposes Solutions to Fix the Funding Process

Sen. David Perdue (R, GA) has introduced the “Fix Funding First Act” that he believes will fix the funding crisis in the United States while also reining in the growing national debt.

Sen. Perdue stated in a press release that (emphasis added):

“Anyone can see that Washington’s funding process is totally dysfunctional. Enough excuses – it’s time to find a solution. Since I first came to the United States Senate, many of us have consistently called for changing this broken funding process. The reality is Congress has only funded the government on time four times since the Budget Act of 1974 was signed into law, and the last time was in 1996—more than 20 years ago. On top of that, Congress has kicked the can down the road 186 times with continuing resolutions and allowed the government to shut down 21 times. That’s unacceptable, and it only creates grave uncertainty for our military.”

He states that the Fix Funding First Act will:

1. Change the Fiscal Year & End Vote-a-rama: Changes the federal government’s fiscal year to match the calendar year, giving Congress adequate time to complete the funding process, and eliminates spending bill delays.
2. Only Require Topline Spending Levels Every Two Years: The funding agreement will only require 302a allocations to set top line spending levels for the two year period.
3. Make the Funding Agreement a Law: The funding agreement will be a joint resolution signed by the President, giving it the force of law.
4. Create Consequences For Not Getting The Job Done: Sets new milestones before state work periods and imposes consequences, such as ‘No Funding, No Recess’ and ‘No Funding, No Pay.’
5. Repurpose the Budget Committee: The Senate Budget Committee will report out a 5-year bipartisan strategic plan every two years. This plan will include a target for the ratio of the public debt-to-GDP, federal revenue, discretionary spending, and mandatory spending.