Ground Report

On August 6, 2014 Senator Patty Murray of Washington State asked for and was granted permission to address the United States Senate regarding budget revisions. Senator Murray sits on the following Committees with budgetary oversight and responsibility:

Appropriations Committee

Within the Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray is Chairman of the Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies.   Murray also serves on the following subcommittees

• Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee
• Energy and Water Development Subcommittee
• Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee
• Defense Subcommittee
• Homeland Security Subcommittee

Committee on the Budget – Chairman

Here comments concerning the necessity of the budget revisions are as follows:

“Mr. President, I previously filed budgetary aggregates and committee allocations for budget years 2014 and 2015 pursuant to section 116 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013. Today, I am adjusting those levels.

Section 251 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 establishes statutory limits on discretionary spending and allows for various adjustments to those limits, while sections 302 and 314(a) of the Congressional Budget Act allows the Chairman of the Budget Committee to establish and make revisions to allocations, aggregates, and levels consistent with those adjustments. On August 1, 2014, the Senate passed one bill that is eligible for an adjustment under the Congressional Budget Act: H.J. Res 76, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Resolution, 2014, which includes $225 million in budget authority and $150 million in outlays in 2014 and $75 million in outlays in 2015 that is designated as emergency funding pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985.

Consequently, I am revising the budgetary aggregates for 2014 by a total of $225 million in budget authority and $150 million in outlays. For 2015 I am revising the budgetary aggregates by $75 million in outlays. I am also revising the budget authority and outlay allocations to the Appropriations Committee by $225 million in revised security budget authority and $150 million in outlays in 2014 and by $75 million in outlays in 2015.

I ask unanimous consent that the following tables detailing the changes to the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations and the budgetary aggregates be printed in the Record.

There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

* 2014 current spending aggregates reflect previous adjustments made for the farm bill and unemployment insurance. 2015 current spending aggregates reflect previous adjustments made for disaster, overseas contingency operations, and terrorism risk insurance. 

* Pursuant to section 314(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations will be adjusted following the reporting of bills, offering of amendments, or submission of conference reports that qualify for adjustments to the discretionary spending limits as outlined in section 251(b) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 

*Pursuant to section 314(a) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974, the allocation to the Committee on Appropriations will be adjusted following the reporting of bills, offering of amendments, or submission of conference reports that qualify for adjustments to the discretionary spending limits as outlined in section 251(b)) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. 

* This table reflects the Congressional Budget Office estimate of H.J. Res. 76, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Resolution, 2014 as passed by the Senate on August 1, 2014. 

* This table reflects the Congressional Budget Office estimate of H.J. Res. 76, Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Resolution, 2014 as passed by the Senate on August 1, 2014.Source: Congressional Record http://thomas.loc.gov/