United States Senate Committee on the Budget
Encyclopedia
The United States Senate Committee on Budget was established by the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
. It is responsible for drafting Congress's annual budget plan
and monitoring action on the budget for the Federal Government. The committee has jurisdiction over the Congressional Budget Office
. The committee briefly operated as a special committee from 1919 to 1920 during the 66th Congress, before being made a standing committee in 1974.
and the Appropriations Committee
, both of which have different jurisdictions: The Finance Committee is analogous to the Ways and Means Committee
in the House of Representatives
; it has legislative jurisdiction in the areas of taxes, Social Security
, Medicare
, Medicaid
and some other entitlement
s. The Appropriations Committee has legislative jurisdiction over appropriations bills, which provide funding for government programs.
While the budget resolution prepared by the Budget Committee sets out a broad blueprint for the Congress with respect to the total levels of revenues and spending for the government as a whole, these other Committees prepare the legislation that actually enacts specific tax and spending policies.
Members, 112th Congress
The Committee is chaired by Democrat Kent Conrad
of North Dakota
, and the Ranking Member
is Republican Jeff Sessions
of Alabama
.
Source: ;
Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974
The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is a United States federal law that governs the role of the Congress in the United States budget process.-The Congressional budget process:...
. It is responsible for drafting Congress's annual budget plan
United States budget process
The process of creating the budget for the United States government is known as the budget process. The framework used by Congress to formulate the budget was established by the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921, the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974, and by other budget...
and monitoring action on the budget for the Federal Government. The committee has jurisdiction over the Congressional Budget Office
Congressional Budget Office
The Congressional Budget Office is a federal agency within the legislative branch of the United States government that provides economic data to Congress....
. The committee briefly operated as a special committee from 1919 to 1920 during the 66th Congress, before being made a standing committee in 1974.
Contrasted with other committees
The Budget Committee is often confused with the Finance CommitteeUnited States Senate Committee on Finance
The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance is a standing committee of the United States Senate. The Committee concerns itself with matters relating to taxation and other revenue measures generally, and those relating to the insular possessions; bonded debt of the United States; customs, collection...
and the Appropriations Committee
United States Senate Committee on Appropriations
The United States Senate Committee on Appropriations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It has jurisdiction over all discretionary spending legislation in the Senate....
, both of which have different jurisdictions: The Finance Committee is analogous to the Ways and Means Committee
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
The Committee of Ways and Means is the chief tax-writing committee of the United States House of Representatives. Members of the Ways and Means Committee are not allowed to serve on any other House Committees unless they apply for a waiver from their party's congressional leadership...
in the House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
; it has legislative jurisdiction in the areas of taxes, Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
, Medicare
Medicare (United States)
Medicare is a social insurance program administered by the United States government, providing health insurance coverage to people who are aged 65 and over; to those who are under 65 and are permanently physically disabled or who have a congenital physical disability; or to those who meet other...
, Medicaid
Medicaid
Medicaid is the United States health program for certain people and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the state and federal governments, and is managed by the states. People served by Medicaid are U.S. citizens or legal permanent...
and some other entitlement
Entitlement
An entitlement is a guarantee of access to benefits based on established rights or by legislation. A "right" is itself an entitlement associated with a moral or social principle, such that an "entitlement" is a provision made in accordance with legal framework of a society...
s. The Appropriations Committee has legislative jurisdiction over appropriations bills, which provide funding for government programs.
While the budget resolution prepared by the Budget Committee sets out a broad blueprint for the Congress with respect to the total levels of revenues and spending for the government as a whole, these other Committees prepare the legislation that actually enacts specific tax and spending policies.
Members, 112th Congress112th United States CongressThe One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and will end on January...
The Committee is chaired by Democrat Kent ConradKent Conrad
Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party...
of North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
, and the Ranking Member
Ranking member
In United States politics, a ranking member is the second-most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the majority party. Another usage refers to the most senior member of a congressional or state legislative committee from the minority party. This second usage, often...
is Republican Jeff Sessions
Jeff Sessions
Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff" Sessions III is the junior United States Senator from Alabama. First elected in 1996, Sessions is a member of the Republican Party...
of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
.
| Majority | Minority |
|---|---|
|
Jeff Sessions Jefferson Beauregard "Jeff" Sessions III is the junior United States Senator from Alabama. First elected in 1996, Sessions is a member of the Republican Party... , Alabama, Ranking Member Chuck Grassley Charles Ernest "Chuck" Grassley is the senior United States Senator from Iowa . A member of Republican Party, he previously served in the served in the United States House of Representatives and the Iowa state legislature... , Iowa Mike Enzi Michael Bradley "Mike" Enzi is the senior U.S. Senator from Wyoming and a member of the Republican Party.Raised in Thermopolis, Wyoming, Enzi attended George Washington University and the University of Denver. He expanded his father's shoe store business in Gillette before being elected mayor of... , Wyoming Mike Crapo Michael Dean "Mike" Crapo is the senior United States Senator from the state of Idaho and a member of the Republican Party.Born in the city of Idaho Falls, Crapo is a graduate of Brigham Young University and Harvard Law School. He practiced law in his home city throughout the 1980s, while... , Idaho John Cornyn John Cornyn, III is the junior United States Senator for Texas, serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party. He was elected Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee for the 111th U.S. Congress.... , Texas Lindsey Graham Lindsey Olin Graham is the senior U.S. Senator from South Carolina and a member of the Republican Party. Previously he served as the U.S. Representative for .-Early life, education and career:... , South Carolina John Thune John Randolph Thune is the junior U.S. Senator from South Dakota and a member of the Republican Party. He previously served as a U.S. Representative for .-Early Life, Education:... , South Dakota Rob Portman Robert Jones "Rob" Portman is the junior United States Senator from Ohio. He is a member of the Republican Party. He succeeded retiring Senator George Voinovich.... , Ohio Pat Toomey Patrick Joseph "Pat" Toomey, Sr. is the junior United States Senator for Pennsylvania and a member of the Republican Party. Previously, Toomey served as a U.S. Representative for three terms, but did not seek a fourth in compliance with a pledge he had made while running for office in 1998... , Pennsylvania Kelly Ayotte Kelly A. Ayotte is the junior United States Senator from New Hampshire and a member of the Republican Party. She earlier served as the Attorney General of New Hampshire.-Early life, education and career:... , New Hampshire |
Source: ;
Chairmen, 1975-present
| Chairman | Party | State | Years |
Edmund S. Muskie | Democratic | Maine | 1975–1980 |
Ernest F. Hollings | Democratic | South Carolina | 1980–1981 |
Pete V. Domenici Pete Domenici Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici is an American Republican politician, who served six terms as a United States Senator from New Mexico, from 1973 to 2009, the longest tenure in the state's history.... |
Republican | New Mexico | 1981–1987 |
Lawton M. Chiles Lawton Chiles Lawton Mainor Chiles, Jr. was an American politician from the US state of Florida. In a career spanning four decades, Chiles, a Democrat who never lost an election, served in the Florida House of Representatives , the Florida State Senate , the United States Senate , and as the 41st Governor of... |
Democratic | Florida | 1987–1989 |
James R. Sasser Jim Sasser James Ralph "Jim" Sasser is an American politician and attorney. A Democrat, Sasser served three terms as a United States Senator from Tennessee and was Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee... |
Democratic | Tennessee | 1989–1995 |
Pete V. Domenici Pete Domenici Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici is an American Republican politician, who served six terms as a United States Senator from New Mexico, from 1973 to 2009, the longest tenure in the state's history.... |
Republican | New Mexico | 1995 – January 3, 2001 |
Kent Conrad Kent Conrad Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | North Dakota | January 3, 2001 – January 20, 2001 |
Pete V. Domenici Pete Domenici Pietro Vichi "Pete" Domenici is an American Republican politician, who served six terms as a United States Senator from New Mexico, from 1973 to 2009, the longest tenure in the state's history.... |
Republican | New Mexico | January 20, 2001 – June 21, 2001 |
Kent Conrad Kent Conrad Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party... |
Democratic | North Dakota | June 21, 2001 – 2003 |
Donald L. Nickles Don Nickles Donald Lee Nickles is an American businessman and politician who was a Republican United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1981 until 2005. He was a fiscal and social conservative.-Early life:... |
Republican | Oklahoma | 2003–2005 |
Judd A. Gregg | Republican | New Hampshire | 2005–2007 |
Kent Conrad Kent Conrad Kent Conrad is the senior United States Senator from North Dakota. He is a member of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL Party, the North Dakota affiliate of the Democratic Party... |
Democrat | North Dakota | 2007–present |
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