1.This Act may be cited as the
Emergency Jobs Now
Act
.
2. Amendments to the
Budget Control Act of 2011 relating to job creation
(a)Renaming of
joint committee(1)The title of title IV of
the Budget Control Act of 2011 is amended by striking Joint Select Committee on Deficit
Reduction
and inserting Joint Select Committee on Emergency Job Creation and
Deficit Reduction
.
(2)Subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1) of
section 401 of such Act are amended by striking Joint Select Committee
on Deficit Reduction
and inserting Joint Select Committee on
Emergency Job Creation and Deficit Reduction
each place it
appears.
(3)The table of contents set forth in
section 1(b) of such Act is amended by striking the item relating to title IV
and inserting the following:
Title IV—Joint Select Committee on Emergency
Job Creation and Deficit
Reduction
.
(b)Additional
amendments to section 401(1)Amend subsection
401(b)(2) of the Budget Control Act of 2011 to read as follows:
(2)The goal of the joint committee shall be to
enact emergency jobs legislation that will create an additional 3 million jobs
during each of the calendar years 2012 and 2013, thereby reducing unemployment
rates over the short-term and long-term, and to reduce the deficit by at least
$1,500,000,000,000 over the period of fiscal years 2014 through
2021.
.
(2)Subsection (b)(3) of such section is
amended to read as follows:
(3)
(A)Emergency jobs
legislation
(i)Enacting
emergency jobs legislation and reducing the unemployment rateThe joint committee shall provide
recommendations and legislative language to enact emergency jobs legislation
that will create an additional 3 million jobs during each of the calendar years
2012 and 2013, thereby reducing unemployment rates over the short-term and
long-term.
(ii)Recommendations
of the committeesNot later than September 23, 2011, each
committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate may transmit to the
joint committee its recommendations to enact emergency jobs legislation
consistent with the goal described in paragraph (2) for the joint committee’s
consideration.
(B)Deficit
Reduction Measures
(i)Improving the
short-term and long-term fiscal imbalanceThe joint committee shall provide
recommendations and legislative language that will significantly improve the
short-term and long-term fiscal imbalance of the Federal Government.
(ii)Recommendations
of committeesNot later than
October 14, 2011, each committee of the House of Representatives and the Senate
may transmit to the joint committee its recommendations for changes in law to
reduce the deficit consistent with the goal described in paragraph (2) for the
joint committee’s consideration.
(C)Report,
Recommendations, and Legislative Language for Emergency Jobs
Legislation
(i)Not later than
October 14, 2011, the joint committee shall vote on—
(I)a report that
contains a detailed statement of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations
of the joint committee on emergency jobs legislation and the estimate of the
Joint Economic Committee required by paragraph (5)(D)(ii); and
(II)proposed
legislative language to carry out such recommendations as described in
subclause (I), which shall include a statement of the jobs created by the
legislation over the period of calendar years 2012 and 2013.
Any change to
the Rules of the House of Representatives or the Standing Rules of the Senate
included in the report or legislative language shall be considered to be merely
advisory.(ii)Approval of
report and legislative languageThe report of the joint committee
and the proposed legislative language described in clause (i) shall require the
approval of a majority of the members of the joint committee.
(iii)A member of the joint committee who gives notice of an
intention to file supplemental, minority, or additional views at the time of
final joint committee language under clause (ii) shall be entitled to 3
calendar days in which to file such views in writing with the staff director of
the joint committee. Such views shall then be included in the joint committee
report and printed in the same volume, or part thereof, and their inclusion
shall be noted on the cover of the report. In the absence of timely notice, the
joint committee report may be printed and transmitted immediately without such
views.
(iv)Transmission of
report and legislative languageIf the report and legislative
language are approved by the joint committee pursuant to clause (ii), then not
later than October 17, 2011, the joint committee shall submit the joint
committee report and legislative language to the President, the Vice President,
the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the majority and minority
leaders of each House of Congress.
(v)Report and
legislative language to be made publicUpon the approval or
disapproval of the joint committee report and legislative language pursuant to
clause (ii), the joint committee shall promptly make the full report and
legislative language, and a record of the vote, available to the public.
(D)Report,
Recommendations, and Legislative Language for Deficit Reduction
(i)Not later than
November 23, 2011, the joint committee shall vote on—
(I)a report that
contains a detailed statement of the findings, conclusions, and recommendations
of the joint committee on deficit reduction and the estimate of the
Congressional Budget Office required by paragraph (5)(D)(iii); and
(II)proposed
legislative language to carry out such recommendations as described in
subclause (I), which shall include a statement of the deficit reduction
achieved by the legislation over the period of fiscal years 2014 to
2021.
Any change to
the Rules of the House of Representatives or the Standing Rules of the Senate
included in the report or legislative language shall be considered to be merely
advisory.(ii)Approval of
report and legislative languageThe report of the joint committee
and the proposed legislative language described in clause (i) shall require the
approval of a majority of the members of the joint committee.
(iii)A member of the joint committee who gives notice of an
intention to file supplemental, minority, or additional views at the time of
final joint committee vote on the approval of the report and legislative
language under clause (ii) shall be entitled to 3 calendar days in which to
file such views in writing with the staff director of the joint committee. Such
views shall then be included in the joint committee report and printed in the
same volume, or part thereof, and their inclusion shall be noted on the cover
of the report. In the absence of timely notice, the joint committee report may
be printed and transmitted immediately without such views.
(iv)Transmission of
report and legislative languageIf the report and legislative
language are approved by the joint committee pursuant to clause (ii), then not
later than December 2, 2011, the joint committee shall submit the joint
committee report and legislative language described in clause (i) to the
President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and
the majority and minority leaders of each House of Congress.
(v)Report and
legislative language to be made publicUpon the approval or
disapproval of the joint committee report and legislative language pursuant to
clause (ii), the joint committee shall promptly make the full report and
legislative language, and a record of the vote, available to the
public.
.
(3)In subsection (b)(5)(D) of such
section, strike clause (ii) and insert the following new clauses:
(ii)Joint economic
committee estimatesThe Joint
Economic Committee shall provide job creation estimates of the legislation (as
described in paragraph (3)(C)) in accordance with the Employment Act of 1946
and the unemployment rate as determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In
addition, the Joint Economic Committee shall provide information on the
employment effect of the legislation beyond calendar years 2012 and 2013 and
shall determine the impact of job creation measures approved by the Joint
Committee on growth and deficit projections. The joint committee may not vote
any version of the report, recommendations, or legislative language as
described in paragraph (3)(C) unless such estimates are available for
consideration by all members of the joint committee at least 48 hours prior to
the vote as certified by the Co-Chairs.
(iii)Congressional
budget office estimatesThe
Congressional Budget Office shall provide estimates of the legislation (as
described in paragraph (3)(D)) in accordance with sections 308(a) and 201(f) of
the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 639(a) and 601(f)) (including
estimates of the effect of interest payment on the debt). In addition, the
Congressional Budget Office shall provide information on the budgetary effect
of the legislation beyond year 2021. The joint committee may not vote any
version of the report, recommendations, or legislative language as described in
paragraph (3)(D) unless such estimates are available for consideration by all
members of the joint committee at least 48 hours prior to the vote as certified
by the Co-Chair.
(iv)The
joint committee may not vote on any version of the report, recommendations, or
legislative language unless such estimates (as described in clauses (ii) and
(iii)) are available for consideration by all members of the joint committee at
least 48 hours prior to the vote as certified by the
Co-Chairs.
.
(4)In subsection (b)(5)(F)(i) of such
section is amended to read as follows:
(i)The joint committee
shall, for the purpose of carrying out this section, hold hearings on emergency
jobs legislation and deficit reduction. In doing so, the joint committee shall
sit and act at such times and places, require attendance of witnesses and
production of books, papers, and documents, take such testimony, receive such
evidence, and administer such oaths as the joint committee considers
advisable.
.
3.Expedited
consideration of joint committee recommendations for emergency jobs
legislation
(a)Section 402 of the
Budget Control Act of 2011 is amended—
(1)in subsection (a), by striking
401(b)(3)(B)(ii)
and inserting 401(b)(3)(C)(ii)
and by striking 401(b)(3)(B)(iv)
and inserting
401(b)(3)(C)(iv)
;
(2)in subsection
(b)(1), by striking December 9, 2011
and inserting
October 24, 2011
;
(3)in subsection
(b)(4), by striking December 23, 2011
and inserting
October 31, 2011
;
(4)in subsection (c)(1), by striking
December 9, 2011
and inserting October 24,
2011
;
(5)in subsection (c)(5), by striking
December 23, 2011
and inserting October 31,
2011
;
(6)in subsection (g)(1), by striking
November 23, 2011
and inserting October 14, 2011
and by striking 401(b)(3)(B)(i)
and inserting
401(b)(3)(C)(i)
; and
(7)in subsection
(g)(2), by striking December 23, 2011
and inserting
October 31, 2011
.
(b)The section heading of section 402 of the Budget
Control Act of 2011 is amended by adding at the end for emergency jobs
legislation
.
4.Expedited
consideration of joint committee recommendations for deficit
reductionTitle IV of the
Budget Control Act of 2011 is amended by redesignating sections 403 and 404 as
sections 404 and 405, respectively, and by inserting after section 402 the
following new section:
403.Expedited
consideration of joint committee recommendations for deficit reduction
(a)If
approved by the majority required by section 401(b)(3)(D)(ii), the proposed
legislative language submitted pursuant to section 401(b)(3)(D)(iv) shall be
introduced in the Senate (by request) on the next day on which the Senate is in
session by the majority leader of the Senate or by a Member of the Senate
designated by the majority leader of the Senate and shall be introduced in the
House of Representatives (by request) on the next legislative day by the
majority leader of the House or by a Member of the House designated by the
majority leader of the House.
(b)Consideration in
the House of Representatives
(1)Any committee of the House of Representatives to which
the joint committee bill is referred shall report it to the House without
amendment not later than December 9, 2011. If a committee fails to report the
joint committee bill within that period, it shall be in order to move that the
House discharge the committee from further consideration of the bill. Such a
motion shall not be in order after the last committee authorized to consider
the bill reports it to the House or after the House has disposed of a motion to
discharge the bill. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the
motion to its adoption without intervening motion except 20 minutes of debate
equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent. If such a
motion is adopted, the House shall proceed immediately to consider the joint
committee bill in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3). A motion to
reconsider the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in
order.
(2)Proceeding to
considerationAfter the last committee authorized to consider a
joint committee bill reports it to the House or has been discharged (other than
by motion) from its consideration, it shall be in order to move to proceed to
consider the joint committee bill in the House. Such a motion shall not be in
order after the House has disposed of a motion to proceed with respect to the
joint committee bill. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on
the motion to its adoption without intervening motion. A motion to reconsider
the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall not be in order.
(3)The
joint committee bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against
the joint committee bill and against its consideration are waived. The previous
question shall be considered as ordered on the joint committee bill to its
passage without intervening motion except 2 hours of debate equally divided and
controlled by the proponent and an opponent and one motion to limit debate on
the joint committee bill. A motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the
joint committee bill shall not be in order.
(4)The vote on passage of the joint committee bill shall
occur not later than December 23, 2011.
(c)Expedited
procedure in the Senate
(1)A joint committee bill introduced in the Senate
under subsection (a) shall be jointly referred to the committee or committees
of jurisdiction, which committees shall report the bill without any revision
and with a favorable recommendation, an unfavorable recommendation, or without
recommendation, not later than December 9, 2011. If any committee fails to
report the bill within that period, that committee shall be automatically
discharged from consideration of the bill, and the bill shall be placed on the
appropriate calendar.
(2)Notwithstanding Rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the
Senate, it is in order, not later than 2 days of session after the date on
which a joint committee bill is reported or discharged from all committees to
which it was referred, for the majority leader of the Senate or the majority
leader’s designee to move to proceed to the consideration of the joint
committee bill. It shall also be in order for any Member of the Senate to move
to proceed to the consideration of the joint committee bill at any time after
the conclusion of such 2-day period. A motion to proceed is in order even
though a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed to. All points
of order against the motion to proceed to the joint committee bill are waived.
The motion to proceed is not debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion
to postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the motion is agreed to
or disagreed to shall not be in order. If a motion to proceed to the
consideration of the joint committee bill is agreed to, the joint committee
bill shall remain the unfinished business until disposed of.
(3)All
points of order against the joint committee bill and against consideration of
the joint committee bill are waived. Consideration of the joint committee bill
and of all debatable motions and appeals in connection therewith shall not
exceed a total of 30 hours which shall be divided equally between the majority
and minority leaders or their designees. A motion further to limit debate on
the joint committee bill is in order, shall require an affirmative vote of
three-fifths of the Members duly chosen and sworn, and is not debatable. Any
debatable motion or appeal is debatable for not to exceed 1 hour, to be divided
equally between those favoring and those opposing the motion or appeal. All
time used for consideration of the joint committee bill, including time used
for quorum calls and voting, shall be counted against the total 30 hours of
consideration.
(4)An amendment to the joint committee bill, or a motion
to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the consideration of other business, or
a motion to recommit the joint committee bill, is not in order.
(5)If the Senate has voted to proceed to the joint committee
bill, the vote on passage of the joint committee bill shall occur immediately
following the conclusion of the debate on a joint committee bill, and a single
quorum call at the conclusion of the debate if requested. The vote on passage
of the joint committee bill shall occur not later than December 23,
2011.
(6)Rulings of the
chair on procedureAppeals from the decisions of the Chair
relating to the application of the rules of the Senate, as the case may be, to
the procedure relating to a joint committee bill shall be decided without
debate.
(d)The
joint committee bill shall not be subject to amendment in either the House of
Representatives or the Senate.
(e)Consideration by
the other house
(1)If, before passing the joint committee bill, one House
receives from the other a joint committee bill—
(A)the joint
committee bill of the other House shall not be referred to a committee;
and
(B)the procedure in
the receiving House shall be the same as if no joint committee bill had been
received from the other House until the vote on passage, when the joint
committee bill received from the other House shall supplant the joint committee
bill of the receiving House.
(2)This subsection shall not apply to the House of
Representatives if the joint committee bill received from the Senate is a
revenue measure.
(f)Rules To
coordinate action with other house
(1)Treatment of
joint committee bill of other houseIf the Senate fails to
introduce or consider a joint committee bill under this section, the joint
committee bill of the House shall be entitled to expedited floor procedures
under this section.
(2)Treatment of
companion measures in the senateIf following passage of the
joint committee bill in the Senate, the Senate then receives the joint
committee bill from the House of Representatives, the House-passed joint
committee bill shall not be debatable. The vote on passage of the joint
committee bill in the Senate shall be considered to be the vote on passage of
the joint committee bill received from the House of Representatives.
(3)If
the President vetoes the joint committee bill, debate on a veto message in the
Senate under this section shall be 1 hour equally divided between the majority
and minority leaders or their designees.
(g)The provisions of this section shall cease to apply to
the joint committee bill if—
(1)the joint
committee fails to vote on the report or proposed legislative language required
under section 401(b)(3)(D)(i) not later than November 23, 2011; or
(2)the joint
committee bill does not pass both Houses not later than December 23,
2011.
.
5.Discretionary
spending limits
(a)Section 251(c) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended by
striking paragraphs (1) and (2) and redesignating paragraphs (3) through (10)
as paragraphs (1) through (8), respectively.
(b)Conforming
amendments to adjustmentsSection 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended—
(1)in subparagraph
(B)(i), by striking subclauses (I) and (II) and by redesignating subclauses
(III) through (X) as subclauses (I) through (VIII), respectively;
(2)in subparagraph (C)(i), by striking
subclauses (I) and (II) and by redesignating subclauses (III) through (X) as
subclauses (I) through (VIII), respectively; and
(3)in subparagraph
(D), by striking 2012
and inserting 2014
.
(c)Revised
discretionary spending limitsSection 251A of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 is amended—
(1)in paragraph (2),
by striking for fiscal years 2013 through 2021
and inserting
for fiscal years 2014 through 2021
and by striking subparagraph
(A) and redesignating subparagraphs (B) through (I) as (A) through (H),
respectively;
(2)in paragraph (3),
by striking 2013
and inserting 2014
;
(3)in paragraph (4),
by striking 2013
each place it appears and inserting
2014
and by striking 2014 through 2021
and
inserting 2015 through 2021
;
(4)in paragraphs (5),
(6), and (7), by striking 2013
each place it appears and
inserting 2014
; and
(5)in paragraph
(7)(B), by striking 2014
each place it appears and inserting
2015
.
6.Adjustment to
statutory debt limit for emergency jobs legislationTitle III of the Budget Control Act of 2011
is amended by adding at the end the following new section:
303.Adjustment to
statutory debt limit for emergency jobs legislationIf emergency jobs legislation is approved by
the joint committee pursuant to section 401(b)(3)(C)(ii) and is enacted into
law, then the limit on debt provided in section 3101(b) of title 31, United
States Code, is increased by an amount equal to the amount of new budget
authority provided in such emergency jobs
legislation.
.
7.The table of
contents set forth in section 1(b) of the Budget Control Act of 2011 is
amended—
(1)by inserting after
the item relating to section 302 the following new item:
Sec. 303. Adjustment to statutory debt
limit for emergency jobs
legislation.
;
and(2)by striking the
items relating to sections 402 through 404 and inserting the following new
items:
Sec. 402. Expedited consideration of joint
committee recommendations for emergency jobs legislation.
Sec. 403. Expedited consideration of joint
committee recommendations for deficit reduction.
Sec. 404. Funding.
Sec. 405.
Rulemaking.
.