United States S 3951: Balanced Budget Responsibility Act of 2026

Bill Text

II
119TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION S. 3951
To provide authority and discretion to the President over budgetary resources
to achieve a balanced budget.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
FEBRUARY 26, 2026
Mr. SCOTT of Florida introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on the Budget
A BILL
To provide authority and discretion to the President over
budgetary resources to achieve a balanced budget.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Balanced Budget Re-4
sponsibility Act of 2026’’. 5
SEC. 2. AUTHORITY AND DISCRETION OF THE PRESIDENT 6
OVER BUDGETARY RESOURCES TO ACHIEVE 7
A BALANCED BUDGET. 8
(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 9
(1) the term ‘‘budgetary resources’’— 10
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:52 Mar 04, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3951.IS S3951kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB

2
•S 3951 IS
(A) has the meaning given that term in 1
section 250(c) of the Balanced Budget and 2
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 3
U.S.C. 900(c)); and 4
(B) includes any discretionary appropria-5
tions or direct spending, as defined in such sec-6
tion, available for the applicable fiscal year; 7
(2) the term ‘‘covered budgetary resources’’ 8
means any budgetary resources, except for budg-9
etary resources to carry out— 10
(A) the Medicare program under title 11
XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 12
1395 et seq.); or 13
(B) the old-age, survivors, and disability 14
insurance program established under title II of 15
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 401 et seq.); 16
and 17
(3) the term ‘‘deficit’’ has the meaning given 18
that term under section 3 of the Congressional 19
Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 20
U.S.C. 622). 21
(b) BUDGETARY DISCRETION.—Notwithstanding the 22
Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 681 et seq.), 23
if the President determines, in consultation with the Sec-24
retary of the Treasury and the Office of Management and 25
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:52 Mar 04, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S3951.IS S3951kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB

3
•S 3951 IS
Budget, that there will be a deficit for a fiscal year, the 1
President may exercise budgetary discretion and decline 2
to obligate covered budgetary resources available for that 3
fiscal year, as the President determines appropriate, in an 4
amount that is not more than the amount required to 5
eliminate the deficit. 6
Æ
VerDate Sep 11 2014 03:52 Mar 04, 2026 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\S3951.IS S3951kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB