FY23 Deeming Resolution: Supporting the Appropriations Process

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Under the leadership of Congressional Democrats and the Biden Administration, the United States has achieved a record-breaking and resilient economic recovery in the wake of a once-in-a-century pandemic. Unemployment is near historic lows and new businesses are being created at record rates. But hurdles remain: Americans are grappling with the impacts and costs of global economic challenges – elevated inflation around the globe, international supply chain bottlenecks, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As Democrats work to lower costs for families and oversee the fastest and most equitable recovery in recent memory, we remain committed to a timely appropriations process that will deliver the investments necessary to meet the needs of the American people and our nation.

H. Res. 1151 will allow the 2023 House appropriations process to advance and stay on schedule. This deeming resolution is a simple procedural measure that provides technical budget enforcement language to facilitate House consideration of appropriations bills and other legislation. The House adopted a similar deeming resolution last year for the same purpose: providing the necessary procedural framework for the Appropriations Committee to get started on its work.

• The deeming resolution, or “deemer,” supports President Biden’s $1.6 trillion discretionary program level for FY23.[1] Overall, this amounts to a 9 percent increase from FY22 enacted levels.
   
• The funding level in the deeming resolution provides a single discretionary total to the Appropriations Committee, which will decide how to divide that topline among the various appropriations bills. The deeming resolution does not pre-judge how the topline will be allocated, but it is sufficient to accommodate defense, non-defense, and our commitment to veterans’ medical care without crowding out other priorities.
   
• Without a deeming resolution, the Appropriations Committee would lack adjustment authorities to provide additional resources for unanticipated needs and other necessary or emergency spending outside of ordinary agency appropriations. The deemer includes adjustment authorities assumed in the President’s budget – which includes spending designated as disaster relief, program integrity, or wildfire suppression.
   
• Providing a discretionary topline is a core responsibility of the Budget Committee in the appropriations process and under the Congressional Budget Act. The deeming resolution allows the Budget and the Rules Committees to assess appropriations bills and amendments for budget compliance. Likewise, it establishes a similar budget enforcement framework for authorizing committees. Without a deeming resolution, the Budget Committee would lack adjustment authorities for authorizing committees to facilitate legislation that increases spending in the first year but is otherwise deficit neutral. This procedural measure will support and simplify the appropriations process, as well as the work of the other House committees.