Overview

Title

Providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8774) making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes; providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8771) making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes; and providing for consideration of the bill (H.R. 8752) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025, and for other purposes.

ELI5 AI

The House of Representatives is setting rules to talk about and possibly change three important money plans for defense, helping other countries, and security in the U.S., for the year ending in 2025. These rules will help decide how long they can talk, what changes can be made, and how they should vote on these plans.

Summary AI

H. RES. 1316 sets forth the procedures for the U.S. House of Representatives to consider three major appropriation bills for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. These bills include funding for the Department of Defense (H.R. 8774), Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs (H.R. 8771), and the Department of Homeland Security (H.R. 8752). The resolution allows for debate, amendments, and specifies how these bills will be handled during House sessions, including special rules for considering amendments and the management of debate time. Additionally, it includes a specific amendment related to immigration under the Department of Homeland Security appropriations.

Published

2024-06-25
Congress: 118
Session: 2
Chamber: HOUSE
Status: Reported in House
Date: 2024-06-25
Package ID: BILLS-118hres1316rh

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
17
Words:
2,766
Pages:
12
Sentences:
82

Language

Nouns: 754
Verbs: 238
Adjectives: 132
Adverbs: 21
Numbers: 131
Entities: 180

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.36
Average Sentence Length:
33.73
Token Entropy:
4.78
Readability (ARI):
20.01

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

This proposed resolution from the U.S. House of Representatives outlines the procedures for discussing and amending three separate appropriations bills for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. The bills in question concern funds allocated to the Department of Defense, the Department of State, and the Department of Homeland Security. It establishes a framework for debate, amendments, and the voting process for each bill, simplifying certain procedures to facilitate quicker discussions and decisions.

Summary of Significant Issues

One significant concern is the waiver of all points of order against the consideration of these bills, which could bypass crucial procedural checks meant to ensure transparency and thorough evaluation. This waiver is expressed in multiple sections and could potentially allow overlooked or contentious provisions to move forward without necessary scrutiny.

Another issue is the allowance for amendments to be considered en bloc, or in groups, which might restrict detailed, individual examination of each amendment. Consequently, this might result in controversial or unrelated provisions being passed due to being bundled with less contentious ones.

The language use throughout the bill is also notably complex and filled with legislative terminology, which may be challenging for the general public to comprehend. This complexity could limit public understanding and engagement with the legislative process.

Moreover, the resolution gives substantial discretion to the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase H-2B visas. This lacks specific guidelines, which can lead to concerns about potential overuse and effects on labor markets.

Lastly, the resolution ties the passage of one bill to the enactment of another, which could introduce legislative delays. This dependency might stall or complicate the legislative process, especially if the linked bill is contentious.

Broad Public Impact

For the general public, the implications of these bills, particularly regarding national defense and security, are substantial. The resolution's expedited procedures could facilitate the passage of critical funding required for defense and state operations. This may ensure timely support for military and security operations, potentially enhancing national safety.

However, the complexity and lack of transparency, with waived procedural checks, can reduce public confidence in legislative processes. The bundled amendment consideration could lead to a lack of accountability regarding specific fiscal allocations, impacting how taxpayer money is spent.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

Military and Defense Sector: Streamlined procedures could benefit the military by ensuring necessary funding is quickly allocated, supporting readiness and operational effectiveness. However, limited scrutiny could lead to concerns about whether funds are being utilized efficiently and appropriately.

Workers and Labor Markets: Regarding the H-2B visa increase, workers in industries employing such visa holders could face competitive pressures. Employers might benefit from greater access to overseas labor when local labor is insufficient.

Government and Legislative Bodies: The resolution provides a framework that could expedite legislative processes, which might be beneficial for lawmakers aiming to swiftly enact critical appropriations. However, it might undermine detailed legislative debate and accountability, affecting the integrity of the decision-making process.

In summary, while the resolution aims to streamline and expedite legislative processes for critical appropriations bills, it raises issues about transparency, procedural rigor, and potential impacts on specific economic sectors. The lack of public understanding due to complex legislative language could hinder broader civic engagement and trust in government actions.

Issues

  • The waiver of all points of order against consideration of the bills (H.R. 8774, H.R. 8771, H.R. 8752) as outlined in Sections 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 11, 12, and 13 might bypass important procedural safeguards, reducing transparency and scrutiny. This could potentially allow questionable provisions to pass unnoticed.

  • The allowance for amendments en bloc in Sections 3, 8, and 13, which consolidates multiple amendments to be considered together, might limit detailed scrutiny of individual amendments. This could lead to the inclusion of unrelated or controversial changes without adequate discussion.

  • The significant discretion granted to the Secretary of Homeland Security to increase the number of H-2B visas, as detailed in Section 17, may raise concerns about transparency and oversight due to the lack of specific guidelines or limitations, potentially impacting labor markets.

  • The language used throughout the bill, such as in Sections 2, 3, 6, 8, 11, and 14, is complex and filled with legislative jargon. This might be difficult for the general public to understand, potentially limiting public engagement with the legislative process.

  • The lack of detailed information about the nature or purpose of up to 10 pro forma amendments allowed in Sections 4, 9, and 14 could lead to ambiguity in proceedings and potentially prolong unnecessary debates without clarity or substance.

  • The condition in Section 16, which ties the transmission of H.R. 8752 to the enactment of another bill, H.R. 2, could create legislative gridlock. This dependency might delay or complicate the legislative process if H.R. 2 is controversial or faces significant opposition.

Sections

Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.

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Summary AI

The Speaker of the House has the authority to start discussions in a special committee about a bill for funding the Department of Defense for 2025. This bill will skip the initial reading, and all objections to it will be ignored, allowing for one hour of general discussion, with further changes being made under a specific rule that limits discussion on amendments.

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Summary AI

The bill sets rules for amendments to a specific piece of legislation, H.R. 8774. It states that no additional amendments can be made except for those listed in a particular report, and it outlines how these amendments will be considered and debated, including restrictions on further changes and demands. Additionally, it waives certain procedural objections against these amendments.

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Summary AI

The section explains that the chair of the Committee on Appropriations, or someone they choose, can propose multiple amendments at once, as long as these are part of a specific report and haven't been addressed yet. These grouped amendments will be discussed for 20 minutes, with time evenly split between two main committee members or their representatives, and they can't be changed or divided further during the process.

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Summary AI

During the amendment process for the bill H.R. 8774, the leaders of the Committee on Appropriations, or people they choose, are allowed to propose up to 10 non-binding amendments each to encourage discussion.

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Summary AI

The section explains that after discussing and possibly amending the bill H.R. 8774, the Committee will present the updated version to the House. Any additional changes or questions about the bill will be settled before its final approval, except for one chance to send it back for reconsideration.

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Summary AI

The resolution allows the Speaker of the House to begin reviewing a bill about funding the Department of State and related areas. The initial reading of the bill is skipped, debate is limited to an hour, some technical points of order are waived, and a specific amendment is automatically adopted for further discussion.

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Summary AI

Under Section 7, any further amendments to H.R. 8771 can only be made if they are listed in part B of a specific report, described in a particular section, or are certain allowed types, and these amendments must follow specific rules about who can propose them, how they are debated, and how they are read. Additionally, all objections against these amendments are set aside as described in the resolution.

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Summary AI

The section allows the chair of the Committee on Appropriations to propose groups of amendments together. These amendments can be debated for 20 minutes, with the time divided equally between members, and they cannot be altered further or divided into separate votes, unless another section of the resolution allows it.

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Summary AI

During the discussion of H.R. 8771, the leaders from both parties on the Appropriations Committee, or people they choose, can each suggest up to 10 changes just for the sake of debate.

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Summary AI

The section describes the process after discussing amendments to a bill named H.R. 8771. It states that the committee will submit the amended bill to the House and that there will be a vote without any additional debates, except one chance to suggest changes before final approval.

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Summary AI

The Speaker can move the House into a Committee to discuss and amend a bill regarding funding for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. General discussion on the bill is limited to one hour, and certain procedural rules and points of order are waived to allow for amendments and quicker consideration.

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Summary AI

The section states that no further amendments to the bill H.R. 8752 can be considered unless they are listed in a specific part of a committee report, grouped together, or are simple formal revisions. These amendments must be presented in a specific order, only by designated members, and are not open to further changes or extensive debate. Any objections to these amendments are also waived.

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Summary AI

The section allows the chair of the Committee on Appropriations to propose multiple amendments together from a specific report. These amendments can be debated for 20 minutes in total, shared equally between the chair and the ranking minority member, and cannot be changed or split into separate questions.

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Summary AI

During the discussion of the bill H.R. 8752, the chair and the top-ranking minority member of the Appropriations Committee, or someone they choose, can each propose up to 10 minor changes to the bill at any time, mainly to facilitate discussion.

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Summary AI

The committee will report the bill H.R. 8752, along with any changes made, to the House after finishing the amendment process. The bill will then proceed towards a final vote without further delays, except for one opportunity to send the bill back to the committee for additional changes.

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Summary AI

The Clerk of the House cannot send a message to the Senate about the passing of bill H.R. 8752 until they receive confirmation from the Speaker that bill H.R. 2, which the House passed on May 11, 2023, has become law.

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Summary AI

The amendment allows the Secretary of Homeland Security to raise the number of temporary work visas for non-agricultural jobs beyond the usual limit if there aren't enough American workers available, but only up to the highest number of visas given in past years when returning workers were not counted towards the limit.