Overview

Title

To provide for across-the-board rescissions of nonsecurity discretionary spending.

ELI5 AI

S. 360 is a plan to save money by spending a little less each year on things that aren't related to security. Starting in 2026, everyone who gets this money has to spend 1% less, then 2% less in 2027, and from 2028, they need to spend 5% less to help balance the budget.

Summary AI

S. 360 aims to reduce nonsecurity discretionary spending by a specific percentage over multiple fiscal years. For fiscal year 2026, it mandates a 1% reduction, for 2027 a 2% reduction, and for 2028 and beyond, a 5% reduction. The bill requires these reductions to be applied equally across all nonsecurity discretionary spending and for the Office of Management and Budget to report the details of these cuts to Congress.

Published

2025-02-03
Congress: 119
Session: 1
Chamber: SENATE
Status: Introduced in Senate
Date: 2025-02-03
Package ID: BILLS-119s360is

Keywords AI

nonsecurity discretionary spending across-the-board rescissions budget cuts office of management and budget fiscal policy government budget spending reductions federal appropriations congress reporting budget authority definitions

Sources

Bill Statistics

Size

Sections:
1
Words:
657
Pages:
4
Sentences:
13

Language

Nouns: 214
Verbs: 38
Adjectives: 55
Adverbs: 4
Numbers: 30
Entities: 58

Complexity

Average Token Length:
4.50
Average Sentence Length:
50.54
Token Entropy:
4.71
Readability (ARI):
28.61

AnalysisAI

General Summary of the Bill

The proposed legislation, identified as S. 360, aims to implement across-the-board reductions in a specific category of government spending known as "nonsecurity discretionary appropriations." This category covers government expenditures that are not related to national security and are not mandated by law, such as funding for education, infrastructure, and environmental protection. According to the bill, starting in the fiscal year 2026, there would be a 1% reduction in these expenditures, increasing to 2% in 2027, and 5% from 2028 onward. The bill also requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to report these cuts to Congress annually.

Summary of Significant Issues

Several issues arise from the proposed bill:

  1. Increasing Rescissions: The scheduled increase in spending cuts—from 1% to 5%—could pose significant challenges for affected programs, potentially leading to substantial reductions in services and initiatives over time. This escalation may create financial instability for programs funded by nonsecurity discretionary spending.

  2. Complex Definitions: The bill uses technical terms such as "budget authority" and "discretionary appropriations," which reference other legislative acts. This language may hinder comprehension among the public and stakeholders, making it less transparent and more difficult to grasp without specialized knowledge.

  3. Ambiguous Timing: The timing for implementing these rescissions is vaguely defined, using complex language. This lack of clarity could lead to confusion about when exactly the cuts will take effect, complicating the planning and execution of budgets for government programs.

  4. Lack of Justification: The bill does not provide a rationale for selecting the specific percentages for budget cuts. The absence of an explanation might lead to skepticism and calls for clarification from lawmakers and the public, questioning the criteria used to determine these cuts.

Impact on the Public

Broadly, this bill could lead to reduced funding for various programs that many citizens rely on. As nonsecurity discretionary spending covers a wide array of services like education and infrastructure, reductions could mean fewer resources for schools, delayed maintenance and development of public facilities, and less support for environmental programs. As the cuts increase over time, the gradual reduction of funding could intensify these effects.

Impact on Specific Stakeholders

  1. Government Agencies and Workers: Agencies that depend on this category of funding may face budgetary constraints, leading to reduced staffing, scaled-down operations, and possible layoffs. This may affect the quality and availability of public services.

  2. Beneficiaries of Government Programs: Individuals and communities that depend on nonsecurity discretionary programs could experience diminished services. This can particularly impact education systems, local infrastructure projects, and other community services.

  3. Lawmakers and Policy Makers: The bill's lack of clarity and complexity in terms could lead to challenges during legislative debate and implementation. Policymakers may encounter obstacles when trying to assess the bill's impact, requiring additional analysis and clarification.

  4. General Public: Without a clear understanding and reasoning for the proposed cuts, the public might have concerns or oppositions, especially if reductions in funding lead to a noticeable decrease in public services.

In conclusion, while the bill seeks to systematically reduce government spending in designated areas, its potential effects on public services, combined with unclear language and rationale, highlight the need for careful consideration and open discussion about its implications for all stakeholders involved.

Issues

  • The increasing rescission percentages over the years (1% in 2026, 2% in 2027, and 5% from 2028 onwards) as outlined in Section 1(b) could lead to significant budgeting challenges for nonsecurity discretionary programs. This increase may cause concern about the financial impact on these programs and their ability to function effectively.

  • The complexity of the definitions for terms such as 'budget authority,' 'discretionary appropriations,' 'security category,' and 'regular appropriation Act' in Section 1(a) makes understanding the bill difficult for those without direct access to the specific documents referenced, potentially limiting transparency and understanding among the public and stakeholders.

  • The language regarding the timing of rescissions in Section 1(b), particularly the phrase 'effective on the day after the date on which appropriations are made available through the end of the fiscal year for the entire Federal Government,' is complex and may lead to confusion about the precise timing and implementation, which could impact planning and appropriations processes.

  • There is no explicit justification or rationale provided for the specific percentages of rescissions in Section 1(b). This lack of explanation might raise questions about how these figures were determined and could lead to resistance or requests for further clarification from lawmakers and the public.

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.

1. Across-the-board rescissions Read Opens in new tab

Summary AI

In this section, the bill sets rules for reducing certain government spending, called "nonsecurity discretionary appropriations," by specific percentages each year starting in 2026. The Office of Management and Budget must also report the details of these spending cuts to Congress annually.