Chambers Release Dueling Budget Framework Resolutions for Fiscal Year 2014

The House and Senate Budget Committees released dueling budget framework resolutions for Fiscal Year 2014.

The Republican's proposal offered by House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) closely mirrored previous proposals and included repealing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and moving toward a premium support model.  This is a model where eligible seniors would have a set federal subsidy they could use for traditional Medicare or other competing plans.  The plan provides for a 10 year fix to the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula.  The plan would also repeal the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), institute a plan for raising Medicare eligibility age and institute medical liability reform.  The broader budget proposal aims to balance the budget in 10 years.

The Democrat's proposal offered by Senate Budget Committee Chairwoman Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) continues the implementation of the PPACA and ends the sequestration process.  It places a continued emphasis on pursuing coordinated care and delivering high quality care.  The plan also calls for a permanent fix to the SGR.  The broader budget proposal aims to reduce the deficit by $1.85 trillion over 10 years and seeks $275 billion in health care savings through "realigning incentives throughout the system, cutting waste and fraud and seeking greater engagement across the health care system."  

These budget framework resolutions are not legislation that appropriate money nor do they require a Presidential signature.  They are frameworks for other Congressional committees to use when determining the levels of spending within their jurisdictions.  And they act as a guidepost for the total amount of spending over the next decade.  Absent agreement between the two chambers on a consensus budget resolution, the documents are not binding on Congress.

Review the House Budget Committee's "The Path to Prosperity:  A Responsible, Balanced Budget."

Read the White House response to the Republican plan.

Review the Senate Budget Committee's "Foundation for Growth:  Resorting the Process of American Opportunity."