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A bill to require agencies submit zero-based budgets.

2/20/2025, 2:03 AM

Summary of Bill S 181

Bill 119 s 181, also known as the "Zero-Based Budgeting Act," is a proposed piece of legislation that would require federal agencies to submit zero-based budgets. Zero-based budgeting is a budgeting process where each department or program's budget starts from zero each year, and funding must be justified for each expense.

Under this bill, agencies would be required to thoroughly review and justify all expenses in their budgets, rather than simply making incremental changes from the previous year's budget. This would ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent efficiently and effectively, and that agencies are not simply continuing to fund programs that may no longer be necessary or effective.

Proponents of the bill argue that zero-based budgeting can lead to greater accountability and transparency in government spending, as well as potentially identifying areas where funds can be reallocated to more pressing needs. However, critics of the bill may argue that implementing zero-based budgeting could be time-consuming and costly for agencies, and may not necessarily lead to significant cost savings. Overall, Bill 119 s 181 aims to promote responsible and efficient use of taxpayer dollars by requiring federal agencies to justify their budgets from the ground up. It will be interesting to see how this proposed legislation progresses through Congress and what impact it may have on government spending practices.

Congressional Summary of S 181

This bill requires federal agencies to submit zero-based budgets to the Office of Management and Budget and the congressional budget committeesUnder the bill, a zero-based budget is a systematic budget analysis in which managers (1) examine current objectives, operations, and costs; (2) consider alternative ways of carrying out programs or activities; and (3) rank different programs or activities by order of importance.

The bill also requires federal agencies to submit recommendations to reduce spending by at least 2% from the previous year's levels. The Department of Defense and the National Nuclear Security Administration are exempt from this requirement.

Current Status of Bill S 181

Bill S 181 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since January 22, 2025. Bill S 181 was introduced during Congress 119 and was introduced to the Senate on January 22, 2025.  Bill S 181's most recent activity was Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. as of January 22, 2025

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 181

Total Number of Sponsors
2
Democrat Sponsors
0
Republican Sponsors
2
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
6
Democrat Cosponsors
0
Republican Cosponsors
6
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 181

Primary Policy Focus

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 181

A bill to require agencies submit zero-based budgets.
A bill to require agencies submit zero-based budgets.

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