Federal budget and spending rules

This concurrent resolution establishes the congressional budget for the federal government for FY2026, sets forth budgetary levels for FY2027-FY2035, and provides reconciliation instructions for legislation that increases the deficit. The resolution recommends levels and amounts for FY2026-FY2035 for federal revenues, new budget authority, budget outlays, deficits, public debt, debt held by the public, and the major functional categories of spending. It also recommends levels and amounts for Social Security and Postal Service discretionary administrative expenses for the purpose of budget enforcement in the Senate. The resolution includes reconciliation instructions that direct the House Homeland Security Committee, the House Judiciary Committee, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, and the Senate Judiciary Committee to submit recommendations for legislation that will increase the deficit over FY2026-FY2035 by not more than $70 billion. Each committee must submit the recommendations to the House or Senate Budget Committee by May 15, 2026. (Under current law, reconciliation bills are considered by Congress using expedited legislative procedures that prevent a filibuster and restrict amendments in the Senate.) In addition, the resolution establishes reserve funds that allow certain adjustments to committee allocations and other budgetary levels to accommodate (1) reconciliation legislation, and (2) legislation that would not increase the deficit over FY2026-FY2035 and supports changes to immigration enforcement and border security policy undertaken by the President. Finally, the resolution sets forth budget enforcement procedures that address issues such as budget points of order in the Senate and emergency spending requirements in the House.