2 U.S.C. § 901
Section 901 · Enforcing discretionary spending limits
Current version, with additions and removals from the December 18, 2015 version.
Within 15 calendar days after Congress adjourns to end a session there shall be a sequestration to eliminate a budget-year breach, if any, within any category.
Each non-exempt account within a category shall be reduced by a dollar amount calculated by multiplying the enacted level of sequestrable budgetary resources in that account at that time by the uniform percentage necessary to eliminate a breach within that category.
If the President uses the authority to exempt any personnel account from sequestration under section 905(f) of this title, each account within subfunctional category 051 (other than those military personnel accounts for which the authority provided under section 905(f) of this title has been exercised) shall be further reduced by a dollar amount calculated by multiplying the enacted level of non-exempt budgetary resources in that account at that time by the uniform percentage necessary to offset the total dollar amount by which outlays are not reduced in military personnel accounts by reason of the use of such authority.
If, on the date specified in paragraph (1), there is in effect an Act making or continuing appropriations for part of a fiscal year for any budget account, then the dollar sequestration calculated for that account under paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be subtracted from—
the annualized amount otherwise available by law in that account under that or a subsequent part-year appropriation; and
when a full-year appropriation for that account is enacted, from the amount otherwise provided by the full-year appropriation for that account.
If, after June 30, an appropriation for the fiscal year in progress is enacted that causes a breach within a category for that year (after taking into account any sequestration of amounts within that category), the discretionary spending limits for that category for the next fiscal year shall be reduced by the amount or amounts of that breach.
If an appropriation for a fiscal year in progress is enacted (after Congress adjourns to end the session for that budget year and before July 1 of that fiscal year) that causes a breach within a category for that year (after taking into account any prior sequestration of amounts within that category), 15 days later there shall be a sequestration to eliminate that breach within that category following the procedures set forth in paragraphs (2) through (4).
As soon as practicable after Congress completes action on any discretionary appropriation, CBO, after consultation with the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall provide OMB with an estimate of the amount of discretionary new budget authority and outlays for the current year, if any, and the budget year provided by that legislation.
Not later than 7 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) after the date of enactment of any discretionary appropriation, OMB shall transmit a report to the House of Representatives and to the Senate containing both the CBO and OMB estimates of the amount of discretionary new budget authority for the current year, if any, and the budget year provided by that legislation, and an explanation of any difference between the 2 estimates. If during the preparation of the report OMB determines that there is a significant difference between OMB and CBO, OMB shall consult with the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate regarding that difference and that consultation shall include, to the extent practicable, written communication to those committees that affords such committees the opportunity to comment before the issuance of the report.
OMB estimates under this paragraph shall be made using current economic and technical assumptions. OMB shall use the OMB estimates transmitted to the Congress under this paragraph. OMB and CBO shall prepare estimates under this paragraph in conformance with scorekeeping guidelines determined after consultation among the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate, CBO, and OMB.
For purposes of this paragraph, amounts provided by annual appropriations shall include any discretionary appropriations for the current year, if any, and the budget year in accounts for which funding is provided in that legislation that result from previously enacted legislation.
Within 15 calendar days after Congress adjourns to end a session there shall be a sequestration to eliminate a budget-year breach, if any, within any category.
Each non-exempt account within a category shall be reduced by a dollar amount calculated by multiplying the enacted level of sequestrable budgetary resources in that account at that time by the uniform percentage necessary to eliminate a breach within that category.
If the President uses the authority to exempt any personnel account from sequestration under section 905(f) of this title, each account within subfunctional category 051 (other than those military personnel accounts for which the authority provided under section 905(f) of this title has been exercised) shall be further reduced by a dollar amount calculated by multiplying the enacted level of non-exempt budgetary resources in that account at that time by the uniform percentage necessary to offset the total dollar amount by which outlays are not reduced in military personnel accounts by reason of the use of such authority.
If, on the date specified in paragraph (1), there is in effect an Act making or continuing appropriations for part of a fiscal year for any budget account, then the dollar sequestration calculated for that account under paragraphs (2) and (3) shall be subtracted from—
the annualized amount otherwise available by law in that account under that or a subsequent part-year appropriation; and
when a full-year appropriation for that account is enacted, from the amount otherwise provided by the full-year appropriation for that account.
If, after June 30, an appropriation for the fiscal year in progress is enacted that causes a breach within a category for that year (after taking into account any sequestration of amounts within that category), the discretionary spending limits for that category for the next fiscal year shall be reduced by the amount or amounts of that breach.
If an appropriation for a fiscal year in progress is enacted (after Congress adjourns to end the session for that budget year and before July 1 of that fiscal year) that causes a breach within a category for that year (after taking into account any prior sequestration of amounts within that category), 15 days later there shall be a sequestration to eliminate that breach within that category following the procedures set forth in paragraphs (2) through (4).
As soon as practicable after Congress completes action on any discretionary appropriation, CBO, after consultation with the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate, shall provide OMB with an estimate of the amount of discretionary new budget authority and outlays for the current year, if any, and the budget year provided by that legislation.
Not later than 7 calendar days (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays) after the date of enactment of any discretionary appropriation, OMB shall transmit a report to the House of Representatives and to the Senate containing both the CBO and OMB estimates of the amount of discretionary new budget authority for the current year, if any, and the budget year provided by that legislation, and an explanation of any difference between the 2 estimates. If during the preparation of the report OMB determines that there is a significant difference between OMB and CBO, OMB shall consult with the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate regarding that difference and that consultation shall include, to the extent practicable, written communication to those committees that affords such committees the opportunity to comment before the issuance of the report.
OMB estimates under this paragraph shall be made using current economic and technical assumptions. OMB shall use the OMB estimates transmitted to the Congress under this paragraph. OMB and CBO shall prepare estimates under this paragraph in conformance with scorekeeping guidelines determined after consultation among the Committees on the Budget of the House of Representatives and the Senate, CBO, and OMB.
For purposes of this paragraph, amounts provided by annual appropriations shall include any discretionary appropriations for the current year, if any, and the budget year in accounts for which funding is provided in that legislation that result from previously enacted legislation.
Subject to paragraph (3), if on or after January 1, 2024, there is in effect an Act making continuing appropriations for part of fiscal year 2024 for any discretionary budget account, the discretionary spending limits specified in subsection (c)(9) for fiscal year 2024 shall be adjusted in the final sequestration report, in accordance with paragraph (2), as follows:
For the revised security category, the amount that is equal to the total budget authority for such category for base funding, as published in the Congressional Budget Office cost estimate for the applicable appropriations Acts for the preceding fiscal year (table 1–S of H.R. 2617, published on December 21, 2022), reduced by one percent.
For the revised non-security 2 category, the amount that is equal to the total budget authority for such category for base funding as published in the Congressional Budget Office cost estimate for the applicable appropriations Acts for the preceding fiscal year (table 1–S of H.R. 2617, published on December 21, 2022), reduced by one percent.
If the conditions specified in paragraph (1) are met during fiscal year 2024, the final sequestration report for such fiscal year pursuant to section 904(f)(1) of this title and any order pursuant to section 904(f)(5) of this title shall be issued on the earlier of—
10 days, not including weekends and holidays, for the Congressional Budget Office and 15 days, not including weekends and holidays, for the Office of Management and Budget and the President, after the enactment into law of annual full-year appropriations for all budget accounts that normally receive such annual appropriations (or the enactment of the applicable full-year appropriations Acts without any provision for such accounts); or
April 30, 2024.
If, after January 1, 2024, there are enacted into law each of the full year discretionary appropriation Acts, then the adjustment to the applicable discretionary spending limits in paragraph (1) shall have no force or effect, and the discretionary spending limits for the revised security category and revised nonsecurity category for the applicable fiscal year shall be such limits as in effect on December 31 of the applicable fiscal year.
Subject to paragraph (3), if on or after January 1, 2025, there is in effect an Act making continuing appropriations for part of fiscal year 2025 for any discretionary budget account, the discretionary spending limits specified in subsection (c)(10) for fiscal year 2025 shall be adjusted in the final sequestration report, in accordance with paragraph (2), as follows:
for the revised security category, the amount calculated for such category in section 3 (d)(1)(A); and
for the revised non-security 2 category, the amount calculated for each category in section 3 (d)(1)(B).
If the conditions specified in paragraph (1) are met during fiscal year 2025, the final sequestration report for such fiscal year pursuant to section 904(f)(1) of this title and any order pursuant to section 904(f)(5) of this title shall be issued on the earlier of—
10 days, not including weekends and holidays, for the Congressional Budget Office, and 15 days, not including weekends and holidays, for the Office of Management and Budget and the President, after the enactment into law of annual full-year appropriations for all budget accounts that normally receive such annual appropriations (or the enactment of the applicable full-year appropriations Acts without any provision for such accounts); or
April 30, 2025.
If, after January 1, 2025, there are enacted into law each of the full year discretionary appropriation Acts, then the adjustment to the applicable discretionary spending limits in paragraph (1) shall have no force or effect, and the discretionary spending limits for the revised security category and revised nonsecurity category for the applicable fiscal year shall be such limits as in effect on December 31 of the applicable fiscal year.