On December 12, the House approved, 332-94, the Bipartisan Budget Act (H.J. Res. 59). The House and Senate previously were unable to reach agreement on H. Con. Res. 25, versions of which cleared each the respective chambers with several differences (see The Source, 3/22/13).
The two-year budget deal, negotiated by Senate and House Budget Committee chairs Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), would cap discretionary defense and non-defense spending at $1.012 trillion in FY2014 and $1.014 trillion in FY2015, an increase over the caps set in the Budget Control Act (P.L. 112-25) of $44.8 billion and $18.7 billion, respectively.
Among the resolution’s provisions, H.J. Res. 59 would allow states to delay payment of Medicaid costs for prenatal and preventive care when a third party is liable. In addition, states would be permitted to collect medical child support in cases where the non-custodial parent has health insurance.
The Senate is scheduled to consider the measure next week.
