As an alternative, "expedited rescission," instead of allowing Congress to ignore presidential recommendations for rescissions, facilitates congressional consideration of the rescission messages and an up-or-down vote by at least one house on the President's proposals. If either house disapproves the request, the other house need take no action because approval by both houses is necessary to make the rescission permanent. Expedited Rescission Proposals in the 112th Congress

On January 25, 2011, Senator McCain, along with Senator Carper and 21 other original cosponsors, introduced S. 102 , the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2011, which incorporates the Administration's expedited rescission proposal from 2010 and is virtually identical to S. 3474 from the 111 th Congress. On March 11, 2011, Congressman Van Hollen introduced a companion bill (by request) as H.R. 1043 , with the same title, but which has two slight differences from the Senate bills and is virtually identical to H.R. These measures would amend the ICA of 1974 to provide an expedited process for consideration of certain rescission requests from the President. Within 45 days after signing a bill into law, the President would be able to submit a package of rescissions for reducing or eliminating discretionary appropriations or non-entitlement non-appropriated funding contained in the bill as enacted. Such proposed rescissions from the President would be considered as a group and would be subject to expedited procedures in Congress, designed to make an up-or-down vote on the package more likely. Later in this report, some possible issues for Congress relating to expedited rescission authority for the President are identified and examined under the two rubrics of budgetary savings and respective prerogatives of the President and Congress. On May 24, 2010, President Obama transmitted an Administration draft bill providing for expedited rescission procedures to Congress, called the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2010. 5454 and S. 3474 . As described above, under the framework established by the ICA, the President may propose to rescind funding provided in an appropriations act by transmitting a special message to Congress and obtaining the support of both houses within 45 days of continuous session. If denied congressional approval during this time period, either by Congress ignoring the presidential rescission request or by one or both houses rejecting the proposed rescission, the President must make the funding available to executive agencies for obligation and expenditure. On the other hand, H.R. A variety of issues may be placed under the rubric of two general topics. Supporters of expedited rescission bills acknowledge that the device would not be a cure-all for deficit reduction. Governors "believe that it is a very important tool for fiscal discipline. Breadth of Coverage

The potential savings from expedited rescission also would depend upon the breadth of coverage granted to the President. In the three hearings on expedited rescission held in the 111 th Congress, witnesses generally agreed that the expedited rescission measures under consideration would have avoided the constitutional issues found in the LIVA. It would, however, relinquish some of Congress's power of the purse to the President, which was a serious matter. Priorities of Federal Spending

Aside from modest savings, some suggest that the impact of granting special rescission authority to the President with expedited procedures may well be felt in giving preference to the President's spending priorities over those enacted by Congress. Hearings were held in both chambers, but no further action occurred.
Under the framework established by the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) of 1974 (P.L. 93-344, 88 Stat. 297), the President may propose to rescind funding provided in an appropriations act by transmitting a special message to Congress and obtaining the support of both houses within 45 days of continuous session. If denied congressional approval during this time period, either by Congress ignoring the presidential rescission request or because one or both houses rejected the proposed rescission, the President must make the funding available to executive agencies for obligation and expenditure.
Instead of allowing Congress to ignore presidential recommendations for rescissions, "expedited rescission" attempts to require congressional consideration of the rescission and a vote by at least one house on the proposals. If either house disapproves the request, the other house need take no action because approval by both houses is necessary to make the rescission permanent. This approach has attracted support over the years, including several bills introduced in the 111th Congress. On May 24, 2010, President Obama sent to Congress the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2010, a draft bill providing for expedited rescission procedures, which was introduced in the 111th Congress as H.R. 5454 and S. 3474. Hearings on expedited rescission proposals were held in both chambers during the 111th Congress.
On January 25, 2011, Senator McCain, along with Senator Carper and 21 other original cosponsors, introduced S. 102, the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2011, which is virtually identical to S. 3474 from the 111th Congress, and a related hearing by a Senate subcommittee was held on March 15, 2011. On March 11, 2011, Congressman Van Hollen with 26 cosponsors introduced H.R. 1043, which is virtually identical to H.R. 5454 from the 111th Congress and very similar to S. 102. The two measures pending in the 112th Congress would amend the ICA of 1974 to provide an expedited process for consideration of certain rescission requests from the President. Within 45 days after signing a bill into law, the President would be able to submit a package of rescissions for reducing or eliminating discretionary appropriations or non-entitlement non-appropriated funding contained in the bill as enacted. Such proposed rescissions from the President would be considered as a group and would be subject to expedited procedures in Congress, designed to make an up-or-down vote on the package more likely.
A variety of issues related to expedited rescission measures that may prove of possible interest to Congress are noted in the report. Under the rubric of budgetary savings, some existing data suggest that enactment of expedited rescission authority for the President would have a relatively small impact on federal spending. Supporters acknowledge that expedited rescission would not be a panacea for deficit reduction, but that it would provide another useful tool for promoting fiscal discipline. The potential deterrent effect of the instrument has also been noted. The possible savings to be realized from expedited rescission depends on the breadth of coverage. In a rescission package subject to expedited congressional consideration, would the President be able to include any item of discretionary spending, and what about new items of direct (mandatory) spending? Would limited tax benefits be subject to cancellation under expedited rescission procedures? Other issues come under the subject of prerogatives of the legislative and the executive branches. Would the expedited procedures result in a President's spending priorities getting preference over those enacted by Congress? What about implications for relations between the President and Congress, with particular concern about the power of the purse?
This report will be updated as events warrant.