Bills
| 3.23.22

Setting National Goals for Job Creation, a Balanced Budget and Reforming Entitlements (S. Res. 199)

Do you support or oppose this bill?

What is S. Res. 199?

(Updated March 15, 2018)

This resolution would express the sense of the Senate that there should be a National Strategic Agenda that has goals aimed at growing the U.S. economy, preventing Medicare and Social Security from becoming insolvent, and becoming energy-secure.

Specifically, the goals would be:

  • Creating 25 million new jobs over the next 10 years;

  • Balancing the Federal budget by 2030;

  • Securing Medicare and Social Security for the next 75 years;

  • Making the U.S. "energy-secure" by 2024.

The Senate would be encouraged to create, debate, and adopt policy solutions to achieve the four goals of this agenda. The resolution also says that the House will not be able to achieve success unless they are doing it through "collaboration, not division, mutual respect, not partisan bickering, and a commitment to honor," as public officials elected to represent the people.

Argument in favor

These goals will help ensure the solvency of critical entitlement programs and help grow the economy. America can't afford to not pursue these objectives.

Argument opposed

These are great ideals, but Congress should really be focusing on passing the legislation that will make them reality rather than wasting time with setting goals.

Impact

People living in the U.S., members of the House of Representatives, the Senate, the President.

Cost of S. Res. 199

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: This bill's House companion introduced with 26 bipartisan cosponsors — all of whom are members of the Congressional Problem Solvers Caucus. The number of House cosponsors has since grown to 35 with 18 Democrats and 17 Republicans.

Barring any reforms, Medicare is headed for insolvency in 2026, with Social Security projected to follow suit in 2033. Over the past decade, the U.S. economy created over 16 million jobs — not counting the nearly 7.5 million lost in 2008 and 2009.

On a more optimistic note, analysts have cited U.S. Energy Department projections that estimate the U.S. could become energy independent within the next four years.


Of Note: The sponsors of this bill aren't the only ones who want "partisan bickering" out of the political process. The Congressional Problem Solvers Caucus was created in January 2013 by a group called No Labels — a national movement dedicated to a new politics of problem solving. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), a member of the caucus, had this to say: 

“This caucus represents members taking real ownership of the problem solving concept. Problem solving is not just a slogan. It’s a real idea that members are willing to organize around and make a priority.”

Media:

Summary by Eric Revell
(Photo Credit: Flickr user Kirt Edblom)