[Comments on H.R. 4368]

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO commented on H.R. 4368, which would amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985. The bill would: (1) eliminate certain accounts for which automatic spending increases are subject to reductions; and (2) add language to ensure that increases in benefits under those programs would not be subject to reductions. GAO believes that, since he drafters of the act determined which accounts would be subject to reductions and the proposed bill would change the statutory scheme of the programs involved, the need for such an amendment was a policy determination best left to Congress.