Using “accounting gimmicks” that hide the true cost of legislation has become a routine practice for both parties in Washington, and Obama’s plan to offset the cost of his American Jobs Act includes a number of them. Not only are these budget tricks dishonest, they also allow politicians to avoid dealing with the deficit crisis.

So in response, Sens. Jeff Sessions and Olympia Snowe are introducing legislation specifically targeting budget gimmicks. The bill, called the “Honest Budget Act,” would prevent lawmakers from passing “phony recissions” (using money left over from one project to pay for another, and describing it as a “budget cut”) and “Changes in Mandatory Programs” (cutting the budget of a mandatory program to pay for another program, but then reinstating the money for the mandatory program a year later).

Beyond the practical aspects of the bill, it’s also useful for Republicans politically. It’s hard for lawmakers to justify opposition to legislation banning dishonest budget practices. But several of the gimmicks it targets are included in Obama’s deficit reduction plan. Either way, it presents Democrats with a tough political decision.