I 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 233 

To amend chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, to provide for an 

orderly process by which the debt ceiling is increased. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 14, 2013 

Mr. HONDA introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee 

on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a 

period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 

consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To amend chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, to 

provide for an orderly process by which the debt ceiling 

is increased. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. EXTENSION OF PRESIDENTIAL MODIFICATION 

4 OF THE DEBT CEILING. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 31 of title 31, United 

6 States Code, is amended by inserting after section 3101A 

7 the following new section: 


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1 ‘‘§ 3101B. Extension of presidential modification of 

2 the debt ceiling 

3 ‘‘(a) EXTENSION OF DEBT LIMIT.—Whenever the 

4 President submits a written certification to Congress that 

5 the President has determined that the debt subject to limit 

6 is within $100,000,000,000 of the limit in section 3101(b) 

7 and that further borrowing is required to meet existing 

8 commitments, the Secretary of the Treasury may exercise 

9 authority to borrow an additional amount that the Sec10 retary estimates is sufficient to meet commitments for one 

11 year, subject to the enactment of a joint resolution of dis12 approval enacted pursuant to this section. The written cer13 tification shall also contain the amount that the Secretary 

14 so estimates is sufficient. 

15 ‘‘(b) JOINT RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The debt limit may not be 

17 raised under this section if, within 50 calendar days 

18 after the date on which Congress receives a certifi19 cation described in subsection (a), there is enacted 

20 into law a joint resolution disapproving the Presi21 dent’s exercise of authority with respect to such ad22 ditional amount. 

23 ‘‘(2) CONTENTS OF JOINT RESOLUTION.—For 

24 the purpose of this section, the term ‘joint resolu25 tion’ means only a joint resolution— 


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1 ‘‘(A) for the certification described in sub2 section (a); 

3 ‘‘(B) which does not have a preamble; 

4 ‘‘(C) the title of which is only as follows: 

5 ‘Joint resolution relating to the disapproval of 

6 the President’s exercise of authority to increase 

7 the debt limit by $llllllll, as sub8 mitted under section 3101B of title 31, United 

9 States Code, on llllll’ (with the first 

10 blank containing the amount of such proposed 

11 increase and the second blank containing the 

12 date of such submission); and 

13 ‘‘(D) the matter after the resolving clause 

14 of which is only as follows: ‘That Congress dis15 approves of the President’s exercise of authority 

16 to increase the debt limit, as exercised pursuant 

17 to the certification under section 3101B(a) of 

18 title 31, United States Code.’. 

19 ‘‘(c) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION; AMENDMENT NOT

20 IN ORDER; COORDINATION WITH ACTION BY OTHER

21 HOUSE.—The provisions of subsections (c), (d), (e), and 

22 (f) of section 3101A shall apply to any joint resolution 

23 of disapproval under this section, except that— 

24 ‘‘(1) the date set forth in section (d)(3) of such 

25 section; 


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1 ‘‘(2) the exception for the $400,000,000,000 in2 crease described in subsection (f)(5) of such section; 

3 and 

4 ‘‘(3) subsection (f)(6); 

5 shall be inapplicable.’’. 

6 (b) RULES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

7 AND SENATE.—Section 3101A(g) is amended by inserting 

8 ‘‘and subsections (b) and (c) of section 3101B’’ before 

9 ‘‘are enacted by Congress’’. 

10 (c) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The table of sec11 tions for chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, is 

12 amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

13 3101A the following new item: 

‘‘3101B. Extension of presidential modification of the debt ceiling.’’. 

Æ 


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