59–008 

114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 114–420 

PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 3442) TO PROVIDE 

FURTHER MEANS OF ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE UNITED STATES DEBT 

AND PROMOTE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE BILL (H.R. 3293) TO PROVIDE FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY IN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH, TO PROMOTE THE PROGRESS OF SCIENCE IN THE UNITED STATES THAT 

SERVES THAT NATIONAL INTEREST 

FEBRUARY 9, 2016.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed 

Mr. SESSIONS, from the Committee on Rules, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H. Res. 609] 

The Committee on Rules, having had under consideration House 

Resolution 609, by a nonrecord vote, report the same to the House 

with the recommendation that the resolution be adopted. 

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS OF THE RESOLUTION

The resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 3442, the Debt 

Management and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2015, under a structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of general debate 

equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 

member of the Committee on Ways and Means. The resolution 

waives all points of order against consideration of the bill. The resolution provides that the bill shall be considered as read. The resolution waives all points of order against provisions in the bill. The 

resolution makes in order only those amendments printed in part 

A of this report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the 

order printed in this report, may be offered only by a Member designated in this report, shall be considered as read, shall be debatable for the time specified in this report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not be subject to 

amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for division of 

the question in the House or in the Committee of the Whole. The 

resolution waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part A of this report. The resolution provides one motion to 

recommit with or without instructions. 

Section 2 of the resolution provides for consideration of H.R. 

3293, the Scientific Research in the National Interest Act, under a 


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structured rule. The resolution provides one hour of general debate 

equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority 

member of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. The 

resolution waives all points of order against consideration of the 

bill. The resolution provides that the bill shall be considered as 

read. The resolution waives all points of order against provisions 

in the bill. The resolution makes in order only those amendments 

printed in part B of this report. Each such amendment may be offered only in the order printed in this report, may be offered only 

by a Member designated in this report, shall be considered as read, 

shall be debatable for the time specified in this report equally divided and controlled by the proponent and an opponent, shall not 

be subject to amendment, and shall not be subject to a demand for 

division of the question in the House or in the Committee of the 

Whole. The resolution waives all points of order against the amendments printed in part B of this report. The resolution provides for 

one motion to recommit with or without instructions. 

EXPLANATION OF WAIVERS

Although the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of H.R. 3442, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against provisions in H.R. 3442, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendments to H.R. 3442 printed in part A of this report, the 

Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against consideration of H.R. 3293, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against provisions in H.R. 3293, the Committee is not aware of any points of 

order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

Although the resolution waives all points of order against the 

amendments to H.R. 3293 printed in part B of this report, the 

Committee is not aware of any points of order. The waiver is prophylactic in nature. 

COMMITTEE VOTES

The results of each record vote on an amendment or motion to 

report, together with the names of those voting for and against, are 

printed below: 

Rules Committee record vote No. 144 

Motion by Ms. Slaughter to report open rules for H.R. 3442 and 

H.R. 3293. Defeated: 4–8 

Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote 

Ms. Foxx ............................................................ Nay Ms. Slaughter .................................................. Yea 

Mr. Cole ............................................................ Nay Mr. McGovern ................................................... Yea 

Mr. Woodall ...................................................... Nay Mr. Hastings of Florida ................................... Yea 

Mr. Burgess ...................................................... Nay Mr. Polis ........................................................... Yea 

Mr. Stivers ........................................................ Nay 

Mr. Collins ........................................................ Nay 


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Majority Members Vote Minority Members Vote 

Mr. Byrne.

Mr. Newhouse ................................................... Nay 

Mr. Sessions, Chairman ................................... Nay 

SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 3442 IN PART A MADE IN

ORDER

1. Grijalva (AZ), Pocan (WI): Requires the Treasury Secretary’s 

report to also include historical levels of federal revenue, including 

corporate and individual federal income taxes as a percent of gross 

domestic product. (10 minutes) 

2. Huelskamp (KS): Requires Secretary of the Treasury to provide weekly reporting of extraordinary measures and projected exhaustion date upon notification the debt limit has been reached. 

(10 minutes) 

3. Newhouse (WA), Byrne (AL), Stivers (OH): Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to include in the debt report to Congress 

whether the President recommends that Congress adopt a balanced 

budget amendment to control the accumulation of future debt. (10 

minutes) 

4. Kelly, Robin (IL): Requires the Treasury Secretary’s report to 

also include an economic forecast of the negative consequences of 

failing to raise the debt limit, including costs associated with public 

health and safety. (10 minutes) 

5. Duffy (WI), Hensarling (TX), McClintock (CA), Messer, Luke 

(IN): Requires the Secretary of the Treasury to notify Congress 

whether it is able to pay only principal and interest on the national 

debt, as opposed to other obligations, in the event that the debt 

limit is reached. (10 minutes) 

6. Messer, Luke (IN): Requires the Secretary to report on extraordinary measures the Treasury Department intends to use if 

the debt limit is not lifted, project how long such measures will 

fund the federal government, and project the administrative costs 

to the Treasury Department associated with taking such actions. 

(10 minutes) 

7. Grijalva (AZ), Pocan (WI): Requires the Treasury Secretary’s 

report to also include individual salary and wage information, as 

well as projections of consumer spending and the impact of spending cuts on gross domestic product. (10 minutes) 

8. Takano (CA): Requires the report to include the impact the 

threat of default would have on the economy, including, but not 

limited to, the impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), interest rates, employment, household wealth, and retirement assets. 

(10 minutes) 

SUMMARY OF THE AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 3293 IN PART B MADE IN

ORDER

1. Jackson Lee (TX): Replaces the phrase ‘‘basic research’’ with 

‘‘applied research.’’ (10 minutes) 

2. Johnson, Eddie Bernice (TX): Replaces subsection 2(b), ‘‘Determination’’, to ensure that such determination is consistent with the 

mission of the agency and with the existing merit-review criteria. 

(10 minutes) 


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3. Jackson Lee (TX): Establishes a new objective of the research 

which would ensure that the research conducted is consistent with 

established and widely accepted scientific methods applicable to the 

field of study of exploration. (10 minutes) 

4. Jackson Lee (TX): Establishes a new objective of the research 

that would ensure that the research conducted is consistent with 

the definition of basic research as it applies to the purpose and 

field of study. (10 minutes) 

5. DelBene (WA): Clarifies that language in the bill allowing research to be funded for the development of an American STEM 

workforce also includes computer science and information technology sectors. (10 minutes) 

6. DelBene (WA): Clarifies that the bill does not impact grant 

funding that has already been awarded by the National Science 

Foundation. (10 minutes) 

PART A—TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 3442 MADE IN ORDER

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE GRIJALVA

OF ARIZONA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, after line 3, insert the following: 

‘‘(B) the historical levels of Federal revenue, including 

corporate and individual Federal income taxes as a percent 

of the gross domestic product;’’. 

Page 4, line 4, strike ‘‘(B)’’ and insert ‘‘(C)’’. 

Page 4, line 6, strike ‘‘(C)’’ and insert ‘‘(D)’’. 

2. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE

HUELSKAMP OF KANSAS OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 

MINUTES

Page 4, line 5, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, line 8, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 4, after line 8, insert the following: 

‘‘(D) any reduction measures the Secretary intends to 

take to fund Federal Government obligations if the debt 

limit is not raised, including— 

‘‘(i) notifying the Congress when the limit has been 

reached; and 

‘‘(ii) notifying the Congress when the Secretary has 

begun taking such measures and specifying which 

measures are currently being used.’’. 

Page 4, line 21, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, line 25, strike the period and insert ‘‘: and’’. 

Page 4, after line 25, insert the following: 

‘‘(D) the plan of the President for each week that the 

debt of the United States Government is at the statutory 

limit, to publicly disclose, on the website of the Department of the Treasury, the following: 

‘‘(i) All reduction measures currently being used by 

the Secretary to avoid defaulting on obligations of the 

Government. 

‘‘(ii) With respect to each reduction measure, whether or not such measure is currently being used— 


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‘‘(I) the total dollar amount of such measure 

that has been used; and 

‘‘(II) the total dollar amount of such measure 

that the Secretary estimates is still available for 

use. 

‘‘(iii) The date on which the Secretary estimates that 

all reduction measures will be exhausted, and the 

Government will begin defaulting on its obligations.’’. 

Page 6, after line 2, insert the following: 

‘‘(d) REDUCTION MEASURES DEFINED.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘reduction measures’ means each of the following: 

‘‘(1) Directing or approving the issuance of debt by the Federal Financing Bank for the purpose of entering into an exchange transaction for debt that is subject to the limit under 

this section. 

‘‘(2) Suspending investments in the Government Securities 

Investment Fund of the Thrift Savings Fund. 

‘‘(3) Suspending investments in the stabilization fund established under section 5302 of title 31, United States Code. 

‘‘(4) Suspending new investments in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund or the Postal Service Retiree Health 

Benefits Fund. 

‘‘(5) Selling or redeeming securities, obligations, or other invested assets of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability 

Fund or the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund before maturity. 

‘‘(6) Such other measures as the Secretary determines appropriate.’’. 

3. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE NEWHOUSE

OF WASHINGTON OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 5, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, line 8, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 4, after line 8, insert the following: 

‘‘(D) if the President recommends that Congress adopt, 

in general, a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States to help control the accumulation 

of future debt.’’. 

4. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE KELLY OF

ILLINOIS OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 5, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, line 8, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 4, after line 8, insert the following: 

‘‘(D) an economic forecast of the negative consequences of 

failing to raise the debt limit, including costs associated 

with public health and safety.’’. 

5. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE DUFFY OF

WISCONSIN OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 21, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, line 25, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 


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Page 4, after line 25, add the following: 

‘‘(D) whether the Administration acknowledges that it is 

technologically capable of paying only principal and interest on the national debt, as opposed to other obligations, 

in the event that the debt limit, as specified under section 

3101, is reached.’’. 

6. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE MESSER OF

INDIANA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 21, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, line 25, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 4, after line 25, insert the following: 

‘‘(D) any extraordinary measures the Secretary intends 

to take to fund Federal government obligations if the debt 

limit is not raised, a projection of how long such extraordinary measures will fund the Federal government, and a 

projection of the administrative cost of taking such extraordinary measures.’’. 

7. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE GRIJALVA

OF ARIZONA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 21, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, after line 25, insert the following: 

‘‘(D) projections of earnings of individuals, including 

salary and wages by decile, and 

‘‘(E) projections of consumer spending and the impacts 

of such projections on gross domestic product.’’. 

8. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE TAKANO OF

CALIFORNIA OR HIS DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 21, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 4, line 25, strike the period and insert ‘‘; and’’. 

Page 4, after line 25, insert the following: 

‘‘(D) how delayed action by Congress to raise the debt 

limit and the threat of default impacts the economy, including, but not limited to, the impact on the gross domestic product (GDP), interest rates, employment, household 

wealth, and retirement assets.’’. 

PART B—TEXT OF AMENDMENTS TO H.R. 3293 MADE IN ORDER

1. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON

LEE OF TEXAS OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 3, line 10, strike ‘‘basic research’’ and insert ‘‘applied research’’. 

2. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON

OF TEXAS OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 3, line 15, through page 4, line 15, amend subsection (b) to 

read as follows: 


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(b) DETERMINATION.—A determination referred to in subsection 

(a) is a justification by the responsible Foundation official as to how 

the research grant or cooperative agreement— 

(1) by itself, or by contributing to a portfolio of research in 

that field or across fields, is in the national interest as reflected in the National Science Foundation Act of 1950 (42 

U.S.C. 1861 et seq), namely to promote the progress of science, 

to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare, and to 

secure the national defense; and 

(2) is worthy of Federal funding, as demonstrated by having 

met the merit review criteria of the Foundation. 

3. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON

LEE OF TEXAS OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 3, line 22, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 3, line 23, redesignate paragraph (2) as paragraph (3). 

Page 3, after line 22, insert the following: 

(2) is consistent with established and widely accepted scientific methods applicable to the field of study of exploration; 

and 

4. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE JACKSON

LEE OF TEXAS OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 3, line 22, strike ‘‘and’’. 

Page 3, line 23, redesignate paragraph (2) as paragraph (3). 

Page 3, after line 22, insert the following: 

(2) is consistent with the definition of basic research as it applies to the purpose and field of study; and 

5. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE DELBENE

OF WASHINGTON OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 4, line 6, insert ‘‘, including computer science and information technology sectors,’’ after ‘‘workforce’’. 

6. AN AMENDMENT TO BE OFFERED BY REPRESENTATIVE DELBENE

OF WASHINGTON OR HER DESIGNEE, DEBATABLE FOR 10 MINUTES

Page 5, after line 3, add the following: 

(e) CLARIFICATION.—Nothing in this Act shall be construed to impact Federal funding for research grants or cooperative agreements 

awarded by the National Science Foundation prior to the date of 

enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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