I 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1383 

To amend the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 

to provide for long-term debt limits, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

FEBRUARY 25, 2021 

Mr. STEWART (for himself, Mr. OWENS, Mr. CURTIS, and Mr. FEENSTRA) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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 the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to provide for long-term debt limits, 

and for other purposes. 

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

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Debt Control Through 

5 Budget Reconciliation Act of 2021’’. 

6 SEC. 2. LONG-TERM DEBT LIMITS. 

7 (a) LONG-TERM DEBT LIMITS.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Congressional Budget 

2 and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amended 

3 by adding after section 315 the following: 

4 ‘‘SEC. 316. LONG-TERM DEBT LIMITS. 

5 ‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to es6 tablish long-term limits on debt held by the public that 

7 are enforced through a special reconciliation process sepa8 rate and distinct from the process set forth in section 310. 

9 ‘‘(b) LONG-TERM DEBT LIMITS.—The total amount 

10 of estimated debt held by the public as a percentage of 

11 the estimated nominal gross domestic product of the 

12 United States for each fiscal year set forth below is as 

13 follows: 

‘‘Fiscal Year: Debt to GDP ratio: 

2022 101% 

2023 99% 

2024 98% 

2025 96% 

2026 94% 

2027 92% 

2028 90% 

2029 88% 

2030 87% 

2031 85% 

2032 83% 

2033 81% 

2034 79% 


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‘‘Fiscal Year: Debt to GDP ratio: 

2035 77% 

2036 76% 

2037 74% 

2038 72% 

2039 70% 

2040 68% 

2041 66% 

2042 65% 

2043 63% 

2044 61% 

2045 59% 

2046 57% 

2047 55% 

2048 54% 

2049 52% 

2050 50% 

1 ‘‘(c) SPECIAL RECONCILIATION PROCEDURE.— 

2 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

3 after a concurrent resolution on the budget has been 

4 agreed to that contains directives regarding the ratio 

5 described in section 310(a)(8) recommending 

6 changes to the Committee on the Budget of the 

7 House of Representatives or the Senate (as applica8 ble), the committee shall report to the House or Sen9 ate special reconciliation legislation carrying out all 


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1 such recommendations without any substantive revi2 sion. 

3 ‘‘(2) FAILURE TO REPORT COMPLIANT REC4 OMMENDATIONS.—If 1 or more committees do not 

5 report recommendations that comply with paragraph 

6 (1), the Committee on the Budget of the House of 

7 Representatives or the Senate (as applicable)— 

8 ‘‘(A) shall report the special reconciliation 

9 legislation carrying out all reported rec10 ommendations that comply with such para11 graph, without any substantive revision; and 

12 ‘‘(B) may include in the legislation re13 ported under subparagraph (A) changes in laws 

14 within the jurisdiction of each noncompliant 

15 committee, if the changes in law comply with 

16 such paragraph. 

17 ‘‘(d) LIMITS ON SPECIAL RECONCILIATION BILLS.— 

18 ‘‘(1) EXTRANEOUS MATERIAL.— 

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be in 

20 order in the Senate to consider any provision in 

21 legislation reported under subsection (c) that 

22 contains material extraneous (within the mean23 ing given that term under section 313) to the 

24 directives to the applicable committee. 


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1 ‘‘(B) POINT OF ORDER SUSTAINED.—If a 

2 point of order is made by a Senator against a 

3 provision described in subparagraph (A), and 

4 the point of order is sustained by the Chair, 

5 that provision shall be stricken from the meas6 ure and may not be offered as an amendment 

7 from the floor. 

8 ‘‘(C) CONFERENCE REPORTS.—When the 

9 Senate is considering a conference report on, or 

10 an amendment between the Houses in relation 

11 to, legislation reported under subsection (c), 

12 upon a point of order being made by any Sen13 ator pursuant to subparagraph (A), and such 

14 point of order being sustained, such material 

15 contained in such conference report or House 

16 amendment shall be stricken, and the Senate 

17 shall proceed to consider the question of wheth18 er the Senate shall recede from its amendment 

19 and concur with a further amendment, or con20 cur in the House amendment with a further 

21 amendment, as the case may be, which further 

22 amendment shall consist of only that portion of 

23 the conference report or House amendment, as 

24 the case may be, not so stricken. Any such mo25 tion in the Senate shall be debatable. In any 


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1 case in which such point of order is sustained 

2 against a conference report (or Senate amend3 ment derived from such conference report by 

4 operation of this subparagraph), no further 

5 amendment shall be in order. 

6 ‘‘(D) FORM OF THE POINT OF ORDER.—A 

7 point of order under subparagraph (A) may be 

8 raised by a Senator as provided in section 

9 313(e). 

10 ‘‘(E) SUPERMAJORITY WAIVER AND AP11 PEAL.—In the Senate, this paragraph may be 

12 waived or suspended only by an affirmative vote 

13 of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and 

14 sworn. An affirmative vote of three-fifths of 

15 Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn 

16 shall be required to sustain an appeal of the 

17 ruling of the Chair on a point of order raised 

18 under this paragraph. 

19 ‘‘(2) DEFICIT REDUCTION REQUIRED.— 

20 ‘‘(A) EACH TITLE REDUCES THE DEF21 ICIT.— 

22 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be in 

23 order the House of Representatives or the 

24 Senate to consider any title in legislation 


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1 reported under subsection (c) that would 

2 increase the deficit over— 

3 ‘‘(I) the period during which the 

4 level of deficit reduction specified in 

5 this section is to be achieved; or 

6 ‘‘(II) the period covered by the 

7 most recently agreed to concurrent 

8 resolution on the budget. 

9 ‘‘(ii) POINT OF ORDER SUSTAINED.— 

10 If a point of order is made by a Senator 

11 or Member against a title described in 

12 clause (i), and the point of order is sus13 tained by the Chair, that title shall be 

14 stricken from the measure and may not be 

15 offered as an amendment from the floor. 

16 ‘‘(iii) FORM OF THE POINT OF

17 ORDER.—A point of order under clause (i) 

18 may be raised by a Senator as provided in 

19 section 313(e). 

20 ‘‘(iv) CONFERENCE REPORTS.—When 

21 the Senate or House of Representatives is 

22 considering a conference report on, or an 

23 amendment between the Houses in relation 

24 to, a bill or joint resolution, upon a point 

25 of order being made by any Senator or 


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1 Member pursuant to clause (i), and such 

2 point of order being sustained, such mate3 rial contained in such conference report or 

4 House or Senate amendment shall be 

5 stricken, and the Senate or House shall 

6 proceed to consider the question of whether 

7 the Senate or House shall recede from its 

8 amendment and concur with a further 

9 amendment, or concur in the House or 

10 Senate amendment with a further amend11 ment, as the case may be, which further 

12 amendment shall consist of only that por13 tion of the conference report or House or 

14 Senate amendment, as the case may be, 

15 not so stricken. Any such motion in the 

16 Senate or House shall be debatable. In any 

17 case in which such point of order is sus18 tained against a conference report (or Sen19 ate or House amendment derived from 

20 such conference report by operation of this 

21 clause), no further amendment shall be in 

22 order. 

23 ‘‘(v) SUPERMAJORITY WAIVER AND

24 APPEAL.—In the Senate, this subpara25 graph may be waived or suspended only by 


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1 an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the 

2 Members, duly chosen and sworn. An af3 firmative vote of three-fifths of Members of 

4 the Senate, duly chosen and sworn shall be 

5 required to sustain an appeal of the ruling 

6 of the Chair on a point of order raised 

7 under this subparagraph. 

8 ‘‘(B) NO AMENDMENTS REDUCING THE

9 AMOUNT OF DEFICIT REDUCTION.— 

10 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—It shall not be in 

11 order in the House of Representatives or 

12 the Senate to consider an amendment to 

13 legislation reported under subsection (c) 

14 that would reduce the amount of the de15 crease in the deficit, as compared to the 

16 legislation as reported by the Committee 

17 on the Budget of the House or the Senate 

18 (as applicable), over— 

19 ‘‘(I) the period during which the 

20 level of deficit reduction specified in 

21 this section is to be achieved; or 

22 ‘‘(II) the period covered by the 

23 most recently agreed to concurrent 

24 resolution on the budget. 


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1 ‘‘(ii) SUPERMAJORITY WAIVER AND

2 APPEAL.—In the Senate, this subpara3 graph may be waived or suspended only by 

4 an affirmative vote of three-fifths of the 

5 Members, duly chosen and sworn. An af6 firmative vote of three-fifths of Members of 

7 the Senate, duly chosen and sworn shall be 

8 required to sustain an appeal of the ruling 

9 of the Chair on a point of order raised 

10 under this subparagraph. 

11 ‘‘(e) CONSIDERATION OF SPECIAL RECONCILIATION

12 BILLS.— 

13 ‘‘(1) DEADLINE.—Not later than 50 days after 

14 a concurrent resolution on the budget has been 

15 agreed to, of any calendar year, the House of Rep16 resentatives or the Senate shall proceed to consider17 ation of legislation reported under subsection (c). 

18 ‘‘(2) PROCEDURES.— 

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in 

20 subparagraph (B), and subject to subsection 

21 (d), if the Committee on the Budget of the 

22 House of Representatives or the Senate (as ap23 plicable) reports legislation under subsection 

24 (c), the provisions of section 305 for the consid25 eration in the House or Senate of concurrent 


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1 resolutions on the budget and conference re2 ports thereon shall also apply to the consider3 ation in the House or Senate of such legislation 

4 and conference reports thereon. 

5 ‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.— 

6 ‘‘(i) DEBATE.—Debate in the Senate 

7 on any legislation reported under sub8 section (c), and all amendments thereto 

9 and debatable motions and appeals in con10 nection therewith, shall be limited to not 

11 more than 20 hours. 

12 ‘‘(ii) AMENDMENTS.—Paragraph (6) 

13 of section 305(b) shall not apply to legisla14 tion reported under subsection (c). 

15 ‘‘(C) VETOES.—If the President vetoes leg16 islation reported under subsection (c), in the 

17 Senate there shall be not more than 1 hour of 

18 debate on the veto message, equally divided be19 tween the majority and minority leaders or 

20 their designees. 

21 ‘‘(3) SPECIAL RULES FOR REVENUE MEAS22 URES.— 

23 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—If the legislation re24 ported under subsection (c) is a revenue meas25 ure, the majority leader shall submit for publiVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:10 Apr 16, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00011 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1383.IH H1383

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1 cation in the Congressional Record a written 

2 statement identifying a bill of the House of 

3 Representatives that is a revenue measure and 

4 that shall be used as the vehicle for consider5 ation of the legislation reported under sub6 section (c). 

7 ‘‘(B) MOTION TO PROCEED.—A motion to 

8 proceed to the consideration of a bill of the 

9 Senate identified in a written statement under 

10 subparagraph (A) shall not be debatable. 

11 ‘‘(C) SUBSTITUTE AMENDMENT.— 

12 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—If a motion to 

13 proceed to a bill of the Senate identified in 

14 a written statement under subparagraph 

15 (A) is agreed to, the majority leader shall 

16 offer an amendment in the nature of a 

17 substitute to the bill, which shall consist 

18 only of the text of the legislation reported 

19 under subsection (c). 

20 ‘‘(ii) TREATMENT OF TEXT.—An 

21 amendment in the nature of a substitute 

22 offered under clause (i) shall be— 

23 ‘‘(I) deemed to be agreed to, sub24 ject to further amendment; 


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1 ‘‘(II) treated as original text for 

2 purposes of germaneness and further 

3 amendment; and 

4 ‘‘(III) considered in the same 

5 manner as legislation reported under 

6 subsection (c), in accordance with 

7 paragraph (2) of this subsection. 

8 ‘‘(D) NO EFFECT ON POINTS OF ORDER.— 

9 The fact that legislation reported under sub10 section (c) is considered as an amendment in 

11 the nature of a substitute to a bill of the House 

12 of Representatives shall not preclude any point 

13 of order that would lie against the legislation if 

14 the legislation were considered as a bill of the 

15 Senate reported by the Committee on the Budg16 et under subsection (c).’’. 

17 (2) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of con18 tents set forth in section 1(b) of such Act is amend19 ed by inserting after the item relating to section 315 

20 the following: 

‘‘316. Long-term debt limits.’’. 

21 (b) CONTENTS OF CONCURRENT RESOLUTION ON

22 THE BUDGET.—Section 301(a) of the Congressional 

23 Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 is amend24 ed— 


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1 (1) in paragraph (6), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

2 end; 

3 (2) in paragraph (7), by striking the period at 

4 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

5 (3) by inserting after such paragraph (7) the 

6 following: 

7 ‘‘(8) for purposes of the special reconciliation 

8 procedures set forth in section 316, the applicable 

9 estimated debt held by the public as a percentage of 

10 the estimated nominal gross domestic product of the 

11 United States as set forth in section 316(b).’’. 

Æ 


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