IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1261 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on addressing the 

reckless and unsustainable national debt while committing necessary resources to the COVID–19 pandemic. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 14, 2020 

Mr. ARRINGTON (for himself, Mr. PETERS, Mr. LAHOOD, Mrs. RODGERS of 

Washington, Mr. HOLDING, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. 

WOODALL, Mr. GALLAGHER, Mrs. LESKO, Mr. WILLIAMS, and Mr. 

SMUCKER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Budget 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives on 

addressing the reckless and unsustainable national debt 

while committing necessary resources to the COVID– 

19 pandemic. 

Whereas, in January 2020, prior to the COVID–19 pandemic, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected 

that for fiscal year 2020, United States deficit spending 

would total nearly $1,020,000,000,000, the first trilliondollar deficit in history not caused by the Great Recession; 


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•HRES 1261 IH 

Whereas, in January 2020, prior to the pandemic, the CBO 

projected United States debt-to-GDP would rise from 80 

percent to 98 percent by 2030; 

Whereas even in the absence of the COVID–19 pandemic, our 

Nation’s fiscal situation was precarious and rapidly deteriorating; 

Whereas, throughout 2020, COVID–19 has had a significant 

impact on the health of our fellow citizens, our economy, 

and our fiscal stability; 

Whereas 25,000,000 people were immediately put out of 

work; 

Whereas in response to the health crisis, lockdowns, and an 

economic downturn, Congress passed a series of legislative packages totaling more than $3,600,000,000,000 to 

support hospitals, families, small businesses, schools, and 

local governments; 

Whereas as a result of these necessary measures, our fiscal 

condition is far worse than ever before; 

Whereas the ability to respond appropriately to emergencies 

is part of responsible budgeting and an important reason 

to control the debt during periods of economic strength; 

Whereas the fiscal year 2020 budget deficit exceeded 

$3,100,000,000,000, more than three times the 

prepandemic projection; 

Whereas the total deficit in 2020 was 16.0 percent of the Nation’s gross domestic product (GDP), up from 4.6 percent in 2019 and 3.8 percent in 2018, and the deficit was 

the largest as a percentage of GDP since 1945; 

Whereas the gross debt of the United States Government, 

which includes both debt held by the public and debt held 


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by Federal trust funds, now exceeds 

$27,000,000,000,000; 

Whereas the national debt for fiscal year 2020 has now exceeded the size of the entire United States economy, and 

the debt-to-GDP ratio will soon reach the highest level 

ever and is expected to continue rising at an 

unsustainable rate; and 

Whereas we recognize the need to provide temporary and targeted support to those affected by the pandemic, including future assistance: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) recognizes that an unprecedented response 

3 to provide relief to hundreds of millions of Ameri4 cans was required to address the COVID–19 pan5 demic; 

6 (2) realizes that additional relief measures are 

7 required; 

8 (3) believes that further efforts to address the 

9 COVID–19 pandemic must include measures and re10 forms to help Congress restore the Federal Govern11 ment’s long-term fiscal health once the pandemic 

12 ends and the economy regains its strength; and 

13 (4) believes Congress should promote the return 

14 to regular order and deliberation, and to change the 

15 broken and dysfunctional budget practices that 


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1 threaten both economic stability and national secu2 rity. 

Æ 


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