I 
118TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 9519 
To establish a limit on increases in total Federal spending, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 
Mr. EDWARDS introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committees on Appropria-
tions, and 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 establish a limit on increases in total Federal spending, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stop Bankrupting Our 
Country Act’’. 
SEC. 2. LIMIT ON GROWTH OF FEDERAL SPENDING. 
(a) LIMIT.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), during any fiscal year beginning with fis-
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cal year 2025, the total amount of Federal expendi-
tures during such fiscal year may not exceed the 
total amount of Federal expenditures for the pre-
ceding fiscal year, increased by a percentage equal 
to— 
(A) the average inflation change, expressed 
as a percentage, for the calendar year ending in 
such preceding fiscal year and the preceding 
two calendar years, plus 
(B) the average change in national popu-
lation, expressed as a percentage, for the cal-
endar year ending in such preceding fiscal year 
and the preceding two calendar years. 
(2) EXCEPTION.—Congress may only increase 
the spending limit established under this section for 
a fiscal year by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of 
the Members of the House of Representatives and 
the Senate. 
(b) SEQUESTRATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 15 
of each calendar year, the Director of the Office of 
Management and Budget shall determine whether 
Federal expenditures for the most recently ended fis-
cal year exceeded Federal expenditures for the pre-
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vious fiscal year under subsection (a) and submit a 
report to Congress and the President. 
(2) RESCISSION.—If the Director determines 
that Federal expenditures were so exceeded under 
paragraph (1), on the date such report is issued, 
there is hereby rescinded an amount equal to the ex-
cess of such expenditures. Such a rescission shall be 
applied to all accounts in a uniform percentage nec-
essary to achieve the level of the required rescission, 
except that with respect to any such rescission— 
(A) any account exempted from sequestra-
tion under the Balanced Budget and Emer-
gency Deficit Control Act of 1985 shall be ex-
empt; and 
(B) the general and special sequestration 
rules under such Act for accounts, including the 
rules under section 256 of such Act, shall 
apply. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this Act— 
(1) the term ‘‘Federal expenditures’’ means 
total Federal expenditures, including all mandatory 
spending and discretionary spending, but does not 
include net interest payments on the debt; 
(2) the term ‘‘inflation change’’ means the per-
centage increase in implicit price deflator for gross 
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domestic product as reported by the Bureau of Eco-
nomic Analysis (or any successor agency); and 
(3) the term ‘‘population’’ means the number of 
individuals residing in the United States, excluding 
members of the Armed Forces stationed overseas, as 
reported annually by the Bureau of the Census. 
Æ 
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