IV 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 919 
Recognizing the national debt as a threat to national security. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 5, 2018 
Mr. BIGGS (for himself, Mr. MEADOWS, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. BUDD, Mr. DUNCAN 
of South Carolina, Mr. BLUM, Mr. BRAT, Mr. BUCK, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. 
GARRETT, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. NORMAN, Mr. JOHNSON of Lou-
isiana, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. BROOKS of Alabama, Mrs. LESKO, Mr. YOHO, 
Mr. SANFORD, Mr. CURTIS, Mr. PERRY, Mr. JONES, Mrs. BLACK, Mr. 
SCHWEIKERT, Mr. ROKITA, Mr. POSEY, Mr. SMUCKER, Mr. WEBSTER of 
Florida, Mr. GIBBS, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. ZELDIN, Mr. SMITH of Texas, 
Mr. GROTHMAN, Mr. WALKER, Mr. NEWHOUSE, and Mr. DESANTIS) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 
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 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the national debt as a threat to national 
security. 
Whereas, on June 5, 2018, the current total public debt out-
standing was more than $21 trillion, resulting in a total 
interest expense of more than $283 billion for fiscal year 
2018; 
Whereas, on May 31, 2018, the total public debt as a per-
centage of gross domestic product was 106 percent; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:54 Jun 06, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR919.IH
HR919
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
•HRES 919 IH 
Whereas the last balanced Federal budget was signed into 
law in 1997; 
Whereas, in fiscal year 2017, Federal tax receipts totaled 
$3,315 billion, but Federal outlays totaled $3,981 billion, 
leaving the Federal Government with a one-year deficit of 
$666 billion; 
Whereas every year since the last balanced budget was signed 
in 1997, Congress has failed to reduce Federal spending 
and has continued to rely on raising the debt ceiling; 
Whereas Congress failed to pass a balanced budget in the 
2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act and failed to re-
store regular order to the legislative process by not allow-
ing Members of Congress to offer and debate amend-
ments; 
Whereas regular order permits Congress to separately debate 
and adopt all appropriations bills in a timely fashion and 
facilitates congressional oversight of Federal spending; 
Whereas the Social Security and Medicare boards of trustees 
project that the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be 
depleted in 2026; 
Whereas the Social Security and Medicare boards of trustees 
project that the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust 
Fund and Disability Insurance Trust Fund will be de-
pleted in 2034; 
Whereas, on August 5, 2011, the United States credit rating 
was reduced by Standard and Poor’s from AAA to AA+ 
and has remained at that level, and without a targeted 
effort to balance our budget our credit rating will surely 
continue to fall; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:54 Jun 06, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR919.IH
HR919
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
•HRES 919 IH 
Whereas President Donald Trump’s National Security Strat-
egy highlights the need to reduce the debt through fiscal 
responsibility; 
Whereas, on April 12, 2018, Secretary of Defense James 
Mattis warned, ‘‘any nation that can’t keep its fiscal 
house in order eventually cannot maintain its military 
power’’; 
Whereas, on March 6, 2018, Director of National Intelligence 
Dan Coats warned, ‘‘Our continued plunge into debt is 
unsustainable and represents a dire future threat to our 
economy and to our national security’’; 
Whereas, on November 15, 2017, former Secretaries of De-
fense Leon Panetta, Ash Carter, and Chuck Hagel 
warned, ‘‘Increase in the debt will, in the absence of a 
comprehensive budget that addresses both entitlements 
and revenues force even deeper reductions in our national 
security capabilities’’; and 
Whereas, on September 22, 2011, former Chairman of the 
Joint Chiefs of Staff Michael Mullen warned, ‘‘I believe 
the single, biggest threat to our national security is 
debt’’: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes that the national debt is a threat 
to our national security; 
(2) realizes deficits are unsustainable, irrespon-
sible, and dangerous; 
(3) commits to restoring regular order in the 
appropriations process; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:54 Jun 06, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HR919.IH
HR919
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
•HRES 919 IH 
(4) commits to addressing our Nation’s fiscal 
crisis immediately by passing a balanced budget. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:54 Jun 06, 2018
Jkt 079200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR919.IH
HR919
dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS