See How Your Politicians Voted
Title: Increasing the Debt Ceiling (Boehner Bill)
Vote Smart's Synopsis:
Vote on a motion to table a bill that raises the national debt limit and establishes discretionary spending limits.
Highlights:
- Increases the debt limit as follows, provided that the President has submitted a written certification to Congress no later than December 31, 2011, stating that the national debt is within $100 billion of the debt limit and further borrowing is required to meet existing commitments (Sec. 301):
- To $15.19 trillion from $14.29 trillion, if Congress does not enact a joint resolution disapproving of the President's authority to increase the debt limit within 60 calendar days of the President's submission of written certification; or
- To $14.69 trillion from $14.29 trillion, if Congress enacts a joint resolution disapproving of the President's authority to increase the debt limit within 60 calendar days of the President's submission of written certification.
- Requires the Office of Management and Budget to reduce spending by $400 billion if a joint resolution disapproving of the President's authority to increase the debt limit becomes law (Sec. 301).
- Exempts the following budget categories from any spending reductions (Sec. 301):
- Medicare;
- Military retirement;
- Military personnel accounts;
- Veterans;
- Social Security;
- Net interest; and
- TRICARE for Life.
- Requires both houses of Congress to vote on a joint resolution proposing a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and specifies that this vote must occur after September 30, 2011, but before December 31, 2011 (Sec. 201).
- Establishes a Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, the goal of which is to reduce the deficit by at least $1.8 trillion over the period of fiscal years 2012 to 2021 (Sec. 401).
- Increases the debt limit by an additional $1.6 trillion, provided that all of the following are true (Sec. 301):
- The limit has already been raised to $15.19 trillion and the President submits a second written certification to Congress stating that the national debt is within $100 billion of the new debt limit of $15.19 trillion and further borrowing is required to meet existing commitments;
- Congress has enacted legislation proposed by the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction that will achieve more than $1.6 trillion in deficit reduction;
- A balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution has been submitted to the States for ratification; and
- Congress does not enact a joint resolution disapproving of the President's authority to increase the debt limit within 15 calendar days of the President's written certification.
- Limits total discretionary spending to the following amounts for the following fiscal years (Sec. 101):
- $1.04 trillion for fiscal year 2012;
- $1.05 trillion for fiscal year 2013;
- $1.07 trillion for fiscal year 2014;
- $1.09 trillion for fiscal year 2015;
- $1.11 trillion for fiscal year 2016;
- $1.13 trillion for fiscal year 2017;
- $1.16 trillion for fiscal year 2018;
- $1.18 trillion for fiscal year 2019;
- $1.21 trillion for fiscal year 2020; and
- $1.23 trillion for fiscal year 2021.
- Prohibits Congress from passing any bill, amendment, or joint resolution that would cause the discretionary spending limits to be exceeded (Sec. 105).