House Rule XXVIII - Statutory Limit on Public Debt

Changes to rule in the 111th Congress (2009-2010)
House Rules Committee Chair Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) released this summary of the rule changes at the beginning of the 111th Congress:

"DISCLOSURE BY MEMBERS OF EMPLOYMENT NEGOTIATIONS: This provisions amends clause 1 of rule XXVII to close the loophole in the rule that allowed lame-duck Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner to directly negotiate future employment or compensation without public disclosure. The rule will now apply to all current Members, Delegates, and the Resident Commissioner requiring them, within 3 business days after the commencement of such negotiation or agreement of future employment or compensation, to file with the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct a statement regarding such negotiations or agreement.

Statutory Limit on Public Debt
1. Upon adoption  by  Congress  of  a  concurrent   resolution   on   the   budget  under section 301 or 304 of the Congressional   Budget   Act   of   1974   that   sets  forth,  as  the  appropriate  level  of  the  public debt for the period to which the  concurrent     resolution     relates,     an  amount   that   is   different   from   the  amount  of  the  statutory  limit  on  the  public debt that otherwise would be in  effect  for  that  period,  the  Clerk  shall prepare an engrossment of a joint resolution  increasing  or  decreasing,  as  the  case may be, the statutory limit on the  public  debt  in  the  form  prescribed  in  clause 2. Upon engrossment of the joint resolution,  the  vote  by  which  the  con-  current  resolution  on  the  budget  was  finally  agreed  to  in  the  House  shall  also be considered as a vote on passage  of  the  joint  resolution  in   the  House,  and  the  joint  resolution  shall  be  considered   as   passed   by   the   House   and  duly  certified  and  examined. The engrossed  copy  shall  be  signed  by  the  Clerk  and  transmitted  to  the  Senate  for further legislative action.

2. The  matter   after   the   resolving  clause in a joint resolution described in  clause 1 shall be as follows: ''That sub-  section  (b)  of  section  3101  of  title  31,  United   States   Code,   is   amended   by  striking  out  the  dollar  limitation  contained in such subsection and inserting in lieu  thereof  '$ '.'',  with  the blank being filled with a dollar limitation  equal  to  the  appropriate  level  of  the  public  debt  set  forth  pursuant  to  section  301(a)(5)  of  the  Congressional  Budget Act of 1974 in the relevant con-  current  resolution  described  in  clause  1. If an  adopted  concurrent  resolution  under  clause  1  sets  forth  different  appropriate  levels  of  the  public  debt  for  separate  periods,  only  one  engrossed  joint resolution shall be prepared under  clause  1;  and  the  blank  referred  to  in  the  preceding  sentence  shall  be  filled  with the limitation that is to apply for  each period.

3. (a) The report of the Committee on the  Budget  on  a  concurrent  resolution  described  in  clause  1  and  the  joint  explanatory  statement  of  the  managers  on  a  conference  report  to  accompany  such a concurrent resolution each shall  contain a clear statement of the effect  the eventual enactment of a joint resolution engrossed under this rule would  have on the statutory limit on the  public debt.
 * (b) It shall  not  be  in  order  for  the  House to consider a concurrent resolution  described  in  clause  1,  or  a  conference  report  thereon,   unless  the  report  of  the  Committee  on  the  Budget  or  the  joint  explanatory  statement  of  the managers complies with paragraph  (a).

4. Nothing in  this  rule  shall  be  construed  as  limiting  or  otherwise  affecting--
 * (a) the power  of  the  House  or  the  Senate  to  consider  and  pass  bills  or  joint  resolutions,  without  regard  to  the  procedures  under  clause  1,  that  would  change  the  statutory  limit  on   the public debt; or
 * (b) the rights  of  Members,  Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, or  committees with respect to the introduction, consideration, and reporting  of such bills or joint resolutions.

5. In  this  rule  the  term  statutory  limit  on   the  public  debt  means  the  maximum  face  amount  of  obligations  issued under authority of chapter 31 of  title  31,  United  States  Code,  and   obligations guaranteed as to principal and  interest  by  the  United  States  (except  such guaranteed obligations as may be  held by the Secretary of the Treasury),  as  determined  under  section  3101(b)  of such  title  after  the  application  of  section  3101(a)  of  such  title,  that  may  be  outstanding at any one time.

Changes to rule in the 110th Congress
There were no changes to the rule in the 110th Congress.

Statutory Limit on Public Debt
1. Upon adoption by Congress of a concurrent resolution on the budget under section 301 or 304 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that sets forth, as the appropriate level of the public debt for the period to which the concurrent resolution relates, an amount that is different from the amount of the statutory limit on the public debt that otherwise would be in effect for that period, the Clerk shall prepare an engrossment of a joint resolution increasing or decreasing, as the case may be, the statutory limit on the public debt in the form prescribed in clause 2. Upon engrossment of the joint resolution, the vote by which the concurrent resolution on the budget was finally agreed to in the House shall also be considered as a vote on passage of the joint resolution in the House, and the joint resolution shall be considered as passed by the House and duly certified and examined. The engrossed copy shall be signed by the Clerk and transmitted to the Senate for further legislative action.

2. The matter after the resolving clause in a joint resolution described in clause 1 shall be as follows: ‘‘That subsection (b) of section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking out the dollar limitation contained in such subsection and inserting in lieu thereof ‘$llll’.’’, with the blank being filled with a dollar limitation equal to the appropriate level of the public debt set forth pursuant to section 301(a)(5) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 in the relevant concurrent resolution described in clause 1. If an adopted concurrent resolution under clause 1 sets forth different appropriate levels of the public debt for separate periods, only one engrossed joint resolution shall be prepared under clause 1; and the blank referred to in the preceding sentence shall be filled with the limitation that is to apply for each period.

3. (a) The report of the Committee on the Budget on a concurrent resolution described in clause 1 and the joint explanatory statement of the managers on a conference report to accompany such a concurrent resolution each shall contain a clear statement of the effect the eventual enactment of a joint resolution engrossed under this rule would have on the statutory limit on the public debt.
 * (b) It shall not be in order for the House to consider a concurrent resolution described in clause 1, or a conference report thereon, unless the report of the Committee on the Budget or the joint explanatory statement of the managers complies with paragraph (a).

4. Nothing in this rule shall be construed as limiting or otherwise affecting—
 * (a) the power of the House or the Senate to consider and pass bills or joint resolutions, without regard to the procedures under clause 1, that would change the statutory limit on the public debt; or
 * (b) the rights of Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, or committees with respect to the introduction, consideration, and reporting of such bills or joint resolutions.

5. In this rule the term ‘‘statutory limit on the public debt’’ means the maximum face amount of obligations issued under authority of chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, and obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States (except such guaranteed obligations as may be held by the Secretary of the Treasury), as determined under section 3101(b) of such title after the application of section 3101(a) of such title, that may be outstanding at any one time.

Statutory Limit on Public Debt
1. Upon adoption by Congress of a concurrent resolution on the budget under section 301 or 304 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 that sets forth, as the appropriate level of the public debt for the period to which the concurrent resolution relates, an amount that is different from the amount of the statutory limit on the public debt that otherwise would be in effect for that period, the Clerk shall prepare an engrossment of a joint resolution increasing or decreasing, as the case may be, the statutory limit on the public debt in the form prescribed in clause 2. Upon engrossment of the joint resolution, the vote by which the concurrent resolution on the budget was finally agreed to in the House shall also be considered as a vote on passage of the joint resolution in the House, and the joint resolution shall be considered as passed by the House and duly certified and examined. The engrossed copy shall be signed by the Clerk and transmitted to the Senate for further legislative action.

2. The matter after the resolving clause in a joint resolution described in clause 1 shall be as follows: “That subsection (b) of section 3101 of title 31, United States Code, is amended by striking out the dollar limitation contained in such subsection and inserting in lieu thereof ‘$______’.”, with the blank being filled with a dollar limitation equal to the appropriate level of the public debt set forth pursuant to section 301(a)(5) of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 in the relevant concurrent resolution described in clause 1. If an adopted concurrent resolution under clause 1 sets forth different appropriate levels of the public debt for separate periods, only one engrossed joint resolution shall be prepared under clause 1; and the blank referred to in the preceding sentence shall be filled with the limitation that is to apply for each period.

3. (a) The report of the Committee on the Budget on a concurrent resolution described in clause 1 and the joint explanatory statement of the managers on a conference report to accompany such a concurrent resolution each shall contain a clear statement of the effect the eventual enactment of a joint resolution engrossed under this rule would have on the statutory limit on the public debt.


 * (b) It shall not be in order for the House to consider a concurrent resolution described in clause 1, or a conference report thereon, unless the report of the Committee on the Budget or the joint explanatory statement of the managers complies with paragraph (a).

4. Nothing in this rule shall be construed as limiting or otherwise affecting -


 * (a) the power of the House or the Senate to consider and pass bills or joint resolutions, without regard to the procedures under clause 1, that would change the statutory limit on the public debt; or


 * (b) the rights of Members, Delegates, the Resident Commissioner, or committees with respect to the introduction, consideration, and reporting of such bills or joint resolutions.

5. In this rule the term “statutory limit on the public debt” means the maximum face amount of obligations issued under authority of chapter 31 of title 31, United States Code, and obligations guaranteed as to principal and interest by the United States (except such guaranteed obligations as may be held by the Secretary of the Treasury), as determined under section 3101(b) of such title after the application of section 3101(a) of such title, that may be outstanding at any one time.”

Resources

 * Rules of the 109th House of Representatives
 * "Rule XXVII," U.S. House of Representatives - Committee on Rules, 2005.