Pay Our Bills Act - Authorizes an extension of the presidential authority to modify the public debt ceiling (subject to enactment of a congressional joint resolution of disapproval).
Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow an additional amount required to meet existing commitments if the President certifies to Congress that the public debt is within $100 billion of the current limit and that further borrowing is required. (The debt limit was $16.699 trillion before its suspension in the Continuing Appropriations Act, FY2014 [P.L. 113-46].)
Authorizes Congress to use current requirements for expedited consideration of the joint resolution. Increases the debt limit by the certified amount if the time for disaproval has lapsed without enactment of the joint resolution.
Suspends the debt limit for the period beginning on the date on which the President submits such a certification to Congress and ending on the earlier of:
Increases the debt limit, effective on the day after the certification is submitted, to the extent that:
Excludes from such formula any obligation whose issuance was not necessary to fund a commitment that required payment before the day after the certification is submitted to Congress.
Prohibits the debt limit from being increased if a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted within 15 days after receipt by Congress (in session or not) of a presidential certification that the public debt is within $100 billion of the current limit.
Provides for expedited consideration of such a joint resolution in the House and Senate.
[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3372 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3372
To provide a process for ensuring the United States does not default on
its obligations.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
October 29, 2013
Mr. Honda introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 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 provide a process for ensuring the United States does not default on
its obligations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Pay Our Bills Act''.
SEC. 2. ADDITIONAL PRESIDENTIAL MODIFICATION OF THE DEBT CEILING.
(a) In General.--Subchapter I of chapter 31 of subtitle III of
title 31, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in section 3101(b), by inserting ``or 3101B'' after
``section 3101A''; and
(2) by inserting after section 3101A the following:
``Sec. 3101B. Additional Presidential modification of the debt ceiling
``(a) In General.--
``(1) Certification.--If the President submits a written
certification to Congress that the President has determined
that the debt subject to limit is within $100,000,000,000 of
the limit under section 3101(b) and that further borrowing, in
an amount specified in the certification, is required to meet
existing commitments, the Secretary of the Treasury may, unless
a joint resolution of disapproval is enacted pursuant to this
section, exercise authority to borrow an additional amount
equal to the amount specified in the certification.
``(2) Resolution of disapproval.--Congress may consider a
joint resolution of disapproval of the authority under
paragraph (1) as provided in subsections (c) through (g). If
the time for disapproval has lapsed without enactment of a
joint resolution of disapproval under this section, the debt
limit is increased by the amount authorized under paragraph
(1).
``(b) Suspension.--
``(1) In general.--Section 3101(b) shall not apply for the
period beginning on the date on which the President submits to
Congress a certification under subsection (a) and ending on the
earlier of--
``(A) the date that is 15 calendar days after
Congress receives the certification, determined in
accordance with subsection (g)(4)(A); or
``(B) the date of enactment of a joint resolution
disapproving the President's exercise of authority with
respect to the debt limit under that certification.
``(2) Special rule relating to obligations issued during
suspension period.--Effective on the day after the applicable
date described in paragraph (1), the limitation in section
3101(b), as increased under any provision of law, is increased
to the extent that--
``(A) the face amount of obligations issued under
this chapter and the face amount of obligations whose
principal and interest are guaranteed by the United
States Government (except guaranteed obligations held
by the Secretary of the Treasury) outstanding on the
calendar day after the date described in paragraph (1)
of this subsection, exceeds
``(B) the face amount of such obligations
outstanding on the date on which the President submits
the applicable certification.
An obligation shall not be taken into account under
subparagraph (A) unless the issuance of such obligation was
necessary to fund a commitment incurred by the Federal
Government that required payment before the day after the
applicable date described in paragraph (1).
``(c) Joint Resolution of Disapproval.--
``(1) In general.--Except as provided in subsection (b)(2),
the debt limit shall not be increased under this section if,
within 15 calendar days after Congress receives the
certification described in subsection (a)(1) (regardless of
whether Congress is in session), there is enacted into law a
joint resolution disapproving the President's exercise of
authority with respect to such increase.
``(2) Contents of joint resolution.--For the purpose of
this section, the term `joint resolution' means only a joint
resolution--
``(A) that is introduced between the date a
certification described in subsection (a)(1) is
received and 3 calendar days after that date;
``(B) which does not have a preamble;
``(C) the title of which is only as follows: `Joint
resolution relating to the disapproval of the
President's exercise of authority to increase the debt
limit, as submitted under section 3101B of title 31,
United States Code, on ______' (with the blank
containing the date of such submission); and
``(D) the matter after the resolving clause of
which is only as follows: `That Congress disapproves of
the President's exercise of authority to increase the
debt limit, as exercised pursuant to the certification
submitted under section 3101B(a) of title 31, United
States Code, on ______.' (with the blank containing the
date of such submission).
``(d) Expedited Consideration in House of Representatives.--
``(1) Reconvening.--Upon receipt of a certification
described in subsection (a)(1), the Speaker, if the House would
otherwise be adjourned, shall notify the Members of the House
that, pursuant to this section, the House shall convene not
later than the second calendar day after receipt of such
certification.
``(2) Reporting and discharge.--Any committee of the House
of Representatives to which a joint resolution is referred
shall report it to the House without amendment not later than 5
calendar days after the date of introduction of the joint
resolution. If a committee fails to report the joint resolution
within that period, the committee shall be discharged from
further consideration of the joint resolution and the joint
resolution shall be referred to the appropriate calendar.
``(3) Proceeding to consideration.--After each committee
authorized to consider a joint resolution reports it to the
House or has been discharged from its consideration, it shall
be in order, not later than the sixth day after introduction of
the joint resolution, to move to proceed to consider the joint
resolution in the House. All points of order against the motion
are waived. Such a motion shall not be in order after the House
has disposed of a motion to proceed on a joint resolution
addressing a particular submission. The previous question shall
be considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption without
intervening motion. The motion shall not be debatable. A motion
to reconsider the vote by which the motion is disposed of shall
not be in order.
``(4) Consideration.--The joint resolution shall be
considered as read. All points of order against the joint
resolution and against its consideration are waived. The
previous question shall be considered as ordered on the joint
resolution to its passage without intervening motion except 2
hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the proponent
and an opponent. An amendment to the joint resolution or a
motion to reconsider the vote on passage of the joint
resolution shall not be in order.
``(e) Expedited Procedure in Senate.--
``(1) Reconvening.--Upon receipt of a certification under
subsection (a)(1), if the Senate has adjourned or recessed for
more than 2 days, the majority leader of the Senate, after
consultation with the minority leader of the Senate, shall
notify the Members of the Senate that, pursuant to this
section, the Senate shall convene not later than the second
calendar day after receipt of such message.
``(2) Placement on calendar.--Upon introduction in the
Senate, a joint resolution shall be immediately placed on the
calendar.
``(3) Floor consideration.--
``(A) In general.--Notwithstanding rule XXII of the
Standing Rules of the Senate, it is in order at any
time during the period beginning on the day after the
date on which Congress receives a certification under
subsection (a)(1) and ending on the sixth day after the
date of introduction of a joint resolution (even though
a previous motion to the same effect has been disagreed
to) to move to proceed to the consideration of the
joint resolution, and all points of order against the
joint resolution (and against consideration of the
joint resolution) are waived. The motion to proceed is
not debatable. The motion is not subject to a motion to
postpone. A motion to reconsider the vote by which the
motion is agreed to or disagreed to shall not be in
order. If a motion to proceed to the consideration of
the resolution is agreed to, the joint resolution shall
remain the unfinished business until disposed of.
``(B) Consideration.--Consideration of the joint
resolution, and on all debatable motions and appeals in
connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than
10 hours, which shall be divided equally between the
majority and minority leaders or their designees. A
motion further to limit debate is in order and not
debatable. An amendment to, or a motion to postpone, or
a motion to proceed to the consideration of other
business, or a motion to recommit the joint resolution
is not in order.
``(C) Vote on passage.--If the Senate has voted to
proceed to a joint resolution, the vote on passage of
the joint resolution shall occur immediately following
the conclusion of consideration of the joint
resolution, and a single quorum call at the conclusion
of the debate if requested in accordance with the rules
of the Senate.
``(D) Rulings of the chair on procedure.--Appeals
from the decisions of the Chair relating to the
application of the rules of the Senate, as the case may
be, to the procedure relating to a joint resolution
shall be decided without debate.
``(f) Amendment Not in Order.--A joint resolution of disapproval
considered pursuant to this section shall not be subject to amendment
in either the House of Representatives or the Senate.
``(g) Coordination With Action by Other House.--
``(1) In general.--If, before passing the joint resolution,
one House receives from the other a joint resolution--
``(A) the joint resolution of the other House shall
not be referred to a committee; and
``(B) the procedure in the receiving House shall be
the same as if no joint resolution had been received
from the other House, except that the vote on final
passage shall be on the joint resolution of the other
House.
``(2) Treatment of joint resolution of other house.--If the
Senate fails to introduce or consider a joint resolution under
this section, the joint resolution of the House shall be
entitled to expedited floor procedures under this section.
``(3) Treatment of companion measures.--If, following
passage of the joint resolution in the Senate, the Senate
receives the companion measure from the House of
Representatives, the companion measure shall not be debatable.
``(4) Consideration after passage.--
``(A) In general.--If Congress passes a joint
resolution, the period beginning on the date the
President is presented with the joint resolution and
ending on the date the President signs, allows to
become law without his signature, or vetoes and returns
the joint resolution (but excluding days when either
House is not in session) shall be disregarded in
computing the calendar day period described in
subsection (b)(1) or subsection (c)(1).
``(B) Debate.--Debate on a veto message in the
Senate under this section shall be 1 hour equally
divided between the majority and minority leaders or
their designees.
``(5) Veto override.--If within the calendar day period
described in subsection (c)(1), Congress overrides a veto of a
joint resolution, except as provided in subsection (b)(2), the
limit on debt provided in section 3101(b) shall not be raised
under this section.
``(h) Rules of House of Representatives and Senate.--This
subsection and subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) are enacted by
Congress--
``(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate
and House of Representatives, respectively, and as such it is
deemed a part of the rules of each House, respectively, but
applicable only with respect to the procedure to be followed in
that House in the case of a joint resolution, and it supersedes
other rules only to the extent that it is inconsistent with
such rules; and
``(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of
either House to change the rules (so far as relating to the
procedure of that House) at any time, in the same manner, and
to the same extent as in the case of any other rule of that
House.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--The table of sections for chapter 31 of
title 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 3101A the following:
``3101B. Additional Presidential modification of the debt ceiling.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 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.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on 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.
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