[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6927 Introduced in House (IH)]
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118th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 6927
To establish a commission on national debt and fiscal reforms.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 9, 2024
Mrs. Spartz introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Budget, 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 establish a commission on national debt and fiscal reforms.
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 ``Debt Commission Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEBT COMMISSION.
(a) Establishment of a Debt Commission.--No later than 30 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, there shall be established in
Congress a Debt Commission.
(b) Membership Structure.--The Debt Commission shall be composed of
16 members, of whom--
(1) four members shall be appointed by the majority leader
of the Senate from among the current Members of the Senate;
(2) four members shall be appointed by the minority leader
of the Senate from among the current Members of the Senate;
(3) four members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the
House of Representatives from among the current Members of the
House of Representatives; and
(4) four members shall be appointed by the minority leader
of the House of Representatives from among the current Members
of the House of Representatives.
(c) Qualifications.--Members appointed to the Debt Commission shall
have significant depth of experience and expertise on fiscal issues.
(d) Vacancy.--Any vacancy in the Debt Commission shall be filled in
the same manner as the initial appointment under subsection (b).
(e) Co-Chairs.--From among the members appointed in subsection (b),
the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives of the same
political party as the President shall designate 1 member, and the
leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives of the opposite
political party as the President, shall designate 1 member to serve as
a co-chairs of the Debt Commission.
(f) Staff Director.--The co-chairs of the Debt Commission, acting
jointly, shall hire the staff director of the Debt Commission.
(g) Staff Compensation.--The co-chairs of the Debt Commission may
jointly appoint and fix the compensation of staff of the Debt
Commission as the co-chairs determine necessary, in accordance with the
guidelines, rules, and requirements relating to employees of the
Senate.
(h) Funding.--Funding for the Debt Commission shall be derived in
equal portions from--
(1) the contingent fund of the Senate from the
appropriations account ``Miscellaneous Items'', subject to the
rules and regulations of the Senate; and
(2) the applicable accounts of the House of
Representatives.
(i) Duties.--The Debt Commission shall identify policies to--
(1) achieve a sustainable ratio of the public debt of the
Federal Government to the gross domestic product of the United
States, in the midterm, including changes to address growth,
discretionary appropriations, direct spending, and revenues;
(2) improve the long-term solvency of Federal programs for
which a Federal trust fund exists; and
(3) reform budget processes for enhancing the fiscal
oversight function of Congress.
(j) Powers of Debt Commission.--
(1) Hearings.--
(A) Public hearings.--The Debt Commission shall
hold public hearings and require attendance of
witnesses and production of books, papers, and
documents as the Debt Commission considers advisable.
(B) Initial meeting.--Not later than 30 days after
the date described in subsection (a), the Debt
Commission shall hold the first meeting.
(C) Agenda.--For each meeting of the Debt
Commission, the co-chairs of the Debt Commission shall
provide an agenda to the members of the Debt Commission
not later than 48 hours before the meeting.
(D) Hearing announcement.--The co-chairs of the
Debt Commission shall make a public announcement of the
date, place, time, and subject matter of any hearing to
be conducted under this subsection not later than 7
days before the date of the hearing, unless the co-
chairs determine that there is good cause to begin such
hearing on an earlier date.
(2) Technical assistance.--Upon written request of the co-
chairs of the Debt Commission, the head of a Federal agency
shall provide technical assistance to the Debt Commission in a
timely manner in order for the Debt Commission to carry out the
duties of the Debt Commission.
(3) Task forces and working groups.--The co-chairs may
establish task forces and working groups to carry out the
duties of the Debt Commission, which may include participation
by outside experts.
(4) Congressional budget office estimates.--The Director of
the Congressional Budget Office shall, with respect to the
legislative language of the Debt Commission under subsection
(l)(1)(B), provide to the Debt Commission--
(A) estimates of the legislative language in
accordance with sections 308(a) and 201(f) of the
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 639(a) and 8
601(f)); and
(B) information on the budgetary effect of the
legislative language on the long-term fiscal outlook.
(k) Consultations With Congress.--
(1) Recommendations of committees.--Not later than 60 days
after the date of enactment of this Act, each committee of the
Senate and the House of Representatives may transmit to the
Debt Commission any recommendations of the committee relating
to changes in law to achieve the changes described in
subsection (i).
(2) Consultation with committees.--The co-chairs shall
consult with the chairman and ranking minority member of each
relevant committee of the Senate and of the House of
Representatives regarding the contents of the final report and
legislative language under subsection (l).
(3) Requirements for consultation.--The consultation
required under paragraph (2) shall provide the opportunity for
the chairman and ranking member of each relevant committee of
the Senate or of the House of Representatives to provide--
(A) recommendations for alternative means of
addressing the recommendations contained in the Debt
Commission report; and
(B) recommendations regarding which recommendations
contained in the Debt Commission report should not be
addressed in the proposed report.
(4) Supplemental views.--The Chair and Ranking Member of
each relevant committee can submit supplemental views to
include in the final report under subsection (l).
(l) Final Report, Recommendations, and Legislative Language.--
(1) In general.--On November 15, 2024, or thereafter, but
not later than 30 days before the date specified in section
401(a) of division D of the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
(Public Law 118-5), the Debt Commission shall meet to consider,
and vote on--
(A) a final report that contains a detailed
statement of the findings, conclusions, and
recommendations required under subsection (i); and
(B) legislative language to carry out the
recommendations of the Debt Commission in the report
described in subparagraph (A), which shall include a
statement of the economic and budgetary effects of the
recommendations by the Congressional Budget Office.
(2) Approval of report and legislative language.--A final
report and legislative language of the Debt Commission under
paragraph (1) shall require a separate vote and the approval of
a majority of the members of the Debt Commission, provided that
such majority shall be required to include not less than 4
members of the Debt Commission appointed by members of the
Republican Party and 4 members appointed by members of the
Democratic Party.
(3) Additional views.--A member of the Debt Commission who
gives notice of an intention to file supplemental, minority, or
additional views at the time of the final Debt Commission vote
on the approval of the report and legislative language shall be
entitled to 3 days to file those views in writing with the
staff director of the Debt Commission to include in the final
report.
(4) Report and legislative language to be made public.--
Upon the approval or disapproval of a report and legislative
language under paragraph (1) by the Debt Commission, the Debt
Commission shall promptly, and not more than 24 hours after the
approval or disapproval or, if timely notice is given under
paragraph (3), not more than 24 hours after additional views
are filed under such paragraph (3), make the report, the
legislative language, and a record of the vote on the report
and legislative language available to the public.
(5) Submission of report and legislative language.--If a
report or legislative language are approved by the Debt
Commission under paragraph (1), not later than 3 days after the
date on which the report or legislative language are made
available to the public under paragraph (4), the Debt
Commission shall submit the report or legislative language to
the President, the Vice President, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, and the majority and minority leaders of each
House of Congress.
(m) Termination.--The Debt Commission shall terminate on the date
that is 30 days after the date the Debt Commission submits the final
report under subsection (l) or December 31, 2024, whichever is earlier.
SEC. 3. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF DEBT COMMISSION BILLS.
(a) Qualifying Legislation.--
(1) In general.--Only a Debt Commission bill shall be
entitled to expedited consideration under this section.
(2) Debt commission bill defined.--In this section, the
term ``Debt Commission bill'' means a bill consisting solely of
legislative language that the Debt Commission approves and
submits under section 2(l)(5).
(b) Consideration in the House of Representatives.--
(1) Introduction.--If the Debt Commission approves and
submits legislative language under paragraphs (1) and (5),
respectively, of section 2(l), the Debt Commission bill
consisting solely of that legislative language shall be
introduced in the House of Representatives (by request)--
(A) by the majority leader of the House of
Representatives, or by a Member of the House of
Representatives designated by the majority leader of
the House of Representatives, on the third legislative
day after the date the Debt Commission approves and
submits such legislative language; or
(B) if the Debt Commission bill is not introduced
under subparagraph (A), by any Member of the House of
Representatives on any legislative day beginning on the
legislative day after the legislative day described in
subparagraph (A).
(2) Referral and reporting.--Any committee of the House of
Representatives to which a Debt Commission bill is referred
shall report the Debt Commission bill to the House of
Representatives without amendment not later than 5 legislative
days after the date on which the Debt Commission bill was so
referred. If any committee of the House of Representatives to
which a Debt Commission bill is referred fails to report the
Debt Commission bill within that period, that committee shall
be automatically discharged from consideration of the Debt
Commission bill, and the Debt Commission bill shall be placed
on the appropriate calendar.
(3) Proceeding to consideration.--After the last committee
authorized to consider a Debt Commission bill reports it to the
House of Representatives or has been discharged from its
consideration, it shall be in order to move to proceed to
consider the Debt Commission bill in the House of
Representatives. Such a motion shall not be in order after the
House of Representatives has disposed of a motion to proceed
with respect to the Debt Commission bill. The previous question
shall be considered as ordered on the motion to its adoption
without intervening motion.
(4) Consideration.--The Debt Commission bill shall be
considered as read. All points of order against the Debt
Commission bill and against its consideration are waived. The
previous question shall be considered as ordered on the Debt
Commission bill to its passage without intervening motion
except 2 hours of debate equally divided and controlled by the
proponent and an opponent.
(5) Vote on passage.--The vote on passage of the Debt
Commission bill shall occur pursuant to the constraints under
clause 8 of rule XX of the Rules of the House of
Representatives.
(c) Expedited Procedure in the Senate.--
(1) Introduction in the senate.--If the Debt Commission
approves and submits legislative language under paragraphs (1)
and (5), respectively, of section 2(l)), a Debt Commission bill
consisting solely of that legislative language may be
introduced in the Senate (by request)--
(A) by the majority leader of the Senate, or by a
Member of the Senate designated by the majority leader
of the Senate, on the next day on which the Senate is
in session; or
(B) if the Debt Commission bill is not introduced
under subparagraph (A), by any Member of the Senate on
any day on which the Senate is in session beginning on
the day after the day described in subparagraph (A).
(2) Committee consideration.--A Debt Commission bill
introduced in the Senate under paragraph (1) shall be jointly
referred to the committee or committees of jurisdiction, which
committees shall report the Debt Commission bill without any
revision and with a favorable recommendation, an unfavorable
recommendation, or without recommendation, not later than 5
session days after the date on which the Debt Commission bill
was so referred. If any committee to which a Debt Commission
bill is referred fails to report the Debt Commission bill
within that period, that committee shall be automatically
discharged from consideration of the Debt Commission bill, and
the Debt Commission bill shall be placed on the appropriate
calendar.
(3) Proceeding.--Notwithstanding rule XXII of the Standing
Rules of the Senate, it is in order, not later than 2 days of
session after the date on which a Debt Commission bill is
reported or discharged from all committees to which the Debt
Commission bill was referred, for the majority leader of the
Senate or the designee of the majority leader to move to
proceed to the consideration of the Debt Commission bill. It
shall also be in order for any Member of the Senate to move to
proceed to the consideration of the Debt Commission bill at any
time after the conclusion of such 2-day period. A motion to
proceed is in order even though a previous motion to the same
effect has been disagreed to. All points of order against the
motion to proceed to the Debt Commission bill 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 Debt
Commission bill is agreed to, the Debt Commission bill shall
remain the unfinished business until disposed of. All points of
order against a Debt Commission bill and against consideration
of the Debt Commission bill are waived.
(4) No amendments.--An amendment to a Debt Commission bill,
or a motion to postpone, or a motion to proceed to the
consideration of other business, or a motion to recommit the
Debt Commission bill, is not in order.
(5) 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 Debt Commission bill shall be decided without debate.
(d) Amendment.--A Debt Commission bill shall not be subject to
amendment in either the Senate or the House of Representatives.
(e) Consideration by the Other House.--
(1) In general.--If, before passing a Debt Commission bill,
a House receives from the other House a Debt Commission bill
consisting of legislative language approved by the same Debt
Commission as the Debt Commission bill in the receiving House--
(A) the Debt Commission bill 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 Debt Commission bill had been
received from the other House until the vote on
passage, when the Debt Commission bill received from
the other House shall supplant the Debt Commission bill
of the receiving House.
(2) Revenue measures.--This subsection shall not apply to
the House of Representatives if a Debt Commission bill received
from the Senate is a revenue measure.
(f) Rules To Coordinate Action With Other House.--
(1) Treatment of debt commission bill of other house.--If a
Debt Commission bill is not introduced in the Senate or the
Senate fails to consider a Debt Commission bill under this
section, the Debt Commission bill of the House of
Representatives consisting of legislative language approved by
the same Debt Commission as the Debt Commission bill in the
Senate shall be entitled to expedited floor procedures under
this section.
(2) Treatment of companion measures in the senate.--If,
following passage of a Debt Commission bill in the Senate, the
Senate then receives from the House of Representatives a Debt
Commission bill approved by the same Debt Commission and
consisting of the same legislative language as the Senate-
passed Debt Commission bill, the House-passed Debt Commission
bill shall not be debatable. The vote on passage of the Debt
Commission bill in the Senate shall be considered to be the
vote on passage of the Debt Commission bill received from the
House of Representatives.
(3) Vetoes.--If the President vetoes a Debt Commission
bill, consideration of a veto message in the Senate under this
paragraph shall be 10 hours equally divided between the
majority and minority leaders of the Senate or the designees of
the majority and minority leaders of the Senate.
SEC. 4. RULEMAKING.
The provisions of this Act are enacted by Congress--
(1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of the Senate
and the House of Representatives, respectively, and, as such,
the provisions--
(A) shall be considered as part of the rules of
each House, respectively, or of that House to which
they specifically apply; and
(B) shall supersede other rules only to the extent
that they are inconsistent therewith; and
(2) with full recognition of the constitutional right of
either House to change such rules (so far as relating to such
House) at any time, in the same manner, and to the same extent
as in the case of any other rule of such House.
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