{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr3877-116/featured_bipartisan-budget-act-of-2019-1566716563.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr3877-116/featured_large_bipartisan-budget-act-of-2019-1566716563.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr3877-116.png"},"introduced_on":"2019-07-23","title_override":"Should the Debt Limit Be Suspended Through Mid-2021 & Budget Caps Lifted for Defense & Domestic Spending?","summary_override":"

This bill — the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 — would raise the debt limit through July 31, 2021, to avoid a potential default in late August or early September and raise discretionary spending caps to $1.371 trillion in FY2020 & $1.375 trillion in FY2021 (up from their FY2019 level of $1.321 trillion). It would increase discretionary budgets for both defense and non-defense categories, provide additional funding for the 2020 Census, and include $77.5 billion in offsets for the increased spending. A detailed breakdown of its various provisions can be found below.

SPENDING CAPS

Fiscal Year 2020: The overall discretionary budget would total $1.371 trillion. The defense discretionary budget would total $739 billion, including a base budget of $666.5 billion plus $71.5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), which is an increase of $30.9 billion from FY2019. The non-defense discretionary budget would total $629.5 billion, including $8 billion in OCO funding, which is an increase of $24.5 billion from FY2019. This section would also authorize a budget increase of $2.5 billion for the 2020 Census.

Fiscal Year 2021: The overall discretionary budget would total $1.375 trillion. The defense discretionary budget would total $740.5 billion, including a base budget of $671.5 billion and $69 billion in OCO funding. The non-defense discretionary budget would total $634.5 billion, including $8 billion in OCO funding.

Taken together, the budget levels set forth for FY2020-2021 would carry the federal government through the expiration of the budget sequestration enacted in the Budget Control Act of 2011, which would trigger across-the-board spending cuts if allowed to take effect.

DEBT LIMIT

This section would suspend the public debt limit through July 31, 2021, effectively allowing the federal government to continue borrowing money through bond markets.

OFFSETS

This section would offset spending by extending existing customs user fee rates from FY2027 through FY2029, and extending Medicare benefits provisions through that period as well. In total, it's projected they would reduce budget authority by $77.3 billion and outlays (actual spending) by $54.5 billion.

","official_title":"To amend the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, to establish a congressional budget for fiscal years 2020 and 2021, to temporarily suspend the debt limit, and for other purposes.","short_title":"Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 This bill increases discretionary spending limits, suspends the debt limit, and modifies budget enforcement procedures. The bill increases the FY2020 and FY2021 discretionary spending limits for defense and nondefense spending. The bill also (1) specifies limits for Overseas Contingency Operations funding, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits; and (2) requires the FY2020 discretionary spending limits to be adjusted to accommodate specified funding...","summarized":true,"cost":324000000000,"cost_commentary":"The CBO estimates that enacting this bill would increase budget authority by $324 billion over the 2019-2029 period and increase spending by $319.4 billion over that period.","impact":"The federal government; and financial markets.","argument_for":"Setting budget levels and making sure the federal government honors its obligations by raising the debt limit is one of the most important responsibilities that falls to Congress. As a bipartisan compromise, there are good and bad elements to this bill but the alternative — no deal and a potential default in late August or early September while Congress is on recess — is unacceptable.","argument_against":"With a $22 trillion national debt the U.S. needs to do more to rein in spending, and this bill continues the unsustainable trend of kicking the can down the road for future generations. Alternatively, this bill’s priorities in terms of increasing spending on both defense and non-defense domestic programs are misplaced. Congress should work through August to reach a better deal.","bill_type":"hr","published":true,"type":"FederalBill","id":"hr3877-116","bill_id":"hr3877-116","formal_id":"H.R. 3877","chamber":"house","congress":116,"last_action_at":"2019-08-02T00:00:00.000Z","active":false,"enacted":true,"enacted_at":"2019-08-02","vetoed":false,"last_vote_at":"2019-08-01T00:00:00.000Z","debated_on":"2019-07-29T20:20:53.000Z","congress_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3877","plain_text_url":null,"shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr3877-116.png","congress_full_text_url":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/3877/text","is_current_congress":true,"last_version_on":null,"related_bill_ids":null,"progress":"Enacted","house_passage_result":true,"senate_passage_result":true,"position_count":527,"committees":[{"name":"Committee on the Budget","chamber":"house","committee_id":"HSBU","subcommittee":false}],"links":{"rollCalls":"/api/roll_calls?bill_id=hr3877-116","details":"/api/bills/hr3877-116/details","sharingMessage":"/api/sharing_messages/hr3877-116","positionsFor":"/api/bills/hr3877-116/positions/for","positionsAgainst":"/api/bills/hr3877-116/positions/against"},"upcoming":false,"cosponsors_count":1,"slug":"hr3877-116-bipartisan-budget-act-of-2019","latest_chamber_votes_id":"hr3877-116","official_url":null,"target_video":true,"following":false,"vote_count":2765,"yea_vote_count":921,"nay_vote_count":1839,"passed_house":true,"passed_senate":true,"vote_id":null,"my_position_id":null,"topic_ids":["defense","government"],"issue_ids":["defense","budgets","debt-and-deficits","federal-agencies","government"],"sponsor_id":45}],"votes":[],"issues":[{"id":"defense","name":"Defense","slug":"defense","description":"Federal legislation related to Defense spending, the active duty military, intelligence activities, war powers and veterans’ care. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about.","page_title":"US Armed forces and Defense related Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/defense/black_defense-1429042040.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/defense/grey_defense-1429042040.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/defense/white_defense-1429042040.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"budgets","name":"Budgets","slug":"budgets","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Budgets. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about.","page_title":"Budgets Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/budgets/black_budgets-1429042067.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/budgets/grey_budgets-1429042067.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/budgets/white_budgets-1429042067.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"debt-and-deficits","name":"Debt & Deficits","slug":"debt-and-deficits","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Debt & Deficits. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about.","page_title":"Debt & Deficits Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/debt-and-deficits/black_debt-and-deficits-1553896238.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/debt-and-deficits/grey_debt-and-deficits-1553896238.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/debt-and-deficits/white_debt-and-deficits-1553896238.svg"},"cover_image_url":"","is_following":false},{"id":"federal-agencies","name":"Federal Agencies","slug":"federal-agencies","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Federal Agencies. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. \r\n","page_title":"Federal Agencies Legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/black_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/grey_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/federal-agencies/white_federal-agencies-1429042054.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"government","name":"Government","slug":"government","description":"Federal legislation related to the operations of the US Federal Government. Bills can encompass government administration, regulation of political parties, the US postal service, US territories and public contracts.","page_title":"US Government - Federal legislation - Vote on Bills, Stay informed, Hold Your Reps Accountable","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/government/black_government-1453508811.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/government/grey_government-1453508811.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/government/white_government-1453508811.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false}],"users":[{"name":"Doug","vote_count":3071,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/100003460227623/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/100003460227623/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/100003460227623/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/100003460227623/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/gZAj6xmb/following","followers":"/api/users/gZAj6xmb/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":0,"is_following":null,"influence_score":450,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":24,"following_count":0,"position_count":847,"id":"gZAj6xmb","partner_id":null},{"name":"jimK","vote_count":502,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/9odrQBnb/large_9odrqbnb-1557000969.jpg","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/9odrQBnb/small_9odrqbnb-1557000969.jpg","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/9odrQBnb/tiny_9odrqbnb-1557000969.jpg"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/9odrQBnb/following","followers":"/api/users/9odrQBnb/followers"},"about_me":"Retired, Politically Independent. Won’t listen to slogans, chanted mantras or generally any kind of marketing spin or “rebranding” crap. I firmly believe that everyone else is entitled to their erroneous opinions. Citizen vigilance and due diligence is price we must pay to live in a thriving, functional democracy.\nI fear that our citizens are too easily swayed by politician’s pablum about “babies”, “jobs” and now, in particular, perceived “enemies”. I fear that a citizenry focused on the “here-and-now” is easily tricked by short term benefits that have negative long-term consequences. I fear that our legislators are more concerned about buffing their constituents than looking out for the long-term welfare of our country- and are way too eager to provide those short-term benefits to the “here-and-now” crowd.\nI fear that honor is generally being sacrificed/replaced by expediency. I hear politicians eloquently argue for one side of an issue and later, when it’s to their benefit, just as eloquently argue for the opposite side. OK, so they are good at arguing- but what is that they actually believe? What is it that they actually stand for? An honorable person has values that persist even when it is not convenient or expedient. An honorable person has a moral compass that stops them from doing something wrong even if it is not illegal. A foul is a foul- even if the referee doesn’t catch you.\nI fear that each of our federal governmental branches have devised or discovered shortcuts which tend to protect them from the checks and balances our founders intended.","twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":"jimk","issue_count":4,"is_following":null,"influence_score":39720,"influence_level":40,"follower_count":1324,"following_count":68,"position_count":493,"id":"9odrQBnb","partner_id":null},{"name":"Jeanne","vote_count":55,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/10214340392263694/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/10214340392263694/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/10214340392263694/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/10214340392263694/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/Z76PkRnV/following","followers":"/api/users/Z76PkRnV/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":0,"is_following":null,"influence_score":300,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":9,"following_count":0,"position_count":22,"id":"Z76PkRnV","partner_id":null},{"name":"Cheryl","vote_count":55,"photos":{"large":"https://graph.facebook.com/825017237680435/picture?width=150&height=150","small":"https://graph.facebook.com/825017237680435/picture?width=75&height=75","tiny":"https://graph.facebook.com/825017237680435/picture?width=20&height=20","facebook":"https://graph.facebook.com/825017237680435/picture"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/0Z71oKo9/following","followers":"/api/users/0Z71oKo9/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":19,"is_following":null,"influence_score":90,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":2,"following_count":8,"position_count":5,"id":"0Z71oKo9","partner_id":null},{"name":"Carl","vote_count":139,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/Ze76gwbj/following","followers":"/api/users/Ze76gwbj/followers"},"about_me":null,"twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":13,"is_following":null,"influence_score":60,"influence_level":20,"follower_count":2,"following_count":0,"position_count":105,"id":"Ze76gwbj","partner_id":null}],"bill_position":{"flagged":false,"id":"f89d5e87-2578-4a66-9743-b5d71985531d","argument_for":null,"argument_against":"One way or another spending has to be curtailed. It can be done on terms that are chosen or eventually by default. America doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. ","show_argument_for":false,"show_argument_against":true,"upvote_count":4,"upvotes_for_count":null,"upvotes_against_count":4,"has_upvoted":false,"endorsement_count":4,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/positions/f89d5e87-2578-4a66-9743-b5d71985531d"},"body":"One way or another spending has to be curtailed. It can be done on terms that are chosen or eventually by default. America doesn’t have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem. ","stance":"nay","created_at":"2019-07-25T03:04:36.130Z","shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/positions/f89d5e87-2578-4a66-9743-b5d71985531d.png","note_color":null,"note_text":null,"bill_id":"hr3877-116","user_id":"gZAj6xmb","endorser_ids":["9odrQBnb","Z76PkRnV","0Z71oKo9","Ze76gwbj"]}}

Like Causes?

Doug

Should the Debt Limit Be Suspended Through Mid-2021 & Budget Caps Lifted for Defense & Domestic Spending?