H.R. 6927

[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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