Budget Counsel Reference Directory
Public Debt Limit
Statutory Increases in the Debt Subject to Limit
2018
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018
Pub. L. 115-123
132 Stat. 64
132 Stat. 132
TITLE III —TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT
Section 30301. Temporary extension of public debt limit.
Debt Limit Suspension: The debt limit “shall not apply for the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [February 9, 2018] and ending on March 1, 2019.”
2017
Continuing Appropriations Act, 2018 and Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Relief Requirements Act, 2017
Pub. L. 115-56
131 Stat. 1129
131 Stat. 1139
DIVISION C—TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT
Debt Limit Suspension: Sec. 101. The debt limit “shall not apply for the period beginning on the date of enactment of this Act [September 8, 2017] and ending on December 8, 2017.”
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015
Pub. L. 114-74
(BBA 2015 Contents)
129 Stat. 584
129 Stat. 620
TITLE IX—TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT
SEC. 901. TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT.
Debt Limit Suspension: The debt limit shall not apply for the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [November 2, 2015] and ending on March 15, 2017.
2014
Temporary Debt Limit Extension Act
Pub. L. 113-83
128 Stat. 1011
Feb. 15, 2014
S. 540 (113th Congress)
SEC. 2. TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT.
Debt Increase Increase to $18,113 billion: The law directed that the limit be increased “to the extent that (1) the face amount of obligations issued under chapter 31 of such title 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 March 16, 2015, exceeds (2) the face amount of such obligations outstanding on the date of the enactment of this Act. The law included a separate provision prohibiting the U.S. Treasury from increasing its cash balances above normal levels during the debt limit suspension.”
2013
Default Prevention Act of 2013
Pub. L. 113–46
127 Stat. 566
Oct. 17, 2013
Debt Limit Suspension:
“(b) Certification.-Not later than 3 days after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 17, 2013], the President may submit to Congress a written certification that absent a suspension of the limit under section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, the Secretary of the Treasury would be unable to issue debt to meet existing commitments.
“(c) Suspension.—
“(1) In general.-Section 3101(b) of title 31, United States Code, shall not apply for the period beginning on the date on which the President submits to Congress a certification under subsection (b) and ending on February 7, 2014.
2013
No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013
Pub. L. 113-3
127 Stat. 51
H.R. 325 (113th Congress)
SEC. 2. TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF DEBT CEILING.
Debt Limit Suspension: The Act stated that the debt limit “shall not apply for the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act [February 4, 2013] and ending on May 18, 2013.”
2011
Budget Control Act of 2011
Pub. L. 112-25
125 Stat. 240
125 Stat. 251
TITLE III—DEBT CEILING DISAPPROVAL PROCESS
SEC. 301. DEBT CEILING DISAPPROVAL PROCESS.
Debt Increase Authority: If, not later than December 31, 2011, 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 in section 3101(b) and that further borrowing is required to meet existing commitments, the Secretary of the Treasury may exercise authority to borrow an additional $900,000,000,000, subject to the enactment of a joint resolution of disapproval enacted pursuant to this section. Upon submission of such certification, the limit on debt provided in section 3101(b) (referred to in this section as the ‘debt limit’) is increased by $400,000,000,000.
See CRS summary on the Budget Control Act of 2011 and the debt limit increase: Debt Increases Under the BCA
2010
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
(Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010)
Debt Increase in Resolving Clause: Substituted “$14,294,000,000,000” for “$12,394,000,000,000”.
2009
To permit continued financing of Government operations
Pub. L. 111–123
123 Stat. 3483
Dec. 28, 2009
H.R. 4314 (111th Congress)
Debt Increase: Substituted “$12,394,000,000,000” for “$12,104,000,000,000”.
2009
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Pub. L. 111-5
123 Stat. 115
123 Stat. 366
Feb. 17, 2009
H.R. 1 (111th Congress).
Subtitle G – Other Provisions
Section 1604. Increase in the Public Debt Limit.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$12,104,000,000,000” for “$11,315,000,000,000”.
2008
Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008
Pub. L. 110-343
122 Stat. 3765
122 Stat. 3790
Oct. 3, 2008
H.R. 1424 (110th Congress)
Sec. 122. Increase in Statutory Limit on the Public Debt.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$11,315,000,000,000” for “$10,615,000,000,000”.
2008
Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008
Pub. L. 110-289
122 Stat. 2654
122 Stat. 2908
July 30, 2008
H.R. 3221 (110th Congress)
Sec. 3083. Increase in Statutory Limit on the Public Debt.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$10,615,000,000,000” for “$9,815,000,000,000”.
2007
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
Pub. L. 110-91
122 Stat. 2908
Sept. 29, 2007
H.J. Res. 43 (110th Congress)
Debt Increase: Substituted “$9,815,000,000,000” for “$8,965,000,000,000”.
2006
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
Pub. L. 109-182
122 Stat. 3765
Debt Increase: Substituted “$8,965,000,000,000” for “$8,184,000,000,000”.
2004
To amend title 31 of the United States Code to increase the public debt limit.
Pub. L. 108-415
118 Stat. 2337
Debt Increase: Substituted “$8,184,000,000,000” for “$7,384,000,000,000”.
2003
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$7,384,000,000,000” for “$6,400,000,000,000”.
2002
To amend title 31 of the United States Code to increase the public debt limit.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$6,400,000,000,000” for “$5,950,000,000,000”.
1997
Balanced Budget Act of 1997
Pub. L. 105-33
111 Stat. 251
111 Stat. 648
Subtitle G—Miscellaneous
SEC. 5701. INCREASE IN PUBLIC DEBT LIMIT.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$5,950,000,000,000” for “$5,500,000,000,000”.
1996
Senior Citizens’ Right to Work Act of 1996
Pub. L. 104-121
110 Stat. 847
110 Stat. 875
Sec. 301. Increase in the Public Debt. Debt Increase:
Debt Increase: Substituted “$5,500,000,000,000” for “$4,900,000,000,000”.
1993
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993
Pub. L. 103-66
107 Stat. 312
107 Stat. 565
Part II—Public Debt Limit
Sec. 13411. Increase In Public Debt Limit.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$4,900,000,000,000” for “$4,145,000,000,000”.
1990
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990
Pub. L. 101-508
104 Stat. 1388
104 Stat. 1388-560
Subtitle I—Public Debt Limit
Sec. 11901. Increase in Public Debt Limit.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$4,145,000,000,000” for “$3,122,700,000,000”.
1989
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$3,122,700,000,000” for “$2,800,000,000,000”.
1987
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt. (Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Reaffirmation Act of 1987)
Debt Increase in Resolving Clause: Substituted “$2,800,000,000,000” for “$2,111,000,000,000”.
1986
To increase the statutory limit on the public debt.
Debt Increase: The Act directed that subsection (b) be amended by “striking out the dollar limitation contained in such subsection and inserting in lieu thereof ‘$2,111,000,000,000,’ ”, was executed by substituting “$2,111,000,000,000,” for “$1,847,800,000,000, or $2,078,700,000,000 on and after October 1, 1985,” as the probable intent of Congress.
1985
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt. (Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985)
Debt Increase in Resolving Clause: Substituted “$1,847,800,000,000, or $2,078,700,000,000 on and after October 1, 1985” for “$1,575,700,000,000, or $1,823,800,000,000 on and after October 1, 1984”.
1984
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$1,575,700,000,000, or $1,823,800,000,000 on and after October 1, 1984,” for “$1,573,000,000,000”.
1984
To increase the statutory limit on the public debt.
Debt Increase: Substituted “$1,573,000,000,000” for “$1,389,000,000,000, or $1,490,000,000,000 on and after October 1, 1983,”.
1983
Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
Debt Increase: Inserted “, or $1,490,000,000,000 on and after October 1, 1983,” after “$1,389,000,000,000”.
1983
To increase the permanent public debt limit, and for other purposes
Debt Increase: Substituted “$1,389,000,000,000” for “$400,000,000,000”.
1982
To provide for a temporary increase in the public debt limit.
Temporary Increase: During “the period beginning on October 1,1982, and ending on September 30,1983, the public debt limit set forth in the first sentence of section 21 of the Second Liberty Bond Act (31 U.S.C. 757b) shall be temporarily increased by $890,200,000,000 (and any other provision of law providing for a temporary increase in such limit shall not apply).”
1982
To provide for a temporary increase in the public debt limit.
Temporary Increase: “During the period beginning on October 1,1982, and ending on September 30,1983, the public debt limit set forth in the first sentence of section 21 of the Second Liberty Bond Act (31 U.S.C. 757b) shall be temporarily increased by $890,200,000,000 (and any other provision of law providing for a temporary increase in such limit shall not apply).”
References
CRS – The Debt Limit Since 2011 (R43389) March 29, 2018
2018: March Increase in Debt Limit (“Temporary” Suspension of Borrowing)
Budget Counsel 