.

Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory
Debt Limit, 1978 to Present
Justin Murray
Information Research Specialist
April 9, 2015
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
R41814

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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Summary
Almost all borrowing by the federal government is conducted by the Treasury Department, within
the restrictions established by a single, statutory limit (ceiling) on the total amount of debt that
may be outstanding at any time. By law, the Treasury cannot exceed federal debt limits, so the
Treasury periodically has had to ask Congress to enact new debt limits so it can fulfill its financial
commitments. Since 1978, Congress has passed, and the President has signed into law, 55
measures adjusting the statutory debt limit either as stand-alone legislation or as part of
legislation dealing with other matters.
This report provides roll call vote data identified by the Congressional Research Service for
measures to adjust the statutory debt limit. This report will be updated as events warrant.

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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Debt Limit Votes: 1978 to Present ................................................................................................... 1
Selected CRS Reports and Resources ............................................................................................ 13

Tables
Table 1. Roll Call Votes on Enacted Measures to Adjust the Federal Debt Limit ........................... 2
Table 2. Stand-Alone Debt Limit Measures..................................................................................... 6
Table 3. Other Than Stand-Alone Debt Limit Measures ................................................................. 8

Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 13

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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Introduction
Almost all borrowing by the federal government is conducted by the Treasury Department, within
the restrictions established by a single, statutory limit (ceiling) on the total amount of debt that
may be outstanding at any time. By law, the Treasury cannot exceed federal debt limits, so the
Treasury periodically has had to ask Congress to enact new debt limits so it can fulfill its financial
commitments. Since 1978, Congress has passed, and the President has signed into law, 55
measures adjusting the statutory debt limit either as stand-alone legislation or as part of
legislation dealing with other matters.
In the 113th Congress, three “debt-limit suspension” measures were enacted. The first bill, P.L.
113-3, suspended the debt limit and provided Treasury with the ability to borrow to finance
obligations through May 18, 2013.1 The Treasury Department reset the debt limit at $16.699
trillion once the debt-limit suspension period ended. For several months starting on May 18,
2013, through October 16, 2013, the Treasury Department employed extraordinary measures to
allow the government to continue timely payment of its obligations. On October 17, 2013, as part
of P.L. 113-46, a measure providing continuing appropriations for FY2014, the debt limit was
suspended again until February 7, 2014. Selected extraordinary measures were again employed
on February 7, 2014. A third measure, P.L. 113-83, was enacted on February 15, 2014, and
suspended the debt limit through March 15, 2015.2 The debt limit was re-established on March
16, 2015, at $18.113 billion, and extraordinary measures to meet federal fiscal obligations were
initiated by Treasury.3
This report provides tallies of votes on final passage for each enacted measure that adjusted the
statutory debt limit from 1978 to present. The process for congressional consideration of bills can
be complex. Attempting to interpret the intent of votes prior to the final vote on passage of a
measure may yield various, and sometimes conflicting, interpretations. For the sake of clarity, the
report only provides vote information on the final passage of each measure.4
Debt Limit Votes: 1978 to Present
As noted above, this report identifies information on debt limit legislation and votes on final
passage in the House and Senate. Other data elements identified in the tables below include bill
number; whether final passage involved a roll call vote, voice vote, or passage by unanimous

1 CRS Report RL31967, The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases, by D. Andrew Austin and Mindy R. Levit,
contains information on reaching the federal debt limit on December 31, 2012, and measures taken by the Treasury
Department that were used to meet federal payments temporarily between December 31, 2012, and the enactment of
P.L. 113-3 on February 4, 2013. Additional information is also available in CRS Report R43389, The Debt Limit Since
2011, by D. Andrew Austin.
2 See also CRS Report R43389, The Debt Limit Since 2011, by D. Andrew Austin and CRS Report RL31967, The Debt
Limit: History and Recent Increases, by D. Andrew Austin and Mindy R. Levit.
3 CRS Report R43389, The Debt Limit Since 2011, by D. Andrew Austin, contains more detailed descriptions of
congressionally enacted debt limit suspensions and Treasury Department actions in 2015. These actions include “debt
issuance suspension” and the use of extraordinary measures allowing the federal government to meet its financial
obligations through a later date in 2015.
4 More detailed information on methods employed by Congress to adjust the statutory debt limit appear in CRS Report
RS21519, Legislative Procedures for Adjusting the Public Debt Limit: A Brief Overview, by Bill Heniff Jr.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

consent; dates of final passage and vote tally information; dates of enactment and public law
number for the enacted law; and brief background information on whether the measure was
considered a stand-alone measure (i.e., dealing entirely with just a change to the federal debt limit
and not including provisions on other matters).
Table 1 provides information on all enacted measures to increase or otherwise change the federal
debt limit from 1978 to 2014, including data on the changes to the federal debt limit set at the
time of enactment. The bill number and public law columns of the table provide links to LIS bill
summary and status information for each measure. Roll call votes on final enactment can be
extracted through the major actions display for each measure within LIS back to 1993.5 Also,
Table 1 contains cross-references to the notes columns in Table 2 and Table 3. The notes
columns in those tables provide additional details on how each measure was considered.
Table 2 identifies stand-alone measures from the period. Table 3 identifies bills considered as
other than stand-alone measures6 and provides brief background information on the nature of
each measure and by what means it was considered.
Table 1. Roll Call Votes on Enacted Measures to Adjust the Federal Debt Limit
(1978 to 2014)
Final House & Senate Vote
Tally & Date of Votes
Public Law
Temporary
Number &
Debt Limit
Provisions
Date of
Amount
Expiration
Year Bill
Number House Senate
Enact

ment
($ in billions)
Date
1978 H.R.
11518

233-172 Voice Vote
P.L. 95-252
$752.0 8/01/1978
3/21/1978
3/22/1978
3/27/1978
H.R. 13385
205-202
62-31
P.L. 95-333
$798 3/31/1979
7/19/1978
8/02/1978
8/03/1978
1979
H.R. 2534
209-165
62-33
P.L. 96-5
$830 9/30/1979
(H.Res. 183,
3/27/1979
4/02/1979
4/2/1979)
(See notes
column in
Table 3)
H.R. 5369
219-198
49-29
P.L. 96-78
$879 5/31/1980
9/26/1979
9/28/1979
9/29/1979
1980
H.R. 7471
Voice Vote
47-10
P.L. 96-256
same 6/5/1980
5/30/1980
5/30/1980
5/30/1980
H.R. 7428
335-34
68-10
P.L. 96-264
same 6/30/1980
6/05/1980
6/06/1980
6/06/1980

5 Complete House and Senate roll call vote information is available in LIS back to 1993. Bill number and public law
links in Table 1 connect to bill summary and status information for all measures back to 1978. For the measures listed
from 1993 to the present, member roll call votes can be extracted from the LIS bill summary and status display by
clicking on major actions and online links provided to the House and Senate roll call information.
6 Table 3 provides brief background information on whether measures were considered as other than stand-alone bills,
either containing a change to the debt limit as part of a measure dealing with other matters (including omnibus or
consolidated measures or part of continuing resolutions) or pursuant to House rules or budget resolution and budget
reconciliation activities.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Final House & Senate Vote
Tally & Date of Votes
Public Law
Temporary
Number &
Debt Limit
Provisions
Date of
Amount
Expiration
Year Bill
Number House Senate
Enact

ment
($ in billions)
Date
H.J.Res. 569
6/13/1980
54-39
P.L. 96-286
$925 2/28/1981
(See notes
6/28/1980
6/28/1980
column in
Table 2)
H.J.Res. 570
6/13/1980
Voice Vote
P.L. 96-556
$935.1 None
(See notes
12/12/1981
12/19/1980
column in
Table 2)
1981
H.R. 1553
305-104
73-18
P.L. 97-2
$985 9/30/1981
2/05/1981
2/06/1981
2/07/1981
H.J.Res. 266
5/21/1981
Voice Vote
P.L. 97-48
$999.8 9/30/1981
(See notes
9/29/1981
9/30/1981
column in
Table 2)
H.J.Res. 265
5/21/1981
64-34
P.L. 97-49
$1,079.8 9/28/1981
(See notes
09/29/1981
9/30/1981
column in
Table 2)
1982 H.J.Res.
519

6/23/1982
49-41
P.L. 97-204
$1,143.1 9/30/1982
(See notes
6/23/1982
6/28/1982
column in
Table 2)
H.J.Res. 520
6/23/1982
50-41
P.L. 97-270
$1,290.2 9/30/1983
(See notes
9/23/1982
9/30/1982
column in
Table 2)
1983
H.R. 2990
Voice Vote
51-41
P.L. 98-34
$1,389 None
5/18/1983
5/25/1983
5/26/1983
H.J.Res. 308
214-186
Voice Vote
P.L. 98-161
$1,490 None
11/18/1983
11/17/1983
11/21/1983
1984 H.R.
5692

211-198 Voice Vote
P.L. 98-302
$1,520 None
5/24/1984
5/24/1984
5/25/1984
H.R. 5953
208-202
Voice Vote
P.L. 98-342
$1,573 None
6/29/1984
6/29/1984
7/06/1984
H.J.Res. 654
Unanimous
37-30
P.L. 98-475
$1,823.8 None
Consent
10/12/1984
10/13/1984
10/01/1984
1985 H.R.
3721

300-121 Voice Vote
P.L. 99-155
$1,903.8 12/06/1985
11/13/1985
11/13/1985
11/14/1985
H.J.Res. 372
271-154
61-31
P.L. 99-177
$2,078.7 None
12/11/1985
12/11/1985
12/12/1985
1986 H.R.
5395

216-199 36-35
P.L. 99-384
$2,111 None
8/14/1986
8/15/1986
8/21/1986
H.R. 5300
305-70
61-25
P.L. 99-509
$2,300 5/15/1987
10/17/1986
10/17/1986
10/21/1986
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Final House & Senate Vote
Tally & Date of Votes
Public Law
Temporary
Number &
Debt Limit
Provisions
Date of
Amount
Expiration
Year Bill
Number House Senate
Enact

ment
($ in billions)
Date
1987 H.R.
2360

296-124 58-36
P.L. 100-40
$2,320 7/17/1987
5/13/1987
5/14/1987
5/15/1987
H.R. 3022
263-155
Voice Vote
P.L. 100-80
same 8/06/1987
7/29/1987
7/29/1987
7/30/1987
H.R. 3190
Voice Vote
51-39
P.L. 100-84
$2,352 9/23/1987
8/07/1987
8/07/1987
8/10/1987
H.J.Res. 324
230-176
64-34
P.L. 100-119
$2,800 None
9/22/1987
9/23/1987
9/29/1987
1989 H.R.
3024

231-185 Voice Vote
P.L. 101-72
$2,870 10/31/1989
8/01/1989
8/04/1989
8/07/1989
H.J.Res. 280
11/07/1989
Voice Vote
P.L. 101-140
$3,122.7 None
269-99
11/07/1989
11/08/1989
1990 H.R.
5350

247-172 Voice Vote
P.L. 101-350
$3,195 10/02/1990
8/03/1990
8/03/1990
8/09/1990
H.R. 5755
Voice Vote
Unanimous
P.L. 101-405
same 10/06/1990
9/30/1990
Consent
10/02/1990
09/30/1990
H.J.Res. 666
362-3
Voice Vote
P.L. 101-412
same 10/09/1990
10/09/1990
10/08/1990
10/09/1990
H.J.Res. 677
379-37
Voice Vote
P.L. 101-444
same 10/24/1990
10/18/1990
10/19/1990
10/19/1990
H.J.Res. 681
380-45
Unanimous
P.L. 101-461
same 10/27/1990
10/24/1990
Consent
10/25/1990
10/24/1990
H.J.Res. 687
283-49
Voice Vote
P.L. 101-467
$3,230 11/05/1990
10/27/1990
10/27/1990
10/28/1990
H.R. 5835
228-200
54-45
P.L. 101-508
$4,145 None
10/26/1990
10/27/1990
11/05/1990
1993 H.R.
1430

237-177 Unanimous
P.L. 103-12
$4,370 09/30/1993
4/02/1993
Consent
4/06/1993
4/05/1993
H.R. 2264
218-216
51-50
P.L. 103-66
$4,900 None
8/05/1993
8/06/1993
8/10/1993
1996 H.R.
2924

396-0 Unanimous
P.L. 104-103
(See notes
03/15/1990
2/01/1996
Consent
02/08/1996
column in
2/01/1996
Table 3)
H.R. 3021
362-51
Voice Vote
P.L. 104-115
(See notes
3/30/1990
3/07/1996
3/07/1996
3/12/1996
column in
Table 3)
H.R. 3136
328-91
Unanimous
P.L. 104-121
$5,500 None
3/28/1996
Consent
3/29/1996
3/28/1996
1997 H.R.
2015

346-85 85-15
P.L. 105-33
$5,950 None
07/30/1997
7/31/1997
8/05/1997
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Final House & Senate Vote
Tally & Date of Votes
Public Law
Temporary
Number &
Debt Limit
Provisions
Date of
Amount
Expiration
Year Bill
Number House Senate
Enact

ment
($ in billions)
Date
2002 S.
2578
215-214-1
68-29
P.L. 107-199
$6,400 None
6/27/2002
6/11/2002
6/28/2002
2003
H.J.Res. 51
216-211
53-44
P.L. 108-24
$7,384 None
H.Con.Res.
5/23/2003
5/27/2003
95
04/11/2003
(See notes
column
Table 2)
2004 S.
2986
208-204 52-44
P.L. 108-415
$8,184 None
11/18/2004
11/17/2004
11/19/2004
2005
H.J.Res. 47
4/28/2005
52-48
P.L. 109-182
$8,965 None
(See notes
3/16/2005
3/20/2006
column in
Table 2)
2007
H.J.Res. 43
5/17/2007
53-42
P.L. 110-91
$9,815 None
(See notes
9/27/2007
9/29/2007
column in
Table 2)
2008 H.R.
3221

272-152 72-13
P.L. 110-289
$10,615 None
7/23/2008
7/26/2008
7/30/2008
H.R. 1424
263-171
74-25
P.L. 110-343
$11,315 None
10/03/2008
10/1/2008
10/3/2008
2009
H.R. 1
246-183-1
60-38
P.L. 111-5
$12,104 None
2/13/2009
2/13/2009
2/17/2009
H.R. 4314
218-214
60-39
P.L. 111-123
$12,394 None
12/16/2009
12/24/2009
12/28/2009
2010
H.J.Res. 45
233-187
60-39
P.L. 111-139
$14,294 None
2/04/2010
1/28/2010
2/12/2010
2011 S.
365 269-161 74-26
P.L. 112-25a
$16,394 None
8/01/2011
8/02/2011
8/02/2011
2013
H.R. 325
285-144
64-34
P.L. 113-3
(See notes
5/18/2013
01/23/2013
1/31/2013
02/4/2013
column in
Table 3)
2013 H.R.
2775
285-144 81-18
P.L. 113-46
(See notes
2/07/2014
10/16/2013
10/16/2013
10/17/2013
column in
Table 3)
2014 S.
540 221-201 55-43
P.L. 113-83
(See notes
3/15/2014
2/11/2014
2/12/2014
2/15/2014
column in
Table 2)
Sources: The LIS available at http://www.congress.gov, Annual Congressional Quarterly Almanac volumes, CRS
Report RL31967, The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases, by D. Andrew Austin and Mindy R. Levit, and out-
of-print CRS Report 97-297, Debt Limit Increases, 1978 to 1996: Fact Sheet and Uses of the Debt Limit for Other
Legislation. Enacted levels of Statutory Debt Limit were obtained from the FY2012 Budget Historical Tables
volume, Table 7.3.
Notes: For more information on temporary and permanent increases, see Table 7.3 of the FY2012 Budget
Historical Tables. Measures in Table 1 are organized by year of initial consideration of each measure.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

a. P.L. 112-25, the Budget Control Act (BCA) included provisions allowing the debt limit to rise in three
stages—up to $2.4 trillion—following certification by the President that the debt balance was within $100
billion of the current limit. The debt limit as of January 28, 2012, is $16.4 trillion. This $16.4 trillion figure
includes incremental increases of $400 billion (August 2, 2011), $500 billion (September 22, 2011), and $1.2
trillion (January 28, 2012). More information on stipulations for debt-limit increases included within P.L.
112-25 appear in CRS Report RL31967, The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases, by D. Andrew Austin
and Mindy R. Levit.
Table 2. Stand-Alone Debt Limit Measures
(1978-2009)
Year of
Public Law Number &
Descriptive Notes on
Enactment Bill
Number Date of Enactment
the Measure
1978
H.R. 11518
P.L. 95-252
None
3/27/1978
H.R. 13385
P.L. 95-333
None
8/03/1978
1980
H.R. 7471
P.L. 96-256
None
6/06/1980
H.J.Res. 569
P.L. 96-286
On June 13, 1980, the day after Congress
6/28/1980
completed action on the FY1981 Budget
Resolution, H.Con.Res. 307, its projected
debt increase was incorporated into H.J.Res.
569, which was then deemed to have been
passed by the House. The measure was
enacted as P.L. 96-286 and included a
temporary extension of the debt limit from
June 30, 1980, to February 28, 1981.
H.J.Res. 570
P.L. 96-556
A debt limit increase was incorporated in
12/19/1980
H.Con.Res. 307, the FY1981 Budget
Resolution passed by the House on June 12,
1980, by a vote of 205-195. H.J.Res. 570 was
enacted as P.L. 96-556. The enacted measure
included a temporary extension of the debt
limit from February 28, 1981, to September
30, 1981.
1981
H.R. 1553
P.L. 97-2
None
2/07/1981
H.J.Res. 266
P.L. 97-48
H.J.Res. 266 was engrossed and deemed
9/30/1981
passed by the House on May 21, 1981. After
passing the Senate, H.J.Res. 266 was enacted
as P.L. 97-48 on September 30, 1981. The
measure raised the temporary debt limit
without altering its September 30, 1981,
expiration date.
H.J.Res. 265
P.L. 97-49
A debt limit figure from H.Con.Res. 307, the
9/30/1981
FY1981 Budget Resolution, was incorporated
into H.J.Res. 265 without a vote. P.L. 97-49 as
enacted extended the temporary limit from
September 30, 1981, to September 30, 1982.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Year of
Public Law Number &
Descriptive Notes on
Enactment Bill
Number Date of Enactment
the Measure
1982
H.J.Res. 519
P.L. 97-204
S.Con.Res. 92, the FY1983 Budget
6/28/1982
Resolution, automatically incorporated
respective debt limit increases in H.J.Res. 519
and H.J.Res. 520. Both measures were
engrossed by the House on June 23, 1982.
H.J.Res. 520 also extended the temporary
debt limit from September 30, 1982, to
September 30, 1983.
H.J.Res. 520
P.L. 97-270
See notes above on H.J.Res. 519.
9/30/1982
1983
H.J.Res. 308
P.L. 98-161
None
11/21/1983
1984
H.R. 5953
P.L. 98-342
None
7/6/1984
H.J.Res. 654
P.L. 98-475
None
10/13/1984
1986
H.R. 5395
P.L. 99-384
None
8/21/1986
1987
H.R. 2360
P.L. 100-40
None
5/15/1987
H.R. 3022
P.L. 100-80
None
7/30/1987
H.R. 3190
P.L. 100-84
None
8/10/1987
1990
H.R. 5350
P.L. 101-350
None
8/09/1990
H.R. 5755
P.L. 101-405
None
10/02/1990
1993
H.R. 1430
P.L. 103-12
None
4/06/1993
2002
S. 2578
P.L. 107-199
The House rol cal votes on P.L. 107-199
6/28/2002
included one member voting “present.”
2003
H.J.Res. 51
P.L. 108-24
On April 11, 2003, pursuant to Rule XXVII,
5/27/2003
H.J.Res. 51 was deemed to have passed the
House as a result of the adoption by the
House and the Senate of the conference
report for H.Con.Res. 95, the FY2004 Budget
Resolution.
2004
S. 2986
P.L. 108-415
None
11/19/2004
2006
H.J.Res. 47
P.L. 109-182
H.J.Res. 47 (P.L. 109-182) was passed
3/20/2006
pursuant to Rule XXVII and H.Con.Res. 95,
the FY2006 Budget Resolution.
2007
H.J.Res. 43
P.L. 110-91
H.J.Res. 43 (P.L. 110-91) was passed by the
9/29/2007
House pursuant to provisions in S.Con.Res.
21, the FY2008 Budget Resolution.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Year of
Public Law Number &
Descriptive Notes on
Enactment Bill
Number Date of Enactment
the Measure
2009
H.R. 4314
P.L. 111-123
None
12/28/2009
2014
S. 540
P.L. 113-83
P.L. 113-83, the Temporary Debt Limit Extension
2/15/2014
Act, suspended the federal debt limit through
March 15, 2015.
Source: The LIS, available at http://www.congress.gov, Annual Congressional Quarterly Almanac volumes, CRS
Report RL31967, The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases, by D. Andrew Austin and Mindy R. Levit, and out-
of-print CRS Report 97-297, Debt Limit Increases, 1978 to 1996: Fact Sheet and Uses of the Debt Limit for Other
Legislation.
Notes: Vote tally, enacted debt limit amounts, and other data are available in Table 1. Measures in Table 2 are
organized by year of enactment.
Table 3. Other Than Stand-Alone Debt Limit Measures
(1978-2013)
Public Law
Year of
Number & Date
Enactment
Bill Number
of Enactment
Type of Measure
Notes on the Measure
1979
H.R. 2534
P.L. 96-5
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 96-5 included an increase in
4/02/1979
included as provision
savings bonds yields and required
within measure on
Congress and the President to
other matters
present budgets that would be in
balance for FY1981 and FY1982.
See also H.Res. 183, a resolution
concurring in amendments to
H.R. 2534 as passed by the
Senate. H.Res. 183 was passed by
the House on April 2, 1979, by a
vote of 209-165. House Rol Vote
#133.
H.R. 5369
P.L. 96-78
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 96-78 included an increase in
9/29/1979
included within
the amount of long-term bonds
measure on other
that could be outstanding and
matters
established House Rule 49 making
the increase in the debt limit part
of the budget process (in the
House).
1980
H.R. 7428
P.L. 96-264
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 96-264 included a repeal of
6/06/1980
included within
the presidentially imposed oil
measure on other
import fee under Section 232(b)
matters
of the Trade Expansion Act of
1962, 19 U.S.C. 18629(b). This
legislation was passed over a
presidential veto.
1983
H.R. 2990
P.L. 98-34
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 98-34 included making the
5/26/1983
included within
whole debt limit permanent and
measure on other
increasing the amount of long-
matters
term bonds that could be issued.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Public Law
Year of
Number & Date
Enactment Bill
Number of Enactment
Type of Measure
Notes on the Measure
1984
H.R. 5692
P.L. 98-302
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 98-302 included an increase
5/25/1984
included within
in the amount of long-term bonds
measure on other
that could be issued and provided
matters
some miscellaneous
administrative authority to the
Secretary of the Treasury.
1985
H.R. 3721
P.L. 99-155
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 99-155 included a
11/14/1985
included within
requirement to restore Social
measure on other
Security Trust Funds and to
matters
extend for a month a number of
expiring acts, including a cigarette
tax.
H.J.Res. 372
P.L. 99-177
Change in Debt Limit
H.J.Res. 372, enacted as P.L. 99-
12/12/1985
included as part of
177, was also a vehicle for the
Balanced Budget and
Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Reduction
Deficit Reduction Act of 1985. The
measure
legislation also required the
Senate Finance Committee and
the House Ways and Means
Committee to report by July 1,
1986, legislation for alternative
minimum corporate tax.
1986
H.R. 5300
P.L. 99-509
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 99-509, the Omnibus Budget
10/21/1986
included in Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1986, included
Reconciliation
a debt limit increase to Section
measure
8201 of Title VII of the act.
Section 8201 also required the
restoration of lost interest to
certain trust funds.
1987
H.J.Res. 324
P.L. 100-119
Change in Debt Limit
H.J.Res. 324 was also used as the
9/29/1987
included as part of a
legislative vehicle for the Balanced
Balanced Budget and
Budget and Emergency Deficit
Deficit Reduction
Control and Reaffirmation Act of
measure
1987.
1989
H.R. 3024
P.L. 101-72
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 101-72 included a change in
8/07/1989
within measure on
the method of accounting for
other matters
federal debt instruments.
H.J.Res. 280
P.L. 101-140
Change in Debt Limit
Pursuant to the provisions of
11/08/1989
included within
H.Con.Res. 106, the FY1990
measure on other
Budget Resolution, H.J.Res. 280,
matters
was considered passed by the
House on May 17, 1989. The
House vote on the conference
report for H.Con.Res. 106 was
241-185. P.L. 101-140 included a
repeal of Section 89
nondiscrimination, rules that dealt
with employee benefit plans.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Public Law
Year of
Number & Date
Enactment Bill
Number of Enactment
Type of Measure
Notes on the Measure
1996
H.R. 2924
P.L. 104-103
Addressed
P.L. 104-103 temporarily
2/08/1996
parameters and
exempted from limit obligations
temporary
in an amount equal to the
exemptions of certain monthly insurance benefits
Social Security
payable under Title II of the Social
related funds from
Security Act in March 1996, The
the debt limit
exemption was set to expire in
the event of an increase in the
debt limit or by March 15, 1996.
P.L. 104-115 temporarily
exempted from limit obligations
in an amount equal to the
monthly insurance benefits
payable under Title II of the Social
Security Act in March 1996 and
certain obligations issued to trust
funds and other federal
government accounts, The
exemption was set to expire on
the earlier of an increase in the
limit or by March 30, 1996.
H.R. 3021
P.L. 104-115
Addressed
P.L. 104-115 temporarily
3/12/1996
parameters and
exempted from limit obligations
temporary
in an amount equal to the
exemptions of certain monthly insurance benefits
Social Security
payable under Title II of the Social
related funds from
Security Act in March 1996 and
the debt limit
certain obligations issued to trust
funds and other federal
government accounts. The
exemption was set to expire on
the earlier of an increase in the
limit or by March 30, 1996.
H.R. 3136
P.L. 104-121
Change to Debt Limit P.L. 104-121, the Contract with
3/29/1996
within measure on
America Advancement Act, included
other matters
an increase in the debt limit in
Title III.
1997
H.R. 2015
P.L. 105-33
Change to the Debt
P.L. 107-199, the Balanced Budget
8/05/1997
Limit included in
Act of 1997 included a debt limit
Balanced Budget
increase in Title V, Subtitle G.
measure
2008
H.R. 3221
P.L. 110-289
Change to Debt Limit H.R. 3221 (P.L. 110-289), the
7/30/2008
included within
Housing and Economic Recovery
measure on other
Act, included an increase to the
matters
debt limit.
2008
H.R. 1424
P.L. 110-343
Change to Debt Limit H.R. 1424 (P.L. 110-343), the
10/03/2008
included within
Emergency Economic Stabilization
measure on other
Act of 2008, included an increase
matters
to the debt limit.
2009
H.R. 1
P.L. 111-5
Change to Debt Limit H.R. 1 (P.L. 111-5), the American
2/17/2009
included within
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
measure on other
2009, included an increase to the
matters
debt limit.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Public Law
Year of
Number & Date
Enactment Bill
Number of Enactment
Type of Measure
Notes on the Measure
2010
H.J.Res. 45
P.L. 111-139
Change to Debt Limit During final consideration of
2/12/2010
included within
H.J.Res. 45, the House took up a
measure on other
portion of the bill passed by the
matters
Senate with an amendment that
included an increase to the debt
limit and passed this portion of
the measure on February 4, 2010.
The bill also included provisions
related to “Statutory PAYGO,”
and elimination of “duplicative
and wasteful spending.”
2011
S. 365
P.L. 112-25
Change to Debt Limit Final legislation was in the form of
8/02/2011
included within
a House amendment in the
measure addressing
nature of a substitute to a
deficit reduction
previously unrelated Senate bill.
The Budget Control Act of 2011
as enacted includes provisions
aimed at deficit reduction and an
increase of up to $2.4 trillion that
would occur in several stages.
2013
H.R. 325
P.L. 113-3
Suspended the
P.L. 113-3 temporarily suspended
02/04/2013
federal debt limit
the statutory federal debt limit
temporarily. Other
through May 18, 2013, and
matters within the
allowed the federal government
measure address the
to continue to borrow beyond
annual budget
the $16,394 billion limit set under
resolution
provisions within P.L. 112-25, the
Budget Control Act of 2011.
Additional provisions required
House and Senate payrol
administrators to hold all
Member salary compensation if
by April 15, 2013, that chamber
had not agreed to a concurrent
budget resolution for FY2014.
The Treasury Department reset
the debt limit at $16,699 billion
once the debt limit suspension
period lapsed.
H.R. 2775
P.L. 113-46
Suspends the federal
Division B of P.L. 113-46
debt limit
temporarily suspends the federal
temporarily.
debt limit through February 7,
Provisions included in 2014. On October 17, 2013, as
Division B of the
part of P.L. 113-46, a measure
FY2014 Continuing
providing continuing
Resolution Act.
appropriations for FY2014, the
debt limit was suspended again
until February 7, 2014.
Source: LIS available at http://www.congress.gov, Annual Congressional Quarterly Almanac volumes, CRS Report
RL31967, The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases, by D. Andrew Austin and Mindy R. Levit, and out-of-print
CRS Report 97-297, Debt Limit Increases, 1978 to 1996: Fact Sheet and Uses of the Debt Limit for Other Legislation.
Notes: Vote tally, enacted debt limit amounts, and other data are available in Table 1. Measures in Table 3 are
organized by year of enactment.
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Votes on Measures to Adjust the Statutory Debt Limit, 1978 to Present

Selected CRS Reports and Resources
CRS Report R41965, The Budget Control Act of 2011, by Bill Heniff Jr., Elizabeth Rybicki, and
Shannon M. Mahan.
CRS Report RL31967, The Debt Limit: History and Recent Increases, by D. Andrew Austin and
Mindy R. Levit.
CRS Report R43389, The Debt Limit Since 2011, by D. Andrew Austin.
CRS Report RS21519, Legislative Procedures for Adjusting the Public Debt Limit: A Brief
Overview, by Bill Heniff Jr.
Fiscal Policy Considerations Issues in Focus (additional CRS products on the federal debt is
available)
http://www.crs.gov/pages/SubIssue.aspx?CLIID=4514&parentID=73

Author Contact Information

Justin Murray

Information Research Specialist
jmurray@crs.loc.gov, 7-4092

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