Social Security Surplus Preservation and Debt Reduction Act
Latest action. Referred to the subcommitteeA smaller panel inside a standing committee with jurisdiction over a slice of its subject matter. Most hearings and the first markup usually happen here.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) on Social SecurityThe federal retirement, survivors, and disability insurance program, funded by payroll taxes and paid as an entitlement under permanent law.Read the full definition (opens a new tab).
Social Security Surplus Preservation and Debt Reduction Act - Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in the House of Representatives or the Senate to consider a concurrent budget resolution (or amendment thereto or conference report thereon) that violates a provision of the Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 that provides that the receipts and disbursements of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors and Disability Insurance Trust Funds (social security trust funds) shall not be counted for purposes of the presidential or congressional budget or the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act). Makes it out of order in the House or the Senate to consider any legislation that would: (1) increase the limit on the public debt under the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act; or (2) provide additional borrowing authority that would result in such limit being exceeded. Makes it out of order in the House or the Senate to consider a concurrent budget resolution (or amendment thereto or conference report thereon) that sets forth a deficit for any fiscal year. Makes such point of order inapplicable if: (1) the public debt limit is suspended; or (2) the deficit for a fiscal year results solely from the enactment of retirement security reform legislation or provisions designated as emergency requirements. Includes the level of public debt in the required content of the concurrent budget resolution. Requires the budget resolution to specify the amounts by which the limit on such debt is to be changed and direct the committee having jurisdiction to recommend such change. Amends the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act to set forth: (1) limits on the public debt for specified periods through April 30, 2010; and (2) estimated levels of social security surpluses through FY 2009. Provides for adjustments to the public debt limit based on actual social security surpluses and emergency requirements. Prohibits such adjustments if those for the current year are less than the on-budget surplus for the year before the current year. Suspends the public debt limit in cases of low economic growth or war. Provides for an adjustment to the public debt limit if retirement security reform legislation is enacted. Sunsets this Act on April 30, 2010.
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Introduced in House" stage on May 13, 1999. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
4 steps remain before this bill could become law.
The record's latest action, on May 20, 1999: Referred to the Subcommittee on Social Security.
- Clearing the committees it was referred to, and being scheduled for a floor vote
- Passage by the House
- Passage by the Senate
- The President's signature. If the President vetoes it, two-thirds of both chambers must vote to override.
How likely is it to become law?
Civibrief does not forecast outcomes and this page has no opinion about this one. What the record supports is a base rate, which is a fact about the whole pile, not a prediction about this measure.
In the 106th Congress (1999-00), 580 of the 9,158 bills and joint resolutions introduced became law, about 6.3 percent. That count covers every measure at every stage, including the many that never left committee.
This one is not there yet: 4 steps are still outstanding, listed above.
Has anyone actually voted on it?
No. No roll call in this Congress cites this measure. That is the ordinary outcome: most measures never reach a recorded floor vote, and a committee ends most of them simply by not acting.
A vote is not the only thing that happens to a measure. Hearings, markups, and referrals are all recorded actions, and none of them is a vote of the full chamber.
Who is behind it?
JOHN KASICH (R-OH) introduced it on May 13, 1999, and 26 members have since signed on as cosponsors.
They are 26 Republicans.
Cosponsoring is a formal signature on the text. It is not a commitment to vote for the measure, it does not bind anyone's party, and a long list of cosponsors is a measure of attention rather than of prospects.
How long has it been in play?
It was introduced on May 13, 1999, 9982 days ago. The most recent recorded action was 9975 days ago, on May 20, 1999.
Measures do not carry over. Anything the 106th Congress has not finished by January 3, 2001 dies when the term ends, and has to be introduced again from the start in the next Congress.
Every answer above is assembled from this measure's own record on Congress.gov and from published counts of what Congress has passed before. Civibrief does not predict outcomes and takes no position on any measure.
Vote history
- HouseIn committee, no floor vote yet
- SenateAwaits House passage
- PresidentAwaits both chambers