Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
Latest action. Became public lawWhat a bill becomes when enacted, numbered by Congress and order of enactment: Public Law 119-4 is the 4th law of the 119th Congress.Read the full definition (opens a new tab) No: 118-5.
Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023
This act increases the federal debt limit, establishes new discretionary spending limits, rescinds unobligated funds, expands work requirements for federal programs, and modifies other requirements related to the federal budget process.
DIVISION A--LIMIT FEDERAL SPENDING
TITLE I--DISCRETIONARY SPENDING LIMITS FOR DISCRETIONARY CATEGORY
(Sec. 101) This section establishes new discretionary spending limits (also known as spending caps) for FY2024 and FY2025 that are enforced with sequestration (i.e., automatic, across-the-board spending reductions). The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that the spending limits will reduce spending below the levels included in its baseline projections.
In addition, this section extends and establishes new limits for several adjustments to discretionary spending limits that are permitted under current law to accommodate additional appropriations for certain activities. These adjustments apply to spending for
continuing disability reviews and redeterminations,
health care fraud and abuse control, and
reemployment services and eligibility assessments.
The section also extends the adjustment to discretionary spending limits for disaster relief funding. The limits for this adjustment are based on a statutory formula, which is modified by this section.
During FY2026-FY2029, if the annual budget resolution has not been adopted by Congress by April 15, this section requires the chairman of the House Budget Committee to submit to the House a spending allocation for the House Appropriations Committee that is consistent with levels specified in this section.
Finally, the section provides funding for (1) the Department of Veterans Affairs Cost of War Toxic Exposures Fund, and (2) the Department of Commerce Nonrecurring Expenses Fund.
(Sec. 102) This section requires the discretionary spending limits to be revised if a continuing resolution (CR) is in effect at the beginning of the calendar year.
Specifically, if a CR for FY2024 or FY2025 is in effect on or after January 1 of 2024 or 2025 for any discretionary budget account, the discretionary spending limits for that fiscal year must be revised to specified levels. CBO has estimated that the revised limits will be lower for defense spending and higher for nondefense spending compared to the original limits.
The summary continues for 166 more paragraphs. Read it in full on Congress.gov
Written by analysts at the Congressional Research Service and published on Congress.gov, not by Civibrief. Summarized at the "Public Law" stage on June 3, 2023. It describes the bill, it is not the legal text.
Where is it in the process, and what happens next?
This bill has been enacted. It is law.
The record's latest action, on June 3, 2023: Became Public Law No: 118-5.
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?
Patrick McHenry (R-NC) introduced it on May 29, 2023. No cosponsors are recorded.
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.
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
- HousePassed
- SenatePassed
- PresidentSigned into law