WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HR 10078

Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act

119th Congress Introduced by Greg Steube

Any debt-limit increase or suspension must be offset by net spending reductions totaling at least the same amount over the current and next 10 fiscal years.

Introduced in House
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 10078

Overview

  • Bill: HR 10078, the Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act
  • Purpose: Require that any increase or suspension of the federal debt limit be matched by equal net spending reductions over the current and following 10 fiscal years.
  • Introduced in the 119th Congress by Rep. Greg Steube on August 10, 2026. Referred to the Ways and Means, Rules, and Budget committees.

Main purpose and intent

  • Establish a framework to ensure debt limit actions are offset by commensurate spending cuts.
  • Attach a statutory budgeting discipline to debt limit increases and suspensions, aiming to reduce the deficit on a dollar-for-dollar basis over a decade.

Key provisions and changes

  1. Debt limit control (new section 3101B of title 31, U.S. Code)

    • Debt limit warning: If a near breach occurs, the Secretary of the Treasury must notify the Senate Finance Committee and House Ways and Means Committee with an assessment of when extraordinary measures may be needed to prolong funding.
    • Definitions:
      • “Extraordinary measures”: Treasury steps to delay debt-limit exhaustion in the absence of a debt limit increase.
      • “Near breach”: A point where the debt limit will be reached within 60 days even with extraordinary measures.

  2. Presidential submission of debt limit legislation

    • Any formal request to increase the debt limit must be accompanied by proposed spending reductions totaling at least the amount of the requested increase, over the current and following 10 years.
    • Net interest savings cannot be counted toward the required spending reductions.
    • Calculations must use a baseline consistent with section 257 of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act (BBEDCA) of 1985, excluding emergency-designated spending.

  3. Congressional Budget Impoundment Control Act amendments (new Sec. 316)

    • Debt limit increase point of order: In both chambers, raising the debt limit would be out of order unless the bill includes net spending reductions equal to or greater than the debt increase over the current and next 10 fiscal years. Net interest savings cannot count toward this requirement.
    • Calculation and verification:
      • Net reductions are calculated by the CBO against the BBEDCA baseline, excluding emergency spending expansions.
      • The cost estimate must be publicly available on the CBO website for at least 24 hours before a vote.
      • Timing shifts (moving spending or revenues outside the 10-year window) do not count toward the savings target.
    • Senate supermajority waiver and appeal: Waivers and appeals of points of order require a 60-vote supermajority.

  4. Debt limit suspension point of order (new Sec. 317)

    • Suspension of the debt limit would also be out of order unless net spending reductions over the current and next 10 fiscal years equal or exceed the projected debt increase during the suspension period, per CBO baseline.
    • Same provisions on calculation, public availability of CBO estimates, and prohibition of timing shifts apply.
    • Senate supermajority waiver and appeal: Similar 60-vote requirement to sustain waivers or appeals.

  5. Conforming amendments

    • Adds the new sections (316 and 317) to the table of contents of BBEDCA-related provisions.

Who and what would be affected

  • Federal Legislative and Executive branches:
    • Any consideration of debt limit increases or suspensions would be conditioned on offsetting spending reductions.
    • Requires coordination between the President (for proposed increases) and Congress (for offsets, calculations, and votes).
  • Budget and oversight processes:
    • CBO would play a central role in calculating the required net spending reductions and in producing the necessary cost estimates.
    • Public availability requirements increase transparency of cost analyses prior to votes.
  • Fiscal impact framework:
    • Accelerates or rigidifies budgeting discipline by tying debt-limit movements to explicit, decade-long spending reductions.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Timeline-related constraints are embedded in the 10-year window for offsets (current year + next 10 fiscal years).
  • Any debt-limit action must pass with the accompanying offsetting reductions, with the 24-hour public posting requirement for CBO estimates.
  • Senate supermajority thresholds (3/5) apply to waivers or appeals of the debt-limit points of order, creating potential procedural hurdles to bypass the offset requirement.

Summary

The Dollar-for-Dollar Deficit Reduction Act would fundamentally rework how debt-limit increases and suspensions are considered. It requires that any debt-limit boost be matched by equal net spending reductions over a 10-year horizon, uses a BBEDCA baseline for calculating those reductions, and mandates public CBO cost estimates prior to votes. The bill imposes procedural hurdles (supermajority waivers) and grounds for constitutional budget discipline aimed at reducing deficits tied to debt-limit actions.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.