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HJRES 47109th CongressSigned into LawHouse

Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.

Policy Area: Economics and Public Finance
View on Congress.gov
Origin Chamber
House
Last Updated
Mar 9, 2026
Latest Action Date
Mar 20, 2006

Latest Action

Became Public Law No: 109-182.

Official Summary

(This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary has been expanded because action occurred on the measure.) Amends federal law to increase the statutory limit on the public debt from $8.184 trillion to $8.965 trillion.

GovScope Watchdog™

AI Government Intelligence™
Executive Summary

This bill amends federal law to increase the statutory limit on the public debt from $8.184 trillion to $8.965 trillion. The measure was introduced in the House during the 109th Congress and has since become Public Law No: 109-182 as of March 20, 2006. The increase allows the federal government to borrow additional funds beyond the previous limit.

Bottom Line

The bill raises the legal ceiling on the national debt, enabling the government to incur more debt to meet its financial obligations.

Policy Risk Level
🟡 Medium
Neutral Risk Assessment
Key Points
  • Increases the statutory limit on the public debt by approximately $781 billion.
  • Amendment to existing federal law governing the debt ceiling.
  • The bill has been enacted into law as of March 20, 2006.
Who Benefits?

The federal government benefits by having increased borrowing capacity to finance operations and obligations. Indirectly, citizens and entities reliant on government funding may be affected by the government's ability to meet its financial commitments.

Potential Concerns

Raising the debt ceiling may lead to increased federal borrowing, which could have implications for fiscal policy and long-term debt sustainability. The bill text does not provide details on offsetting measures or fiscal controls. No information is provided on how the increased debt limit will be managed or repaid.

Political Context

The bill falls under the policy area of Economics and Public Finance and was passed by the House during the 109th Congress. Its status is 'passed' with the latest action indicating it became public law in March 2006. The measure relates to managing the federal government's borrowing authority.

Hidden Impact Review

No hidden impact flags detected

GovScope reviewed 11 policy-risk categories. Hover for a quick definition. Click detected flags for bill-specific details.

Clear Review
Categories Reviewed — Not Detected
Broad agency authority
New regulatory authority
Privacy concerns
Spending increases
Criminal penalties
Civil liability
Unfunded mandates
Executive discretion
Missing sunset provisions
Cross references
Hidden implementation costs
Indirect Effects

Increasing the debt ceiling may indirectly affect fiscal policy decisions, interest rates, and government borrowing costs. It could also influence economic confidence and credit ratings, although these effects are not detailed in the bill text.

GovScope Watchdog Notes

The full bill text is not provided, limiting detailed analysis. Citizens may want to review subsequent fiscal policies or budgetary measures associated with this debt increase. Monitoring how the increased debt limit is managed over time could be important for understanding long-term fiscal impacts.

Passage Likelihood: HighConfidence: 75%Model: gpt-4.1-mini

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