[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 897 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 897

            To limit Federal spending to 20 percent of GDP.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 24, 2009

   Mr. Hatch introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                referred to the Committee on the Budget

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
            To limit Federal spending to 20 percent of GDP.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Limitation on Government Spending 
Act of 2009''.

SEC. 2. LIMIT ON FEDERAL SPENDING.

    (a) Definition.--Section 3 of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 
(2 U.S.C. 622) is amended by inserting at the end the following:
            ``(11) Federal spending limit.--The term `Federal spending 
        limit' means--
                    ``(A) with respect to fiscal year 2011, outlays not 
                exceeding 22 per cent of the GDP;
                    ``(B) with respect to fiscal year 2012, outlays not 
                exceeding 21 per cent of the GDP; and
                    ``(C) with respect to fiscal year 2013 and fiscal 
                years thereafter, outlays not exceeding 20 per cent of 
                the GDP.
            ``(12) GDP.--The term `GDP' means the gross domestic 
        product for the relevant fiscal year as most recently estimated 
        by CBO.''.
    (b) Federal Spending Limit Point of Order.--Section 311 of the 
Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 642) is amended by inserting 
at the end the following:
    ``(d) Federal Spending Limit Point of Order.--
            ``(1) In general.--It shall not be in order in the Senate 
        to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or 
        conference report that includes any provision that would result 
        in a deficit for a fiscal year that exceeds the maximum deficit 
        amount or Federal spending limit, as applicable, for such 
        fiscal year.
            ``(2) Waiver or suspension.--This subsection may be waived 
        or suspended in the Senate only by the affirmative rollcall 
        vote of three-fifths of the Members, duly chosen and sworn.
            ``(3) Appeals.--Appeals in the Senate from the decisions of 
        the Chair relating to any provision of this subsection shall be 
        limited to 1 hour, to be equally divided between, and 
        controlled by, the appellant and the manager of the bill or 
        joint resolution. An affirmative vote of three-fifths of the 
        Members of the Senate, duly chosen and sworn, shall be required 
        to sustain an appeal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of 
        order raised under this subsection.''.
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