Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019

Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019

This bill increases discretionary spending limits, suspends the debt limit, and modifies budget enforcement procedures.

The bill increases the FY2020 and FY2021 discretionary spending limits for defense and nondefense spending. The bill also (1) specifies limits for Overseas Contingency Operations funding, which is exempt from discretionary spending limits; and (2) requires the FY2020 discretionary spending limits to be adjusted to accommodate specified funding for the 2020 Census.

The bill suspends the public debt limit through July 31, 2021. On August 1, 2021, the limit will be increased to accommodate obligations issued during the suspension period.

The bill also includes provisions that

• set forth procedures for enforcing spending and revenue levels consistent with this bill as if they were included in congressional budget resolutions for FY2020 and FY2021;
• specify limits on advance appropriations;
• extend the sequestration (automatic spending cuts) for certain mandatory spending programs through FY2029;
• extend the authority to collect certain customs user fees through FY2029;
• extend and modify Senate points of order regarding advance appropriations, certain changes in mandatory programs (CHIMPs), and designations of funds for Overseas Contingency Operations; and
• reset the balances on the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYGO) scorecards established by the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010.

Written by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. All summary versions on Congress.gov