PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.
H.R.523 / 115th Congress

Debt Transparency and Accountability Act

Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 13, 2017

Debt Transparency and Accountability Act

This bill requires the Secretary of the Treasury to provide a report to Congress prior to any date on which Treasury anticipates the public debt will reach the statutory limit.

The Secretary must appear before the House Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee to submit a debt report including: (1) historic, current, and projected levels of debt; (2) the drivers and composition of future debt; and (3) how the United States will meet debt obligations if the debt limit is raised.

Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.

Read full official summaryShow less

The Secretary must also provide a detailed explanation of:

proposals to reduce the debt and a progress report on implementing them;

the impact an increased debt limit will have on future government spending, debt service, and the position of the U.S. dollar as the international reserve currency;

projections of the fiscal health and sustainability of major entitlement programs;

any extraordinary measures Treasury intends to take to fund federal government obligations if the debt limit is not raised and projections of the administrative cost and duration of the measures.

Treasury must make specified information required by this bill available to the public on its website.

Upon request, Treasury must submit to Congress specified financial and economic data relevant to determining the amount of the public debt.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

Who introduced it

Rep. Marchant, Kenny [R-TX-24] · R–TX

Committees

  • Ways and Means Committee
10 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

  1. Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.

Source last updated: Aug 11, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.R.523 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.R.523 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.R.523 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.R.523 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources