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H.R.849 / 113th Congress

Sequestration Relief Act of 2013

Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 27, 2013

Sequestration Relief Act of 2013 - Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Controlled Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act), as amended by the Budget Control Act of 2011, to repeal automatic sequestration to enforce a specified budget goal.

Reduces the discretionary spending limits for security and nonsecurity categories by $320 billion for FY2014-FY2021.

Confines the current meaning of "security category" under the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act to FY2012-FY2013.

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Revises the definition of "security category" for FY2014-FY2021 to mean discretionary appropriations in all of budget function 050 (national defense).

Amends the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 to suspend through January 31, 2017, the current $16.394 trillion public debt limit.

Postpones until February 1, 2017, an automatic increase in the public debt limit to the extent that: (1) the face amount of obligations issued and the face amount of obligations whose principal and interest are guaranteed by the federal government (except guaranteed obligations held by the Secretary of the Treasury) outstanding on February 1, 2017, exceeds (2) the face amount of such obligations outstanding on the date of enactment of the No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013 (February 24, 2013). Prohibits an obligation from being taken into account unless its issuance was necessary to fund a commitment incurred by the federal government that required payment before February 1, 2017.

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Who introduced it

Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9] · D–WA

Committees

  • Ways and Means Committee
  • Budget Committee
4 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  2. Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. 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: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Analyze H.R.849 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.

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Fairness and public impact

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Institutions and government scope

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