PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Aug 6, 2009
Deficit Reduction Act of 2009 - Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to redefine, for FY2011-FY2019, discretionary spending limits (spending caps) for new budget authority and outlays to mean the baseline, minus any emergency spending, for the preceding fiscal year as adjusted for inflation and (as under current law) as adjusted in strict conformance with such Act.
Revises sequestration requirements for enforcement of discretionary spending limits. Requires the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to conduct such a sequestration to eliminate a budget year breach.
Eliminates specific formula requirements for adjustments to discretionary spending limits for: (1) highways; (2) continuing disability reviews for the Social Security Administration (SSA); (3) allowances for the International Monetary Fund (IMF); (4) specified allowances for international arrearages; (5) the earned income tax credit (EITC) compliance initiative; (6) Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) adoption incentive payments; and (7) conservation.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
Prescribes an adjustment to discretionary spending limits for overseas contingency operations related to the global war on terrorism, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
Redefines low-growth, for purposes of OMB's required low-growth notification to Congress, from less than zero to less than 1%.
Extends Pay-As-You-Go requirements and enforcement mechanisms through FY2019.
Establishes sequestration enforcement mechanisms to eliminate deficit limits for FY2012-FY2019.
Specifies additional Social Security, veterans, Tier I Railroad Retirement benefits and other programs and activities exempt from a sequestration order as well as certain economic recovery programs.
Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (CBA) to make it out of order in both chambers to consider any legislation causing the discretionary limits in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act to be exceeded.
People & committees
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] · D–CO
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Budget.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9012-9015)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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