H.R. 1605: CAP Act of 2011

112th Congress · introduced 2011-04-15 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2011-04-15 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Duncan, John J., Jr. [R-TN-2] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

CAP Act of 2011

Plain summary

Commitment to American Prosperity Act of 2011 or CAP Act of 2011 - Amends the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act) to require: (1) the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to estimate the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) outlay limit for the target fiscal year at the outset of the previous fiscal year, on April 30, on August 20, and 15 days after the conclusion of the fiscal year; (2) the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) to provide advisory reports calculating the GDP outlay limit at identical times; and (3) a sequestration by OMB within 45 calendar days after the beginning of a fiscal year to eliminate the excess outlay amount. Prescribes requirements for CBO and OMB advisory sequestration preview reports and an OMB final sequestration report, accompanied by a presidential order detailing the uniform spending reduction. Requires the House and the Senate budget committees to report a resolution directing their committees to change the existing law to achieve the goals outlined in the OMB August 20 report if it projects a sequestration. Allows total federal outlays to exceed the GDP outlay limit if during the fiscal year the excess amount is being paid to reduce the public debt or the public debt is zero. States that if, after November 15, a bill resulting in outlays for the current fiscal year is enacted that causes excess outlays, the excess outlays for the next fiscal year shall be increased by the amount or amounts of that breach. Amends the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 to make it out of order in both chambers to consider any bill, joint resolution, amendment, or conference report that includes any provision that would cause the most recently reported current GDP outlay limits in the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings Act to be exceeded. Prescribes procedures for waiver or suspension of this rule.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

CAP Act of 2011

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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The strongest published arguments

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Duncan, John J., Jr. [R-TN-2] · 8 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Scott DesJarlais (R-TN), Charles J. "Chuck" Fleischmann (R-TN)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (6)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
CBO cost estimate: The Congressional Budget Office's estimate of how a federal bill would change government spending and revenue. CBO is nonpartisan.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-112hr1605.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/112/hr>

Record fed-us-cong112-hr1605 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong112 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong112