H.R. 849: Sequestration Relief Act of 2013

113th Congress · introduced 2013-02-27 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: 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.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-02-27 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9] · 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 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. 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

Sequestration Relief Act of 2013

Plain summary

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. 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.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Sequestration Relief Act of 2013

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Marc A. Veasey (D-TX)

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9] reported raising $2.2 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (3)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

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-113hr849.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/hr>

Record fed-us-cong113-hr849 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113