H.Res. 512: Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to reinstate the "Gephardt rule".

115th Congress · introduced 2017-09-08 · Congress · Latest: Referred to the House Committee on Rules.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-09-08 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the House Committee on Rules. 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

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to reinstate the "Gephardt rule".

Plain summary

Amends the Rules of the House of Representatives to: (1) redesignate Rule XXIX (General Provisions) as Rule XXX; and (2) insert after Rule XXVIII (Reserved) new Rule XXIX (Statutory Limit on Public Debt) to reinstate the "Gephardt rule," repealed by H.Res. 5 (adopting the Rules of the House for the 112th Congress). The Gephardt rule: (1) provided for an automatic engrossment and transmittal to the Senate of a joint resolution changing the public debt limit, upon the adoption of a budget resolution; and (2) avoided a separate vote in the House on public debt-limit legislation.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

A Yea supports adopting this resolution.

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

Amending the Rules of the House of Representatives to reinstate the "Gephardt rule".

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. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. Welch, Peter [D-VT-At Large] reported raising $248,839 (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 (5)

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.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
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.
Statute: A written law passed by a legislature. A statute can be changed by a later law; changing a constitution needs an amendment.

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-115hres512.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hres>

Record fed-us-cong115-hres512 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115