What This Bill Does
This bill creates a rule that stops Congress from passing spending bills that would increase inflation, unless inflation is already below 4.5 percent. The rule applies to both the Senate and House of Representatives and covers bills, amendments and other spending proposals that provide new budget authority (money allocated to be spent).
Who It Affects
Members of the Senate and House of Representatives are directly affected by this rule. The Congressional Budget Office gets new responsibilities under this bill.
Key Provisions
• In the Senate, lawmakers cannot bring up spending provisions that would increase inflation unless the current inflation rate is 4.5 percent or lower (Sec. 2(a)(1))
• If a Senator challenges a provision under this rule and the challenge is upheld, that provision gets removed from the bill and cannot be offered as a floor amendment (Sec. 2(a)(2))
• In the House of Representatives, the same inflation rule applies to bills, amendments and conference reports that provide new budget authority (Sec. 2(b))
• When asked, the Congressional Budget Office must estimate whether a spending provision would increase inflation (Sec. 2(c)(1))
• The Congressional Budget Office must notify Congress whenever the inflation rate goes above 4.5 percent (Sec. 3(a))
What Changes
Congressional rules will require lawmakers to check inflation rates before passing spending bills. Spending proposals estimated to increase inflation can be blocked and removed from legislation unless current inflation is 4.5 percent or lower.
Important Definitions
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: a measure of inflation calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that tracks price changes for goods and services in cities. New budget authority: money that is authorized to be spent.
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 252
To create a point of order against spending that will increase inflation
unless inflation is not greater than 4.5 percent, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 10, 2023
Mr. MIKE GARCIA of California (for himself, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. LATURNER,
Mrs. KIM of California, Mr. MOORE of Alabama, Mr. HUIZENGA, and Mr.
GROTHMAN) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Rules, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, 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 com-
mittee concerned
A BILL
To create a point of order against spending that will increase
inflation unless inflation is not greater than 4.5 percent,
and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Inflation Prevention
4
Act of 2023’’.
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•HR 252 IH
SEC. 2. POINT OF ORDER AGAINST SPENDING THAT WILL
1
INCREASE INFLATION UNTIL INFLATION IS
2
NOT GREATER THAN 4.5 PERCENT.
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(a) POINT OF ORDER IN THE SENATE.—
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(1) IN GENERAL.—In the Senate, it shall not be
5
in order to consider a provision in a bill, joint resolu-
6
tion, motion, amendment, amendment between the
7
Houses, or conference report that provides new
8
budget authority and that is estimated to result in
9
an increase in the Consumer Price Index for All
10
Urban Consumers, as published by the Bureau of
11
Labor Statistics, unless the annualized rate of in-
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crease in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban
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Consumers most recently published by the Bureau of
14
Labor Statistics is not more than 4.5 percent.
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(2) POINT OF ORDER SUSTAINED.—If a point
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of order is made by a Senator against a provision
17
described in paragraph (1), and the point of order
18
is sustained by the Chair, that provision shall be
19
stricken from the measure and may not be offered
20
as an amendment from the floor.
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(3) FORM OF THE POINT OF ORDER.—A point
22
of order under subsection (a)(1) may be raised by a
23
Senator as provided in section 313(e) of the Con-
24
gressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 644(e)).
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•HR 252 IH
(4) CONFERENCE REPORTS.—When the Senate
1
is considering a conference report on, or an amend-
2
ment between the Houses in relation to, a bill or
3
joint resolution, upon a point of order being made
4
by any Senator pursuant to subsection (a)(1), and
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such point of order being sustained, such material
6
contained in such conference report or House
7
amendment shall be stricken, and the Senate shall
8
proceed to consider the question of whether the Sen-
9
ate shall recede from its amendment and concur
10
with a further amendment, or concur in the House
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amendment with a further amendment, as the case
12
may be, which further amendment shall consist of
13
only that portion of the conference report or House
14
amendment, as the case may be, not so stricken.
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Any such motion in the Senate shall be debatable.
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In any case in which such point of order is sustained
17
against a conference report (or Senate amendment
18
derived from such conference report by operation of
19
this paragraph), no further amendment shall be in
20
order.
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(5) SUPERMAJORITY WAIVER AND APPEAL.—In
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the Senate, this subsection may be waived or sus-
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pended only by an affirmative vote of three-fifths of
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the Members, duly chose and sworn. An affirmative
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•HR 252 IH
vote of three-fifths of Members of the Senate, duly
1
chosen and sworn shall be required to sustain an ap-
2
peal of the ruling of the Chair on a point of order
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raised under this subsection.
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(b) POINT
OF ORDER
IN
THE HOUSE
OF REP-
5
RESENTATIVES.—In the House of Representatives, it shall
6
not be in order to consider a bill, joint resolution, motion,
7
amendment, amendment between the Houses, or con-
8
ference report that provides new budget authority and
9
that is estimated to result in an increase in the Consumer
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Price Index for All Urban Consumers, as published by the
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Bureau of Labor Statistics, unless the annualized rate of
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increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Con-
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sumers most recently published by the Bureau of Labor
14
Statistics is not more than 4.5 percent.
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(c) DETERMINATION OF EFFECT ON INFLATION.—
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(1) PROVISION OF ESTIMATES.—Upon request
17
by a Member of Congress, the Congressional Budget
18
Office shall prepare an estimate of the effect on the
19
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers of
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the provisions in a bill, joint resolution, motion,
21
amendment, amendment between the Houses, or
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conference report that provide new budget authority.
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(2) IN
GENERAL.—The estimated amount of
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the increase in the Consumer Price Index for All
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•HR 252 IH
Urban Consumers, if any, for purposes of this sec-
1
tion shall be determined based on estimates pre-
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pared by the Congressional Budget Office.
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SEC. 3. CBO NOTIFICATION TO CONGRESS.
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(a) IN GENERAL.—The Congressional Budget Office
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shall notify Congress if the annualized rate of increase in
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the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers is
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greater than 4.5 percent.
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(b) SUBMISSION.—The Congressional Budget Office
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may submit the certification required under subsection (a)
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as part of another report required to be submitted to Con-
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gress.
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Æ
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