Congress · Laws

Increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.

Public Law 101-140 · H.J.Res. 280 · 101st Congress · began in the House

Signed by George H. W. Bush (R) on Nov 8, 1989 · Economics and Public Finance

Cosponsors: None

Passage votesYeaNay

HouseRecorded vote: 269 yea, 99 nay269–99
SenateVoice vote

Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Increases the public debt limit to $3,122,700,000,000.

Title II (Sic): Repeal of Section 89 Nondiscrimination Rules - Amends the Internal Revenue Code to repeal provisions that established nondiscrimination requirements for coverage and benefits under certain employee benefit plans. Restores prior law governing such requirements, with technical modifications relating to: (1) treatment as separate lines of business or operating units; and (2) dependent care assistance programs.

Title III: Restoration of Trust Funds - Sets forth provisions to assure that government trust funds do not suffer any interest losses because of a delay in raising the public debt limit.

Who voted for it

Every House member of the 101st Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 271 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.

271 yea99 nay63 present or did not vote

Dimension 2

Economic left–right

More liberalMore conservative

Democrats who voted yea(177)

Rep. Bill ClayD-MO-1
Rep. Mervyn DymallyD-CA-31
Rep. Charles HayesD-IL-1
Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
Rep. Robert KastenmeierD-WI-2
Rep. Henry GonzálezD-TX-20
Rep. John LewisD-GA-5
Rep. William LehmanD-FL-17
Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8
Rep. Nancy PelosiD-CA-5
Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. Jim McDermottD-WA-7
Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
Rep. Barbara BoxerD-CA-6
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-8
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7
Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16
Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
Rep. Dave ObeyD-WI-7
Rep. Gus HawkinsD-CA-29
Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Jolene UnsoeldD-WA-3
Rep. Joseph KennedyD-MA-8
Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
Rep. Meldon LevineD-CA-27
Rep. Kweisi MfumeD-MD-7
Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Eliot EngelD-NY-19
Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
Rep. Chester AtkinsD-MA-5
Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2
Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
Rep. Ronald ColemanD-TX-16
Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
Rep. James JontzD-IN-5
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17
Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
Rep. Nita LoweyD-NY-20
Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
Rep. Robert WiseD-WV-3
Rep. Benjamin CardinD-MD-3
Rep. Jerry KleczkaD-WI-4
Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
Rep. Matthew MartínezD-CA-30
Rep. Albert EspyD-MS-2
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9
Rep. Thomas SawyerD-OH-14
Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
Rep. Edward FeighanD-OH-19
Rep. Albert BustamanteD-TX-23
Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
Rep. Glenn AndersonD-CA-32
Rep. Rick BoucherD-VA-9
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1
Rep. Howard WolpeD-MI-3
Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
Rep. David NagleD-IA-3
Rep. George HochbruecknerD-NY-1
Rep. Louise SlaughterD-NY-30
Rep. Richard NealD-MA-2
Rep. Terry BruceD-IL-19
Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
Rep. Peter ViscloskyD-IN-1
Rep. Joseph BrennanD-ME-1
Rep. Bruce MorrisonD-CT-3
Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12
Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
Rep. William NatcherD-KY-2
Rep. David SkaggsD-CO-2
Rep. Tom LantosD-CA-11
Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
Rep. Solomon OrtizD-TX-27
Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6
Rep. Douglas WalgrenD-PA-18
Rep. Douglas OwensD-UT-2
Rep. Douglas BoscoD-CA-1
Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
Rep. William RichardsonD-NM-3
Rep. Michael McNultyD-NY-23
Rep. Jim ChapmanD-TX-1
Rep. Joseph KolterD-PA-4
Rep. Paul KanjorskiD-PA-11
Rep. David PriceD-NC-4
Rep. Frank AnnunzioD-IL-11
Rep. Charles McMillenD-MD-4
Rep. Harry JohnstonD-FL-14
Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
Rep. Gerald SikorskiD-MN-6
Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4
Rep. Dennis EckartD-OH-11
Rep. Joseph GaydosD-PA-20
Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
Rep. Thomas CarperD-DE
Rep. James BilbrayD-NV-1
Rep. Ben JonesD-GA-4
Rep. James OlinD-VA-6
Rep. Patricia SchroederD-CO-1
Rep. Jill Long ThompsonD-IN-4
Rep. Tom BevillD-AL-4
Rep. Tim JohnsonD-SD-1
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5
Rep. Michael AndrewsD-TX-25
Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
Rep. Bill NelsonD-FL-11
Rep. James ClarkeD-NC-11
Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
Rep. Philip SharpD-IN-2
Rep. Charles WilsonD-TX-2
Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
Rep. Martin LancasterD-NC-3
Rep. Pete GerenD-TX-12
Rep. Buddy DardenD-GA-7
Rep. Gary ConditD-CA-15
Rep. John BrowderD-AL-3
Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
Rep. Claude HarrisD-AL-7
Rep. James HayesD-LA-7
Rep. David McCurdyD-OK-4
Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
Rep. James SlatteryD-KS-2
Rep. Lewis PayneD-VA-5
Rep. Ben CampbellD-CO-3
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4
Rep. Richard StallingsD-ID-2
Rep. Ben ErdreichD-AL-6
Rep. James LeathD-TX-11
Rep. Tim ValentineD-NC-2
Rep. Gregory LaughlinD-TX-14
Rep. Charles BennettD-FL-3
Rep. Elizabeth PattersonD-SC-4
Rep. Timothy PennyD-MN-1
Rep. William SarpaliusD-TX-13
Rep. Sonny MontgomeryD-MS-3
Rep. Druie BarnardD-GA-10
Rep. Beverly ByronD-MD-6
Rep. Gene TaylorD-MS-5
Rep. Billy TauzinD-LA-3
Rep. Mike ParkerD-MS-4
Rep. Earl HuttoD-FL-1
Rep. Charlie StenholmD-TX-17

Republicans who voted yea(94)

Rep. Constance MorellaR-MD-8
Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
Rep. Patricia SaikiR-HI-1
Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
Rep. Peter SmithR-VT
Rep. John RowlandR-CT-5
Rep. Ronald MachtleyR-RI-1
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2
Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
Rep. Jim WalshR-NY-27
Rep. Arthur RavenelR-SC-1
Rep. Dean GalloR-NJ-11
Rep. John MillerR-WA-1
Rep. Raymond McGrathR-NY-5
Rep. Amo HoughtonR-NY-34
Rep. Marge RoukemaR-NJ-5
Rep. Steven SchiffR-NM-1
Rep. Curt WeldonR-PA-7
Rep. Jan MeyersR-KS-3
Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
Rep. Ralph RegulaR-OH-16
Rep. Doug BereuterR-NE-1
Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
Rep. Thomas RidgeR-PA-21
Rep. Steven GundersonR-WI-3
Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Paul GillmorR-OH-5
Rep. James GrantD-FL-2
Rep. Robert CoughlinR-PA-13
Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
Rep. Ileana Ros-LehtinenR-FL-18
Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
Rep. David MartinR-NY-26
Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
Rep. Tommy RobinsonD-AR-2
Rep. Earl ColemanR-MO-6
Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
Rep. Richard SchulzeR-PA-5
Rep. Joseph SkeenR-NM-2
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10
Rep. Clay ShawR-FL-15
Rep. Jim McCreryR-LA-4
Rep. Donald RitterR-PA-15
Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
Rep. Bill EmersonR-MO-8
Rep. Don YoungR-AK
Rep. William GoodlingR-PA-19
Rep. Thomas TaukeR-IA-2
Rep. Alex McMillanR-NC-9
Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
Rep. Jack BuechnerR-MO-2
Rep. Lynn MartinR-IL-16
Rep. Edward MadiganR-IL-15
Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
Rep. Mike DeWineR-OH-7
Rep. Harris FawellR-IL-13
Rep. Robert WhittakerR-KS-5
Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
Rep. Jerry LewisR-CA-35
Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
Rep. Jim KolbeR-AZ-5
Rep. Bill McCollumR-FL-5
Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
Rep. John HammerschmidtR-AR-3
Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
Rep. Fred UptonR-MI-4
Rep. John HilerR-IN-3
Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
Rep. Pat RobertsR-KS-1
Rep. John RhodesR-AZ-1
Rep. Daniel SlaughterR-VA-7
Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Rep. Robert SmithR-OR-2
Rep. Steve BartlettR-TX-3
Rep. Clarence MillerR-OH-10
Rep. Denny HastertR-IL-14
Rep. Howard CobleR-NC-6
Rep. Cass BallengerR-NC-10
Rep. Bill ArcherR-TX-7
Rep. Larry CombestR-TX-19
Rep. Duncan HunterR-CA-45
Rep. George GekasR-PA-17
Rep. Jack FieldsR-TX-8
Rep. Jon KylR-AZ-4
Rep. Robert WalkerR-PA-16

Data notes

The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 326 in Voteview), matched to the vote the record cites and checked against its totals. Positions are each member’s DW-NOMINATE score for that Congress, as on the Ideology page; left to right is more liberal to more conservative. Paired and announced yea votes count as yea. Lists follow the compass, most liberal first. A name links to a profile only for members of the current Congress. A law passed by voice vote or unanimous consent has no member list, and neither does a vote Voteview has not yet recorded.

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Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Finance Committee · Senate · markup by, referred to, reported bySubcommittee: Taxation and IRS Oversight Subcommittee

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 17 actions.

Nov 8, 1989Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 101-140.
Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
Nov 7, 1989Resolving differencesResolving differences · Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 269 - 99 (Roll no. 336).House roll call 336
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Archer demanded a second on the motion to suspend the rules. Without objection a second was ordered.
Resolving differencesResolving differences · Mr. Rostenkowski moved that the House suspend the rules and agree to the Senate amendment.
FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
FloorFloor · Amendment SP 1086 agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.
FloorFloor · Measure laid before Senate by unanimous consent.
OtherOther · Resolving differences -- House actions: On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 269 - 99 (Roll no. 336).House roll call 336
Jul 26, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Finance Committee
Jul 25, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Finance Committee
Jul 19, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Taxation and IRS Oversight Subcommittee of the Senate Finance Committee
May 31, 1989CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Finance Committee
May 22, 1989IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
May 17, 1989FloorFloor · Pursuant to the provisions of H. Con. Res. 106, H.J. Res. 280 is considered passed House.

Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.