A joint resolution increasing the statutory limit on the public debt.
Public Law 98-161 · H.J.Res. 308 · 98th Congress · began in the House
Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Nov 21, 1983 · Economics and Public Finance
Cosponsors: None
Passage votesYeaNay
- HouseRecorded vote: 214 yea, 186 nay214–186
- SenateRecorded vote: 58 yea, 40 nay58–40
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.
Summary
The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.
Amends the Second Liberty Bond Act to increase the temporary public debt limit to $1,389,000,000,000, or $1,490,000,000,000 on and after October 1, 1983.
Who voted for it
Every House member of the 98th Congress on the ideology compass. Highlighted: the 214 who voted yea on final passage. Faded: everyone else, including those who voted nay, did not vote, or had not yet taken office.
214 yea186 nay34 present or did not vote
Democrats who voted yea(154)
- Rep. Parren MitchellD-MD-7
- Rep. Sam GejdensonD-CT-2
- Rep. Martin SaboD-MN-5
Rep. John ConyersD-MI-1- Rep. Mickey LelandD-TX-18
- Rep. Julian DixonD-CA-28
- Rep. Edward RoybalD-CA-25
- Rep. Sala BurtonD-CA-5
- Rep. William GrayD-PA-2
- Rep. Louis StokesD-OH-21
- Rep. Robert GarciaD-NY-18
Rep. Gary AckermanD-NY-7- Rep. Gus SavageD-IL-2
- Rep. Theodore WeissD-NY-17
- Rep. William CoyneD-PA-14
Rep. Ed MarkeyD-MA-7
Rep. Ed TownsD-NY-11- Rep. Charles HayesD-IL-1
- Rep. Joseph AddabboD-NY-6
- Rep. David BoniorD-MI-12
Rep. Charlie RangelD-NY-16
Rep. James OberstarD-MN-8- Rep. Don EdwardsD-CA-10
- Rep. Richard OttingerD-NY-20
- Rep. Cardiss CollinsD-IL-7
- Rep. Alan WheatD-MO-5
- Rep. Katie HallD-IN-1
Rep. Howard BermanD-CA-26- Rep. Esteban TorresD-CA-34
- Rep. James ShannonD-MA-5
Rep. Barbara BoxerD-CA-6- Rep. Ronald DellumsD-CA-8
- Rep. George CrockettD-MI-13
Rep. Daniel AkakaD-HI-2- Rep. Thomas FogliettaD-PA-1
- Rep. James HowardD-NJ-3
Rep. Henry WaxmanD-CA-24- Rep. Peter RodinoD-NJ-10
- Rep. Sidney YatesD-IL-9
- Rep. John SeiberlingD-OH-14
- Rep. Meldon LevineD-CA-27
- Rep. Norman MinetaD-CA-13
Rep. Chuck SchumerD-NY-10- Rep. John MoakleyD-MA-9
- Rep. Robert MatsuiD-CA-3
Rep. Pete StarkD-CA-9- Rep. Anthony CoelhoD-CA-15
- Rep. George BrownD-CA-36
- Rep. Harold FordD-TN-9
Rep. Steny HoyerD-MD-5
Rep. Dale KildeeD-MI-7- Rep. Bill AlexanderD-AR-1
- Rep. Carl PerkinsD-KY-7
- Rep. Bruce VentoD-MN-4
- Rep. Victor FazioD-CA-4
Rep. Barney FrankD-MA-4- Rep. Barbara KennellyD-CT-1
- Rep. Nicholas MavroulesD-MA-6
- Rep. Thomas DowneyD-NY-2
- Rep. Thomas FoleyD-WA-5
- Rep. Richard LehmanD-CA-18
- Rep. Lane EvansD-IL-17
- Rep. Robert BorskiD-PA-3
- Rep. Clement ZablockiD-WI-4
- Rep. Gerry StuddsD-MA-10
- Rep. James ScheuerD-NY-8
- Rep. Claude PepperD-FL-18
- Rep. Frank HarrisonD-PA-11
- Rep. Robert EdgarD-PA-7
- Rep. Allan SwiftD-WA-2
- Rep. Bernard DwyerD-NJ-6
- Rep. Robert RoeD-NJ-8
Rep. John DingellD-MI-16- Rep. Henry NowakD-NY-33
- Rep. Stephen SolarzD-NY-13
- Rep. Bruce MorrisonD-CT-3
- Rep. William RatchfordD-CT-5
- Rep. Gillis LongD-LA-8
- Rep. Dick GephardtD-MO-3
- Rep. Charles PriceD-IL-21
Rep. Barbara MikulskiD-MD-3- Rep. Charles RoseD-NC-7
- Rep. Frank GuariniD-NJ-14
- Rep. Raymond KogovsekD-CO-3
- Rep. Martin FrostD-TX-24
- Rep. Lawrence SmithD-FL-16
- Rep. Lindy BoggsD-LA-2
- Rep. Anthony BeilensonD-CA-23
- Rep. Morris UdallD-AZ-2
- Rep. Dante FascellD-FL-19
- Rep. Edward BolandD-MA-2
- Rep. James WrightD-TX-12
- Rep. Jack BrooksD-TX-9
- Rep. Fernand St. GermainD-RI-1
Rep. Sander LevinD-MI-17- Rep. Timothy WirthD-CO-2
- Rep. Michael BarnesD-MD-8
- Rep. Walter JonesD-NC-1
- Rep. Matthew McHughD-NY-28
- Rep. Harley StaggersD-WV-2
- Rep. Brian DonnellyD-MA-11
Rep. John MurthaD-PA-12- Rep. Don BonkerD-WA-3
- Rep. Peter KostmayerD-PA-8
Rep. Alan MollohanD-WV-1- Rep. Kika de la GarzaD-TX-15
- Rep. Leslie AspinD-WI-1
Rep. Harry ReidD-NV-1
Rep. Norm DicksD-WA-6- Rep. Stanley LundineD-NY-34
- Rep. James McNultyD-AZ-5
- Rep. Daniel RostenkowskiD-IL-8
- Rep. Jamie WhittenD-MS-1
- Rep. Francis McCloskeyD-IN-8
- Rep. Donald PeaseD-OH-13
- Rep. Michael SynarD-OK-2
- Rep. Robert YoungD-MO-2
- Rep. James ClarkeD-NC-11
- Rep. Leon PanettaD-CA-16
Rep. Nick RahallD-WV-4- Rep. John LaFalceD-NY-32
Rep. Marcy KapturD-OH-9- Rep. Bill HefnerD-NC-8
- Rep. Albert GoreD-TN-6
- Rep. Cecil HeftelD-HI-1
- Rep. Charles HatcherD-GA-2
- Rep. Tony HallD-OH-3
- Rep. Don FuquaD-FL-2
- Rep. Berkley BedellD-IA-6
Rep. Ike SkeltonD-MO-4- Rep. Beryl AnthonyD-AR-4
- Rep. Jake PickleD-TX-10
- Rep. Neal SmithD-IA-4
- Rep. Ronnie FlippoD-AL-5
- Rep. Butler DerrickD-SC-3
- Rep. Ike AndrewsD-NC-4
- Rep. Charles WhitleyD-NC-3
Rep. John SprattD-SC-5- Rep. Abraham KazenD-TX-23
- Rep. Daniel MicaD-FL-14
- Rep. Romano MazzoliD-KY-3
- Rep. Harold VolkmerD-MO-9
- Rep. James RowlandD-GA-8
- Rep. Lee HamiltonD-IN-9
- Rep. Robert ThomasD-GA-1
- Rep. Samuel StrattonD-NY-23
- Rep. Norman SisiskyD-VA-4
- Rep. William LipinskiD-IL-5
- Rep. Daniel GlickmanD-KS-4
- Rep. Sam GibbonsD-FL-7
- Rep. James OlinD-VA-6
- Rep. Ed JenkinsD-GA-9
- Rep. Jack HightowerD-TX-13
- Rep. John BreauxD-LA-7
Republicans who voted yea(60)
- Rep. Claudine SchneiderR-RI-2
- Rep. Silvio ConteR-MA-1
- Rep. Stewart McKinneyR-CT-4
- Rep. Bill GreenR-NY-15
- Rep. Frank HortonR-NY-29
- Rep. Sherry BoehlertR-NY-25
- Rep. Jim JeffordsR-VT
- Rep. Lyle WilliamsR-OH-17
Rep. Chris SmithR-NJ-4
Rep. Olympia SnoweR-ME-2- Rep. Joseph McDadeR-PA-10
- Rep. Hamilton FishR-NY-21
- Rep. John McKernanR-ME-1
- Rep. Nancy JohnsonR-CT-6
- Rep. Jack EdwardsR-AL-1
- Rep. George O’BrienR-IL-4
- Rep. Harold SawyerR-MI-5
- Rep. John DuncanR-TN-2
- Rep. William ClingerR-PA-23
- Rep. Sidney MorrisonR-WA-4
- Rep. Rodney ChandlerR-WA-8
- Rep. Norman LentR-NY-4
- Rep. James QuillenR-TN-1
- Rep. John PorterR-IL-10
Rep. Frank WolfR-VA-10- Rep. Elwood HillisR-IN-5
- Rep. Virginia SmithR-NE-3
- Rep. Chalmers WylieR-OH-15
- Rep. Guy Vander JagtR-MI-9
- Rep. Stanford ParrisR-VA-8
- Rep. George WhitehurstR-VA-2
- Rep. Willis GradisonR-OH-2
- Rep. Arlan StangelandR-MN-7
- Rep. Herbert BatemanR-VA-1
- Rep. Donald SundquistR-TN-7
- Rep. Robert MichelR-IL-18
- Rep. Edwin BethuneR-AR-2
- Rep. Jack KempR-NY-31
- Rep. Edwin ZschauR-CA-12
- Rep. William BroomfieldR-MI-18
- Rep. Carroll CampbellR-SC-4
- Rep. William LoweryR-CA-41
- Rep. Henry HydeR-IL-6
- Rep. James MartinR-NC-9
- Rep. Robert LivingstonR-LA-1
- Rep. Newton GingrichR-GA-6
- Rep. Tom BlileyR-VA-3
- Rep. Edwin ForsytheR-NJ-13
Rep. John McCainR-AZ-1- Rep. James RobinsonR-VA-7
Rep. Trent LottR-MS-5- Rep. John ErlenbornR-IL-13
- Rep. Michael OxleyR-OH-4
- Rep. James BroyhillR-NC-10
- Rep. Thomas KindnessR-OH-8
- Rep. William DickinsonR-AL-2
- Rep. Thomas LoefflerR-TX-21
Rep. Judd GreggR-NH-2- Rep. Barber ConableR-NY-30
- Rep. William FrenzelR-MN-3
Data notes
The House’s recorded vote on the final version of the law (roll call 498 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.
Committees
The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.
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.
Timeline
From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 29 actions.
- Nov 21, 1983Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 98-161.
- Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
- Nov 18, 1983PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 214 - 186 (Record Vote No: 533).House roll call 533
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in House: House Agreed to Conference Report by Yea-Nay Vote: 214 - 186 (Record Vote No: 533).House roll call 533
- Nov 17, 1983Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report agreed to in Senate: Senate agreed to conference report by Voice Vote.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report considered in Senate.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference Report 98-566 Filed in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference report filed: Conference Report 98-566 Filed in House.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Conference committee actions: Conferees agreed to file conference report.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Request for Conference and Speaker Appointed Conferees: Rostenkowski, Gibbons, Pickle, Conable, Duncan.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Disagreed to Senate Amendments.
- Resolving differencesResolving differences · Senate insists on its amendments, asks for a conference, appoints conferees Dole; Packwood; Roth; Long; Matsunaga.
- FloorFloor · Passed Senate with amendments by Yea-Nay Vote. 58-40. Record Vote No: 370.Senate roll call 370
- Nov 16, 1983FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Baker to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution was rejected agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 67-31. Record Vote No: 369.Senate roll call 369
- FloorFloor · Motion to proceed to the consideration of the motion to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution was rejected agreed to in the Senate by Unanimous Consent.
- Oct 31, 1983FloorFloor · Motion by Senator Baker to reconsider the vote by which H.J.RES.308 failed of passage entered in Senate.
- FloorFloor · Failed of passage in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 39-56. Record Vote No: 330.Senate roll call 330
- FloorFloor · Failed of passage/not agreed to in Senate: Failed of passage in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 39-56. Record Vote No: 330.Senate roll call 330
- FloorFloor · Motion to recommit to Senate Committee on Finance with instructions to report back forthwith rejected in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 27-68. Record Vote No: 329.Senate roll call 329
- Oct 26, 1983FloorFloor · Mr. Baker filed in writing his intention to move to suspend paragraph 4 of Rule 17 and paragraph 5 of Rule 17, and that part of Rule 8, paragraph 2, containing the words "during the first two hours of a new legislative day", as well as the last sentence of paragraph 2, for the p…
- Oct 25, 1983CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Finance Committee
- CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Finance Committee
- Jun 27, 1983FloorFloor · Passed House by Voice Vote.
- FloorFloor · Called up by House by Unanimous Consent.
- CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Finance Committee
- IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the 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.
Official record
The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.