The Debt-to-GDP Transparency and Stabilization Act ... would require the President’s annual budget and congressional budget resolutions to include the ratio of the public debt to the estimated gross domestic product (GDP).
Require the President’s annual budget and congressional budget resolutions to include the ratio of the public debt to estimated gross domestic product (GDP).
Occurrences
Evidence
unverified · Source version 28511 · locator unknown
Current budget-resolution law requires Congress to set levels for new budget authority, outlays, revenues, surplus or deficit, major functional categories, and public debt. It also allows some optional budget-report material tied to GDP investment share, but it does not require the ratio of public debt to GDP in the resolution.
unverified · Source version 28511 · locator unknown
Current statutory text requires the budget resolution to set levels for budget authority, revenues, the surplus or deficit, and public debt, and the committee report may include GDP-related investment comparisons; it does not require the ratio of public debt to GDP.
unverified · Source version 2028 · locator unknown
The President's budget statute requires debt information and a separate statement on the items in 2 U.S.C. 632(a)(1)-(5), but it does not add any requirement to include a public-debt-to-GDP ratio.
unverified · Source version 28511 · locator unknown
Section 632(a) requires a congressional budget resolution to set levels for budget authority and outlays, revenues, surplus or deficit, major functional categories, and "the public debt." It does not require a public-debt-to-GDP ratio.
unverified · Source version 28511 · locator unknown
Section 632(e) lists required contents of the report accompanying a budget resolution, including comparisons with the President's budget, economic assumptions, supporting information, tax expenditures, and allocations. It permits some GDP-related investment information, but not a debt-to-GDP-ratio requirement.
unverified · Source version 2028 · locator unknown
Section 1105(a) requires the President's annual budget to include, among many items, "essential information about the debt of the Government" and a separate statement on the items in 2 U.S.C. 632(a)(1)-(5). It does not state a requirement to include the public-debt-to-GDP ratio.
unverified · Source version 2028 · locator unknown
The amendment notes list post-2019 changes including 2021 subsection (i), a 2022 Inspector General citation update, and a 2024 removal of paragraph (a)(39). None added a public-debt-to-GDP-ratio requirement.
unverified · Source version 37960 · locator unknown
Congress.gov identifies Golden as representing Maine's 2nd District in the 116th-119th Congresses, from 2019 to present. The relevant federal service period therefore includes the same term after the 2018 campaign and later House terms.
unverified · Source version 79731 · locator unknown
"which was referred to the Committee on the Budget"
unverified · Source version 79733 · locator unknown
"including the ratio of the public debt to the estimated gross domestic product."
unverified · Source version 79731 · locator unknown
Last Action Date Listed March 4, 2026 Action Mr. Smucker (for himself, Mr. Golden of Maine, Mr. Cline, Ms. Perez, Mr. Yakym, Mr. Suozzi, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Meuser, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Grothman, Mr. Peters, and Mr. Davis of North Carolina) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, 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
unverified · Source version 91233 · locator unknown
(1) in paragraph (10), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``, including the ratio of the public debt to the estimated gross domestic product.''; and
Assessments
The relevant federal budget statutes require reporting public debt and other budget figures, but they do not require either the President's annual budget or congressional budget resolutions to include the public-debt-to-estimated-GDP ratio. Later amendments during Golden's House service did not add that mandate, and the evidence does not show a serious unsuccessful legislative or executive attempt by Golden that would merit an effort badge.
The cited federal budget statutes require debt reporting and other budget figures, but they do not require the President’s annual budget or congressional budget resolutions to include the ratio of public debt to GDP. The specific mandate in the claim does not appear to have been enacted, and there is no evidence here that Golden successfully advanced a law or rule change accomplishing it.
Current federal budget law still does not require the President’s annual budget or congressional budget resolutions to include a public-debt-to-GDP ratio. 2 U.S.C. 632 requires budget resolutions to include the public debt level, but not the debt-to-GDP ratio, and 31 U.S.C. 1105 requires the President’s budget to include debt information and statements tied to the items in 2 U.S.C. 632(a)(1)-(5), again without adding this ratio requirement. On the available record, the promised requirement was not enacted, and there is not enough evidence here of a serious Golden-led legislative push that materially advanced it toward passage.