HCR 24: Declare national debt a security threat;urge Congressional action
The national debt is a threat to the national security of the United States, and it's essential to establish an effective regular order for budgeting. The outstanding public debt of the United States has surpassed $37 trillion, with public debt equaling 123% of gross domestic product. The debt owed per citizen has risen to $108,000, and over $8 trillion of the federal debt is owned by individuals not located in the United States. This has led to a $1 trillion deficit in fiscal year 2024, and the Social Security and Medicare trust funds are projected to be depleted in 2033 and 2036. Higher global interest rates due to aging populations and improvements in business climates in other countries will squeeze all United States policy priorities, including defense and foreign policy. The national debt poses a significant threat to the economy and national security, and the Congress should comm…
| Oct. 01, 2025 | Introduced and Referred to Committee: Government Oversight |
As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session
2025-2026
Representatives Thomas, D., Klopfenstein
Cosponsors: Representatives Brennan, Deeter, Fischer, Fowler Arthur, Glassburn, Gross, Hall, T., John, King, Williams
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
To recognize that the national debt is a threat to the ..... 1
national security of the United States and to urge the ..... 2
United States Congress to commit to establishing an ..... 3
effective regular order for budgeting. ..... 4
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE SENATE CONCURRING):
WHEREAS, In September 2025, the outstanding public debt of ..... 5
the United States totaled more than $\$ 37$ trillion, with public ..... 6
debt equaling $123\%$ of gross domestic product, and the debt owed ..... 7
per citizen rising to $\$ 108,000$; and ..... 8
WHEREAS, More than $\$ 8$ trillion of the federal debt is owned ..... 9
by individuals not located in the United States, including more ..... 10
than $\$ 800$ billion owned by individuals in China; and ..... 11
WHEREAS, In fiscal year 2024, the United States had a ..... 12
deficit of over $\$ 1$ trillion after the United States Congress ..... 13
failed to pass a balanced budget, and federal tax receipts ..... 14
totaled $\$ 5$ trillion, short of the federal outlays totaling $\$ 6.75$ ..... 15
trillion; and ..... 16
WHEREAS, The Social Security and Medicare Boards of ..... 17
Trustees project that the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust ..... 18
Fund and the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund will be ..... 19
depleted in 2033 and 2036; and ..... 20
WHEREAS, Improvements in the business climate in populous ..... 21
countries and aging populations around the world likely will ..... 22
contribute to higher global interest rates, which would squeeze ..... 23
all United States policy priorities, including defense and ..... 24
foreign policy; and ..... 25
WHEREAS, On September 22, 2011, former Chairman of the ..... 26
Joint Chiefs of Staff, Michael Mullen warned, "the single ..... 27
biggest threat to our national security is debt"; and ..... 28
WHEREAS, On March 6, 2018, then Director of National ..... 29
Intelligence Dan Coats warned, "Our continued plunge into debt ..... 30
is unsustainable and represents a dire future threat to our ..... 31
economy and to our national security"; and ..... 32
WHEREAS, The payment on the interest of national debt now ..... 33
exceeds total United States Defense spending causing future ..... 34
uncertainty over the ability to defend our national interests; ..... 35
now therefore be it ..... 36
RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 136th General ..... 37
Assembly of the State of Ohio, recognize that the national debt ..... 38
is a threat to the national security of the United States and ..... 39
urge the United States Congress to commit to establishing an ..... 40
effective regular order for budgeting; and be it further ..... 41
RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives ..... 42
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to each ..... 43
member of the Ohio Congressional delegation and to the news ..... 44
media of Ohio. ..... 45
As Introduced
H. C. R. No. 24