IIA 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 24 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative 

to balancing the budget. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 27, 2017 

Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. MCCONNELL, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. 

BLUNT, Mr. BOOZMAN, Mr. BURR, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. 

COCHRAN, Ms. COLLINS, Mr. CORKER, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CRUZ, Mr. 

DAINES, Mr. ENZI, Mrs. ERNST, Mrs. FISCHER, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. HELLER, Mr. HOEVEN, Mr. 

INHOFE, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. JOHNSON, Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. LANKFORD, 

Mr. LEE, Mr. MCCAIN, Mr. MORAN, Ms. MURKOWSKI, Mr. PAUL, Mr. 

PERDUE, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. RISCH, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. ROUNDS, Mr. 

RUBIO, Mr. SASSE, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. SHELBY, Mr. STRANGE, MR. SULLIVAN, Mr. THUNE, Mr. TILLIS, Mr. TOOMEY, Mr. WICKER, and Mr. 

YOUNG) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice 

and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States relative to balancing the budget. 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two3 thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol4 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the ConVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:15 Feb 27, 2017 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SJ24.IS SJ24

sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•SJ 24 IS 

1 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 

2 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 

3 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 

4 States: 

5 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

6 ‘‘SECTION 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 

7 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two8 thirds of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each 

9 House of Congress shall provide by law for a specific ex10 cess of outlays over receipts by a roll call vote. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 

12 not exceed 18 percent of the gross domestic product of 

13 the United States for the calendar year ending before the 

14 beginning of such fiscal year, unless two-thirds of the duly 

15 chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress 

16 shall provide by law for a specific amount in excess of such 

17 18 percent by a roll call vote. 

18 ‘‘SECTION 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 

19 shall transmit to Congress a proposed budget for the 

20 United States Government for that fiscal year in which— 

21 ‘‘(1) total outlays do not exceed total receipts; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(2) total outlays do not exceed 18 percent of 

24 the gross domestic product of the United States for 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•SJ 24 IS 

1 the calendar year ending before the beginning of 

2 such fiscal year. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 4. Any bill that imposes a new tax or in4 creases the statutory rate of any tax or the aggregate 

5 amount of revenue may pass only by a two-thirds majority 

6 of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of 

7 Congress by a roll call vote. For the purpose of deter8 mining any increase in revenue under this section, there 

9 shall be excluded any increase resulting from the lowering 

10 of the statutory rate of any tax. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 5. The limit on the debt of the United 

12 States shall not be increased, unless three-fifths of the 

13 duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Con14 gress shall provide for such an increase by a roll call vote. 

15 ‘‘SECTION 6. Congress may waive the provisions of 

16 sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article for any fiscal year 

17 in which a declaration of war against a nation-state is in 

18 effect and in which a majority of the duly chosen and 

19 sworn Members of each House of Congress shall provide 

20 for a specific excess by a roll call vote. 

21 ‘‘SECTION 7. Congress may waive the provisions of 

22 sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article in any fiscal year 

23 in which the United States is engaged in a military conflict 

24 that causes an imminent and serious military threat to 

25 national security and is so declared by three-fifths of the 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
4 

•SJ 24 IS 

1 duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Con2 gress by a roll call vote. Such suspension must identify 

3 and be limited to the specific excess of outlays for that 

4 fiscal year made necessary by the identified military con5 flict. 

6 ‘‘SECTION 8. No court of the United States or of any 

7 State shall order any increase in revenue to enforce this 

8 article. 

9 ‘‘SECTION 9. Total receipts shall include all receipts 

10 of the United States Government except those derived 

11 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

12 the United States Government except those for repayment 

13 of debt principal. 

14 ‘‘SECTION 10. Congress shall have power to enforce 

15 and implement this article by appropriate legislation, 

16 which may rely on estimates of outlays, receipts, and gross 

17 domestic product. 

18 ‘‘SECTION 11. This article shall take effect beginning 

19 with the fifth fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’. 

Æ 


sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS