IA

104TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 159

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require

two-thirds majorities for bills increasing taxes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 1, 1996

Mr. BARTON of Texas (for himself, Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas, Mr.

SHADEGG, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. ARMEY, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BAKER of California, Mr. BAKER

of Louisiana, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BARR of Georgia, Mr. BARRETT of

Nebraska, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr.

BONILLA, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee, Mr. BUNN of Oregon, Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky, Mr. BURR, Mr. BURTON of Indiana,

Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. CHAMBLISS,

Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CHRYSLER, Mr. COBLE, Mr.

COBURN, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. COOLEY, Mr. COX

of California, Mr. CRANE, Mr. CREMEANS, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr.

CUNNINGHAM, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr.

DORNAN, Mr. DUNCAN, Ms. DUNN of Washington, Mr. EMERSON, Mr.

ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. FORBES, Mrs.

FOWLER, Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey, Mr.

FRANKS of Connecticut, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. FRISA, Mr.

FUNDERBURK, Mr. GANSKE, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GOODLING, Mr. GOSS,

Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. HANCOCK, Mr.

HANSEN, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. HAYES, Mr.

HAYWORTH, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HEINEMAN, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILLEARY,

Mr. HORN, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mrs. KELLY,

Mr. KING, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. KLUG, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. KOLBE,

Mr. LARGENT, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. LAUGHLIN, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky,

Mr. LIGHTFOOT, Mr. LINDER, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LUCAS, Mr.

MANZULLO, Mr. MARTINI, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr.

MCHUGH, Mr. MCINNIS, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. METCALF,

Mr. MICA, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr.

NEY, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. PACKARD, Mr. PARKER, Mr. PAXON, Mr.

QUILLEN, Mr. QUINN, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. RIGGS, Mr.

ROBERTS, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SALMON, Mr. SANFORD,

Mr. SCARBOROUGH, Mr. SCHAEFER, Mrs. SEASTRAND, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SKEEN, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mrs. SMITH of Washington,
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Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. SPENCE, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TALENT, Mr. TATE, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TAYLOR of

North Carolina, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. TORKILDSEN, Mr.

UPTON, Mrs. WALDHOLTZ, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr.

WELDON of Florida, Mr. WELDON of Pennyslvania, Mr. WELLER, Mr.

WICKER, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, and Mr. ZELIFF) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United

States to require two-thirds majorities for bills increasing

taxes.

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled

3 (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol4 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con5 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all

6 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when

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

8 States within seven years after the date of its submission

9 for ratification:

10 ‘‘ARTICLE —

11 ‘‘SECTION 1. Any bill to levy a new tax or increase

12 the rate or base of any tax may pass only by a two-thirds

13 majority of the whole number of each House of Congress.

14 ‘‘SECTION 2. The Congress may waive section 1 when

15 a declaration of war is in effect. The Congress may also
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1 waive section 1 when the United States is engaged in mili2 tary conflict which causes an imminent and serious threat

3 to national security and is so declared by a joint resolu4 tion, adopted by a majority of the whole number of each

5 House, which becomes law. Any provision of law which

6 would, standing alone, be subject to section 1 but for this

7 section and which becomes law pursuant to such a waiver

8 shall be effective for not longer than 2 years.

9 ‘‘SECTION 3. All votes taken by the House of Rep10 resentatives or the Senate under this article shall be deter11 mined by yeas and nays and the names of persons voting

12 for and against shall be entered on the Journal of each

13 House respectively.’’.

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