IA

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 1

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United

States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 4, 1995

Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mr. HYDE, Mr. TATE, and Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas

(for themselves, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. ARMEY, Mr. MICA, Mr. BACHUS, Mr.

BAKER of California, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BARR, Mr. BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BLUTE, Mr.

BONILLA, Mr. BONO, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky, Mr.

BURR, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CANADY,

Mr. CASTLE, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CHRYSLER, Mr.

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

Mr. CRANE, Mr. CREMEANS, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Ms.

DANNER, Mr. DORNAN, Mr. DUNCAN, Ms. DUNN, Mr. EMERSON, Mr.

ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. EVERETT, Mr. EWING, Mr.

FAWELL, Mr. FLANAGAN, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. FORBES, Mrs. FOWLER, Mr.

FOX, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. FRISA, Mr. GANSKE, Mr. GEKAS, Mr.

GILCHREST, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. GOODLING, Mr. GOSS,

Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. HANCOCK, Mr. HASTERT, Mr.

HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr. HEINEMAN, Mr.

HERGER, Mr. HILLEARY, Mr. HOBSON, Mr. HORN, Mr. HOUGHTON, Mr.

HUNTER, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. ISTOOK,

Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mr. KIM, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr.

KNOLLENBERG, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LARGENT, Mr. LATHAM, Mr.

LATOURETTE, Mr. LEACH, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. LIGHTFOOT,

Mr. LINDER, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCCRERY, Ms. MOLINARI, Mrs. MEYERS of Kansas, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. MOORHEAD, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr.

NUSSLE, Mr. OXLEY, Mr. PACKARD, Mr. POMBO, Mr. PORTMAN, Ms.

PRYCE, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. QUILLEN, Mr. QUINN, Mr. RIGGS, Mr.

ROTH, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SANFORD, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. SCHAEFER, Mr.

SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. SHAW, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. SMITH of
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New Jersey, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. SMITH of Michigan, Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. SPENCE, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TALENT, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr. THORNBERRY,

Mr. TIAHRT, Mrs. WALDHOLTZ, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mr. WELLER, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. WICKER, Mr. ZIMMER, Mr.

CRAPO, Mr. KOLBE, Mr. PAXON, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, Mr. COBLE, and

Mr. EHRLICH) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution

of the United States.

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. Prior to each fiscal year, Congress shall,

12 by law, adopt a statement of receipts and outlays for such

13 fiscal year in which total outlays are not greater than total

14 receipts. Congress may, by law, amend that statement pro15 vided revised outlays are not greater than revised receipts.

16 Congress may provide in that statement for a specific ex-
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1 cess of outlays over receipts by a vote directed solely to

2 that subject in which three-fifths of the whole number of

3 each House agree to such excess. Congress and the Presi4 dent shall ensure that actual outlays do not exceed the

5 outlays set forth in such statement.

6 ‘‘SECTION 2. No bill to increase receipts shall become

7 law unless approved by a three-fifths majority of the whole

8 number of each House of Congress.

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

10 shall transmit to Congress a proposed statement of re11 ceipts and outlays for such fiscal year consistent with the

12 provisions of this Article.

13 ‘‘SECTION 4. Congress may waive the provisions of

14 this Article for any fiscal year in which a declaration of

15 war is in effect. The provisions of this Article may be

16 waived for any fiscal year in which the United States faces

17 an imminent and serious military threat to national secu18 rity and is so declared by a joint resolution, adopted by

19 a majority of the whole number of each House, which be20 comes law.

21 ‘‘SECTION 5. Total receipts shall include all receipts

22 of the United States except those derived from borrowing

23 and total outlays shall include all outlays of the United

24 States except those for the repayment of debt principal.
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1 ‘‘SECTION 6. The amount of Federal public debt as

2 of the first day of the second fiscal year beginning after

3 the ratification of this Article shall become a permanent

4 limit on such debt and there shall be no increase in such

5 amount unless three-fifths of the whole number of each

6 House of Congress shall have passed a bill approving such

7 increase and such bill has become law.

8 ‘‘SECTION 7. All votes taken by the House of Rep9 resentatives or the Senate under this Article shall be roll10 call votes.

11 ‘‘SECTION 8. Congress shall enforce and implement

12 this Article by appropriate legislation.

13 ‘‘SECTION 9. This Article shall take effect for the fis14 cal year 2002 or for the second fiscal year beginning after

15 its ratification, whichever is later.’’.

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