IA

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 55

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United

States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 18, 1995

Mr. KLECZKA (for himself, Ms. FURSE, and Mr. DEUTSCH) 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:
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1 ‘‘ARTICLE—

2 ‘‘SECTION 1. Prior to each fiscal year, Congress shall,

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

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

5 receipts. Congress may, by law, amend that statement pro6 vided revised outlays are not greater than revised receipts.

7 Congress may provide in that statement for a specific ex8 cess of outlays over receipts by a vote directed solely to

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

10 each House agree to such excess. Congress and the Presi11 dent shall ensure that actual outlays do not exceed the

12 outlays set forth in such statement.

13 ‘‘SECTION 2. Prior to each fiscal year, the President

14 shall transmit to Congress a proposed statement of re15 ceipts and outlays for such fiscal year consistent with the

16 provisions of this Article.

17 ‘‘SECTION 3. Congress may waive the provisions of

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

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

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

21 an imminent and serious military threat to national secu22 rity and is so declared by a joint resolution, adopted by

23 a majority of the whole number of each House, which be24 comes law.
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1 ‘‘SECTION 4. Total receipts shall include all receipts

2 of the United States except those derived from borrowing

3 and total outlays shall include all outlays of the United

4 States except those for the repayment of debt principal.

5 Total receipts shall not include receipts (including attrib6 utable interest) of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors In7 surance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance

8 Trust Fund, or any successor funds, and total outlays

9 shall not include outlays for disbursements of the Federal

10 Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the

11 Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, or any succes12 sor funds.

13 ‘‘SECTION 5. The amount of the debt of the United

14 States held by the public as of the date this Article takes

15 effect shall become a permanent limit on such debt and

16 there shall be no increase in such amount unless three17 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall

18 have passed a bill approving such increase and such bill

19 has become law.

20 ‘‘SECTION 6. All votes taken by the House of Rep21 resentatives or the Senate under this Article shall be roll22 call votes.

23 ‘‘SECTION 7. Congress shall enforce and implement

24 this Article by appropriate legislation.
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1 ‘‘SECTION 8. This Article shall take effect for the fis2 cal year 2002 or for the second fiscal year beginning after

3 its ratification, whichever is later.’’.

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