IA

104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 28

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget

for the United States Government and for greater accountability in

the enactment of tax legislation.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 4, 1995

Mr. STENHOLM (for himself, Mr. SCHAEFER, Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts,

Ms. DUNN of Washington, Mr. PAYNE of Virginia, Mr. CASTLE, Mr.

DEAL of Georgia, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. BAESLER, Mr. BARCIA, Mr.

BARRETT of Nebraska, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr.

BEVILL, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BISHOP, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. BLUTE, Mr.

BONILLA, Mr. BREWSTER, Mr. BROWDER, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr.

BRYANT of Texas, Mr. BUNN of Oregon, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr.

CALLAHAN, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CHAPMAN, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr.

COBURN, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. CONDIT, Mr. COSTELLO, Mr.

CRAMER, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Ms. DANNER, Mr. DEFAZIO,

Mr. DE LA GARZA, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DOOLEY, Mr.

DOOLITTLE, Mr. DOYLE, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. EMERSON,

Mr. FOLEY, Mrs. FOWLER, Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, Mr. FRANKS of

New Jersey, Mr. FRANKS of Connecticut, Mr. FROST, Mr. GALLEGLY,

Mr. GANSKE, Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. GILCHREST,

Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. GOODLING, Mr. GORDON, Mr.

GREENWOOD, Mr. GUNDERSON, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. HANSEN, Ms.

HARMAN, Mr. HAYES, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HEFNER, Mr. HEINEMAN, Mr.

HOEKSTRA, Mr. HORN, Mr. HOUGHTON, Mr. HOYER, Mr. INGLIS of

South Carolina, Mr. JACOBS, Mr. JOHNSON of South Dakota, Mr. JOHNSTON of Florida, Mr. KIM, Mr. KLUG, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mrs. LINCOLN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. LAUGHLIN, Mr. LAZIO, Mr. LIGHTFOOT, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MARTINEZ, Ms. MCCARTHY, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCHALE, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MEEHAN, Mrs.

MEYERS of Kansas, Mr. MINGE, Ms. MOLINARI, Mr. MONTGOMERY, Mr.

MOORHEAD, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PARKER, Mr. PAXON, Mr.

PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. PETERSON of Florida, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr.

POSHARD, Ms. PRYCE, Mr. QUILLEN, Mr. QUINN, Mr. REGULA, Mr.

ROBERTS, Mr. ROEMER, Mr. ROSE, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Mr. ROYCE, Mr.

SANFORD, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SISISKY, Mr. SKELTON, Mr.

SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. SPRATT, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TANNER, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TAYLOR of Mississippi, Mr. TORRICELLI, Mr.
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TORKILDSEN, Mr. VOLKMER, Mrs. VUCANOVICH, Mr. WALSH, Mr. WILSON, Mr. YOUNG of Florida, and Mr. ANDREWS) introduced the following

joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for

a balanced budget for the United States Government

and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax

legislation.

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 to the States for ratification:

10 ‘‘ARTICLE—

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

12 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three13 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall

14 provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over receipts

15 by a rollcall vote.

16 ‘‘SECTION 2. The limit on the debt of the United

17 States held by the public shall not be increased, unless
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1 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro2 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote.

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

4 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the

5 United States Government for that fiscal year, in which

6 total outlays do not exceed total receipts.

7 ‘‘SECTION 4. No bill to increase revenue shall become

8 law unless approved by a majority of the whole number

9 of each House by a rollcall vote.

10 ‘‘SECTION 5. The Congress may waive the provisions

11 of this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration

12 of was is in effect. The provisions of this article may be

13 waived for any fiscal year in which the United States is

14 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and

15 serious military threat to national security and is so de16 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the

17 whole number of each House, which becomes law.

18 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress shall enforce and imple19 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely

20 on estimates of outlays and receipts.

21 ‘‘SECTION 7. Total receipts shall include all receipts

22 of the United States Government except those derived

23 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of

24 the United States Government except for those for repay25 ment of debt principal.
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1 ‘‘SECTION 8. This article shall take effect beginning

2 with fiscal year 2002 or with the second fiscal year begin3 ning after its ratification, whichever is later.’’.

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