IIA 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 19 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States which 

requires (except during time of war and subject to suspension by Congress) that the total amount of money expended by the United States 

during any fiscal year not exceed the amount of certain revenue received 

by the United States during such fiscal year and not exceed 20 per 

centum of the gross national product of the United States during the 

previous calendar year. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

OCTOBER 1, 2007 

Mr. SHELBY 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 which requires (except during time of war and 

subject to suspension by Congress) that the total amount 

of money expended by the United States during any 

fiscal year not exceed the amount of certain revenue 

received by the United States during such fiscal year 

and not exceed 20 per centum of the gross national 

product of the United States during the previous calendar year. 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled (twoVerDate Aug 31 2005 22:13 Oct 02, 2007 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SJ19.IS SJ19

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•SJ 19 IS 

1 thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol2 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con3 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 

4 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 

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

6 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

7 by the Congress: 

8 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

9 ‘‘SECTION 1. The total amount of money expended 

10 by the United States in any fiscal year shall not exceed 

11 the total amount of revenue received by the United States 

12 during such fiscal year, except revenue received from the 

13 issuance of bonds, notes, or other obligations of the United 

14 States. 

15 ‘‘SECTION 2. The total amount of money expended 

16 by the United States in any fiscal year shall not exceed 

17 the amount equal to 20 per centum of the gross national 

18 product of the United States during the last calendar year 

19 ending before the beginning of such fiscal year. 

20 ‘‘SECTION 3. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article shall 

21 not apply during any fiscal year during any part of which 

22 the United States is at war as declared by Congress under 

23 section 8 of Article I of the Constitution. 

24 ‘‘SECTION 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article may 

25 be suspended by a concurrent resolution approved by a 


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1 three-fifths vote of the Members of each House of Con2 gress. Any suspension of sections 1 and 2 of this Article 

3 under this section shall be effective only during the fiscal 

4 year during which such suspension is approved. 

5 ‘‘SECTION 5. This Article shall take effect on the first 

6 day of the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the 

7 adoption of this Article. 

8 ‘‘SECTION 6. Congress shall have power to enforce 

9 this Article by appropriate legislation.’’. 

Æ 


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