IIA 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 24 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 13, 2007 

Mr. GRAHAM (for himself and Mr. DEMINT) introduced the following joint 

resolution; which was read twice and 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 (two3 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: 


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•SJ 24 IS 

1 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

3 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two4 thirds of the whole number of each House of Congress 

5 shall provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over 

6 receipts by a rollcall vote. 

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

8 States held by the public shall not be increased, unless 

9 two-thirds of the whole number of each House shall pro10 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

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

12 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

13 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

14 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

15 ‘‘SECTION 4. A bill to increase the internal revenue 

16 shall require for final adoption in each House the concur17 rence of two-thirds of the whole number of that House 

18 by rollcall vote. 

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

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

21 of war is in effect. The provisions of this article may be 

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

23 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

24 serious military threat to national security and is so deVerDate Aug 31 2005 01:43 Nov 15, 2007 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SJ24.IS SJ24

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1 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

2 whole number of each House, which becomes law. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress shall enforce and imple4 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

5 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

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

7 of the United States Government except those derived 

8 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

9 the United States Government except for those for repay10 ment of debt principal. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 8. The provisions of this article respecting 

12 the internal revenue shall take effect upon the date of rati13 fication of this article. The remaining provisions of this 

14 article shall take effect beginning with the later of the sec15 ond fiscal year beginning after its ratification or the first 

16 fiscal year beginning after December 31, 2012.’’. 

Æ 


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