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104TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION S. 519

To require the Government to balance the Federal budget.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

MARCH 9 (legislative day, MARCH 6), 1995

Mr. DASCHLE (for himself, Mr. EXON, Mr. FORD, Mr. CONRAD, Mr. DORGAN,

Mr. KOHL, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. BUMPERS, Mr. ROBB, Mr. KERRY, Mr.

FEINGOLD, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. REID, Mr. HOLLINGS, Mrs. BOXER, Mr.

LEVIN, Mr. PRYOR, and Mr. BIDEN) introduced the following bill; which

was read twice and referred jointly pursuant to the order of August 4,

1977, to the Committees on the Budget and Governmental Affairs, with

instructions that if one committee reports, the other committee have thirty days to report or be discharged

A BILL

To require the Government to balance the Federal budget.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Balanced Budget Act

5 of 1995’’.

6 SEC. 2. ENFORCEMENT OF A BALANCED BUDGET.

7 (a) PURPOSE.—The Congress declares it essential

8 that the Congress—
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1 (1) require that the Government balance the

2 Federal budget without counting the surpluses of

3 the Social Security trust funds;

4 (2) set forth with specificity in the first session

5 of the 104th Congress the policies that achieving

6 such a balanced budget would require; and

7 (3) enforce through the congressional budget

8 process the requirement to achieve a balanced Fed9 eral budget.

10 (b) POINT OF ORDER AGAINST BUDGET RESOLU11 TIONS THAT FAIL TO SET FORTH A GLIDE PATH TO A

12 BALANCED BUDGET.—Section 301 of the Congressional

13 Budget Act of 1974 is amended by inserting at the end

14 thereof the following new subsection:

15 ‘‘(j) CONGRESSIONAL ENFORCEMENT OF A BAL16 ANCED BUDGET.—

17 ‘‘(1) POINT OF ORDER.—It shall not be in

18 order to consider any concurrent resolution on the

19 budget (or amendment, motion, or conference report

20 thereon) unless that resolution—

21 ‘‘(A) sets forth a fiscal year (by 2002 or

22 the earliest possible fiscal year) in which, for

23 the budget as defined by section 13301 of the

24 Budget Enforcement Act of 1990 (excluding

25 the receipts and disbursements of the Federal
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1 Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund

2 and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust

3 Fund), the level of outlays for that fiscal year

4 or any subsequent fiscal year does not exceed

5 the level of revenues for that fiscal year;

6 ‘‘(B) sets forth appropriate levels for all

7 items described in subsection (a)(1) through (7)

8 for all fiscal years through and including the

9 fiscal year described in paragraph (A); and

10 ‘‘(C) includes specific reconciliation in11 structions under section 310 to carry out any

12 assumption of either—

13 ‘‘(i) reductions in direct spending, or

14 ‘‘(ii) increases in revenues.

15 ‘‘(3) NO AMENDMENT WITHOUT THREE-FIFTHS

16 VOTE IN THE SENATE.—It shall not be in order in

17 the Senate or the House of Representatives to con18 sider any bill, resolution, amendment, motion, or

19 conference report that would amend or otherwise su20 persede this section.’’.

21 (c) REQUIREMENT FOR 60 VOTES TO WAIVE OR AP22 PEAL IN THE SENATE.—Section 904 of the Congressional

23 Budget Act of 1974 is amended by inserting ‘‘301(j),’’

24 after ‘‘301(i),’’ in both places that it appears.
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1 (d) SUSPENSION IN THE EVENT OF WAR OR CON2 GRESSIONALLY-DECLARED LOW GROWTH.—Section

3 258(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit

4 Control Act of 1985 is amended by inserting ‘‘301(j),’’

5 after ‘‘sections’’.

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