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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 8

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring

the submission of balanced Federal funds budgets by the President

and action by the Congress to provide revenues to offset Federal funds

deficits.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 5, 1993

Mr. ARCHER introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to

the Committee on the Judiciary

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United

States requiring the submission of balanced Federal

funds budgets by the President and action by the Congress to provide revenues to offset Federal funds deficits.

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 hereby proposed as an amendment to the

5 Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to

6 all 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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1 ‘‘ARTICLE—

2 ‘‘SECTION 1. (a) On or before the fifteenth day after

3 the beginning of each regular session of the Congress, the

4 President shall transmit to the Congress a budget which

5 shall set forth separately—

6 ‘‘(1) his estimate of the receipts of the Govern7 ment, other than receipts of trust funds, during the

8 ensuing fiscal year under the laws then existing, and

9 his recommendations with respect to expenditures to

10 be made by the Government, other than expendi11 tures from trust funds, during such ensuing fiscal

12 year, which shall not exceed his estimate of such re13 ceipts; and

14 ‘‘(2) his estimate of the receipts of Government

15 trust funds during such ensuing fiscal year under

16 the laws then existing, and his estimate and rec17 ommendations with respect to expenditures from

18 such trust funds during such ensuing fiscal year.

19 The President may, from time to time, transmit revisions

20 of his estimates of the receipts referred to in paragraphs

21 (1) and (2) and revisions of his estimates and rec22 ommendations with respect to expenditures referred to in

23 paragraphs (1) and (2), and shall include any necessary

24 revision with respect to expenditures referred to in para25 graph (1) so that his recommendations with respect to
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1 such expenditures do not exceed his estimate of the re2 ceipts referred to in paragraph (1).

3 ‘‘(b) In transmitting the budget for any fiscal year,

4 the President may recommend measures for raising addi5 tional revenues and measures for the expenditure of all

6 or part of such additional revenues.

7 ‘‘SECTION 2. On or before the last day of the second

8 month following the close of each fiscal year, the President

9 shall report to the Congress the actual amount of receipts

10 and expenditures of the Government during such fiscal

11 year, other than receipts and expenditures of trust funds.

12 ‘‘SECTION 3. (a) If, for the period of two consecutive

13 fiscal years, beginning with the first fiscal year for which

14 the report required by section 2 is made to the Congress,

15 or for any period of two consecutive fiscal years thereafter

16 following the close of the preceding two-fiscal-year period,

17 the aggregate expenditures by the Government, other than

18 expenditures from trust funds, exceed the aggregate re19 ceipts of the Government, other than receipts of trust

20 funds, neither the House of Representatives nor the Sen21 ate shall, after receiving the report under section 2 for

22 the second of such fiscal years, have power to pass any

23 bill or other measure appropriating any moneys out of the

24 general fund of the Treasury until such time as provisions

25 of law have come into effect which will provide additional
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1 revenue, within a period of not more than twelve months

2 thereafter, in an amount not less than the amount by

3 which such expenditures exceeded such receipts.

4 ‘‘(b) During a war or other national emergency the

5 provisions of subsection (a), and of so much of section 1

6 as requires the President to submit a budget in which rec7 ommended expenditures do not exceed estimated receipts,

8 shall not apply with respect to any period if—

9 ‘‘(1) the President recommends to the Congress

10 the suspension of such provisions with respect to

11 such period, and

12 ‘‘(2) the Congress by a two-thirds vote of each

13 House agrees to a resolution suspending such provi14 sions with respect to such period.

15 ‘‘SECTION 4. Section 1 of this article shall take effect

16 on the first day of the first calendar year which begins

17 after the ratification of this article. Sections 2 and 3 of

18 this article shall apply with respect to fiscal years com19 mencing after such first day.

20 ‘‘SECTION 5. This article shall be inoperative unless

21 it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Con22 stitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several

23 States within seven years from the date of its submission

24 to the States by the Congress.’’.

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