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103D CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 61

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to provide

that expenditures for a fiscal year shall neither exceed revenues for

such fiscal year nor 19 per centum of the Nation’s gross national product

for the last calendar year ending before the beginning of such fiscal

year.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JANUARY 6, 1993

Mr. KYL (for himself and Mr. MCCRERY) 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 to provide that expenditures for a fiscal year

shall neither exceed revenues for such fiscal year nor

19 per centum of the Nation’s gross national product

for the last calendar year ending before the beginning

of such fiscal year.

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 fol-
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1 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con2 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all

3 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when

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

5 States within seven years after the date of its submission

6 for ratification:

7 ‘‘ARTICLE—

8 ‘‘SECTION 1. Except as provided in this article, out9 lays of the United States Government for any fiscal year

10 may not exceed its receipts for that fiscal year.

11 ‘‘SECTION 2. Expect as provided in this article, the

12 outlays of the United States Government for a fiscal year

13 may not exceed 19 per centum of the Nation’s gross na14 tional product for that fiscal year.

15 ‘‘SECTION 3. The Congress may, by law, provide for

16 suspension of the effect of sections 1 or 2 of this article

17 for any fiscal year for which three-fifths of the whole num18 ber of each House shall provide, by a rollcall vote, for a

19 specific excess of outlays over receipts or over 19 per cen20 tum of the Nation’s gross national product.

21 ‘‘SECTION 4. Total receipts shall include all receipts

22 of the United States except those derived from borrowing

23 and total outlays shall include all outlays of the United

24 States except those for the repayment of debt principal.
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1 ‘‘SECTION 5. The President shall have power, when

2 any bill, including any vote, resolution, or order, which

3 contains any item of spending authority, is presented to

4 him pursuant to section 7 of article I of this Constitution,

5 to separately approve, reduce, or disapprove any spending

6 provision, or part of any spending provision, contained

7 therein.

8 ‘‘When the President exercises this power, he shall

9 signify in writing such portions of the bill he has approved

10 and which portions he has reduced. These portions, to the

11 extent not reduced, shall then become a law. The Presi12 dent shall return with his objections any disapproved or

13 reduced portions of a bill to the House in which the bill

14 originated. The Congress shall separately reconsider each

15 such returned portion of the bill in the manner prescribed

16 for disapproved bills in section 7 of article I of this Con17 stitution. Any portion of a bill which shall not have been

18 returned or approved by the President within ten days

19 (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to

20 him shall become a law, unless the Congress by their ad21 journment prevent its return, in which case it shall not

22 become a law.

23 ‘‘SECTION 6. Items of spending authority are those

24 portions of a bill that appropriate money from the Treas25 ury or that otherwise authorize or limit the withdrawal
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1 or obligation of money from the Treasury. Such items

2 shall include, without being limited to, items of appropria3 tions, spending authorizations, authority to borrow money

4 on the credit of the United States or otherwise, dedica5 tions of revenues, entitlements, uses of assets, insurance,

6 guarantees of borrowing, and any authority to incur obli7 gations.

8 ‘‘SECTION 7. Sections 1, 2, 3, and 4 of this article

9 shall apply to the third fiscal year beginning after its rati10 fication and to subsequent fiscal years, but not to fiscal

11 years beginning before October 1, 1997. Sections 5 and

12 6 of this article shall take effect upon ratification of this

13 article.’’.

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