IA 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 98 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 8, 2017 

Mr. RATCLIFFE submitted the following joint resolution; which was 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

3 (two-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 within seven years after the date of its submission 

9 for ratification: 


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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 ‘‘SEC. 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not 

8 exceed 18 percent of economic output of the United 

9 States, unless two-thirds of each House of Congress shall 

10 provide for a specific increase of outlays above this 

11 amount. 

12 ‘‘SEC. 3. The limit on the debt of the United States 

13 held by the public shall not be increased unless three14 fourths of the whole number of each House shall provide 

15 by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

16 ‘‘SEC. 4. Prior to each fiscal year, by not later than 

17 such date as Congress may by law require, the President 

18 shall transmit to Congress a proposed budget for the 

19 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

20 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. If the President 

21 fails to transmit to Congress a proposed budget which 

22 meets the requirements of the previous sentence by the 

23 date required by Congress, the President may not receive 

24 any compensation for his services for any month which 


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1 follows that date until the President transmits to Congress 

2 a proposed budget which meets such requirements. 

3 ‘‘SEC. 5. For each fiscal year, by not later than such 

4 date as Congress may by law require, Congress shall con5 sider and approve a budget for the United States Govern6 ment which meets the requirements of section 4 of this 

7 article. If Congress fails to approve a budget which meets 

8 such requirements by the date required by Congress, 

9 Members of Congress may not receive any compensation 

10 for their services for any month which follows that date 

11 until Congress approves a budget which meets such re12 quirements. 

13 ‘‘SEC. 6. A bill to increase revenue shall not become 

14 law unless two-thirds of the whole number of each House 

15 shall provide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

16 ‘‘SEC. 7. The Congress may waive the provisions of 

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

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

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

20 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

21 serious military threat to national security and is so de22 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

23 whole number of each House, which becomes law. Any 

24 such waiver must identify and be limited to the specific 


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1 excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by 

2 the identified military conflict. 

3 ‘‘SEC. 8. The Congress shall enforce and implement 

4 this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely on 

5 estimates of outlays and receipts. 

6 ‘‘SEC. 9. A court may not enter an order in any ac7 tion, including for purposes of enforcing this article, that 

8 results in an increase in the collection of revenue. 

9 ‘‘SEC. 10. Total receipts shall include all receipts of 

10 the United States Government except those derived from 

11 borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the 

12 United States Government except for those for repayment 

13 of debt principal. 

14 ‘‘SEC. 11. This article shall take effect beginning with 

15 the seventh fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’. 

Æ 


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