IA 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 3 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2021 

Mr. CHABOT (for himself, Mr. AMODEI, Mr. HIGGINS of Louisiana, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. TIMMONS, Mr. STEUBE, Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania, Mr. RICE

of South Carolina, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. HILL, Mr. WEBER of Texas, Mr. 

DUNN, Mr. GARCIA of California, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. EMMER, Mr. ALLEN, 

Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mrs. LESKO, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, and Mr. 

BAIRD) 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 (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 


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1 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

2 for ratification: 

3 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

5 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three6 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 

7 provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over receipts 

8 by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

11 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro12 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

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

14 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

15 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

16 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

17 ‘‘SECTION 4. No bill to increase revenue shall become 

18 law unless approved by a majority of the whole number 

19 of each House by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

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

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

24 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

25 serious military threat to national security and is so deVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:47 Jan 05, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ3.IH HJ3

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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. Any 

3 such waiver must identify and be limited to the specific 

4 excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by 

5 the identified military conflict. 

6 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress shall enforce and imple7 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

8 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

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

10 of the United States Government except those derived 

11 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

12 the United States Government except for those for repay13 ment of debt principal. 

14 ‘‘SECTION 8. This article shall take effect beginning 

15 with the fifth fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’. 

Æ 


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