IA 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 2 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 5, 2011 

Mr. GOODLATTE (for himself, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. 

COFFMAN of Colorado, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. AKIN, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mrs. 

BACHMANN, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BARTON of Texas, Mrs. BIGGERT, Mr. 

BILBRAY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mr. BONNER, Mr. 

BOREN, Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. BROOKS, Mr. BROUN

of Georgia, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. 

CAMPBELL, Mr. CARTER, Mr. CASSIDY, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. COBLE, Mr. 

COLE, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. DAVIS of 

Kentucky, Mr. DENT, Mr. DIAZ-BALART, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, 

Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. FLEMING, Mr. FLORES, Mr. FORBES, Mr. 

FORTENBERRY, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. GARDNER, 

Mr. GARRETT, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. GRIFFITH of Virginia, 

Mr. HALL, Mr. HARPER, Mr. HELLER, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HULTGREN, 

Mr. HURT, Mr. ISSA, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. KING of Iowa, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. LANCE, Mr. 

LATTA, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mrs. LUMMIS, 

Mr. DANIEL E. LUNGREN of California, Mr. MACK, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. 

MARINO, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. 

MCHENRY, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MCKINLEY, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, 

Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. MURPHY of 

Pennsylvania, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. 

OLSON, Mr. PENCE, Mr. PETERSON, Mr. PLATTS, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. 

POSEY, Mr. PRICE of Georgia, Mr. REED, Mr. REHBERG, Mr. REICHERT, 

Mr. RIBBLE, Mr. RIGELL, Mrs. ROBY, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. ROSKAM, Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. ROSS of Florida, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SCALISE, Mr. SCHILLING, Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of 

Georgia, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. SHUSTER, Mr. SIMPSON, Mr. SMITH of Nebraska, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. 

THOMPSON of Pennsylvania, Mr. TURNER, Mr. UPTON, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. WOLF, Mr. 

YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California, Mr. MEEHAN, 

Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. GRAVES of Missouri, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. PITTS, 


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Mr. POMPEO, Mr. SCHOCK, Ms. GRANGER, Mr. WALDEN, Mr. CUELLAR, 

Mr. BARTLETT, and Mr. CHABOT) introduced 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 

8 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

9 for ratification: 

10 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

12 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three13 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 

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

15 by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

18 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro19 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 


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

2 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

3 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

4 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

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

6 law unless approved by a majority of the whole number 

7 of each House by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

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

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

12 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

13 serious military threat to national security and is so de14 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

15 whole number of each House, which becomes law. 

16 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress shall enforce and imple17 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

18 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

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

20 of the United States Government except those derived 

21 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

22 the United States Government except for those for repay23 ment of debt principal. 

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

25 with the later of the second fiscal year beginning after its 


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1 ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after Decem2 ber 31, 2016.’’. 

Æ 


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