IA 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. J. RES. 116 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States which 

requires (except during time of war and subject to suspension by Congress) that the total amount of money expended by the United States 

during any fiscal year not exceed the amount of certain revenue received 

by the United States during such fiscal year and not exceed 20 percent 

of the gross domestic product of the United States during the previous 

calendar year. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2012 

Mrs. ROBY 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 which requires (except during time of war and 

subject to suspension by Congress) that the total amount 

of money expended by the United States during any 

fiscal year not exceed the amount of certain revenue 

received by the United States during such fiscal year 

and not exceed 20 percent of the gross domestic product 

of the United States during the previous calendar 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 folVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:16 Jul 26, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ116.IH HJ116

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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 by the Congress: 

7 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

8 ‘‘SECTION 1. The total amount of money expended 

9 by the United States in any fiscal year shall not exceed 

10 the total amount of revenue received by the United States 

11 during such fiscal year, except revenue received from the 

12 issuance of bonds, notes, or other obligations of the United 

13 States. 

14 ‘‘SECTION 2. The total amount of money expended 

15 by the United States in any fiscal year shall not exceed 

16 the amount equal to 20 percent of the gross domestic 

17 product of the United States during the last calendar year 

18 ending before the beginning of such fiscal year. 

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

20 shall transmit to Congress a proposed budget for the 

21 United States for that fiscal year in which total outlays 

22 of the United States do not exceed total revenue received 

23 by the United States. 

24 ‘‘SECTION 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article shall 

25 not apply during any fiscal year during any part of which 


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1 the United States is at war as declared by Congress under 

2 section 8 of article I of the Constitution. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 5. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article may 

4 be suspended by a concurrent resolution approved by a 

5 three-fifths vote of the Members of the Senate and a two6 thirds vote of the Members of the House of Representa7 tives. Any suspension of sections 1 and 2 of this Article 

8 under this section shall be effective only during the fiscal 

9 year during which such suspension is approved. 

10 ‘‘SECTION 6. Congress shall have power to enforce 

11 this Article by appropriate legislation. 

12 ‘‘SECTION 7. This Article shall take effect on the first 

13 day of the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the 

14 adoption of this Article.’’. 

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