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House Calendar No. 49 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 1 

[Report No. 112–117] 

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. KINGSTON, Mr. SMITH

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

BACHMANN, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. BRADY of Texas, Mr. 

BROOKS, Mr. BROUN of Georgia, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, 

Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. CARTER, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. 

CRAWFORD, Mr. DENT, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. 

FLEMING, Mr. FORBES, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. 

GARDNER, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. GRIFFITH of Virginia, Mr. HALL, Mr. 

HERGER, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. HURT, Mr. ISSA, Mr. JORDAN, Mr. KING

of Iowa, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. LANCE, Mr. LATTA, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, 

Mr. MACK, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MCCAUL, Mr. MCCLINTOCK, Mr. 

MCHENRY, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mrs. 

MILLER of Michigan, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUGEBAUER, Mr. NUGENT, 

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

Mr. REHBERG, Mr. RIGELL, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky, Mr. ROSKAM, Mr. ROSS of Florida, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SCALISE, Mr. 

SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mr. THOMPSON of 

Pennsylvania, Mr. UPTON, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. WILSON of South 

Carolina, Mr. WITTMAN, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, Ms. FOXX, Mr. RIBBLE, 

Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. FARENTHOLD, Mr. GRAVES of Missouri, Mr. 

PEARCE, Mr. PITTS, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. BARTLETT, Mr. GARRETT, and 

Mr. CHABOT) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JUNE 23, 2011 

Additional sponsors: Ms. HAYWORTH, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. HUIZENGA of 

Michigan, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. LANDRY, Mr. CULBERSON, Mr. DUNCAN

of South Carolina, Mr. GINGREY of Georgia, Mr. HARRIS, Mr. 


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HUELSKAMP, Mr. KLINE, Mr. WEST, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. FINCHER, 

Mr. GIBBS, Mr. GOWDY, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. SOUTHERLAND, Mr. 

STUTZMAN, Mrs. SCHMIDT, Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. SCHWEIKERT, Mr. 

MULVANEY, Mr. DESJARLAIS, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. CAMP, Mr. DENHAM, 

Mr. FLAKE, Mr. GRAVES of Georgia, Mr. NUNNELEE, Mr. TERRY, Mr. 

ROKITA, Mr. GUINTA, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. JOHNSON of Ohio, Mr. 

BENISHEK, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. TIPTON, Ms. BUERKLE, Mrs. 

ADAMS, Mr. CRAVAACK, Mr. HELLER, Mr. LABRADOR, Mr. SCOTT of 

South Carolina, Mr. FLORES, Mr. DAVIS of Kentucky, Mr. YOUNG of Indiana, Mr. GRIFFIN of Arkansas, and Mr. COBLE

JUNE 23, 2011 

Reported with an amendment, referred to the House Calendar, and ordered 

to be printed 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

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 


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

2 by a rollcall vote. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 

4 not exceed one-fifth of economic output of the United 

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

6 provide for a specific increase of outlays above this 

7 amount. 

8 ‘‘SECTION 3. The limit on the debt of the United 

9 States held by the public shall not be increased unless 

10 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro11 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

12 ‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 

13 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

14 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

15 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

16 ‘‘SECTION 5. A bill to increase revenue shall not be17 come law unless three-fifths of the whole number of each 

18 House shall provide by law for such an increase by a roll19 call vote. 

20 ‘‘SECTION 6. 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 Mar 15 2010 23:26 Jun 23, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6401 E:\BILLS\HJ1.RH HJ1

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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. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall enforce and imple4 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

5 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

6 ‘‘SECTION 8. Total receipts shall include all receipts 

7 of the United States Government except those derived 

8 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

9 the United States Government except for those for repay10 ment of debt principal. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 9. This article shall take effect beginning 

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

13 ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after Decem14 ber 31, 2016.’’. 

15 That the following article is proposed as an amendment to 

16 the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid 

17 to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 

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

19 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

20 for ratification: 

21 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

23 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three24 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 


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

2 by a rollcall vote. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 

4 not exceed 18 percent of economic output of the United 

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

6 provide for a specific increase of outlays above this amount. 

7 ‘‘SECTION 3. The limit on the debt of the United States 

8 held by the public shall not be increased unless three-fifths 

9 of the whole number of each House shall provide by law 

10 for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 

12 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

13 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

14 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

15 ‘‘SECTION 5. A bill to increase revenue shall not become 

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

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

18 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress may waive the provisions 

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

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

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

22 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

23 serious military threat to national security and is so de24 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

25 whole number of each House, which becomes law. 


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1 ‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall enforce and implement 

2 this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely on 

3 estimates of outlays and receipts. 

4 ‘‘SECTION 8. Total receipts shall include all receipts 

5 of the United States Government except those derived from 

6 borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the 

7 United States Government except for those for repayment 

8 of debt principal. 

9 ‘‘SECTION 9. This article shall take effect beginning 

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

11 ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after December 

12 31, 2016.’’. 


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House Calendar No. 49 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 1 

[Report No. 112–117] 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the 

Constitution of the United States. 

JUNE 23, 2011 

Reported with an amendment, referred to the House 

Calendar, and ordered to be printed 


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