IA 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 73 

Proposing a spending limit amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 21, 2011 

Mr. AMASH (for himself, Mr. BENISHEK, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. CULBERSON, 

Mr. FLAKE, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. GIBSON, Mr. GOSAR, Mr. GOWDY, Mr. 

GRAVES of Georgia, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. LABRADOR, 

Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. MULVANEY, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. POMPEO, Mr. RIBBLE, 

Mr. SOUTHERLAND, Mr. WALSH of Illinois, and Mr. WOODALL) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing a spending limit 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 


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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 a year shall not exceed 

5 the average annual revenue collected in the three prior 

6 years, adjusted in proportion to changes in population and 

7 inflation. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the 

8 United States except those for payment of debt, and rev9 enue shall include all revenue of the United States except 

10 that derived from borrowing. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 2. Three-fourths of the whole number of 

12 each House of Congress may by roll call vote declare an 

13 emergency and provide by law for specific outlays in excess 

14 of the limit in section 1. The declaration shall specify rea15 sons for the emergency designation and shall limit the pe16 riod in which outlays may exceed the limit in section 1 

17 to no longer than one year. 

18 ‘‘SECTION 3. All revenue in excess of outlays shall 

19 reduce the debt of the United States. Upon the retirement 

20 of such debt, revenue in excess of outlays shall be held 

21 by the Treasury to be used as specified in section 2. 

22 ‘‘SECTION 4. The Congress shall have power to en23 force and implement this article by appropriate legislation. 

24 ‘‘SECTION 5. This article shall take effect in the first 

25 year beginning at least 90 days following ratification, exVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:36 Jul 22, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ73.IH HJ73

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1 cept that outlays shall not surpass the sum of the limit 

2 described in section 1 and the following portion of the 

3 prior year’s outlays exceeding that limit (excepting emer4 gency outlays as provided for in section 2): nine-tenths 

5 in the first year, eight-ninths in the second, seven-eighths 

6 in the third, six-sevenths in the fourth, five-sixths in the 

7 fifth, four-fifths in the sixth, three-fourths in the seventh, 

8 two-thirds in the eighth, one-half in the ninth, and the 

9 limit shall bind in the tenth year and thereafter.’’. 

Æ 


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