IIA 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 3 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative 

to balancing the budget. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JANUARY 26, 2011 

Mr. HATCH (for himself, Mr. CORNYN, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. INHOFE, Mr. MCCAIN, 

Mr. GRASSLEY, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. LUGAR, Mr. BURR, Ms. SNOWE, Mr. 

ENSIGN, Mr. ISAKSON, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. JOHANNS, Mr. CHAMBLISS, 

Ms. AYOTTE, Mr. PORTMAN, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. HOEVEN, and Mr. KIRK) 

introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States relative to balancing the budget. 

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 

8 States: 


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1 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

3 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two4 thirds of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each 

5 House of Congress shall provide by law for a specific ex6 cess of outlays over receipts by a rollcall vote. 

7 ‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year may 

8 not exceed 20 percent of the gross domestic product of 

9 the United States for the calendar year ending before the 

10 beginning of such fiscal year, unless two-thirds of the duly 

11 chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress 

12 shall provide by law for a specific amount in excess of such 

13 20 percent by a rollcall vote. 

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

15 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

16 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

17 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

18 ‘‘SECTION 4. No bill to increase Federal taxes shall 

19 become law unless approved by two-thirds of the duly cho20 sen and sworn Members of each House of Congress by 

21 a rollcall vote. 

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

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

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

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


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1 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

2 serious military threat to national security and is so de3 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

4 duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Con5 gress, which becomes law. 

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

8 on estimates of outlays, receipts, and gross domestic prod9 uct. 

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

11 of the United States Government except those derived 

12 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

13 the United States Government except for those for repay14 ment of debt principal. 

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

16 with the fourth fiscal year beginning after its ratifica17 tion.’’. 

Æ 


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