IIA 

112TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 4 

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 national product of the United States during the previous 

calendar year. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 1, 2011 

Mr. SHELBY (for himself, Mr. ROBERTS, Mr. BOOZMAN, and Mr. UDALL of 

Colorado) 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 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 national 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 (two3 thirds of each House concurring therein), That the folVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:03 Feb 02, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SJ4.IS SJ4

jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
2 

•SJ 4 IS 

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 national prod17 uct of the United States during the last calendar year end18 ing before the beginning of such fiscal year. 

19 ‘‘SECTION 3. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article shall 

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

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

22 section 8 of Article I of the Constitution. 

23 ‘‘SECTION 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article may 

24 be suspended by a concurrent resolution approved by a 

25 three-fifths vote of the Members of each House of ConVerDate Mar 15 2010 00:03 Feb 02, 2011 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SJ4.IS SJ4

jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS
3 

•SJ 4 IS 

1 gress. Any suspension of sections 1 and 2 of this Article 

2 under this section shall be effective only during the fiscal 

3 year during which such suspension is approved. 

4 ‘‘SECTION 5. This Article shall take effect on the first 

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

6 adoption of this Article. 

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

8 this Article by appropriate legislation.’’. 

Æ 


jbell on DSKDVH8Z91PROD with BILLS