IA 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 10 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring 

that the Federal budget be balanced and that an increase in the Federal 

debt requires approval from a majority of the legislatures of the several 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 3, 2013 

Mr. SCHWEIKERT 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 requiring that the Federal budget be balanced 

and that an increase in the Federal debt requires approval from a majority of the legislatures of the several 

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 any fiscal year shall 

5 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year. 

6 ‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays shall not exceed 18 per7 cent of the gross domestic product of the United States 

8 for the calendar year ending prior to the beginning of such 

9 fiscal year. 

10 ‘‘SECTION 3. The Congress may provide for suspen11 sion of the limitations imposed by section 1 or 2 of this 

12 article for any fiscal year for which two-thirds of the whole 

13 number of each House shall provide, by a roll call vote, 

14 for a specific excess of outlays over receipts or over 18 

15 percent of the gross domestic product of the United States 

16 for the calendar year ending prior to the beginning of such 

17 fiscal year. 

18 ‘‘SECTION 4. Any bill to levy a new tax or increase 

19 the rate of any tax shall not become law unless approved 

20 by two-thirds of the whole number of each House of Con21 gress by a roll call vote. 

22 ‘‘SECTION 5. The limit on the debt of the United 

23 States held by the public shall not be increased unless two24 thirds of the whole number of each House of Congress 

25 shall provide for such an increase by a roll call vote. 


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1 ‘‘SECTION 6. Any Member of Congress shall have 

2 standing and a cause of action to seek judicial enforce3 ment of this article when authorized to do so by a petition 

4 signed by one-third of the Members of either House of 

5 Congress. No court of the United States or of any State 

6 shall order any increase in revenue to enforce this article. 

7 ‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall have the power to 

8 enforce this article by appropriate legislation. 

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

10 of the United States except those derived from borrowing. 

11 Total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States 

12 except those for repayment of debt principal. 

13 ‘‘SECTION 9. An increase in the Federal debt requires 

14 approval from a majority of the legislatures of the several 

15 States.’’. 

Æ 


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