IA 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 35 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to balance 

the Federal budget. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 14, 2013 

Mr. BROUN of Georgia (for himself, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GARRETT, 

Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. JONES, Mr. 

MULVANEY, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. GOWDY, Mr. GRAVES of 

Georgia, Mr. ROKITA, Mr. SOUTHERLAND, Mr. LAMBORN, and Mr. 

GRAVES of Missouri) 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 to balance the Federal 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 


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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, unless two6 thirds of the whole number of each House of Congress 

7 shall provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over 

8 receipts by a roll call vote. 

9 ‘‘SECTION 2. The limit on the debt of the United 

10 States held by the public shall not be increased, unless 

11 two-thirds of the whole number of each House shall pro12 vide by law for such an increase by a roll call vote. 

13 ‘‘SECTION 3. Outlays for the total budget may not 

14 exceed the previous fiscal years’ outlays plus population 

15 growth and inflation, unless two-thirds of the whole num16 ber of each House shall provide for such increase by a 

17 roll call vote. 

18 ‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, the House of 

19 Representatives shall develop a proposed budget for the 

20 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

21 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

22 ‘‘SECTION 5. No bill to increase revenue shall become 

23 law unless approved by two-thirds of the whole number 

24 of each House by a roll call vote. 


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

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

3 of war is in effect, with a vote of a majority of both houses. 

4 ‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall enforce and imple5 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

6 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

7 ‘‘SECTION 8. All outlays above revenues from the pre8 vious fiscal year must be accounted for in the outlays and 

9 budgets of the following fiscal year. 

10 ‘‘SECTION 9. All surplus revenues at the end of a fis11 cal year shall be allocated to a fund to be returned to the 

12 taxpayers. The method of return to the taxpayers must 

13 be determined by legislation before the end of the subse14 quent fiscal year. 

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

16 of the United States Government except those derived 

17 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

18 the United States Government including those for debt 

19 service and other debt functions. 

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

21 with the second fiscal year beginning after its ratifica22 tion.’’. 

Æ 


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