IA 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 1 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 3, 2013 

Mr. GOODLATTE (for himself, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mrs. BLACKBURN, 

Mr. BOUSTANY, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. CHAFFETZ, Mr. 

COFFMAN, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. CONAWAY, Mr. CRAWFORD, Mr. 

CULBERSON, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, 

Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GARRETT, Mr. GERLACH, Mr. GRIFFITH of 

Virginia, Mr. HUIZENGA of Michigan, Mr. HULTGREN, Mr. HURT, Mr. 

KING of Iowa, Mr. LABRADOR, Mr. LAMBORN, Mr. LANCE, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Mr. MARINO, Mrs. MILLER of Michigan, Mr. MILLER of Florida, 

Mr. MULVANEY, Mr. NUGENT, Mr. OLSON, Mr. POE of Texas, Mr. 

POSEY, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. ROE of Tennessee, Mr. ROSKAM, 

Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. WALBERG, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. DENT, Mr. PALAZZO, 

Mr. MCKINLEY, Mr. PEARCE, Mr. GIBBS, and Mr. BROUN of Georgia) 

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

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing a balanced budget 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 ConVerDate Mar 15 2010 05:17 Jan 04, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ1.IH HJ1

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1 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 

2 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 

3 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 

4 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

5 for ratification: 

6 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

8 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three9 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 

10 provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over receipts 

11 by a rollcall vote. 

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

13 not exceed one-fifth of economic output of the United 

14 States, unless two-thirds of each House of Congress shall 

15 provide for a specific increase of outlays above this 

16 amount. 

17 ‘‘SECTION 3. The limit on the debt of the United 

18 States held by the public shall not be increased unless 

19 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro20 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

21 ‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 

22 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

23 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

24 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 


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1 ‘‘SECTION 5. A bill to increase revenue shall not be2 come law unless three-fifths of the whole number of each 

3 House shall provide by law for such an increase by a roll4 call vote. 

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

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

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

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

9 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

10 serious military threat to national security and is so de11 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

12 whole number of each House, which becomes law. Any 

13 such waiver must identify and be limited to the specific 

14 excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by 

15 the identified military conflict. 

16 ‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall enforce and imple17 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

18 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

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

20 of the United States Government except those derived 

21 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

22 the United States Government except for those for repay23 ment of debt principal. 


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1 ‘‘SECTION 9. This article shall take effect beginning 

2 with the fifth fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’. 

Æ 


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