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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 81 Introduced in House (IH)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. J. RES. 81

  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
                           control spending.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 30, 2008

Mr. Campbell of California (for himself, Mr. Hensarling, Mrs. Musgrave, 
 Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin, Mr. Brady of Texas, Mrs. Bachmann, Mr. Garrett 
of New Jersey, Mrs. Cubin, Mr. Feeney, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Sali, Mr. 
Lamborn, Mr. Flake, Mr. Westmoreland, Mr. Broun of Georgia, Mr. Pence, 
Mr. Gingrey, Mrs. Blackburn, Mr. Jordan of Ohio, Mr. Herger, Mr. Franks 
of Arizona, Mr. McCaul of Texas, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Conaway, Mr. Shadegg, 
Mr. Barrett of South Carolina, Mr. Miller of Florida, Mr. Marchant, Mr. 
  Goode, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Ms. Foxx, Mr. Bishop of Utah, Mr. 
 Shimkus, Mr. Forbes, and Mrs. Myrick) 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 
                           control spending.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled   (two-thirds of each House 
concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an 
amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be 
valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States 
within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not exceed an 
amount that would cause total outlays to have increased by a rate that 
exceeds growth in the United States economy over the period since 2007, 
unless two-thirds of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 
provide by law for a specific increase of outlays above this amount by 
a roll call vote.
    ``Section 2. Prior to each fiscal year, the President shall 
transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the United States 
Government for that fiscal year, and for all other fiscal years covered 
by the President's budget, in which total outlays do not exceed the 
outlays from the previous year after taking into account an increase to 
reflect the average growth in the United States economy over the period 
since 2007.
    ``Section 3. The Congress may waive the provisions of this article 
for any fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in effect.
    ``Section 4. The Congress shall enforce and implement this article 
by appropriate legislation, which may rely on estimates.
    ``Section 5. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the United 
States Government, except for those for repayment of debt principal.
    ``Section 6. This article shall take effect beginning the second 
fiscal year after its ratification.''.
                                 <all>
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