IA 

110TH 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 4, 2007 

Mr. GOODLATTE (for himself, Mrs. BACHMANN, Mr. BARRETT of South Carolina, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. BISHOP of Utah, Mrs. BLACKBURN, Mr. BURGESS, Mr. CAMP of Michigan, Mr. CAMPBELL of California, Mr. CANNON, 

Mr. CANTOR, Mrs. CAPITO, Mr. CARTER, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. COBLE, Mr. 

CONAWAY, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. CULBERSON, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, Mrs. DRAKE, Ms. FOXX, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GARRETT

of New Jersey, Mr. GOHMERT, Mr. GOODE, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. HENSARLING, Mr. HERGER, Mr. ISSA, Mr. KING of Iowa, 

Mr. KIRK, Mr. KUHL of New York, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. MACK, 

Mr. MARCHANT, Mr. MCHENRY, Mrs. MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. MICA, 

Mr. GARY G. MILLER of California, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. 

NEUGEBAUER, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. PENCE, Mr. PETRI, Mr. PITTS, Mr. 

PRICE of Georgia, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. REHBERG, Mr. REICHERT, Mr. 

ROYCE, Mr. SALI, Mr. SENSENBRENNER, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr. SMITH of 

Nebraska, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. TERRY, Mr. WAMP, 

Ms. WESTMORELAND, Mr. WILSON of South Carolina, Mr. FEENEY, Mr. 

AKIN, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BRADY of Texas, 

Mr. BURTON of Indiana, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. DAVID DAVIS of Tennessee, 

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. MARIO DIAZ-BALART of Florida, Mr. 

EVERETT, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. EHLERS, Ms. FALLIN, Mr. FLAKE, Mr. 

FORBES, Mr. GRAVES, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. HULSHOF, 

Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LUCAS, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. MORAN of 

Kansas, Mrs. MUSGRAVE, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr. 

TANCREDO, Mr. UPTON, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. WELDON of Florida, Mr. 

YOUNG of Alaska, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. BONNER, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. SIMPSON, 

Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. WELLER of Illinois, Mr. INGLIS of South 

Carolina, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. COLE of Oklahoma, and Mr. BARTON of 

Texas) introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 


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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 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 

8 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

9 for ratification: 

10 ‘‘ARTICLE — 

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

12 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three13 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 

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

15 by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

18 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro19 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

20 ‘‘SECTION 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 

21 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 


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1 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

2 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

3 ‘‘SECTION 4. No bill to increase revenue shall become 

4 law unless approved by a majority of the whole number 

5 of each House by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

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

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

10 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

11 serious military threat to national security and is so de12 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

13 whole number of each House, which becomes law. 

14 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress shall enforce and imple15 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

16 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

17 ‘‘SECTION 7. Total receipts shall include all receipts 

18 of the United States Government except those derived 

19 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

20 the United States Government except for those for repay21 ment of debt principal. 

22 ‘‘SECTION 8. This article shall take effect beginning 

23 with the later of the second fiscal year beginning after its 


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1 ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after Decem2 ber 31, 2012.’’. 

Æ 


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