IA 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 7 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 4, 2007 

Mrs. MUSGRAVE 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 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: the following article is proposed as an 

10 amendment to the Constitution of the United States, 


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1 which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part 

2 of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of 

3 three-fourths of the several States within seven years after 

4 the date of its submission for ratification: 

5 ‘‘ARTICLE — 

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

7 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three8 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 

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

10 by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

13 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro14 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 

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

16 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

17 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

18 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

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

20 law unless approved by a majority of the whole number 

21 of each House by a rollcall vote. 

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

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

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

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


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1 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

2 serious military threat to national security and is so de3 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

4 whole number of each House, which becomes law. 

5 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress shall enforce and imple6 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

7 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 

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

9 of the United States Government except those derived 

10 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

11 the United States Government except for those for repay12 ment of debt principal. 

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

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

15 ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after Decem16 ber 31, 2011.’’. 

Æ 


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