IA 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 45 

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 12, 2007 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND (for herself, Mr. BARROW, Mr. BERRY, Mr. BISHOP of 

Georgia, Mr. BOREN, Mr. BOSWELL, Mr. BOYD of Florida, Mr. 

CARDOZA, Mr. CHANDLER, Mr. COOPER, Mr. LINCOLN DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. ELLSWORTH, Ms. HARMAN, Ms. HERSETH SANDLIN, Mr. 

HILL, Mr. MAHONEY of Florida, Mr. MARSHALL, Mr. MATHESON, Mr. 

MCINTYRE, Mr. MELANCON, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. 

PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. ROSS, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. 

TANNER, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. THOMPSON of California, and Mr. WILSON

of Ohio) 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 
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1 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 

2 States within seven years after the date of its submission 

3 for ratification: 

4 ‘‘ARTICLE — 

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

6 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three7 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 

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

9 by a rollcall vote. 

10 ‘‘SECTION 2. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 

11 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 

12 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 

13 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 

14 ‘‘SECTION 3. The Congress may waive the provisions 

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

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

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

18 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 

19 serious military threat to national security and is so de20 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 

21 whole number of each House, which becomes law. 

22 ‘‘SECTION 4. The Congress shall enforce and imple23 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 

24 on estimates of outlays and receipts. The appropriate com25 mittees of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
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1 shall report to their respective Houses implementing legis2 lation to achieve a balanced budget without reducing the 

3 disbursements of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors In4 surance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance 

5 Trust Fund to achieve that goal. 

6 ‘‘SECTION 5. Total receipts shall include all receipts 

7 of the United States Government except those derived 

8 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 

9 the United States Government except for those for repay10 ment of debt principal. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 6. This article shall take effect beginning 

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

13 ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after Decem14 ber 31, 2011.’’. 

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