Requiring the advice and consent of the Senate or an Act of Congress to suspend, terminate, or withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty and authorizing related litigation, and for other purposes

The President may not suspend, terminate, or withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty, done at Washington, DC, April 4, 1949, except by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, provided two-thirds of the Senators present concur, or pursuant to an Act of Congress. No funds authorized or appropriated by any Act may be used to support, directly or indirectly, any efforts on the part of any United States Government official to take steps to suspend, terminate, or withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty, done at Washington, DC, April 4, 1949, until such time as the Senate passes, by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of Senators, a resolution advising and consenting to the suspension, termination, or withdrawal of the United States from the treaty, or pursuant to an Act of Congress. The President shall notify the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives in writing of any effort to suspend, terminate, or withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty, as soon as possible but in no event later than 48 hours after any such action is taken. Both the Senate Legal Counsel and the General Counsel to the House of Representatives are authorized to independently or collectively represent Congress in initiating or intervening in any judicial proceedings in any Federal court of competent jurisdiction on behalf of Congress in order to oppose any effort to suspend, terminate, or withdraw the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty in a manner inconsistent with this joint resolution. Any legal counsel operating pursuant to section 4 shall report as soon as practicable to the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives with respect to any judicial proceedings which the Senate Legal Counsel or the General Counsel to the House of Representatives, as the case may be, initiates or in which it intervenes pursuant to this resolution.

Summary: Constitutional Amendment  This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing.  The amendment prohibits total outlays for any fiscal year from exceeding 18% of the gross domestic product of the United States during the previous calendar year, unless two-thirds of each house of Congress approves a higher level of outlays.  The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit, suspend the public debt limit, or to increase revenue. It also requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Each chamber of Congress must approve a balanced budget or Members serving in the chamber may not receive compensation.  Congress is authorized to waive these requirements when a declaration of war is in effect or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.