IA
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 53
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to provide
for a balanced budget for the United States Government and for greater
accountability in the enactment of tax legislation.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 12, 1999
Mr. ISTOOK (for himself, Mr. ARMEY, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. COBURN, Mr. COX,
Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. DEMINT, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr. GOODE,
Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. SAM JOHNSON
of Texas, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. PETERSON
of Pennsylvania, Mr. PETRI, Mr. PITTS, Mr. SANFORD, Mr. SCHAFFER,
Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. TALENT, Mr. TERRY, Mr. BURTON of Indiana, and
Mr. TANCREDO) introduced the following joint resolution; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on the Judiciary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United
States to provide for a balanced budget for the United
States Government and for greater accountability in the
enactment of tax legislation.
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 fol-
lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all
•HJ 53 IH
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 total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three-
fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall
by a rollcall vote provide by law for a specified excess of
outlays over receipts.
‘‘SECTION 2. Total receipts shall include all receipts
of the United States Government except those derived
from borrowing, and except for any suprlus within the
Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and
the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund. Total out-
lays shall include all outlays of the United States Govern-
ment except for those for repayment of debt principal.
‘‘SECTION 3. The limit on the debt of the United
States held by the public shall not be increased, unless
three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro-
vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote.
‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, the President
shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the
United States Government for that fiscal year which con-
forms to the requirements of this article.
•HJ 53 IH
‘‘SECTION 5. No bill to increase revenue shall become
law unless approved by a majority of the whole number
of each House by a rollcall vote.
‘‘SECTION 6. Solely to the extent necessary for addi-
tional military funding, the Congress may waive the provi-
sions of this article for any fiscal year in which a declara-
tion of war is in effect, or in which the United States is
engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and
serious military threat to national security and is so de-
clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the
whole number of each House, which becomes law.
‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall enforce and imple-
ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely
on estimates of outlays and receipts.
‘‘SECTION 8. This article shall take effect beginning
with the first fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’.
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