IA 
112TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. J. RES. 116 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States which 
requires (except during time of war and subject to suspension by Con-
gress) that the total amount of money expended by the United States 
during any fiscal year not exceed the amount of certain revenue received 
by the United States during such fiscal year and not exceed 20 percent 
of the gross domestic product of the United States during the previous 
calendar year. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 25, 2012 
Mrs. ROBY introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on the Judiciary 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States which requires (except during time of war and 
subject to suspension by Congress) that the total amount 
of money expended by the United States during any 
fiscal year not exceed the amount of certain revenue 
received by the United States during such fiscal year 
and not exceed 20 percent of the gross domestic product 
of the United States during the previous calendar year. 
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-
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•HJ 116 IH 
lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 
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 
by the Congress: 
‘‘ARTICLE — 
‘‘SECTION 1. The total amount of money expended 
by the United States in any fiscal year shall not exceed 
the total amount of revenue received by the United States 
during such fiscal year, except revenue received from the 
issuance of bonds, notes, or other obligations of the United 
States. 
‘‘SECTION 2. The total amount of money expended 
by the United States in any fiscal year shall not exceed 
the amount equal to 20 percent of the gross domestic 
product of the United States during the last calendar year 
ending before the beginning of such fiscal year. 
‘‘SECTION 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 
shall transmit to Congress a proposed budget for the 
United States for that fiscal year in which total outlays 
of the United States do not exceed total revenue received 
by the United States. 
‘‘SECTION 4. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article shall 
not apply during any fiscal year during any part of which 
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the United States is at war as declared by Congress under 
section 8 of article I of the Constitution. 
‘‘SECTION 5. Sections 1 and 2 of this Article may 
be suspended by a concurrent resolution approved by a 
three-fifths vote of the Members of the Senate and a two- 
thirds vote of the Members of the House of Representa-
tives. Any suspension of sections 1 and 2 of this Article 
under this section shall be effective only during the fiscal 
year during which such suspension is approved. 
‘‘SECTION 6. Congress shall have power to enforce 
this Article by appropriate legislation. 
‘‘SECTION 7. This Article shall take effect on the first 
day of the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the 
adoption of this Article.’’. 
Æ 
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