IA 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 98 
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 8, 2017 
Mr. RATCLIFFE submitted 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. 
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 
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: 
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‘‘ARTICLE — 
‘‘SECTION 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 
not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two- 
thirds of the whole number of each House of Congress 
shall provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over 
receipts by a rollcall vote. 
‘‘SEC. 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not 
exceed 18 percent of economic output of the United 
States, unless two-thirds of each House of Congress shall 
provide for a specific increase of outlays above this 
amount. 
‘‘SEC. 3. The limit on the debt of the United States 
held by the public shall not be increased unless three- 
fourths of the whole number of each House shall provide 
by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 
‘‘SEC. 4. Prior to each fiscal year, by not later than 
such date as Congress may by law require, the President 
shall transmit to Congress a proposed budget for the 
United States Government for that fiscal year in which 
total outlays do not exceed total receipts. If the President 
fails to transmit to Congress a proposed budget which 
meets the requirements of the previous sentence by the 
date required by Congress, the President may not receive 
any compensation for his services for any month which 
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follows that date until the President transmits to Congress 
a proposed budget which meets such requirements. 
‘‘SEC. 5. For each fiscal year, by not later than such 
date as Congress may by law require, Congress shall con-
sider and approve a budget for the United States Govern-
ment which meets the requirements of section 4 of this 
article. If Congress fails to approve a budget which meets 
such requirements by the date required by Congress, 
Members of Congress may not receive any compensation 
for their services for any month which follows that date 
until Congress approves a budget which meets such re-
quirements. 
‘‘SEC. 6. A bill to increase revenue shall not become 
law unless two-thirds of the whole number of each House 
shall provide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 
‘‘SEC. 7. The Congress may waive the provisions of 
this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration of 
war is in effect. The provisions of this article may be 
waived for any fiscal year 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. Any 
such waiver must identify and be limited to the specific 
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excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by 
the identified military conflict. 
‘‘SEC. 8. The Congress shall enforce and implement 
this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely on 
estimates of outlays and receipts. 
‘‘SEC. 9. A court may not enter an order in any ac-
tion, including for purposes of enforcing this article, that 
results in an increase in the collection of revenue. 
‘‘SEC. 10. Total receipts shall include all receipts of 
the United States Government except those derived from 
borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the 
United States Government except for those for repayment 
of debt principal. 
‘‘SEC. 11. This article shall take effect beginning with 
the seventh fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’. 
Æ 
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