IA
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 52
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States with
respect to tax limitations and the balanced budget.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 12, 1997
Mr. BARTON of Texas (for himself, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. SHADEGG, Mr.
TAYLOR of Mississippi, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. CONDIT, Mr. CRANE, Mr. AN-
DREWS, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. GOODE, Mr. ADERHOLT, Mr. ARMEY, Mr.
BACHUS, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BARR of Georgia, Mr. BARRETT of Ne-
braska, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BASS, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. BLI-
LEY, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. BONO, Mr. BRADY,
Mr. BRYANT, Mr. BUNNING, Mr. BURR of North Carolina, Mr. BURTON
of Indiana, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CANNON, Mr. CHABOT, Mr.
CHAMBLISS, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. COBLE, Mr.
COBURN, Mr. COLLINS, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. COOK, Mr. COOKSEY, Mr.
COX of California, Mr. CRAPO, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr. CUNNINGHAM, Mr.
DEAL of Georgia, Mr. DELAY, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mrs. EMERSON, Mr.
ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. EWING, Mr. FOLEY, Mrs.
FOWLER, Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, Mr. GIBBONS, Mr. GINGRICH, Mr.
GOODLATTE, Mr. GOODLING, Mr. GOSS, Mr. GRAHAM, Ms. GRANGER,
Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. HANSEN, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. HAYWORTH, Mr.
HEFLEY, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILLEARY, Mr. HOEKSTRA, Mr. HORN, Mr.
HULSHOF, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. SAM JOHN-
SON of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mr. KASICH, Mrs. KELLY, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr.
KOLBE, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. LARGENT, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. LATOURETTE,
Mr. LEWIS of California, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. LINDER, Mr.
LOBIONDO, Mr. LUCAS of Oklahoma, Mr. MANZULLO, Mr. MCCOLLUM,
Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. MCKEON, Mr.
METCALF, Mr. MICA, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Ms. MOLINARI, Mr. NEY,
Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. OXLEY, Mr. PACKARD, Mr. PETERSON of Pennsylva-
nia, Mr. PICKERING, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. RIGGS, Mr. ROGAN, Mr.
ROHRABACHER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SALMON, Mr. SANFORD, Mr.
SCARBOROUGH, Mr. BOB SCHAFFER of Colorado, Mr. SESSIONS, Mr.
SHIMKUS, Mr. SKEEN, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. SMITH of Texas,
Mrs. SMITH of Washington, Mr. SMITH of Michigan, Mr. SNOWBARGER,
Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TALENT,
Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TAYLOR of North Carolina, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr.
TIAHRT, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WATKINS, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr.
•HJ 52 IH
WELDON of Florida, Mr. WELDON of Pennsylvania, Mr. YOUNG of Alas-
ka, Mr. KLUG, and Mr SPENCE) 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 with respect to tax limitations and the balanced
budget.
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:
‘‘ARTICLE —
‘‘SECTION 1. Prior to each fiscal year, the President
shall transmit to Congress a proposed statement of re-
ceipts and outlays for such fiscal year in which outlays
are not greater than receipts and Congress shall, by law,
adopt a statement of receipts and outlays for such fiscal
year in which outlays are not greater than receipts. Con-
gress may, by law, amend that statement provided revised
outlays are not greater than revised receipts. Congress
•HJ 52 IH
may provide in that statement for a specific excess of out-
lays over receipts by a vote directed solely to that subject
in which two-thirds of the whole number of each House
agree to such excess. Congress and the President shall en-
sure that actual outlays do not exceed the outlays set forth
in such statement.
‘‘SECTION 2. The limit on the debt of the United
States held by the public shall not be increased, unless
two-thirds of the whole number of each House shall pro-
vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote.
‘‘SECTION 3. Total receipts shall include all receipts
of the United States except those derived from borrowing
and total outlays shall include all outlays of the United
States except those for the repayment of debt principal.
‘‘SECTION 4. A bill to increase the internal revenue
shall require for final adoption in each House the concur-
rence of two-thirds of the whole number of that House,
unless that bill is determined at the time of adoption, in
a reasonable manner prescribed by law, not to increase
the internal revenue by more than a de minimis amount.
‘‘SECTION 5. The Congress may waive the require-
ments of this article when a declaration of war is in effect.
The Congress may also waive this article when the United
States is engaged in military conflict which causes an im-
minent and serious threat to national security and is so