IA 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. J. RES. 93 
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MAY 10, 2016 
Mr. GOHMERT introduced 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. 
‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 
not exceed 18.5 percent of economic output of the United 
States. 
‘‘SECTION 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. 
‘‘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 in which 
total outlays do not exceed total receipts. The President’s 
failure to transmit to the Congress a balanced budget will 
be considered an impeachable offense, except in emergency 
situations as described in section 6, in which case the 
President may submit a nonbalanced budget under the 
procedures described in those sections. 
‘‘SECTION 5. A bill to increase revenue shall not be-
come law unless three-fourths of the whole number of each 
House shall provide by law for such an increase by a roll-
call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress may waive all the provi-
sions of this article for any fiscal year in which a declara-
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tion of war is in effect. All 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 im-
minent and serious military threat to national security and 
is so declared 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 spe-
cific excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary 
by the identified military conflict. 
‘‘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. 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 repay-
ment of debt principal. 
‘‘SECTION 9. This article shall take effect beginning 
with the third fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’. 
Æ 
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