IA
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 55
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United
States.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 18, 1995
Mr. KLECZKA (for himself, Ms. FURSE, and Mr. DEUTSCH) introduced the fol-
lowing joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judi-
ciary
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. Prior to each fiscal year, Congress shall,
by law, adopt a statement of receipts and outlays for such
fiscal year in which total outlays are not greater than total
receipts. Congress may, by law, amend that statement pro-
vided revised outlays are not greater than revised receipts.
Congress may provide in that statement for a specific ex-
cess of outlays over receipts by a vote directed solely to
that subject in which three-fifths of the whole number of
each House agree to such excess. Congress and the Presi-
dent shall ensure that actual outlays do not exceed the
outlays set forth in such statement.
‘‘SECTION 2. Prior to each fiscal year, the President
shall transmit to Congress a proposed statement of re-
ceipts and outlays for such fiscal year consistent with the
provisions of this Article.
‘‘SECTION 3. 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 faces
an imminent and serious military threat to national secu-
rity and is so declared by a joint resolution, adopted by
a majority of the whole number of each House, which be-
comes law.
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‘‘SECTION 4. 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.
Total receipts shall not include receipts (including attrib-
utable interest) of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors In-
surance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance
Trust Fund, or any successor funds, and total outlays
shall not include outlays for disbursements of the Federal
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the
Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, or any succes-
sor funds.
‘‘SECTION 5. The amount of the debt of the United
States held by the public as of the date this Article takes
effect shall become a permanent limit on such debt and
there shall be no increase in such amount unless three-
fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall
have passed a bill approving such increase and such bill
has become law.
‘‘SECTION 6. All votes taken by the House of Rep-
resentatives or the Senate under this Article shall be roll-
call votes.
‘‘SECTION 7. Congress shall enforce and implement
this Article by appropriate legislation.
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‘‘SECTION 8. This Article shall take effect for the fis-
cal year 2002 or for the second fiscal year beginning after
its ratification, whichever is later.’’.
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