IA 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 18 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget 
for the United States Government and for greater accountability in 
the enactment of tax legislation. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 18, 2013 
Mrs. EMERSON introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for 
a balanced budget for the United States Government 
and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax 
legislation. 
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 
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States within seven years after the date of its submission 
for ratification: 
‘‘ARTICLE — 
‘‘SECTION 1. Prior to each fiscal year, the Congress 
and the President shall agree on an estimate of total re-
ceipts for that fiscal year by enactment into law of a joint 
resolution devoted solely to that subject. Total outlays for 
that year shall not exceed the level of estimated receipts 
set forth in such joint resolution, unless three-fifths of the 
total membership of each House of Congress shall provide, 
by a rollcall vote, for a specific excess of outlays over esti-
mated receipts. 
‘‘SECTION 2. Whenever actual outlays exceed actual 
receipts for any fiscal year, the Congress shall, in the en-
suing fiscal year, provide by law for the repayment of such 
excess. The public debt of the United States shall not be 
increased unless three-fifths of the total membership of 
each House shall provide by law for such an increase by 
a rollcall vote. 
‘‘SECTION 3. 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. 
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‘‘SECTION 4. No bill to increase revenue shall become 
law unless approved by a majority of the total membership 
of each House by a rollcall vote. 
‘‘SECTION 5. The provisions of this article are waived 
for any fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in ef-
fect. 
‘‘SECTION 6. Total receipts shall include all receipts 
of the United States except those derived from borrowing. 
Total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States 
except for those for repayment of debt principal. 
‘‘SECTION 7. This article shall take effect beginning 
with the second fiscal year after its ratification.’’. 
Æ 
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