IA
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 46
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to provide
for a balanced budget for the United States Government and for greater
accountability in the enactment of tax legislation and to allow an item
veto of appropriation bills.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 4, 1995
Mr. ZIMMER 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 to provide for a balanced budget for the United
States Government and for greater accountability in the
enactment of tax legislation and to allow an item veto
of appropriation bills.
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 in all
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intents and purposes as part of the Constitution if ratified
by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States
within seven years after its submission to the States 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 soley to that subject. Total outlays for
that year shall not exceed the level of estimated receipts
set forth in such joint resolution, unless two-thirds 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. The public debt of the United States
shall not be increased unless two-thirds of the total mem-
bership 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.
‘‘SECTION 4. No bill to increase revenue shall become
law unless approved by two-thirds of the total membership
of each House by a rollcall vote.
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‘‘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 the debt principal.
‘‘SECTION 7. The President shall have the power to
disapprove any appropriation or provision and approve any
other appropriation or provision in the same appropriation
bill. In such case he shall, in signing the bill, designate
the appropriations and provisions disapproved, and shall
return a copy of such appropriations and provisions, with
his objections, to the House in which the bill shall have
orginated; and the same proceedings shall then be had as
in the case of other bills disapproved by the President.
‘‘SECTION 8. Sections 1 through 6 of this article shall
take effect beginning with the second fiscal year beginning
after its ratification and section 7 of this article shall take
effect upon ratification.’’.
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