IA 
111TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. J. RES. 78 
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 2, 2010 
Mr. BRIGHT (for himself, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. BOYD, Ms. HERSETH 
SANDLIN, Mr. HILL, Mr. PATRICK J. MURPHY of Pennsylvania, Mr. 
BARROW, Mr. MELANCON, Mr. CHILDERS, Mr. MINNICK, Mr. BOSWELL, 
Mr. COOPER, Ms. MARKEY of Colorado, Mr. SALAZAR, Mr. TAYLOR, Mr. 
THOMPSON of California, Mr. MCINTYRE, Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. 
MATHESON, Mr. TANNER, Mr. BOREN, Mr. ELLSWORTH, Mr. ROSS, Mr. 
BERRY, Mr. DAVIS of Tennessee, Mr. MICHAUD, Mr. DONNELLY of Indi-
ana, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. KRATOVIL, Mr. MARSHALL, Ms. GIFFORDS, Mr. 
NYE, Mr. CARDOZA, Mr. WILSON of Ohio, Mr. CUELLAR, and Mr. 
COSTA) 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 
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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. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 
not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three- 
fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 
provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over receipts 
by a rollcall vote. 
‘‘SECTION 2. 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 3. The 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 is 
engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 
serious military threat to national security and is so de-
clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 
whole number of each House, which becomes law. 
‘‘SECTION 4. The Congress shall enforce and imple-
ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 
on estimates of outlays and receipts. The appropriate com-
mittees of the House of Representatives and the Senate 
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shall report to their respective Houses implementing legis-
lation to achieve a balanced budget without reducing the 
disbursements of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors In-
surance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance 
Trust Fund to achieve that goal. 
‘‘SECTION 5. 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 6. This article shall take effect beginning 
with the later of the second fiscal year beginning after its 
ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after Decem-
ber 31, 2020.’’. 
Æ 
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