IA
104TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. J. RES. 159
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require
two-thirds majorities for bills increasing taxes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
FEBRUARY 1, 1996
Mr. BARTON of Texas (for himself, Mr. PETE GEREN of Texas, Mr.
SHADEGG, Mr. HALL of Texas, Mr. SAXTON, Mr. ALLARD, Mr. AN-
DREWS, Mr. ARMEY, Mr. BACHUS, Mr. BAKER of California, Mr. BAKER
of Louisiana, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr. BARR of Georgia, Mr. BARRETT of
Nebraska, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. BOEHNER, Mr.
BONILLA, Mr. BROWNBACK, Mr. BRYANT of Tennessee, Mr. BUNN of Or-
egon, Mr. BUNNING of Kentucky, Mr. BURR, Mr. BURTON of Indiana,
Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMP, Mr. CHABOT, Mr. CHAMBLISS,
Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CHRYSLER, Mr. COBLE, Mr.
COBURN, Mr. COLLINS of Georgia, Mr. COMBEST, Mr. COOLEY, Mr. COX
of California, Mr. CRANE, Mr. CREMEANS, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr.
CUNNINGHAM, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. DOOLITTLE, Mr.
DORNAN, Mr. DUNCAN, Ms. DUNN of Washington, Mr. EMERSON, Mr.
ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr. ENSIGN, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. FORBES, Mrs.
FOWLER, Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey, Mr.
FRANKS
of Connecticut, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN, Mr. FRISA, Mr.
FUNDERBURK, Mr. GANSKE, Mr. GILMAN, Mr. GOODLING, Mr. GOSS,
Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. GUTKNECHT, Mr. HANCOCK, Mr.
HANSEN, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. HASTINGS of Washington, Mr. HAYES, Mr.
HAYWORTH, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HEINEMAN, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILLEARY,
Mr. HORN, Mr. HUNTER, Mr. HUTCHINSON, Mr. INGLIS of South Caro-
lina, Mr. ISTOOK, Mr. SAM JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. JONES, Mrs. KELLY,
Mr. KING, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. KLUG, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. KOLBE,
Mr. LARGENT, Mr. LATHAM, Mr. LAUGHLIN, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky,
Mr. LIGHTFOOT, Mr. LINDER, Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LUCAS, Mr.
MANZULLO, Mr. MARTINI, Mr. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr.
MCHUGH, Mr. MCINNIS, Mr. MCINTOSH, Mr. MCKEON, Mr. METCALF,
Mr. MICA, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mrs. MYRICK, Mr. NEUMANN, Mr.
NEY, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. PACKARD, Mr. PARKER, Mr. PAXON, Mr.
QUILLEN, Mr. QUINN, Mr. RADANOVICH, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. RIGGS, Mr.
ROBERTS, Mr. ROHRABACHER, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SALMON, Mr. SANFORD,
Mr. SCARBOROUGH, Mr. SCHAEFER, Mrs. SEASTRAND, Mr. SENSEN-
BRENNER, Mr. SKEEN, Mr. SMITH of Texas, Mrs. SMITH of Washington,
•HJ 159 IH
Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. SOUDER, Mr. SPENCE, Mr. STEARNS, Mr. STOCK-
MAN, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TALENT, Mr. TATE, Mr. TAUZIN, Mr. TAYLOR of
North Carolina, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. TIAHRT, Mr. TORKILDSEN, Mr.
UPTON, Mrs. WALDHOLTZ, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr.
WELDON of Florida, Mr. WELDON of Pennyslvania, Mr. WELLER, Mr.
WICKER, Mr. YOUNG of Alaska, and Mr. ZELIFF) introduced the follow-
ing joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judici-
ary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United
States to require two-thirds majorities for bills increasing
taxes.
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:
‘‘ARTICLE —
‘‘SECTION 1. Any bill to levy a new tax or increase
the rate or base of any tax may pass only by a two-thirds
majority of the whole number of each House of Congress.
‘‘SECTION 2. The Congress may waive section 1 when
a declaration of war is in effect. The Congress may also
•HJ 159 IH
waive section 1 when the United States is engaged in mili-
tary conflict which causes an imminent and serious threat
to national security and is so declared by a joint resolu-
tion, adopted by a majority of the whole number of each
House, which becomes law. Any provision of law which
would, standing alone, be subject to section 1 but for this
section and which becomes law pursuant to such a waiver
shall be effective for not longer than 2 years.
‘‘SECTION 3. All votes taken by the House of Rep-
resentatives or the Senate under this article shall be deter-
mined by yeas and nays and the names of persons voting
for and against shall be entered on the Journal of each
House respectively.’’.
Æ