IA 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 41 
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 26, 2015 
Mr. RATCLIFFE (for himself and Mr. BABIN) 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 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 
States within seven years after the date of its submission 
for ratification: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:37 Mar 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HJ41.IH
HJ41
smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HJ 41 IH 
‘‘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 roll call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 2. The total outlays of the United States 
in any fiscal year shall not exceed the amount equal to 
18 percent of the gross domestic product of the United 
States during the last calendar year ending before the be-
ginning of such fiscal year, unless 2⁄3 of the whole number 
of each House by a roll call vote approve a higher level 
of outlays. 
‘‘SECTION 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 
shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 
United States Government for the fiscal year beginning 
in that calendar year in which total estimated outlays of 
the operating funds of the United States for that fiscal 
year shall not exceed total estimated receipts to those 
funds for that fiscal year. 
‘‘SECTION 4. Each House of Congress shall approve 
a budget that is in compliance with section 1. If a House 
of Congress fails to approve such a budget, the Members 
who serve in that House may not receive any compensa-
tion for their service. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:37 Mar 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HJ41.IH
HJ41
smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS
•HJ 41 IH 
‘‘SECTION 5. No bill to increase or suspend the statu-
tory limit on the public debt shall become law unless ap-
proved by 3⁄5 of the whole number of each House by a 
roll call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 6. No bill to increase revenue shall become 
law unless approved by 3⁄5 of the whole number of each 
House by a roll call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 7. 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. Any 
such waiver must identify and be limited to the specific 
excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by 
the identified military conflict. 
‘‘SECTION 8. The Congress shall enforce and imple-
ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 
on estimates of outlays and receipts, and which shall pro-
vide such criteria as may be necessary to carry out the 
ban on the receipt of compensation by Members who serve 
in a House of Congress that does not approve a budget 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:37 Mar 26, 2015
Jkt 049200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\HJ41.IH
HJ41
smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with BILLS