IA 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 35 
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to balance 
the Federal budget. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 14, 2013 
Mr. BROUN of Georgia (for himself, Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. GARRETT, 
Mr. BRIDENSTINE, Mr. LAMALFA, Mr. WESTMORELAND, Mr. JONES, Mr. 
MULVANEY, Mr. DUNCAN of Tennessee, Mr. STOCKMAN, Mr. GOOD-
LATTE, Mr. DUNCAN of South Carolina, Mr. GOWDY, Mr. GRAVES of 
Georgia, Mr. ROKITA, Mr. SOUTHERLAND, Mr. LAMBORN, and Mr. 
GRAVES of Missouri) 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 balance the Federal budget. 
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. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 
not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two- 
thirds 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 limit on the debt of the United 
States held by the public shall not be increased, unless 
two-thirds of the whole number of each House shall pro-
vide by law for such an increase by a roll call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 3. Outlays for the total budget may not 
exceed the previous fiscal years’ outlays plus population 
growth and inflation, unless two-thirds of the whole num-
ber of each House shall provide for such increase by a 
roll call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, the House of 
Representatives shall develop a proposed budget for the 
United States Government for that fiscal year in which 
total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 
‘‘SECTION 5. No bill to increase revenue shall become 
law unless approved by two-thirds of the whole number 
of each House by a roll call vote. 
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‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress may waive the provisions 
of this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration 
of war is in effect, with a vote of a majority of both houses. 
‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall enforce and imple-
ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 
on estimates of outlays and receipts. 
‘‘SECTION 8. All outlays above revenues from the pre-
vious fiscal year must be accounted for in the outlays and 
budgets of the following fiscal year. 
‘‘SECTION 9. All surplus revenues at the end of a fis-
cal year shall be allocated to a fund to be returned to the 
taxpayers. The method of return to the taxpayers must 
be determined by legislation before the end of the subse-
quent fiscal year. 
‘‘SECTION 10. 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 including those for debt 
service and other debt functions. 
‘‘SECTION 11. This article shall take effect beginning 
with the second fiscal year beginning after its ratifica-
tion.’’. 
Æ 
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