IA
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. J. RES. 1
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget
for the United States Government and for greater accountability in
the enactment of tax legislation.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 7, 1997
Mr. DAN SCHAEFER of Colorado (for himself, Mr. STENHOLM, Mr. SMITH of
Oregon, Mr. ROEMER, Mr. CASTLE, Mr. KENNEDY of Massachusetts, Mr.
BACHUS, Mr. TANNER, Mr. BAKER, Mr. MINGE, Mr. BALLENGER, Mr.
SPRATT, Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland, Mr. POSHARD, Mr. BASS, Mr. VIS-
CLOSKY, Mr. BATEMAN, Mr. HOYER, Mr. ANDREWS, Mr. BAESLER, Mr.
BARCIA, Mr. BEREUTER, Mr. BERRY, Mr. BILBRAY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr.
BISHOP, Mr. BLILEY, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. BONILLA, Mr. BOYD, Mr. BROWN
of Ohio, Mr. BUNNING, Mr. BURR of North Carolina, Mr. BURTON of
Indiana, Mr. CALLAHAN, Mr. CALVERT, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. CANNON,
Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mrs. CHENOWETH, Mr. CHRISTENSEN, Mr. CLEMENT,
Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. COBLE, Mr. COBURN, Mr. CONDIT, Mr. COOK, Mr.
COSTELLO, Mr. CRAMER, Mr. CRANE, Mr. CRAPO, Mr. CUNNINGHAM,
Ms. DANNER, Mr. DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. DEAL of Georgia, Mr.
DEFAZIO, Mr. DEUTSCH, Mr. DICKEY, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr.
DOYLE, Mr. DUNCAN, Mr. EDWARDS, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr.
ENSIGN, Mr. EWING, Mr. FOLEY, Mr. FORBES, Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN,
Mr. FROST, Mr. GALLEGLY, Mr. GANSKE, Mr. GILLMOR, Mr. GOODE,
Mr. GOODLATTE, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr. GREENWOOD, Mr. HALL of Texas,
Mr. HANSEN, Ms. HARMAN, Mr. HASTERT, Mr. HASTINGS of Washing-
ton, Mr. HEFLEY, Mr. HEFNER, Mr. HERGER, Mr. HILL, Mr. HILLEARY,
Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. HORN, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. ISTOOK,
Mr. JONES, Mr. KIM, Mr. KLUG, Mr. KNOLLENBERG, Mr. KOLBE, Mr.
LAHOOD, Mr. LARGENT, Mr. LAZIO of New York, Mr. LEACH, Mr.
LEWIS of California, Mr. LEWIS of Kentucky, Mr. LINDER, Mr. LIPINSKI,
Mr. LOBIONDO, Mr. LUTHER, Ms. MCCARTHY of Missouri, Mr. MCCOL-
LUM, Mr. MCCRERY, Mr. MCHALE, Mr. MCHUGH, Mr. MCINNIS, Mr.
MCINTYRE, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. MILLER of Florida, Mr. MORAN of Kan-
sas, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. NORWOOD, Mr. ORTIZ, Mr. PACKARD,
Mr. PALLONE, Mr. PAPPAS, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota, Mr. PORTMAN,
Mr. QUINN, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. RICHARDSON, Mr. RIGGS, Mrs. ROU-
KEMA, Mr. ROYCE, Mr. SALMON, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. SANFORD, Mr.
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SCARBOROUGH, Mr. BOB SCHAFFER, Mr. SHAW, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. SISI-
SKY, Mr. SKELTON, Mr. SNOWBARGER, Mr. SOLOMON, Mr. SPENCE, Mr.
STEARNS, Mr. STUMP, Mr. TALENT, Mrs. TAUSCHER, Mr. TAYLOR of
Mississippi, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. THORNBERRY, Mr. TURNER, Mr. UPTON,
Mr. WALSH, Mr. WAMP, Mr. WATTS of Oklahoma, Mr. WELDON of
Pennsylvania, Mr. WHITE, Mr. WHITFIELD, Mr. WOLF, Mrs. CUBIN, Mr.
OXLEY, and Mr. BOSWELL) introduced the following joint resolution;
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for
a balanced budget for the United States Government
and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax
legislation.
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. 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.
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‘‘SECTION 2. The limit on the debt of the United
States held by the public shall not be increased, unless
three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro-
vide 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 a majority of the whole number
of each House by a rollcall vote.
‘‘SECTION 5. 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 6. The Congress shall enforce and imple-
ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely
on estimates of outlays and receipts.
‘‘SECTION 7. Total receipts shall include all receipts
of the United States Government except those derived
from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of
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the United States Government except for those for repay-
ment of debt principal.
‘‘SECTION 8. This article shall take effect beginning
with fiscal year 2002 or with the second fiscal year begin-
ning after its ratification, whichever is later.’’.
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