IA 
112TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. J. RES. 89 
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 17, 2011 
Ms. CASTOR of Florida 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: 
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‘‘ARTICLE — 
‘‘SECTION 1. Total estimated outlays of the operating 
funds of the United States for any fiscal year shall not 
exceed total estimated receipts to those funds for that fis-
cal year, unless Congress approves a specific excess of out-
lays over receipts by three-fifths of the whole number of 
each House by a roll-call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 2. 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 3. No bill to increase revenue shall become 
law unless approved by a majority of the whole number 
of each House by a roll-call vote. 
‘‘SECTION 4. The Congress may waive the provisions 
of this article for any fiscal year and the first fiscal year 
thereafter if a declaration of war is in effect or if the Di-
rector of the Congressional Budget Office, or any suc-
cessor, estimates that real economic growth has been or 
will be less than one percent for two consecutive quarters 
during the period of those two fiscal years. The provisions 
of this article may be waived for any fiscal year in which 
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the United States is engaged in military conflict which 
causes an imminent and serious military threat to national 
security and is so declared by a joint resolution, adopted 
by a majority of the whole number of each House, which 
becomes law, or if a presidential declaration of major dis-
aster is in effect. 
‘‘SECTION 5. Total estimated receipts of the oper-
ating funds shall exclude those derived from net bor-
rowing. Total estimated outlays of the operating funds of 
the United States shall exclude those for repayment of 
debt principal; and for capital investments. The receipts 
(including attributable interest) and outlays of the Federal 
Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the 
Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund shall not be 
counted as receipts or outlays for purposes of this article. 
‘‘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. 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, 2016.’’. 
Æ 
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