Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Bill: 114-hjres-81
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Stivers, Steve [R-OH-15]
Introduced: 2016-01-13
Policy area: Economics and Public Finance
Subjects: Budget deficits and national debt

Conflicts and wars

Constitution and constitutional amendments

Defense spending

Military operations and strategy
Latest action: action_date: 2016-02-03
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Summaries:
action_date: 2016-01-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Constitutional Amendment </b></p> <p>This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for the year, excluding outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. </p> <p>The President must submit an annual budget in which total outlays for the fiscal year do not exceed total receipts. </p> <p>Congress may waive the requirements for any fiscal year in which: </p> <ul> <li> a declaration of war is in effect, </li> <li>the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security as declared by a joint resolution, or </li> <li> a national emergency has been declared by a joint resolution. </li> </ul> <p>Any waiver must identify and be limited to the specific increase for the year that is necessary for the military conflict or emergency. Any increase in spending pursuant to a waiver must be offset by a budget surplus within 10 years of the end of the waiver. </p>

tv_txt: IA 114th CONGRESS 2d Session H. J. RES. 81 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 13, 2016 Mr. Stivers (for himself and Ms. Sinema ) 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.

That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution 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:  — 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year. 2. 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. 3. 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 declared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the whole number of each House, which becomes law. Any such waiver shall identify and be limited to the specific increase for that fiscal year made necessary by the identified military conflict. Any increase in spending related to any waiver provided by this section shall be offset by a budget surplus within ten fiscal years of the end of this waiver. 4. The Congress may waive the provisions of this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration of national emergency is in effect, as so declared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the whole number of each House, which becomes law. Any such waiver shall identify and be limited to the specific increase for that fiscal year made necessary by the identified national emergency. Any increase in spending related to any waiver provided by this section shall be offset by a budget surplus within ten fiscal years of the end of this waiver. 5. The Congress shall enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely on estimates of outlays and receipts. 6. 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 except for those for repayment of debt principal. 7. This article shall take effect beginning with the tenth fiscal year after its ratification. .