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

IA 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 6 Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JANUARY 3, 2019 Mr. BYRNE submitted 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 1 of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two- 2 thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol- 3 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con- 4 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 5 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 6 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 7 States within seven years after the date of its submission 8 for ratification: 9 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:44 Jan 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ6.IH HJ6 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HJ 6 IH ‘‘ARTICLE — 1 ‘‘SECTION 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 2 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three- 3 fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall 4 provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over receipts 5 by a rollcall vote. 6 ‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 7 not exceed one-fifth of economic output of the United 8 States, unless two-thirds of each House of Congress shall 9 provide for a specific increase of outlays above this 10 amount. 11 ‘‘SECTION 3. The limit on the debt of the United 12 States held by the public shall not be increased unless 13 three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall pro- 14 vide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 15 ‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 16 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the 17 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 18 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. 19 ‘‘SECTION 5. A bill to increase revenue shall not be- 20 come law unless three-fifths of the whole number of each 21 House shall provide by law for such an increase by a roll- 22 call vote. 23 ‘‘SECTION 6. The Congress may waive the provisions 24 of this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:44 Jan 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ6.IH HJ6 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HJ 6 IH of war is in effect. The provisions of this article may be 1 waived for any fiscal year in which the United States is 2 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 3 serious military threat to national security and is so de- 4 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 5 whole number of each House, which becomes law. Any 6 such waiver must identify and be limited to the specific 7 excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by 8 the identified military conflict. 9 ‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress shall enforce and imple- 10 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 11 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 12 ‘‘SECTION 8. Total receipts shall include all receipts 13 of the United States Government except those derived 14 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 15 the United States Government except for those for repay- 16 ment of debt principal. 17 ‘‘SECTION 9. This article shall take effect beginning 18 with the fifth fiscal year beginning after its ratification.’’. 19 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 00:44 Jan 05, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HJ6.IH HJ6 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS