Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Source: Congress.gov ·
259 words in original text
What This Bill Does
This joint resolution proposes a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The amendment would become part of the Constitution if approved by two-thirds of both the House and Senate, and then ratified (approved) by three-fourths of the state legislatures.
Who It Affects
The federal government, Congress (the legislative branch that makes laws), and the American public.
Key Provisions
• The government cannot spend more money in any fiscal year (a 12-month budget period) than it receives in total receipts (income) for that year (Sec. 1)
• The total amount of money the United States can borrow from the public cannot be increased (Sec. 2)
• Any bill to increase government revenue (money collected through taxes or other sources) requires approval from two-thirds of all members of each House of Congress through a rollcall vote (a recorded count of how each member votes) (Sec. 3)
What Changes
If ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, this amendment would add a new article to the Constitution requiring the federal government to balance its budget, freeze its borrowing limit, and require supermajority (extra-large majority) approval to raise revenue.
Important Definitions
None defined in bill text.
Important: This plain English summary was generated by AI and is provided for informational purposes only.
It is not legal advice. Always consult the official bill text on Congress.gov
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