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

IA 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 51 Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MARCH 14, 2019 Mr. RATCLIFFE (for himself, Mr. BABIN, and Mr. WRIGHT) submitted the fol- lowing joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judi- ciary 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 2 (two-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 02:13 Mar 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ51.IH HJ51 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 2 •HJ 51 IH ‘‘ARTICLE — 1 ‘‘SECTION 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 2 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two- 3 thirds of the whole number of each House of Congress 4 shall provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over 5 receipts by a rollcall vote. 6 ‘‘SECTION 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 7 not exceed 18 percent 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-fourths of the whole number of each House shall 14 provide by law for such an increase by a rollcall vote. 15 ‘‘SECTION 4. Prior to each fiscal year, by not later 16 than such date as Congress may by law require, the Presi- 17 dent shall transmit to Congress a proposed budget for the 18 United States Government for that fiscal year in which 19 total outlays do not exceed total receipts. If the President 20 fails to transmit to Congress a proposed budget which 21 meets the requirements of the previous sentence by the 22 date required by Congress, the President may not receive 23 any compensation for his services for any month which 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:13 Mar 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ51.IH HJ51 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 3 •HJ 51 IH follows that date until the President transmits to Congress 1 a proposed budget which meets such requirements. 2 ‘‘SECTION 5. For each fiscal year, by not later than 3 such date as Congress may by law require, Congress shall 4 consider and approve a budget for the United States Gov- 5 ernment which meets the requirements of section 4 of this 6 article. If Congress fails to approve a budget which meets 7 such requirements by the date required by Congress, 8 Members of Congress may not receive any compensation 9 for their services for any month which follows that date 10 until Congress approves a budget which meets such re- 11 quirements. 12 ‘‘SECTION 6. A bill to increase revenue shall not be- 13 come law unless two-thirds of the whole number of each 14 House shall provide by law for such an increase by a roll- 15 call vote. 16 ‘‘SECTION 7. The Congress may waive the provisions 17 of this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration 18 of war is in effect. The provisions of this article may be 19 waived for any fiscal year in which the United States is 20 engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and 21 serious military threat to national security and is so de- 22 clared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the 23 whole number of each House, which becomes law. Any 24 such waiver must identify and be limited to the specific 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:13 Mar 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ51.IH HJ51 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS 4 •HJ 51 IH excess or increase for that fiscal year made necessary by 1 the identified military conflict. 2 ‘‘SECTION 8. The Congress shall enforce and imple- 3 ment this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely 4 on estimates of outlays and receipts. 5 ‘‘SECTION 9. A court may not enter an order in any 6 action, including for purposes of enforcing this article, 7 that results in an increase in the collection of revenue. 8 ‘‘SECTION 10. Total receipts shall include all receipts 9 of the United States Government except those derived 10 from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of 11 the United States Government except for those for repay- 12 ment of debt principal. 13 ‘‘SECTION 11. This article shall take effect beginning 14 with the seventh fiscal year beginning after its ratifica- 15 tion.’’. 16 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:13 Mar 15, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HJ51.IH HJ51 pbinns on DSK79D2C42PROD with BILLS