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

IA 116TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION H. J. RES. 108 Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DECEMBER 18, 2020 Mr. AMASH 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 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: 8 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:00 Dec 19, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ108.IH HJ108 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HJ 108 IH ‘‘ARTICLE — 1 ‘‘SECTION 1. Total expenditures for a year shall not 2 exceed the average annual revenue collected in the three 3 prior years, adjusted in proportion to changes in popu- 4 lation and inflation. Total expenditures shall include all 5 expenditures of the United States except those for pay- 6 ment of debt, and revenue shall include all revenue of the 7 United States except that derived from borrowing. 8 ‘‘SECTION 2. Congress may by a roll call vote of two- 9 thirds of each House declare an emergency and provide 10 by law for specific expenditures in excess of the limit in 11 section 1. The declaration shall specify reasons for the 12 emergency designation and may authorize expenditures in 13 excess of the limit in section 1 for up to one year. 14 ‘‘SECTION 3. Congress shall have power to enforce 15 this article by appropriate legislation. 16 ‘‘SECTION 4. This article shall take effect in the first 17 year beginning at least 90 days following ratification, ex- 18 cept that expenditures may exceed the limit in section 1 19 by the following portion of the prior year’s expenditures 20 exceeding that limit (excepting emergency expenditures 21 provided for by section 2): nine-tenths in the first year, 22 eight-ninths in the second, seven-eighths in the third, six- 23 sevenths in the fourth, five-sixths in the fifth, four-fifths 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:52 Dec 19, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HJ108.IH HJ108 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HJ 108 IH in the sixth, three-fourths in the seventh, two-thirds in the 1 eighth, and one-half in the ninth.’’. 2 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:00 Dec 19, 2020 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\HJ108.IH HJ108 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS