[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 51 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 51

  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
      require three-fifths majorities for bills increasing taxes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 11, 1995

     Mr. Pete Geren of Texas (for himself and Mr. Barton of Texas) 
 introduced the following joint resolution; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
      require three-fifths majorities for bills increasing taxes.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of each House 
concurring therein), 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 
within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

                              ``Article --

    ``Section 1. Any bill that would have the effect of increasing any 
revenue may pass only by a three-fifths majority of the whole number of 
each House of Congress.
    ``Section 2. Except as provided in this article, total revenue of 
the United States Government for each fiscal year shall not exceed 20 
percent of the gross domestic product. Any revenue in excess of the 
limit shall be used to reduce the public debt of the United States 
Government.
    ``Section 3. A specific amount of additional revenue above the 
limit in section 2 may be authorized for the current or next fiscal 
year when a bill for this sole purpose is passed by a three-fifths 
majority of the whole number of each House of Congress and such bill 
becomes law.
    ``Section 4. Upon the President's request, the Congress by a roll 
call vote may waive the first three sections of this article for any 
fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in effect. Any law that 
has the effect of increasing any revenue, if adopted when a waiver is 
in effect, shall expire no later than 2 years after the law is adopted.
    ``Section 5. This article shall take effect for the first fiscal 
year beginning after its ratification.''.
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