[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 85 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. J. RES. 85

 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced 
budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability 
                  in the enactment of tax legislation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 12, 2002

   Mr. Berry (for himself, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Boswell, Mr. Taylor of 
 Mississippi, Ms. Harman, Mr. John, Mr. Ross, Mr. Sandlin, Mr. Turner, 
 Mr. Hall of Texas, Mr. Schiff, and Mr. Hill) introduced the following 
 joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced 
budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability 
                  in the enactment of tax legislation.

    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. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not exceed 
total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three-fifths of the whole 
number of each House of Congress shall provide by law for a specific 
excess of outlays over receipts by a rollcall vote.
    ``Section 2. The limit on the debt of the United States held by the 
public shall not be increased, unless three-fifths of the whole number 
of each House shall provide by law for an increase by a rollcall vote.
    ``Section 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President shall 
transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the United States 
Government for that fiscal year, in which total outlays do not exceed 
total receipts.
    ``Section 4. No bill to increase revenue shall become law unless 
approved by a majority of the whole number of each House by a rollcall 
vote.
    ``Section 5. The Congress may waive the provisions of this article 
for any fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in effect. The 
provisions of this article may be waived for any fiscal year in which 
the United States is engaged in military conflict which causes an 
imminent and serious military threat to national security and is so 
declared by a joint resolution, adopted by three-fifths of the whole 
number of each House, which becomes law.
    ``Section 6. The Congress shall enforce and implement this article 
by appropriate legislation, which may rely on estimates of outlays and 
receipts.
    ``Section 7. Total receipts shall include all receipts of the 
United States Government except those derived from borrowing and except 
receipts (including attributable interest) of the Federal Old-Age and 
Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance 
Trust Fund and any successor funds for which the total balance of funds 
is not less than zero. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the 
United States Government except for those for repayment of debt 
principal and except outlays of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors 
Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund 
and any successor funds for which the total balance of funds is not 
less than zero.
    ``Section 8. This article shall take effect beginning with fiscal 
year 2008 or with the second fiscal year beginning after its 
ratification, whichever is later.''
                                 <all>