IIA 109th CONGRESS 1st Session S. J. RES. 2 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES January 24, 2005 Mr. Craig introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary JOINT RESOLUTION Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to require a balanced budget and protect Social Security surpluses.

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 by the Congress: —

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.

2.Total receipts shall include all receipts of the United States Government except those derived from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States Government except for those for repayment of debt principal.

3.Any surplus of receipts (including attributable interest) over outlays of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds shall not be counted for purposes of this article. Any deficit of receipts (including attributable interest) relative to outlays of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds shall be counted for purposes of this article, and must be completely offset by a surplus of all other receipts over all other outlays.

4.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 such an increase by a rollcall vote.

5.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.

6.No bill to increase revenue shall become law unless approved by a majority of the whole number of each House by a rollcall vote.

7.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 a majority of the whole number of each House, which becomes law.

8.The Congress shall enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely on estimates of outlays and receipts.

9.This article shall take effect the second fiscal year beginning after its ratification.

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