[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 81 Introduced in House (IH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 81

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


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 14, 2011

Mr. Amash (for himself, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Duncan of South 
   Carolina, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Gosar, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Mulvaney, Mr. 
Polis, Mr. Woodall, Mr. Labrador, Mr. Walberg, Mr. Gowdy, Mr. Walsh of 
Illinois, Mr. Pompeo, Mr. Graves of Georgia, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Loebsack, 
 Mr. Shuler, Mr. Ribble, Mr. Michaud, Mr. Huelskamp, Mr. Schrader, Mr. 
   Southerland, Mr. Rokita, Mr. Yoder, Mr. Stutzman, Mr. Nugent, Mr. 
    Burton of Indiana, Mr. Culberson, and Mr. Moran) introduced 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 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 a year shall not exceed the average 
annual revenue collected in the three prior years, adjusted in 
proportion to changes in population and inflation. Total outlays shall 
include all outlays of the United States except those for payment of 
debt, and revenue shall include all revenue of the United States except 
that derived from borrowing.
    ``Section 2. Two-thirds of each House of Congress may by roll call 
vote declare an emergency and provide by law for specific outlays in 
excess of the limit in section 1. The declaration shall specify reasons 
for the emergency designation and shall limit the period in which 
outlays may exceed the limit in section 1 to no longer than one year.
    ``Section 3. All revenue in excess of outlays shall reduce the debt 
of the United States. Upon the retirement of such debt, revenue in 
excess of outlays shall be held by the Treasury to be used as specified 
in section 2.
    ``Section 4. The Congress shall have power to enforce and implement 
this article by appropriate legislation.
    ``Section 5. This article shall take effect in the first year 
beginning at least 90 days following ratification, except that outlays 
shall not surpass the sum of the limit described in section 1 and the 
following portion of the prior year's outlays exceeding that limit 
(excepting emergency outlays as provided for in section 2): nine-tenths 
in the first year, eight-ninths in the second, seven-eighths in the 
third, six-sevenths in the fourth, five-sixths in the fifth, four-
fifths in the sixth, three-fourths in the seventh, two-thirds in the 
eighth, one-half in the ninth, and the limit shall bind in the tenth 
year and thereafter.''.
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