[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 24 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 24

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


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            February 6, 2013

 Mr. Amash (for himself, Mr. Bentivolio, Mr. Bucshon, Mr. Chabot, Mr. 
 Culberson, Mr. Duncan of South Carolina, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Gosar, Mr. 
   Gowdy, Mr. Harris, Mr. Huelskamp, Mr. Hultgren, Mr. Labrador, Mr. 
  LaMalfa, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Loebsack, Mrs. Lummis, Mr. 
    Massie, Mr. Michaud, Mr. Mulvaney, Mr. Palazzo, Mr. Pearce, Mr. 
   Quigley, Mr. Ribble, Mr. Rokita, Mr. Austin Scott of Georgia, Mr. 
 Stutzman, and Mr. Walberg) 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. Congress may by a roll call vote of two-thirds of each 
House 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 may authorize outlays in excess of 
the limit in section 1 for up to one year.
    ``Section 3. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
appropriate legislation.
    ``Section 4. This article shall take effect in the first year 
beginning at least 90 days following ratification, except that outlays 
may exceed the limit in section 1 by the following portion of the prior 
year's outlays exceeding that limit (excepting emergency outlays 
provided for by 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, and one-half in the ninth.''.
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