[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 12 (Friday, January 20, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E148]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    SUBMISSION OF BIPARTISAN BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR PRINTING

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                           HON. DAN SCHAEFER

                              of colorado

                        HON. CHARLES W. STENHOLM

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 20, 1995
  Mr. SCHAEFER. Mr. Speaker, in anticipation of the debate on the 
balanced budget amendment next week, we are submitting the text of 
House Joint Resolution 28, the bipartisan, bicameral balanced budget 
amendment that we have introduced with 143 other Members, to be printed 
in the Record for Members to review. House Joint Resolution 28 is 
identical to Senate Joint Resolution 1 introduced by Senate Majority 
Leader Bob Dole. We are submitting our language both in the form of a 
substitute to House Joint Resolution 1, the balanced budget amendment 
reported by the House Judiciary Committee--authored by Representative 
Schaefer--and as a free-standing bill--House Joint Resolution 28.
  This language is the product of years of hard work by numerous 
Members of the House and Senate on both sides of the aisle. Senator 
Larry Craig had an instrumental role in developing this amendment when 
he was a Member of the House, and continues to play a leadership role 
in the Senate. Former Representatives Bob Smith of Oregon, Tom Carper, 
Jon Kyl, Jim Moody, Olympia Snowe, Jim Inhofe, as well as current House 
Members Joe Kennedy, Mike Castle, L.F. Payne, and Nathan Deal have made 
contributions to the effort. On the Senate side, Senators Orrin Hatch 
and Paul Simon have provided leadership on this amendment. Senators 
Strom Thurmond, Phil Gramm, Howell Heflin, and Pete Domenici, as well 
as former Senator Dennis DeConcini have also been actively involved in 
developing this amendment.
  The amendment has been improved over the years based on the advice of 
constitutional scholars, budget experts, other Members of Congress, and 
others. Changes were made in the amendment to address criticisms that 
were raised in the numerous hearings on the amendment. This review 
process has produced an amendment that is workable, flexible, and 
enforceable.
  House Joint Resolution 28 meets the constitutional standards of 
simplicity and support by a broad consensus of the American public. It 
would require the President to submit and Congress to enact a balanced 
budget beginning in 2002, unless three-fifths of both Houses vote to 
authorize a deficit. A three-fifths vote would be required to raise the 
debt limit. The amendment would make it more difficult to raise taxes 
by requiring a constitutional majority to pass bills increasing taxes. 
The amendment would be waived in the event of a declared war, and could 
be waived in the event of a military conflict that posed an imminent 
and serious threat to national security. The amendment would allow 
Congress to use estimates in planning budgets, but would require a 
balance of actual outlays against actual receipts.
  We understand that Rules Committee Chairman Gerald Solomon has 
indicated that the Rules Committee report a rule bringing House Joint 
Resolution 1 to the floor under a ``queen of the hill'' process in 
which the substitute that receives the most votes in the Committee of 
the Whole would be reported to the House. For this reason, 
Representative Schaefer is submitting the text of the bipartisan, 
bicameral amendment in the form of a substitute. We understand the 
Rules Committee may also consider reporting a rule that provides for 
consideration of House Joint Resolution 1 and House Joint Resolution 28 
as separate free-standing bills. This process would ensure clean votes 
on both proposals without forcing Members to choose between two popular 
amendments and maximize the chances of passing a balanced budget 
amendment. In this event, we are submitting the text of House Joint 
Resolution 28.
  We look forward to the debate on the balanced budget amendment next 
week. We encourage all members to participate in this debate and vote 
to send the balanced budget amendment to the Senate and the States.
                              H.J. Res. 28

       Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States of America in Congress assembled, 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 to 
     the States 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 such 
     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 a majority 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. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the 
     United States Government except for those for repayment of 
     debt principal.
       Section 8.--this article shall take effect beginning with 
     fiscal year 2002 or with the second fiscal year beginning 
     after its ratification, whichever is later.


     

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