[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 13, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S715-S716]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CORNYN (for himself, Mr. McConnell, Mr. Roberts, Mr. 
        Hatch, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Shelby, Mr. McCain, Mr. 
        Inhofe, Mr. Sessions, Ms. Collins, Mr. Enzi, Mr. Crapo, Ms. 
        Murkowski, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Graham, Mr. Alexander, Mr. Burr, 
        Mr. Coburn, Mr. Thune, Mr. Isakson, Mr. Vitter, Mr. Corker, Mr. 
        Barrasso, Mr. Wicker, Mr. Johanns, Mr. Risch, Mr. Kirk, Mr. 
        Coats, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Moran, Mr. Portman, Mr. Boozman, Mr. 
        Toomey, Mr. Hoeven, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. 
        Paul, Mr. Lee, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Heller, Mr. Scott, Mr. Flake, 
        Mr. Cruz, and Mrs. Fischer):
  S.J. Res. 7. A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the 
Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget; to 
the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of 
the joint resolution be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the text of the joint resolution was 
ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

                              S.J. Res. 7

       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:

                              ``Article--

       ``Section 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not 
     exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless two-thirds 
     of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of 
     Congress shall provide by law for a specific excess of 
     outlays over receipts by a roll call vote.
       ``Section 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not 
     exceed 18 percent of the gross domestic product of the United 
     States for the calendar year ending before the beginning of 
     such fiscal year, unless two-thirds of the duly chosen and 
     sworn Members of each House of Congress shall provide by law 
     for a specific amount in excess of such 18 percent by a roll 
     call vote.

[[Page S716]]

       ``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--
       ``(1) total outlays do not exceed total receipts; and
       ``(2) total outlays do not exceed 18 percent of the gross 
     domestic product of the United States for the calendar year 
     ending before the beginning of such fiscal year.
       ``Section 4. Any bill that imposes a new tax or increases 
     the statutory rate of any tax or the aggregate amount of 
     revenue may pass only by a two-thirds majority of the duly 
     chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress by a roll 
     call vote. For the purpose of determining any increase in 
     revenue under this section, there shall be excluded any 
     increase resulting from the lowering of the statutory rate of 
     any tax.
       ``Section 5. The limit on the debt of the United States 
     shall not be increased, unless three-fifths of the duly 
     chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress shall 
     provide for such an increase by a roll call vote.
       ``Section 6. The Congress may waive the provisions of 
     sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article for any fiscal year 
     in which a declaration of war against a nation-state is in 
     effect and in which a majority of the duly chosen and sworn 
     Members of each House of Congress shall provide for a 
     specific excess by a roll call vote.
       ``Section 7. The Congress may waive the provisions of 
     sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article in any fiscal year in 
     which the United States is engaged in a military conflict 
     that causes an imminent and serious military threat to 
     national security and is so declared by three-fifths of the 
     duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of Congress by a 
     roll call vote. Such suspension must identify and be limited 
     to the specific excess of outlays for that fiscal year made 
     necessary by the identified military conflict.
       ``Section 8. No court of the United States or of any State 
     shall order any increase in revenue to enforce this article.
       ``Section 9. 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 those for repayment of debt 
     principal.
       ``Section 10. The Congress shall have power to enforce and 
     implement this article by appropriate legislation, which may 
     rely on estimates of outlays, receipts, and gross domestic 
     product.
       ``Section 11. This article shall take effect beginning with 
     the fifth fiscal year beginning after its ratification.''.

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