HJRES 268 101th Congress House Economics and Public Finance Balanced budgets Budget deficits Congressional budget Constitutional amendments Deficit financing Federal budgets Federal receipts and expenditures Income tax Legislation Public debt Record votes Tax rates Taxation

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax legislation.

Introduced: May 11, 1989 See on congress.gov

Everywhere this bill has been 17 steps

Introduced

In committee

Reported out

Passed House

Passed Senate

To President

Became law

Jul 17, 1990

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Jul 17, 1990

On passage Failed by recorded vote (2/3 required): 279 - 150 (Roll no. 238).

Jul 17, 1990

The House adopted the amendment in the nature of a substitute as agreed to by the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union.

Jul 17, 1990

The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.

Jul 17, 1990

The House rose from the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to report H.J. Res. 268.

Jul 17, 1990

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 434, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of debate on the Stenholm amendment.

Jul 17, 1990

DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 434, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with one hour of debate on the Barton amendment.

Jul 17, 1990

GENERAL DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 434, the Committee of the Whole proceeded with 3 hours of general debate on the joint resolution.

Jul 17, 1990

The Speaker designated the Honorable W. G. (Bill) Hefner to act as Chairman of the Committee.

Jul 17, 1990

House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union pursuant to H. Res. 434 and Rule XXIII.

Jul 17, 1990

Rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 268 with 3 hours of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be read by section. Specified amendments are in order. No amendment to the joint resolution shall be in order in the House or in the Committee of the Whole except the amendments printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Said amendments may be offered only by the Member specified in the report, or his designee, and shall be debatable for the period specified in the report. Said amendments shall not be subject to amendment.

Jul 17, 1990

Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 434.

Jul 17, 1990

Rule H. Res. 434 passed House.

Jul 13, 1990

Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 434 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.J. Res. 268 with 3 hours of general debate. Previous question shall be considered as ordered without intervening motions except motion to recommit. Measure will be read by section. Specified amendments are in order. No amendment to the joint resolution shall be in order in the House or in the Committee of the Whole except the amendments printed in the report of the Committee on Rules accompanying this resolution. Said amendments may be offered only by the Member specified in the report, or his designee, and shall be debatable for the period specified in the report. Said amendments shall not be subject to amendment.

May 16, 1989

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law.

May 11, 1989

Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.

May 11, 1989

Introduced in House

Votes taken on this bill 1

Date	Chamber	What was voted on	Result	Yes–No
Jul 17, 1990	House · vote #238	On Passage	Failed	279–150	See who voted →

Amendments to this bill 2

Amendments propose changes to this bill. Members vote on amendments separately before the final bill vote. An agreed amendment becomes part of the bill; a failed amendment does not.

1 agreed to 1 failed

Amendment	Sponsor	Purpose	Status	Latest action
HAMDT 565	—	An amendment in the nature of a substitute which would retain the provisions of H.J.Res. 268 but would postpo…	Agreed to	Jul 17, 1990
HAMDT 564	—	An amendment that retains most provisions of H.J.Res. 268 and adds an additional provision that would limit f…	Failed	Jul 17, 1990

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Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment - Requires the Congress and the President, prior to each fiscal year, to establish an estimate of total receipts (except those derived from borrowing) for that fiscal year by enactment of a law devoted solely to that subject. Prohibits outlays for that year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding this amount unless the Congress, by a three-fifths roll call vote of each House, shall provide for a specific excess of outlays over estimated receipts.

Requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each House to increase the public debt.

Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to the Congress.

Requires the approval of a majority of the total membership of each House by roll call vote before any bill to increase revenue may become law.

Waives these provisions when a declaration of war is in effect.

Makes this article effective beginning with FY 1995 or with the second fiscal year after its ratification, whichever is later.

What's happening now July 17, 1990

Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.

Related & companion bills 7

Bill text 1 version

Introduced in House Formatted Text

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

Committees of jurisdiction 2

Administrative State, Regulatory Reform, and Antitrust Subcommittee
House of Representatives · subcommittee of Judiciary Committee
Judiciary Committee
House of Representatives

Cosponsors 3

Pallone, Frank

New Jersey · May 11, 1989

Rogers, Harold

Kentucky · May 11, 1989

Smith, Christopher H.

New Jersey · May 11, 1989

Cite this page click to expand

APA

U.S. Congress. (2026). H.J. Res. 268: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax legislation.. 101st Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-268/

MLA

"H.J. Res. 268: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax legislation.." 101st Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-268/.

Bluebook (legal)

H.J. Res. 268, 101st Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-268/.

Markdown link

[H.J. Res. 268: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax legislation.](https://openamerica.io/bill/101-HJRES-268/)