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HJRES 2 102th 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 of the United States requiring a balanced budget.

Introduced: January 3, 1991 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 102nd Congress ended
It never became law before the 102nd Congress (1991–1992) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jun 7, 1991
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law.
Jan 3, 1991
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Jan 3, 1991
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment - Requires the Congress, prior to each fiscal year, to adopt a statement in which total Federal outlays do not exceed total receipts, unless a three-fifths rollcall vote of both Houses authorizes a specific excess.

Prohibits any increase in the public debt unless three-fifths of both Houses of the Congress enacts legislation permitting otherwise.

Permits any revenue-increasing bill to become law only if approved by a majority of the whole number of both the Senate and the House of Representatives by rollcall vote.

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

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

What's happening now June 7, 1991

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
Smith, Christopher H.
New Jersey · Apr 9, 1991
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.J. Res. 2: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget.. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-2/
MLA
"H.J. Res. 2: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget.." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-2/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.J. Res. 2, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-2/.
Markdown link
[H.J. Res. 2: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget.](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-2/)
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