Skip to main content
HJRES 248 102th Congress House Economics and Public Finance Balanced budgets Constitutional amendments Deficit financing Federal budgets Federal receipts and expenditures Public debt

Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Introduced: May 8, 1991 See on congress.gov
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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
May 8, 1991
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
May 8, 1991
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 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 (except those for repayment of debt principal) do not exceed total receipts (except those derived from borrowing), unless a three-fifths vote of both Houses authorizes a specific excess. Limits the rate of increase in receipts in the statement to that of the increase in national income in the previous calendar year, unless law is enacted solely to approve specific additional receipts.

Directs the President to submit a balanced budget.

Authorizes waiver of these provisions in time of war.

Sets a permanent limit on the amount of Federal public debt, prohibiting any increase unless legislation enacted by a three-fifths majority of both Houses becomes law.

What's happening now May 8, 1991

Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.J. Res. 248: Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.. 102nd Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-248/
MLA
"H.J. Res. 248: Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.." 102nd Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-248/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.J. Res. 248, 102nd Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-248/.
Markdown link
[H.J. Res. 248: Proposing a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution of the United States.](https://openamerica.io/bill/102-HJRES-248/)
Report a problem