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SJRES 54 104th Congress Senate Economics and Public Finance Balanced budgets Budget deficits Congress Congressional voting Constitutional amendments Deficit financing Federal budgets Government Operations and Politics Government trust funds Income tax Judicial power Law Legislation Off-budget expenditures Old age, survivors and disability insurance Public debt Record votes Social Welfare Tax rates

A joint resolution proposing a balanced budget constitutional amendment.

Introduced: May 2, 1996 Introduced by: Wyden, Ron Democratic · Oregon See on congress.gov
This bill died when the 104th Congress ended
It never became law before the 104th Congress (1995–1996) 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 2, 1996
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
May 2, 1996
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment - Requires a balanced Federal budget, unless a three-fifths roll call vote of both Houses of the Congress provides for a specific excess of outlays over receipts.

Prohibits an increase in the public debt limit except by a three-fifths roll call vote by both Houses of the Congress.

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

Prohibits any bill increasing revenue from becoming law unless approved by a majority roll call vote of both Houses.

Provides for waiver during a declared war or when the United States is involved in a military conflict that causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.

Declares that the judicial power of the United States shall not extend to any case or controversy arising under this amendment, except as authorized by adopted legislation.

Exempts from total receipts and outlays: (1) receipts from, and outlays to the principal of, borrowing; and (2) receipts and outlays regarding Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Funds.

What's happening now May 2, 1996

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S.J. Res. 54: A joint resolution proposing a balanced budget constitutional amendment.. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-SJRES-54/
MLA
"S.J. Res. 54: A joint resolution proposing a balanced budget constitutional amendment.." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-SJRES-54/.
Bluebook (legal)
S.J. Res. 54, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-SJRES-54/.
Markdown link
[S.J. Res. 54: A joint resolution proposing a balanced budget constitutional amendment.](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-SJRES-54/)
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