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HJRES 6 116th Congress House Economics and Public Finance Budget deficits and national debt Budget process Constitution and constitutional amendments Economic performance and conditions Income tax rates Legislative rules and procedure

Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Introduced: January 3, 2019 See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 116th Congress ended
It never became law before the 116th Congress (2019–2020) 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
Jan 3, 2019
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Jan 3, 2019
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Jan 3, 2019
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year unless Congress authorizes the excess by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing.

The amendment prohibits total outlays for any fiscal year from exceeding one-fifth of the economic output of the United States, unless two-thirds of each house of Congress provides for a specific increase above this amount.

The amendment requires a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit or to increase revenue. It also requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually.

Congress is authorized to waive these requirements when a declaration of war is in effect or if the United States is engaged in a military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security.

What's happening now January 3, 2019

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

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  • SJRES 3 Related bill A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget.
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 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 4
All 4 Republican 3
R
Banks, Jim
Indiana · Aug 25, 2020
 R
Johnson, Dusty
South Dakota · Oct 16, 2019
 R
Hill, J. French
Arkansas · Jan 11, 2019
WALDEN, GREG
· Jan 10, 2019
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.J. Res. 6: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.. 116th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HJRES-6/
MLA
"H.J. Res. 6: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.." 116th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HJRES-6/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.J. Res. 6, 116th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HJRES-6/.
Markdown link
[H.J. Res. 6: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.](https://openamerica.io/bill/116-HJRES-6/)
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