A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget.
Key claim: This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would cap federal outlays at 18% of GDP and require two-thirds supermajorities in both chambers of Congress to run deficits or increase federal taxes.
Abstract
(SJRES6 · 117th Congress) 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 two-thirds 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 18% of the gross domestic product of the United States, unless two-thirds of each chamber of Congress provides for a specific increase above this amount. The amendment requires a two-thirds vote of each chamber of Congress to impose a new tax, increase the statutory rate of any tax, or increase the aggregate amount of revenue. It requires a three-fifths vote of each chamber to increase the limit on the debt of the United States. The President must submit an annual budget in which total outlays do not exceed total receipts and 18% of the gross domestic product of the United States. The amendment prohibits a court from ordering a revenue increase to enforce the requirements. Congress may waive specified requirements when a declaration of war is in effect or the United States is engaged in a military conflict that causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security. Latest action (2021-02-03): Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Why this matters
The proposal would impose constitutional constraints on federal spending, deficits, and tax increases rather than directly change tax rates, credits, or deductions. It remains an introduced resolution, with no current change in tax liabilities; any distributional effects would depend on subsequent fiscal choices if the amendment were adopted and ratified.