Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Congress Proposes Constitutional Amendment to Require a Balanced Federal Budget
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This proposal would change the U.S. Constitution to require the federal government to balance its budget. This means the money the government spends each year could not be more than the money it brings in through taxes and other income.
- If this becomes part of the Constitution, Congress would have 10 years to finish balancing the budget. The plan allows the government to look at spending over several years at a time rather than just one year, which helps during ups and downs in the economy.
- The rule would not count interest payments on current debt as part of the spending limit. It also clarifies that money the government borrows cannot be counted as income when trying to show the budget is balanced.
- In an emergency, Congress could still spend more than it takes in, but only if two-thirds of both the House and the Senate agree to it. Any debt created during these emergencies would have to be paid back as soon as possible.
- For this to actually happen, two-thirds of both the House and the Senate must vote for it, and then 38 out of the 50 states must approve it within seven years.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
Federal employees would likely face pay freezes, hiring freezes, benefit reductions, or workforce downsizing as Congress looks for ways to cut spending under a balanced budget amendment. With roughly 2 million civilian federal workers, the federal workforce is a frequent target during deficit-reduction efforts.
Programs
Broader Impacts
Milestones
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
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Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.