Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the United States Government from increasing its debt except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the membership of each House of Congress.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment Would Require 75% Vote in Congress to Increase National Debt
Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
Key Points
- This proposal would change the U.S. Constitution to make it much harder for the federal government to borrow money. Under this rule, the government could only increase its debt if three-fourths of the members in both the House and Senate vote 'yes' for a specific purpose.
- Currently, Congress can increase the debt limit with a simple majority vote. By requiring a 75% supermajority, this policy aims to force lawmakers to balance the budget or find broad agreement before adding to the national debt.
- If the amendment is approved by Congress and the states, the new rules would not start immediately. There would be a 10-year waiting period after it is officially added to the Constitution before the debt restrictions take effect.
- To become law, this proposal must first pass both the House and Senate with a two-thirds vote. After that, 38 out of 50 state legislatures would need to approve it within seven years for it to become a permanent part of the Constitution.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Life & Work
Active-duty military members depend on federal funding for their pay, housing, healthcare, and operations. A strict constitutional limit on borrowing could lead to disruptions in military pay or readiness if Congress cannot assemble a 75% supermajority to authorize needed debt during a crisis or routine budget gap.
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.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the United States Government from increasing its debt except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the membership of each House of Congress.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(3)Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.