Congress·In Committee·H.J.Res. 9

Proposed Constitutional Amendment Would Require 75% Vote in Congress to Increase National Debt

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.

about 1 year ago·View on Congress.gov

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Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

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.

Economy Finance

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

Who is affectedScoreImpactCertaintyScopeDurationSentiment

Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)

Broader Impacts

DomainScoreShort-termLong-termReversibilityConfidence

Score

Scores: -5 (harmful) to +5 (beneficial)Short-term: 0-2 yearsLong-term: 10-30 years

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Jan 3, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Jan 3, 2025

Introduced in House

Related News

1 article

The Hill·about 1 year ago

McClintock Introduces Fiscal Discipline Measures for 119th Congress

A report on the opening of the 119th Congress detailing Rep. Tom McClintock's legislative package, which includes H.J.Res.9. The resolution seeks to amend the Constitution to prohibit debt increases without a 75% supermajority in both the House and Senate for a specific, legally defined purpose.