H.J.Res. 78 · 117th Congress · House

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

Active· Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
Introduced
Mar 21, 22
Passed House
Pending
Passed Senate
Pending
Sent to President
Pending
Signed into Law
Pending

Frequently Asked

The basics

›Who introduced it, and what's their district or state?
Lauren Boebert (Republican-CO-4).
›Is this a Republican bill, a Democratic bill, or bipartisan?
Single-party (Republican).
›When was it introduced?
Introduced on March 21, 2022.

Political context

›Is there a companion bill in the other chamber?
No companion bill recorded.

Legislative process

›What committee(s) have jurisdiction?
Referred to: Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee, Judiciary Committee.
›Where is it in the legislative process right now?
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.
›Has it been marked up, reported, or scheduled for a floor vote?
No committee markup recorded yet.

Practical actions

›How did my representative vote (if there's been a vote)?
See the Votes tab for individual member positions when a roll-call vote is recorded.
›How can I contact my member of Congress about it?
Use the U.S. Senate or House contact directory to reach your representative. Sponsor (Lauren Boebert) profile: https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/B000825.

Executive Summary

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting (1) total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year, and (2) increases to the public debt limit.

For emergency situations, Congress may authorize expenditures that violate these requirements for limited times if the expenditures are approved by a two-thirds vote of each chamber. Any debt incurred from these expenditures must be paid as soon as practicable.

The amendment also prohibits legislation that increases revenue from becoming law unless it is approved by a roll call vote of two-thirds of each chamber.

Finally, the amendment requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually.