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H.J.Res. 110119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Jul 23, 2025Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
A proposed constitutional amendment would require federal spending to balance with income within ten years of ratification.
50-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the federal government's spending to match its income over time, not necessarily every year. Debt payments would not count as spending, and borrowed money would not count as income, and Congress would have ten years after ratification to reach balance. A two-thirds vote of both chambers could allow temporary emergency overspending, but any resulting debt would need to be repaid as soon as reasonably possible.
This affects all Americans who rely on federal programs such as Social Security, Medicare, defense, or education, as well as anyone affected by federal tax or economic policy. It also requires action from Congress and three-fourths of state legislatures to become law.
If ratified, the amendment would permanently limit federal spending and borrowing, potentially requiring cuts to programs, tax increases, or both. It faces a very high approval bar: two-thirds of both the House and Senate, then ratification by 38 of 50 states within seven years.
AI-drafted summary. Verify it against the official text before you act on it. Read the official bill on Congress.gov
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House — both chambers have to pass the same text, each by two thirds. A proposed constitutional amendment never goes to the President: it goes to the states, and three quarters of them have to ratify it before it takes effect.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.