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H.J.Res. 139119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Mar 18, 2026Decoded by AI · checked against the record
Official title: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government.
Introduced:
Read the official bill on Congress.govThe plain-language version leads. The official text is always the reference.
A proposed constitutional amendment would cap federal spending to past revenue unless two-thirds of Congress votes otherwise.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to balance its budget, capping yearly spending at the average revenue collected over the prior three years, adjusted for population and inflation. Congress could exceed the cap only with a two-thirds vote in both chambers or during a declared war, and any new tax or tax increase would also need a two-thirds vote. If ratified, rules would take effect five years later.
This would affect nearly everyone, since it would reshape how Congress funds Social Security, Medicare, defense, and other programs, and how tax laws are passed.
Supporters argue it would control government debt, while critics argue it could limit flexibility to respond to emergencies or recessions. As a constitutional amendment, it requires two-thirds approval in Congress and ratification by 38 states, a process most proposals fail to complete.
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: — On motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 211 - 207 (Roll no. 95).