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H.J.Res. 17119th CongressIn committeeLatest action Jan 13, 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.
This proposed constitutional amendment would require balanced federal budgets unless two-thirds of Congress votes to allow a deficit.
45-second read · 4 questions answered below
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to balance its budget each year, spending no more than it collects unless two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to allow otherwise. It requires the President to submit a balanced budget proposal annually and directs Congress to pass enforcement laws, using estimates when needed. If ratified, it would take effect five fiscal years later.
This affects nearly every American, since it could change funding for programs like Social Security, Medicare, defense, education, and infrastructure. It also requires action from Congress, the President, and three-fourths of state legislatures for ratification.
Supporters argue it would control national debt growth, while critics worry it could force spending cuts or tax increases during economic downturns. As a constitutional amendment, it faces a high approval bar and does not require the President's signature.
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.