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

House Joint Resolution

H.J.Res. 17

119th Congress

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

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 13, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Sponsor information unavailable

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Summary

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to balance its budget each year. Under this amendment, the government could not spend more money than it collects in revenue unless two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to allow deficit spending for a specific amount.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Introduced1/13/2025

StatusReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

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

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to balance its budget each year. Under this amendment, the government could not spend more money than it collects in revenue unless two-thirds of bot

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This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to balance its budget each year. Under this amendment, the government could not spend more money than it collects in revenue unless two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to allow deficit spending for a specific amount.

Bill Number: 17
Introduced: 1/13/2025
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Bill Number: 17
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced: 1/13/2025
Summary: This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to balance its budget each year. Under this amendment, the government could not spend more money than it collects in revenue unless two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to allow def

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to balance its budget each year. Under this amendment, the government could not spend more money than it collects in revenue unless two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to allow deficit spending for a specific amount.

Last updated: 2/28/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

The amendment would require total government spending to not exceed total revenue collected in any given year.
Congress could override the balanced budget requirement only with a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate, specifically authorizing how much extra spending is allowed.
The President would be required to submit a balanced budget proposal to Congress before each fiscal year begins.
The amendment would take effect starting five years after three-fourths of state legislatures ratify it.
Borrowing money would not count as revenue, and paying back the principal on existing debt would not count as spending under this amendment.

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This amendment would affect all Americans by fundamentally changing how the federal government manages its finances. It would restrict Congress's ability to run budget deficits during economic downturns, wars, or emergencies unless a supermajority agrees to do so. The requirement for balanced budgets could impact federal programs, services, and benefits that citizens rely on, as spending would be limited to available revenue.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

17, 119th Congress (2025). "Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hjres-17

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