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[DOCID: f:h79ih.txt]






107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 H. R. 79

 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced 
budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability 
                  in the enactment of tax legislation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2001

 Mrs. Emerson introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced 
budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability 
                  in the enactment of tax legislation.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,  That the following 
article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United 
States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the 
Constitution if ratified by the legislatures of three-forths of the 
several States within seven years after its submission to the States 
for ratification:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. Prior to each fiscal year, the Congress and the 
President shall agree on an estimate of total receipts for that fiscal 
year by enactment into law of a joint resolution devoted solely to that 
subject. Total outlays for that year shall not exceed the level of 
estimated receipts set forth in such joint resolution, unless three-
fifths of the total membership of each House of Congress shall provide, 
by a rollcall vote, for a specific excess of outlays over estimated 
receipts.
    ``Section 2. Whenever actual outlays exceed actual receipts for any 
fiscal year, the Congress shall, in the ensuing fiscal year, provide by 
law for the repayment of such excess. The public debt of the United 
States shall not be increased unless three-fifths of the total 
membership of each House shall provide by law for such an increase by a 
rollcall vote.
    ``Section 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President shall 
transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for the United States 
Government for that fiscal year in which total outlays do not exceed 
total receipts.
    ``Section 4. No bill to increase revenue shall become law unless 
approved by a majority of the total membership of each House by a 
rollcall vote.
    ``Section 5. The provisions of this article are waived for any 
fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in effect.
    ``Section 6. Total receipts shall include all receipts of the 
United States except those derived from borrowing. Total outlays shall 
include all outlays of the United States except for those for repayment 
of debt principal.
    ``Section 7. This article shall take effect beginning with the 
second fiscal year after its ratification.''.
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