# Plain Language Summary: Balanced Budget Amendment

This is a proposal to change the U.S. Constitution to require that the federal government balance its budget every year—meaning the government can't spend more money than it takes in through taxes and other revenue. Right now, there's no constitutional requirement to do this, so Congress can approve budgets where spending exceeds income, which adds to the national debt.

If this amendment were approved, it would force the federal government to operate like most households and businesses do: you can't spend money you don't have. Every year, Congress would have to make sure that total federal spending doesn't exceed total federal revenue. This is a significant change because the government has run budget deficits (spending more than it brings in) for decades, and those deficits have accumulated into a massive national debt.

The practical impact would be substantial. To balance the budget, Congress would have to either raise taxes, cut spending, or do some combination of both. This could affect everything from Social Security and Medicare to military spending, education funding, and infrastructure projects. Any program that currently receives federal money might face cuts or changes. Additionally, during economic downturns when tax revenue naturally drops, the government would be forced to cut spending at exactly the time when people often need government assistance most—the opposite of what many economists recommend.

It's important to note that this is just a proposal for a constitutional amendment, not a law. For it to become part of the Constitution, it would need to pass both the House and Senate with two-thirds majorities, and then be ratified by three-fourths of the states. This is an extremely high bar, which is why constitutional amendments are rare.

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring that the Federal budget be balanced.

Lee, Mike

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total outlays for a fiscal year from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year or 18% of the U.S. gross domestic product unless Congress authorizes the excess by a two-thirds vote of each chamber. The prohibition excludes outlays for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. The amendment requires a two-thirds vote of each chamber of Congress to levy a new tax, increase the rate of any tax, or increase the debt limit. The amendment provides any Member of Congress with standing and a cause of action to seek judicial enforcement of this amendment if authorized by a petition signed by one-third of the Members of either house of Congress. Courts are prohibited from ordering any increase in revenue to enforce this amendment.