HJRES 55 · 114th Congress 2015–2017, ended

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

Introduced May 20, 2015 Originated House Sponsor Dave Brat R-VA

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Jun 1, 2015 Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Progress

Where this resolution reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedMay 20, 2015
  2. Passed HouseNot reached
  3. Passed SenateNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Constitutional Amendment

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment requiring federal expenditures and receipts to be balanced, excluding expenditures for payment of debt and receipts derived from borrowing. The requirement may be met over more than one year to accommodate economic conditions.

In emergency situations, two-thirds of the House of Representatives and the Senate may authorize expenditures to exceed receipts for a limited time. Debts from emergency expenditures must be paid as soon as practicable.

Congress may enforce the article with legislation, which must require compliance within 10 years of ratification.

Cosponsors 65

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Jun 25, 2015 to Sep 26, 2016.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
R-WVAlexander X. MooneyJun 25, 2015
R-WADan NewhouseJun 25, 2015
I-MIJustin AmashJun 25, 2015
R-NDKevin CramerJun 25, 2015
R-AZPaul A. GosarJun 25, 2015
R-WIReid J. RibbleJun 25, 2015
R-MTRyan K. ZinkeJun 25, 2015
R-PAScott PerryJun 25, 2015
R-KYThomas MassieJun 25, 2015
R-MITim WalbergJun 25, 2015
R-CATom McClintockJun 25, 2015
R-KYBrett GuthrieJul 8, 2015
R-VAH. Morgan GriffithJul 8, 2015
R-FLCurt ClawsonJul 16, 2015
R-MDAndy HarrisJul 27, 2015
R-FLBill PoseyJul 27, 2015
R-ARBruce WestermanJul 27, 2015
R-NYChristopher P. GibsonJul 27, 2015
R-CADana RohrabacherJul 27, 2015
R-FLDaniel WebsterJul 27, 2015
R-VAE. Scott RigellJul 27, 2015
R-WIF. James Sensenbrenner, Jr.Jul 27, 2015
R-WIGlenn GrothmanJul 27, 2015
R-SCJeff DuncanJul 27, 2015
R-MIJohn R. MoolenaarJul 27, 2015
R-INLuke MesserJul 27, 2015
R-SCMark SanfordJul 27, 2015
R-INMarlin A. StutzmanJul 27, 2015
R-UTMia B. LoveJul 27, 2015
R-IDRaul R. LabradorJul 27, 2015
R-MSSteven M. PalazzoJul 27, 2015
R-FLTed S. YohoJul 27, 2015
R-SCTrey GowdyJul 27, 2015
R-NCWalter B. JonesJul 27, 2015
D-ILDaniel LipinskiSep 24, 2015
R-NCMark WalkerNov 4, 2015
R-NYLee M. ZeldinFeb 2, 2016
R-MIMike BishopFeb 4, 2016
R-INTodd RokitaFeb 9, 2016
R-ALBradley ByrneFeb 11, 2016
R-AZDavid SchweikertFeb 11, 2016
R-OKJim BridenstineFeb 11, 2016
R-OHJim JordanFeb 11, 2016
R-LAJohn FlemingFeb 11, 2016
R-COKen BuckFeb 11, 2016
R-NCMark MeadowsFeb 11, 2016
R-AZMatt SalmonFeb 11, 2016
R-IARod BlumFeb 11, 2016
R-TNScott DesJarlaisFeb 11, 2016
R-OHSteve StiversFeb 11, 2016
R-PATom MarinoFeb 11, 2016
R-SCTom RiceFeb 11, 2016
R-GAEarl L. "Buddy" CarterFeb 24, 2016
R-GAAustin ScottMar 2, 2016
R-GABarry LoudermilkMar 2, 2016
R-NHFrank C. GuintaMar 2, 2016
R-TXJohn RatcliffeMar 2, 2016
R-TNMarsha BlackburnMar 2, 2016
R-NJScott GarrettMar 2, 2016
R-TNStephen Lee FincherMar 2, 2016
R-AZTrent FranksMar 2, 2016
R-OHJames B. RenacciMar 15, 2016
R-MIDavid A. TrottApr 28, 2016
R-NYJohn KatkoJul 14, 2016
R-FLCarlos CurbeloSep 26, 2016

Committees 1

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
HouseJudiciary Committee
Referred May 20, 2015
Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee
Referred Jun 1, 2015

Actions 3

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Jun 1, 2015Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
  2. May 20, 2015Introduced in House
  3. May 20, 2015Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

In the Congressional Record 1

Days the Record’s own index lists this resolution, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
HouseLists H3507H.J. Res. 55—May 20, 2015

Research

What has been written about this resolution: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Constitutional authority

Congress has the power to enact this legislation pursuant to the following: Article V of the Constitution states that ``The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution . . .'' This joint resolution is submitted for Congress to consider whether it is necessary to amend the Constitution to include it. ____________________

The sponsor’s statement, as printed in the Congressional Record, vol. 161, no. 78, May 20, 2015, page H3507.

Titles 1

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Economics and Public Finance.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. May 31, 2016Introduced in House

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this resolution on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.