Bill Text: MS HC17 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: U.S. Congress; memorialize to amend the U.S. Constitution to require a balanced federal budget at the end of each fiscal year.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Failed) 2011-04-07 - Died In Committee [HC17 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2011-HC17-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2011 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Representative Turner
House Concurrent Resolution 17
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS, BY THE END OF 2013, TO ADOPT AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION REQUIRING A BALANCED FEDERAL BUDGET AT THE CLOSE OF EACH FISCAL YEAR WITH PROVISIONS FOR CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS.
WHEREAS, a balanced budget amendment is a constitutional rule requiring that a state must not spend more than its income, requiring a balance between the projected revenues and expenditures of the government; and
WHEREAS, balanced budget provisions have been added to the Constitutions of most states in the United States, the Basic Law of Germany and the Swiss Constitution, and it is also often proposed that a balanced budget rule be added to the national United States Constitution; and
WHEREAS, while the United States federal government is not bound by any balanced budget provision, there have been various proposed amendments to the United States Constitution which would introduce such a rule, most of which have contained a supermajority exception allowed for times of war or national emergency; and
WHEREAS, since 1982, there have been a total of five versions of a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution requiring a balanced federal budget, the most recent version having been introduced on July 12, 2005, with 123 sponsors, and stipulating the following:
"Section 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless three-fifths of the whole number of each House of Congress shall provide by law for a specific excess of outlays over receipts by a roll call vote.
Section 2. The limit on the debt of the United States held by the public shall not be increased, unless three-fifths of the whole number of each House shall provide by law for such an increase by a roll call 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 whole number of each House by a roll call vote.
Section 5. The Congress may waive the provisions of this article for any fiscal year in which a declaration of war is in effect. The provisions of this article may be waived for any fiscal year in which the United States is engaged in military conflict which causes an imminent and serious military threat to national security and is so declared by a joint resolution, adopted by a majority of the whole number of each House, which becomes law.
Section 6. The Congress shall enforce and implement this article by appropriate legislation, which may rely on estimates of outlays and receipts.
Section 7. Total receipts shall include all receipts of the United States government except those derived from borrowing. Total outlays shall include all outlays of the United States government except for those for repayment of debt principal.
Section 8. This article shall take effect beginning with the later of the second fiscal year beginning after its ratification or the first fiscal year beginning after December 31, 2010."; and
WHEREAS, it is incumbent upon the members of this Legislature as the elected officials chosen to represent and to advance the best interests of the state's constituency to act upon their behalf in order to be afforded the best economic benefit, security, stability and viability in future years:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do respectfully petition and memorialize the United States Congress to adopt an amendment to the United States Constitution within two years from the adoption of this resolution requiring a balanced federal budget for each fiscal year, except for the financing of a declared war, excluding therefrom as a revenue of the United States Social Security Trust funds, which shall remain inviolate.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That should the United States Congress fail to adopt a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced federal budget for each fiscal year within the two-year period allotted after the adoption of this resolution, then pursuant to Article V of the United States Constitution, the Mississippi Legislature shall apply and call for a convention to adopt such amendment.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be forwarded to the President of the United States, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Mississippi Congressional Delegation and be furnished to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.
