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Proposed Constitutional Amendment: Balanced Federal Budget Requirement

This proposal aims to add a rule to the Constitution stating that federal government spending cannot exceed its income in a given fiscal year. This means the government would have to spend only what it collects from taxes and other sources, potentially impacting the availability of public services and future tax levels. Exceptions would only be allowed with a two-thirds vote in Congress.
Key points
The federal government would be required to spend only what it collects, potentially reducing national debt.
The President would have to submit a budget where spending does not exceed revenue.
Implementing this rule could affect which government programs are funded and to what extent.
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Status:
Expired
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Additional Information
Print number: 118_HJRES_15
Sponsor: Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23]
Process start date: 2023-01-11
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure, with full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source, always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

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

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 118_HJRES_15.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2023-01-11.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • The federal government would be required to spend only what it collects, potentially reducing national debt.
  • The President would have to submit a budget where spending does not exceed revenue.
  • Implementing this rule could affect which government programs are funded and to what extent.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Expired.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2025-12-24.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know, that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Economy Taxes Public Investments