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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 nation's financial stability and the future availability of public services.
Key points
Federal government spending cannot exceed its income in any fiscal year, unless two-thirds of Congress approves an exception.
The President must propose a budget where spending does not exceed income.
These changes would take effect five years after being approved by most states.
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Status:
Introduced
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Additional Information
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
Print number: HJRES 17
Sponsor: Rep. Obernolte, Jay [R-CA-23]
Process start date: 2025-01-13
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Summarized by: gemini-2.5-flash
Source data: api.congress.gov
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Summary & Status

Key Questions about Proposed Constitutional Amendment: Balanced Federal Budget Requirement

A structured overview of the legislative process, official sources, status and civic context.

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is HJRES 17.

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 2025-01-13.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Federal government spending cannot exceed its income in any fiscal year, unless two-thirds of Congress approves an exception.
  • The President must propose a budget where spending does not exceed income.
  • These changes would take effect five years after being approved by most states.

What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Introduced.

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 2025-12-21.

Analysis and Potential Impact of HJRES 17

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. Review our public AI processing logs for full transparency, and use Lustra to track active legislation for instant status push notifications.

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