To amend the Constitution of the United States to provide for balanced budgets and elimination of the Federal indebtedness.

See H.J.Res.103.

Congressional Research Service

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Jan 26, 1993

Constitutional Amendment - Directs the Congress to assure that total fiscal year Federal outlays do not exceed receipts and that Federal indebtedness is eliminated. Presents a mandatory six fiscal year timetable for achieving a balanced budget. Permits waiver of these balanced budget requirements (not to exceed a ten percent receipt to outlay deficit) in times of national emergency, but only by roll call vote of three-fourths of the total membership of both Houses. Requires a surplus budget with total Government receipts exceeding outlays by two and one-half percent of Federal indebtedness during the 40 fiscal years following achievement of a balanced budget. Requires that any indebtedness ensuing after an emergency waiver shall be extinguished within three fiscal years of being incurred.

Read the summary on Congress.gov

PlainBill analysis is coming later. This page presents official source data. We have not yet published a PlainBill explanation for this bill.

People & committees

Who introduced it

Rep. Jacobs, Andrew, Jr. [D-IN-10] · D–IN

Committees

Judiciary Committee

0 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Legislative record

Actions

A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.

Mar 17, 1994
See H.J.Res.103.
Feb 10, 1993
Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic and Commercial Law.
Jan 26, 1993
Referred to the House Committee on Judiciary.
Jan 26, 1993
Introduced in House
Jan 26, 1993
Introduced in House

Primary sources

Bill text & related measures

Text links open the official source. We currently store references to these documents.

Introduced in House · Jan 26, 1993 Formatted Text PDF

Related bills identified by Congress.gov

HJRES 103 · Proposing an amendment to the Constitution to provide for a balanced budget for the United States Government and for greater accountability in the enactment of tax legislation.

Source last updated: Jan 2, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

AI Conversation Starters

Explore the bill from different angles

Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.

Neutral evidence review

Objective

Analyze H.J.Res.74 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.74, 103rd Congress: To amend the Constitution of the United States to provide for balanced budgets and elimination of the Federal indebtedness.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-joint-resolution/74

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1993-01-26.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/hjres74/BILLS-103hjres74ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:21:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Analyze H.J.Res.74 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

Fairness and public impact

Progressive lens

Examine H.J.Res.74 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.74, 103rd Congress: To amend the Constitution of the United States to provide for balanced budgets and elimination of the Federal indebtedness.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-joint-resolution/74

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1993-01-26.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/hjres74/BILLS-103hjres74ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:21:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.J.Res.74 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.

Institutions and government scope

Conservative lens

Examine H.J.Res.74 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.74, 103rd Congress: To amend the Constitution of the United States to provide for balanced budgets and elimination of the Federal indebtedness.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-joint-resolution/74

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1993-01-26.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/hjres74/BILLS-103hjres74ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:21:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.J.Res.74 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.

Individual rights and government power

Liberty lens

Examine H.J.Res.74 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.

View full prompt & sources

Discuss H.J.Res.74, 103rd Congress: To amend the Constitution of the United States to provide for balanced budgets and elimination of the Federal indebtedness.

Official record: https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-joint-resolution/74

Text version to examine: Introduced in House · 1993-01-26.

Official full text: https://www.congress.gov/103/bills/hjres74/BILLS-103hjres74ih.htm

Imported record last updated by the source: 2025-01-02T17:21:40Z. Verify current status and distinguish any later version from the version above.

Read the official text before answering. If you cannot access it, say so and ask me to provide it; do not assume a link means you have read the document. Distinguish proposals from enacted law, cite sources, and separate facts, interpretation, and uncertain predictions. Include counterarguments even when using a particular perspective.

Examine H.J.Res.74 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.