S.J.Res. 20: A joint resolution proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

113th Congress · introduced 2013-07-11 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Read the second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2013-07-11 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read the second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

A joint resolution proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Plain summary

Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits total outlays for a fiscal year (except those for repayment of debt principal) from exceeding total receipts for that fiscal year (except those derived from borrowing) unless Congress, by a three-fifths roll call vote of each chamber, authorizes a specific excess of outlays over receipts. Excludes receipts (including attributable interest) and outlays of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, or either of their successor funds, from consideration as receipts or outlays for purposes of this Amendment. Directs the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. Authorizes waivers of these provisions when a declaration of war is in effect or under other specified circumstances involving military conflict. Prohibits Congress from passing any bill that provides a net reduction in individual income taxes for those with incomes over $1 million (as may be adjusted by Congress to account for inflation) if, after enactment, total outlays would exceed total receipts in any fiscal year affected by the bill. Prohibits a federal or state court from ordering any reduction in the Social Security benefits authorized by law, including any benefits provided from the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund, the Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, or either of their successor funds.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A joint resolution proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Udall, Mark [D-CO] · 6 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (7)

Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Constitutional amendment: A change to a constitution. In Texas the Legislature proposes an amendment with a joint resolution passed by two-thirds of the members of each chamber. It takes effect only if a majority of the people voting on it approve it. In Florida, an amendment needs at least 60% of the votes cast on it to pass.
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.
Joint resolution: In Texas, the type of measure the Legislature uses to propose a constitutional amendment (marked HJR or SJR). The governor does not sign or veto it; the voters decide. In Congress a joint resolution can also be used like a bill. In Florida, a joint resolution passed by three-fifths of the members of each chamber puts a constitutional amendment on the ballot.
Roll-call vote: A vote where each member's position is recorded by name, so the public can see how every member voted. "Yea" means yes, "Nay" means no, "Present" means the member was there but did not take a side.
Securities: Financial investments that can be bought and sold, such as stocks and bonds.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-113sjres20.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/113/sjres>

Record fed-us-cong113-sjres20 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong113 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong113