H.J.Res. 68: Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

116th Congress · introduced 2019-06-20 · Economics and Public Finance · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2019-06-20 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Green, Mark E. [R-TN-7] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. 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

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

Plain summary

Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total expenditures from exceeding total receipts for a fiscal year. The prohibition excludes expenditures for repayment of debt principal and receipts derived from borrowing. For a national emergency, two-thirds of each chamber of Congress may authorize expenditures that exceed receipts for limited times. Debts incurred from the expenditures must be paid as soon as practicable. The amendment requires a two-thirds roll call vote of each chamber of Congress to increase the public debt limit. It also requires the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress annually. If the President does not submit a balanced budget for a fiscal year, any executive actions may be unilaterally overturned by a simple majority vote of each of chamber of Congress until the President submits a balanced budget.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), 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

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

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Green, Mark E. [R-TN-7] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

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 (5)

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.
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.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-116hjres68.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/116/hjres>

Record fed-us-cong116-hjres68 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong116 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong116