Bills · HJRES 2
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House Joint Res.HJRES 2Constitution and constitutional amendmentsLegislative rules and procedure
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
INTRO JAN 3· LAST ACTION JAN 3
READING
1MIN
COSPONSORS
0
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it proposes a drastic shift in how the U.S. government manages its finances, moving from a system where it can borrow to cover budget shortfalls to one that demands an annual balance. If passed, it would force Congress to make tough choices about spending cuts or tax increases every year to match income with expenses, which could impact everything from national defense to social programs.
Without the ability to raise the debt ceiling, the government would be unable to borrow more money, potentially leading to a financial crisis if it cannot pay its existing bills. The higher bar for increasing revenue (two-thirds vote) would make it much harder to raise taxes, even if necessary, putting more pressure on spending cuts. Voters should care because this amendment would permanently alter the government's ability to respond to economic recessions, national emergencies, or long-term challenges, potentially leading to austerity measures or government shutdowns if budget agreements cannot be reached.
KEY PROVISIONS
3AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Requires that the government's total spending for any fiscal year cannot be more than the total money it takes in that year.
This would force the government to balance its budget annually, preventing consistent deficit spending.
PROVISION 02
States that the total amount of money the United States can owe to the public cannot be increased from its current level.
This would effectively freeze the national debt ceiling, preventing future increases in government borrowing.
PROVISION 03
Demands that any bill aimed at increasing government revenue (like raising taxes) must be approved by two-thirds of all members in both the House and Senate through a rollcall vote.
This makes it much harder to raise taxes, requiring broad bipartisan agreement for any revenue increases.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 0
R· Arizona
YRS IN OFFICE
9
BILLS LED
110
ACTION TIMELINE
3 EVENTSJAN 3
Introduced in House
JAN 3
Introduced in House
JAN 3
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Joint Resolution
NumberHJRES 2
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedJan 3, 2025
Last actionJan 3, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · JUDICIARY COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED JAN 3, 2025
House Joint Res.HJRES 2Constitution and constitutional amendmentsLegislative rules and procedure
Proposing a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution of the United States.
INTRODUCED JAN 3, 2025· LAST ACTION JAN 3, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
1 min
COSPONSORS
0
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
