Senate Concurrent Resolution 2 - Introduced SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 2 BY ZAUN , WHITVER , SINCLAIR , FEENSTRA , CHELGREN , CHAPMAN , and SCHNEIDER A Concurrent Resolution urging the members of the 1 Congress of the United States to propose a balanced 2 budget amendment to the Constitution of the 3 United States for submission to the states for 4 ratification. 5 WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the state of Iowa 6 acknowledges that the United States of America is 7 facing a crippling debt crisis because of expenditures 8 in excess of revenues and unwise fiscal policies; and 9 WHEREAS, a near majority of United States Senators 10 specifically expressed support for a requirement to 11 balance the federal budget; and 12 WHEREAS, on December 14, 2011, the United States 13 Senate considered but did not approve the following 14 proposed Constitutional Amendment, Senate Joint 15 Resolution 10, which was originally introduced 16 by United States Senators Orrin Hatch and Charles 17 Grassley, and other senators: 18 Section 1. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 19 not exceed total receipts for that fiscal year, unless 20 two-thirds of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each 21 House of Congress shall provide by law for a specific 22 excess of outlays over receipts by a roll call vote. 23 Section 2. Total outlays for any fiscal year shall 24 not exceed 18 percent of the gross domestic product of 25 the United States for the calendar year ending before 26 the beginning of such fiscal year, unless two-thirds 27 -1- LSB 1762XS (2) 86 rn/sc 1/ 4

S.C.R. 2 of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of 1 Congress shall provide by law for a specific amount in 2 excess of such 18 percent by a roll call vote. 3 Section 3. Prior to each fiscal year, the President 4 shall transmit to the Congress a proposed budget for 5 the United States Government for that fiscal year in 6 which—— 7 (1) total outlays do not exceed total receipts; and 8 (2) total outlays do not exceed 18 percent of the 9 gross domestic product of the United States for the 10 calendar year ending before the beginning of such 11 fiscal year. 12 Section 4. Any bill that imposes a new tax or 13 increases the statutory rate of any tax or the 14 aggregate amount of revenue may pass only by a 15 two-thirds majority of the duly chosen and sworn 16 Members of each House of Congress by a roll call 17 vote. For the purpose of determining any increase in 18 revenue under this section, there shall be excluded any 19 increase resulting from the lowering of the statutory 20 rate of any tax. 21 Section 5. The limit on the debt of the United 22 States shall not be increased, unless three-fifths 23 of the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of 24 Congress shall provide for such an increase by a roll 25 call vote. 26 Section 6. The Congress may waive the provisions 27 of sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article for any 28 fiscal year in which a declaration of war against a 29 nation-state is in effect and in which a majority of 30 -2- LSB 1762XS (2) 86 rn/sc 2/ 4

S.C.R. 2 the duly chosen and sworn Members of each House of 1 Congress shall provide for a specific excess by a roll 2 call vote. 3 Section 7. The Congress may waive the provisions 4 of sections 1, 2, 3, and 5 of this article in any 5 fiscal year in which the United States is engaged in a 6 military conflict that causes an imminent and serious 7 military threat to national security and is so declared 8 by three-fifths of the duly chosen and sworn Members 9 of each House of Congress by a roll call vote. Such 10 suspension must identify and be limited to the specific 11 excess of outlays for that fiscal year made necessary 12 by the identified military conflict. 13 Section 8. No court of the United States or of any 14 State shall order any increase in revenue to enforce 15 this article. 16 Section 9. Total receipts shall include all 17 receipts of the United States Government except those 18 derived from borrowing. Total outlays shall include 19 all outlays of the United States Government except 20 those for repayment of debt principal. 21 Section 10. The Congress shall have power to 22 enforce and implement this article by appropriate 23 legislation, which may rely on estimates of outlays, 24 receipts, and gross domestic product. 25 Section 11. This article shall take effect 26 beginning with the fifth fiscal year beginning after 27 its ratification; and 28 WHEREAS, proposing and ratifying this amendment 29 would provide a requirement in the Constitution of 30 -3- LSB 1762XS (2) 86 rn/sc 3/ 4

S.C.R. 2 the United States for a balanced federal budget; NOW 1 THEREFORE, 2 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE, THE HOUSE OF 3 REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING, That the Iowa General 4 Assembly urges the members of the United States Senate 5 and the United States House of Representatives from 6 this state to support a proposed balanced budget 7 amendment, the same or substantially similar to 8 that described by this resolution, by cosponsoring 9 resolutions proposing the amendment in their respective 10 chambers; and 11 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Iowa General 12 Assembly urges the members of the Congress of the 13 United States to adopt a proposed balanced budget 14 amendment, the same or substantially similar to that 15 described by this resolution, for submission to the 16 states of the United States for ratification; and 17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That upon passage of this 18 resolution, the Secretary of the Senate shall transmit 19 copies of this resolution to the President of the 20 United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States 21 House of Representatives, and to the members of Iowa’s 22 Congressional delegation. 23 -4- LSB 1762XS (2) 86 rn/sc 4/ 4