HJRES 139
· 119th Congress
· Economics and Public Finance
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government.
Sponsor
Latest action
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 211 - 207 (Roll no. 95).
Action timeline
Every recorded action on this bill, newest first. Stage badges color-code the legislative path.
Mar 18, 2026
floor
Mr. Biggs (AZ) moved to suspend the rules and pass the resolution.
Mar 18, 2026
floor
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2560-2568; text: CR H2560-2561)
Mar 18, 2026
floor
DEBATE - Pursuant to the provisions of H. Res. 1115, the House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.J. Res. 139
Mar 18, 2026
floor
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Mar 18, 2026
floor
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2583-2584)
Mar 18, 2026
passed
Failed of passage/not agreed to in House On motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 211 - 207 (Roll no. 95).
Mar 18, 2026
floor
On motion to suspend the rules and pass the resolution Failed by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 211 - 207 (Roll no. 95).
Feb 25, 2026
committee
Reported by the Committee on Judiciary. H. Rept. 119-520.
Judiciary Committee
Feb 25, 2026
other
Placed on the House Calendar, Calendar No. 63.
Feb 03, 2026
committee
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
Judiciary Committee
Feb 03, 2026
committee
Ordered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 16 - 10.
Judiciary Committee
Jan 09, 2026
introduced
Introduced in House
Jan 09, 2026
introduced
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Judiciary Committee
Roll-call votes
Floor votes recorded on this bill.
Roll call #95 — On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass
March 18, 2026 · Failed
211
Yea
207
Nay
14
Missed
D
1–207
(6 missed)
R
210–0
(8 missed)
view official roll-call →
Text versions
Each stage of the bill — official text published by GPO. Click any format to read on congress.gov / govinfo.
CRS summaries
Plain-English summaries written by the Congressional Research Service — neutral, nonpartisan staff who summarize bills as they advance through stages. The authoritative description of what each version of the bill does.
07
Reported to House
Feb 25, 2026
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total federal expenditures for a year from exceeding the average annual federal receipts collected in the three prior years, adjusted for changes in the population of U.S. citizens and inflation. Expenditures for payment of debt and receipts derived from borrowing are excluded.
Under the amendment, Congress may authorize specific expenditures in excess of the limit with (1) a roll call vote of two-thirds of each chamber, or (2) a roll call vote for any year in which a declaration of war is in effect.
The amendment also prohibits any bill to levy a new tax or increase the rate of any tax from becoming law unless it has been approved by a roll call vote of two-thirds of the whole number of each chamber of Congress.
The requirements take effect in the fifth year beginning after ratification of the amendment.
Show 1 earlier CRS summary
00
Introduced in House
Jan 09, 2026
This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment prohibiting total federal expenditures for a year from exceeding the average annual federal receipts collected in the three prior years, adjusted for changes in the population of U.S. citizens and inflation. Expenditures for payment of debt and receipts derived from borrowing are excluded.
Under the amendment, Congress may authorize specific expenditures in excess of the limit with (1) a roll call vote of two-thirds of each chamber, or (2) a roll call vote for any year in which a declaration of war is in effect.
The amendment also prohibits any bill to levy a new tax or increase the rate of any tax from becoming law unless it has been approved by a roll call vote of two-thirds of the whole number of each chamber of Congress.
The requirements take effect in the fifth year beginning after ratification of the amendment.
via Congressional Research Service · published through congress.gov
Changelog
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih / is — Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh / rfs — Referred to a committee for review.rh / rs — Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs / pch — Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh / es — Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh / rds — Received by the other chamber.eah / eas — Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath / ats — Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr — Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl — Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp — Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
ⓘ
How a bill moves through Congress. Each stage produces a new official text. The diff between them shows what changed at that step.
ih/is— Introduced in House / Senate. First filed version.rfh/rfs— Referred to a committee for review.rh/rs— Reported back by the committee to the floor (often with amendments — this is where most language changes happen).pcs/pch— Placed on Calendar for floor consideration.eh/es— Engrossed. Passed by the originating chamber. Text is now what was actually voted on.rdh/rds— Received by the other chamber.eah/eas— Engrossed Amendment. The other chamber passed an amended version.ath/ats— Agreed to. Both chambers settled on the same text.enr— Enrolled. Final reconciled text, sent to the President.pl— Public Law. Signed by the President. It's now law.pp— Public Print. Official printing post-enactment.
Most bills die before eh/es. Going from pcs → enr is the full path through both chambers.
Line-level diff between text versions of this bill — what actually changed at each legislative stage.
+35
−3
25 unchanged
--- Introduced (House)
+++ Reported (House)
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
-[H.J. Res. 139 Introduced in House (IH)]
+[H.J. Res. 139 Reported in House (RH)]
<DOC>
+House Calendar No. 63
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. J. RES. 139
+
+[Report No. 119-520]
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States
requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government.
@@ -18,6 +21,14 @@
Mr. Biggs of Arizona submitted the following joint resolution; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
+
+February 25, 2026
+
+Additional sponsors: Mr. Clyde and Mr. Brecheen
+
+February 25, 2026
+
+Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
@@ -33,7 +44,7 @@
valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:
-``Article --
+``Article--
``Section 1. Total expenditures for a year shall not exceed the
average annual receipts collected in the three prior years, adjusted in
@@ -55,4 +66,25 @@
appropriate legislation.
``Section 6. This article shall take effect with the fifth year
beginning after ratification.''.
-<all>
+House Calendar No. 63
+
+119th CONGRESS
+
+2d Session
+
+H. J. RES. 139
+
+[Report No. 119-520]
+
+_______________________________________________________________________
+
+JOINT RESOLUTION
+
+Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States
+requiring a balanced budget for the Federal Government.
+
+_______________________________________________________________________
+
+February 25, 2026
+
+Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed
Lobbying activity
Organizations whose LDA filings reference this bill, ranked by filing count. Position not disclosed — LDA does not require lobbyists to report support / oppose / monitor. Bill-number references can be stale (lobbyists sometimes copy text year-over-year), so verify against the filing description.
1
filings · 2026 Q1
AFL-CIO
BUD
1
filings · 2026 Q1
1
filings · 2026 Q1
1
filings · 2026 Q1
1
filings · 2026 Q1
1
filings · 2026 Q1
1
filings · 2026 Q1
via Senate LDA · self-reported quarterly. Filing count = filings mentioning this bill (no position required), not money spent on it. Click a client to see all bills they've filed on.
Cosponsors (2)
Members who signed on to support this bill.