A vote on a balanced-budget amendment to the U.S.
Constitution failed in the House of Representatives
on Friday, while the bill supporters, primarily Republican
congressmen, failing to garner the two-thirds majority
necessary to pass the measure.
The Friday vote was called for as part of the "Cut, Cap
and Balance Act of 2011," a bill passed by the House
during the debt-ceiling debate over the summer. The
details included:
- Total outlays shall not exceed total receipts in any
fiscal year.
- Three-fifths majority of both chambers is required to
raise the debt ceiling.
- The president must submit to Congress each fiscal year
a budget in which outlays do not exceed receipts.
- A majority of both chambers is required to pass any bill
increases revenues.
- Congress may waive the provisions of the bill, through
a simple majority in both chambers, if a declaration of
war is in effect or if there is a serious threat to
national security.
- Such a constitutional amendment would go into effect
five years after it is ratified.
Republicans in favor of a balanced-budget amendment to
the Constitution argue that these points are necessary
because the federal government cannot be trusted to
spend within its means.
Many Democrats believe that a constitutional amendment
is not required to balance a budget, pointing to four
balanced budgets during the Clinton administration, as
an example. They also argue that the implementation
of such an amendment would have disastrous consequences
for the economy in addition to cutting back social
programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.
The impasse continues.....
Sheila McKinney
