Bill Text: MO HCR47 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to pass a federal balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-05-14 - Referred: Special Standing Committee on General Laws (H) [HCR47 Detail]
Download: Missouri-2010-HCR47-Introduced.html
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
House Concurrent Resolution No. 47
95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PRATT.
Whereas, for the first 200 years of our nation's history, Congress balanced the budget, except for times of war and recession; and
Whereas, in October 2008 Congress enacted the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 primarily for the purpose of bailing out the financial industry, at a cost of up to $700 billion. In February 2009 Congress enacted the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 at a cost of $787 billion; and
Whereas, currently, Congress is working to enact radical changes to the American health care and health insurance industries. The leading plans are estimated by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to cost $800 billion over ten years; and
Whereas, overall, the CBO and OMB are estimating trillion dollar deficits through 2011; and
Whereas, the amount of debt that the United States is taking on is becoming so enormous that creditors around the world are becoming alarmed about the safety of their reserves now held in United States dollars. China has made serious comments about replacing the dollar as the reserve currency of the world; and
Whereas, there is growing consensus among average United States taxpayers that something must be done to rein in the reckless spending and proposed spending programs; and
Whereas, a Balanced Budget Amendment to the United States Constitution would require that Congress pass a federal budget that balances projected revenues and expenditures, with notable exceptions such as a time of war; and
Whereas, according to Article V of the United States Constitution:
"The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution...which...shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislature of three-fourths of the several States."; and
Whereas, the United States Constitution has been amended 27 times, including the original Bill of Rights. Subsequent amendments abolished slavery, gave Congress the power to tax, implemented and then repealed Prohibition, and gave women the right to vote. The most recent constitutional amendment prohibits a congressional pay raise from taking effect during the Congress in which it was adopted; and
Whereas, on January 6, 2009, H. J. Res.1 proposing a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution, was reintroduced in the opening hours of the 111th Congress which would force Congress to enact fiscally responsible spending measures, reduce the deficit, and ensure that the money our citizens work so hard to earn is not squandered on wasteful spending and programs; and
Whereas, 168 members of Congress signed on as co-sponsors of the balanced budget amendment measure, but no major action has been taken on the measure since its referral to a House Committee in February of 2009; and
Whereas, the current United States outstanding national debt exceeds $12 trillion. With an estimated population of 307 million people, each citizen's share of the national debt exceeds $39,000; and
Whereas, the national debt has continued to increase an average of $3.84 billion per day since September 28, 2007:
Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fifth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby strongly urge the United States Congress to enact a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution to force Congress to balance the federal budget, reduce the national debt, and eliminate wasteful spending and programs; and
Be it further resolved that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate and House of Representatives and each member of the Missouri Congressional delegation.
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