HJRES 9 · 119th CongressIn Committee

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the United States Government from increasing its debt except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the membership of each House of Congress.

Latest updateJan 3, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Economics and Public Finance

Sponsor

Tom McClintock

Introduced

January 3, 2025

Latest action

January 3, 2025

Legislative Progress

How far this bill has traveled through Congress

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Introduced

Bill filed in chamber

Committee

Reviewed & reported

Passed Chamber

House or Senate vote

Passed Both

House & Senate agree

President

Sent to White House

Enacted

Signed into law

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

Plain-Language Summary

AI Generated

Currently, the federal government can increase the national debt through ordinary legislation requiring only a simple majority vote in each chamber of Congress. The debt ceiling—a statutory limit on total borrowing—has been raised dozens of times since its creation in 1917, typically through standard legislative procedures. When the government approaches the ceiling, Congress passes a new law to raise it, often as part of broader spending or budget negotiations. This process has become routine, though it occasionally triggers political standoffs that threaten government operations and financial markets.

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would fundamentally alter how the federal government borrows money. The amendment requires that any increase to the national debt be authorized only through legislation approved by three-fourths of the membership in both the House of Representatives and the Senate—a supermajority far exceeding the simple majority currently needed. The proposal contains two sections: the first establishes the new debt-increase requirement, and the second delays implementation for ten years after ratification, allowing time for transition.

If ratified by three-fourths of state legislatures, this amendment would take effect a decade later, reshaping federal fiscal authority. Future debt increases would require supermajority support, making it substantially harder to raise the borrowing limit. The amendment creates no new funding mechanism or agency; instead, it restructures the constitutional threshold for debt authorization. The ten-year delay provides a window before the stricter rule applies, though Congress would need to plan accordingly. This change would likely affect how the government finances operations, responds to emergencies, and manages long-term obligations, potentially requiring earlier or more frequent debt-ceiling negotiations.

Key Provisions

1Prohibits the United States Government from increasing its debt except through legislation adopted by three-fourths of the membership of each House of Congress, replacing the current simple-majority requirement.
2Establishes a ten-year implementation delay after ratification, during which the amendment takes effect and the new supermajority requirement for debt increases becomes binding.
3Requires ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures within seven years of congressional passage for the amendment to become part of the Constitution.

★ Why this matters

If ratified, this amendment would make it substantially harder for the federal government to borrow money, requiring supermajority congressional approval instead of simple-majority votes. Future debt-ceiling increases would face a much higher political bar, potentially forcing earlier negotiations or creating deadlock during fiscal crises. The change could reshape how the government finances operations, responds to emergencies, and manages long-term obligations like Social Security and Medicare. Markets and government agencies would need to adapt to a fundamentally different borrowing process.

● Who this affects

Members of Congress would face a new constitutional constraint on fiscal authority, requiring them to build supermajorities for any debt increase. Federal agencies—including the Department of the Treasury, Department of Defense, and Social Security Administration—would operate under tighter borrowing constraints. State legislatures would decide whether to ratify the amendment. Financial markets, investors, and credit-rating agencies would adjust to new uncertainty around U.S. borrowing capacity. Taxpayers and beneficiaries of federal programs could experience service disruptions or policy changes if debt-ceiling deadlocks occur.

Bill Text

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<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 9

    Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
   prohibiting the United States Government from increasing its debt 
 except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the 
                 membership of each House of Congress.

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 3, 2025

   Mr. McClintock (for himself and Mr. Weber of Texas) submitted the 
following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the 
                               Judiciary

                            JOINT RESOLUTION

 
    Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States 
   prohibiting the United States Government from increasing its debt 
 except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the 
                 membership of each House of Congress.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House 
concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an 
amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be 
valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 
ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States 
within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. The United States Government may not increase its debt 
except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the 
membership of each House of Congress.
    ``Section 2. This article shall take effect beginning ten years 
after its ratification.''.
                                 <all>

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Where House representatives currently stand

Built from official statements, public releases, and voting records where they exist. Members without enough evidence are marked as no position.

448 tracked

Support

443

No Position

Oppose

Support

Members whose public record points toward backing the bill.

Kevin Kiley

I-California · District 3

Likely support

While the public record does not contain explicit statements about this specific constitutional amendment bill, several indicators suggest possible support: (1) Rep. Kiley is registered as Independent (I-CA), suggesting independence from party orthodoxy; (2) Multiple statements emphasize 'Government Accountability' and fiscal responsibility (e.g., 'Protecting Taxpayers,' criticism of government shutdowns as 'failure of Congress'); (3) His statement on the DHS funding bill criticizes Congress's failure to fulfill 'basic responsibility'; (4) He appears to prioritize budget discipline and appropriations processes. A balanced budget amendment aligns with these stated values. However, confidence is moderate because: (1) no explicit position on this bill is stated, (2) his actual voting record on this specific measure is not provided, and (3) his independent status makes him less predictable than party-line voting would suggest. The evidence points toward possible rather than strong support.

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the United States Government from increasing its debt except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the membership of each House of Congress.

Legislative Progress

Plain-Language Summary

Key Provisions

★ Why this matters

● Who this affects

Bill Text

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Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States prohibiting the United States Government from increasing its debt except for a specific purpose by law adopted by three-fourths of the membership of each House of Congress.

Legislative Progress

Plain-Language Summary

Key Provisions

★ Why this matters

● Who this affects

Bill Text

Where House representatives currently stand

Support

Opposition

No Position

Party Positions

Democratic Party

Republican Party

Take Action

Active Organizations