The House of Representatives on Wednesday rejected a resolution that would have required federal spending to match revenue by a narrow margin, falling short of the two-thirds threshold needed for passage. The legislation would have established a permanent balanced budget amendment.
Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who sponsored the bill, described the outcome as sudden and unexpected. “They didn’t ask me to do anything, didn’t offer anything,” he stated when asked about the timing of the vote. “Just out of the blue, I got a call.”
The proposed amendment would have capped federal outlays at the average annual revenue from the previous three years, adjusted for inflation and population growth. Exceptions would be limited to national emergencies and wartime situations. Congress could only exceed this cap with a two-thirds supermajority vote in both chambers.
The U.S. national debt, currently estimated at $39 trillion, has been accumulated over decades of deficits stemming from tax cuts, wars, economic recessions, and rising interest costs.
