{"id":2581471,"date":"2026-03-18T18:13:02","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T22:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/balanced-budget-amendment-fails-to-advance-in-house\/"},"modified":"2026-03-18T18:14:58","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T22:14:58","slug":"balanced-budget-amendment-fails-to-advance-in-house","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/balanced-budget-amendment-fails-to-advance-in-house\/","title":{"rendered":"Balanced budget amendment fails to advance in House"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbalanced-budget-amendment-fails-to-advance-in-house%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2581471&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article reports that the House of Representatives failed to advance a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-campaign-cites-obamas-2012-bid-as-evidence-florida-is-in-play\/\" title=\"Biden campaign points to Obama&#039;s 2012 run as proof Florida is a battleground\">proposed constitutional amendment aimed<\/a> at requiring a balanced federal budget. The measure, introduced by Rep. Andy Biggs, would cap federal spending at the average annual revenue of the previous three years (adjusted for inflation and population growth) and would allow overrides only by a two-thirds vote, with wartime exceptions possible. Although the house voted 211-207 in favor, the amendment requires a supermajority and Senate approval, followed by ratification by three-fourths of the states to become law. Only one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, crossed party lines to support it. Proponents, known as fiscal hawks, argue the amendment is needed to curb rising debt as the national debt nears $39 trillion and deficits persist. For the first five months of fiscal 2026,the deficit was about $1 trillion,and the 2025 deficit was estimated at $1.8 trillion (roughly 6% of GDP),with net interest on the debt around $1.03 trillion. Critics warn that a balanced budget amendment could have unintended negative consequences, such as forcing spending cuts during recessions and potentially limiting relief measures. The article also situates the debate within broader concerns about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/bipartisan-caucus-proposes-plan-to-avoid-default-if-biden-mccarthy-fail-to-reach-debt-ceiling-deal\/\" title=\"Bipartisan Caucus Proposes Plan to Avoid Default If Biden, McCarthy Fail to Reach ...-Ceiling Deal\">long-term fiscal health<\/a> and the country\u2019s spending-revenue mismatch.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Balanced budget amendment fails to advance in House<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2531827\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>The&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/section\/news\/house\/\" type=\"category\" id=\"1250\">House<\/a> failed to pass a measure that would propose amending the Constitution to require the federal government to have a balanced budget, a measure offered by conservatives to address the ever-increasing&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/national-debt\/\">national debt<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The House voted 211-207 in favor of the proposal introduced by Rep.&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/andy-biggs\">Andy Biggs<\/a>&nbsp;(R-AZ). The vote took place under a process that required a supermajority for approval. Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) was the sole Democrat to cross party lines and vote for the measure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4496668\/markwayne-mullin-committee-vote-hinge-john-fetterman-rand-paul-vows-oppose\/\">Mullin committee vote could hinge on John Fetterman as Rand Paul vows to oppose<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/4496098\/how-markwayne-mullin-would-lead-dhs-differently-kristi-noem\/\">How Markwayne Mullin would lead DHS differently than Kristi Noem<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4496683\/graham-platner-attack-ad-sexist-comments\/\">Maine Senate hopeful Graham Platner responds to attack ad over past sexist comments<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>If approved, the resolution would have to be approved by the Senate and then ratified by three-fourths of the states to become law. <\/p>\n<p>Fiscal hawks have long championed a balanced budget amendment.<\/p>\n<p>The national debt has ballooned to just under $39 trillion, and the government has been running budget deficits for years. For the first five months of fiscal 2026, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/federal-monthly-deficit-jumps-562-percent-as-bidens-student-debt-bailout-costs-hit\/\" title=\"Federal Monthly ... Jumps 562 Percent as Biden\u2019s Student ... Bailout Costs Hit\">federal budget deficit totaled<\/a> just about $1 trillion, according to the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congressional-budget-office\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"3754\">Congressional Budget Office<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Washington&rsquo;s spending addiction is bankrupting our country and mortgaging the future of every American family,&rdquo; Biggs said in January when he introduced the legislation.<\/p>\n<p>The Biggs amendment would have permanently stopped deficit spending by limiting federal expenditures to the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >average annual revenue collected<\/a> over the previous three years. That number would be adjusted for inflation and population growth.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">The legislation still allowed&nbsp;<a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/congress\/\">Congress<\/a>&nbsp;to override that prohibition with a two-thirds vote, a<\/span>nd during wartime, Congress could also breach the limit for national security purposes.<\/p>\n<p>Deficit hawks in and outside of Congress warn that, particularly given higher interest payments, the government could face a fiscal reckoning down the road.<\/p>\n<p>Last October, CBO estimated that the federal budget deficit for fiscal 2025 was $1.8 trillion as interest payments crossed $1 trillion for the first time.<\/p>\n<p>The 2025 federal deficit is high by historical standards and indicates a long-run mismatch between spending and revenues that threatens the federal government&rsquo;s fiscal health. At $1.8 trillion, the deficit is roughly 6% of GDP &mdash; a ratio that, before 2023, had never been seen in peacetime, other than during the 2008 financial crisis and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Interest payments have soared, a concerning trend that has worsened in recent years. Net interest on the public debt was $1.03 trillion in 2025, up from $949 billion in fiscal 2024.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/4489943\/nine-republicans-one-democrat-housing-bill-votes\/\">HERE ARE THE NINE REPUBLICAN AND ONE DEMOCRATIC &lsquo;NO&rsquo; VOTES ON THE MAJOR HOUSING BILL<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Some analysts, such as the director of the nonpartisan CBO and the chairman of the Federal Reserve, have warned that the government faces economic risks if it does not address the long-term mismatch between spending and revenues.<\/p>\n<p>But some budget experts have also cautioned against a balanced budget amendment, arguing that it could have unintended negative consequences. For example, if the country fell into a recession and tax revenues plunged, the government could be forced, under the balanced budget requirement, to cut spending, which might undercut relief measures.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here\u2019s a paraphrase of the article:<\/p>\n<p>The House failed to advance a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a balanced federal budget. The measure, pushed by conservatives to curb the rising national debt, passed the House 211-207 but needed a supermajority to proceed. Only one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, voted for it. Even if the House had approved it, the amendment would still need Senate approval and ratification by three-fourths of the states to become law. Supporters argue it would rein in deficits as the debt climbs, while critics warn it could have unintended economic effects. The national debt is about $39 trillion, and deficits have persisted. The Congressional Budget Office said the deficit for the first five months of fiscal 2026 was about $1 trillion.<\/p>\n<p>The proposed rule would cap federal spending to the average annual revenue of the previous three years, adjusted for inflation and population growth, though Congress could override the limit with a two-thirds vote, and wartime actions could breach it for national security. Deficit hawks warn that rising interest payments could force a fiscal reckoning later. The CBO estimated a $1.8 trillion deficit for fiscal 2025, with net interest on the debt at about $1.03 trillion, up from $949 billion in 2024. Some analysts warn that a balanced-budget requirement could have unintended consequences-such as forcing cuts during a recession when relief might be needed.<\/p>\n<p>Would you like a concise 55-character headline version as well?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3360,"featured_media":2581472,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP24156595654708.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651,538],"tags":[76102,4402,65409],"class_list":["post-2581471","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","category-washington-examiner","tag-balanced-budget-amendment","tag-congress","tag-house-of-representatives-2"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/AP24156595654708.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581471","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3360"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2581471"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581471\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2581475,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2581471\/revisions\/2581475"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2581472"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2581471"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2581471"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2581471"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}