MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Senator(s) Hewes

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS TO ADOPT A BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT TO THE U.S. CONSTITUTION. 

WHEREAS, the annual federal budget has not been balanced since 1969, and the federal public debt is now more than $5 trillion or $20,000 for every man, woman and child in America; and

WHEREAS, continued deficit spending demonstrates an unwillingness or inability of both the federal executive and legislative branches to spend no more than available revenues; and

WHEREAS, fiscal irresponsibility at the federal level is lowering our standard of living, destroying jobs, and endangering economic opportunity now and for the next generation; and

WHEREAS, the federal government's unlimited ability to borrow raises questions about fundamental principles and responsibilities of government, with potentially profound consequences for the nation and its people, making it an appropriate subject for limitation by the Constitution of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States vests the ultimate responsibility to approve or disapprove constitutional amendments with the people, as represented by their elected state legislatures; and opposition by a small minority repeatedly has thwarted the will of the people that a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution should be submitted to the states for ratification:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That the Congress of the United States expeditiously pass, and propose to the Legislatures of the several states for ratification, an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring, in the absence of a national emergency, that the total of all federal appropriations made by the Congress for any fiscal year may not exceed the total of all estimated federal revenues for that fiscal year.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, and each member of the Mississippi congressional delegation.