Proposed Constitutional Amendment to Limit Federal Debt Increases

Original title: 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.

January 3, 2025

Constitution National Debt Congress Federal Budget

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Where This Stands

Introduced

Committee

Floor Vote

Passed

Currently in_committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.

Last action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.Jan 3, 2025

Lead sponsor

Tom McClintock

Version history

Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.

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The Frame

What this does

If ratified, this amendment would fundamentally change the federal budget process by requiring a 75% vote in both chambers of Congress to authorize any increase in the national debt, replacing the current simple majority requirement.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

U.S. Congress

The legislative body would be required to meet a three-fourths supermajority threshold to authorize any increase in the national debt.

Federal Government

The government's ability to issue debt would be constitutionally restricted, requiring specific legislative approval for increases.

What changed

Current stage: in_committee.

What's next

Floor Vote.

Summary

This resolution proposes a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would restrict the federal government's ability to increase the national debt. Under this proposal, any increase in debt would require a specific law passed by a three-fourths supermajority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Key Facts

You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.

Why It Matters

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this resolution do?

It proposes a constitutional amendment that would make it significantly harder for the federal government to borrow money by requiring a 75% vote in Congress to approve debt increases.

What is the current status of this proposal?

It has been introduced and referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

News Coverage

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Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Constitutionalization of Debt Limits

The proposal attempts to move debt limit authority from statutory law to a constitutional requirement, significantly raising the barrier for fiscal policy changes.

U.S. Congress