Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to balancing the budget.

House Joint Resolution 2 proposes an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would require the federal government to balance its budget every year. Under this rule, the government could not spend more than it receives in revenue unless two-thirds of both the House and Senate vote to allow it. Additionally, the bill would cap total federal spending at 18% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and require a "supermajority" vote in Congress to raise taxes or increase the national debt limit.

For everyday citizens, this amendment would fundamentally change how the federal government manages its finances, potentially leading to significant reductions in federal spending or higher hurdles for passing new tax laws. While the bill includes exceptions for times of war or serious military threats, its primary impact would be to limit the government's ability to use deficit spending to fund programs or respond to economic downturns. The amendment also prevents courts from ordering tax increases to meet these new budgetary requirements, leaving fiscal decisions entirely to Congress and the President.