Bill Text: OH HCR23 | 2011-2012 | 129th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: To memorialize the Congress of the United States to

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 15-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-07-12 - To Finance & Appropriations [HCR23 Detail]

Download: Ohio-2011-HCR23-Introduced.html

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As Introduced

129th General Assembly Regular Session 2011-2012

H. C. R. No. 23

Representative Burke 

Cosponsors: Representatives Adams, J., Beck, Boose, Brenner, Bubp, Duffey, Grossman, Hayes, Huffman, Johnson, Martin, McGregor, Roegner, Stebelton 

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A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

To memorialize the Congress of the United States to

1

propose a balanced budget amendment to the United

2

States Constitution.

3

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF OHIO
(THE SENATE CONCURRING):

WHEREAS, The current fiscal direction of the United States is	4
unsustainable, and the economy can only withstand a limited amount	5
of debt before markets lose confidence in the nation's ability to	6
repay creditors; and	7

WHEREAS, Unconstrained deficits could undermine future	8
economic growth and cost Ohio jobs; and	9

WHEREAS, Without action by Congress, interest rates on homes	10
and cars could soar; the value of retirement accounts, stocks, and	11
other assets may be reduced; and the price of goods and services	12
could skyrocket; and	13

WHEREAS, The United States government cannot maintain the	14
status quo in regards to the federal budget because, given the	15
aging population and rising cost of healthcare, the United States	16
will not be able to maintain the following objectives at a level	17
similar to the past forty years: keeping federal revenues at a	18
comparable average share of the gross domestic product (GDP),	19
providing the same standard of benefits to older Americans, and	20
operating the rest of the federal government in line with its role	21
in the economy and society; and	22

WHEREAS, Simply eliminating waste and inefficiency will not	23
put fiscal public policy on a sustainable path. Instead, changes	24
will need to affect popular programs, people's tax payments, or	25
both; and	26

WHEREAS, The federal budget deficit each federal fiscal year	27
from 2009 to 2011 has been the highest ever in dollar terms and	28
significantly higher as a share of GDP than in any other year	29
since World War II; and	30

WHEREAS, The United States Office of Management and Budget	31
projects that the national debt will reach $20.8 trillion at the	32
end of federal fiscal year 2016; and	33

WHEREAS, In 1835, for the first and only time in United	34
States history, the entire national debt was paid off under	35
President Jackson who warned that debt could "destroy the liberty	36
of our country"; now therefore be it	37

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the 129th General Assembly	38
of the State of Ohio, urge the Congress of the United States to	39
propose a balanced budget amendment to the United States	40
Constitution in order to secure future prosperity for our children	41
and grandchildren and enable the national debt to be paid by	42
prohibiting total expenditures of the United States from exceeding	43
total receipts in a fiscal year, except that, the requirement may	44
be overridden by a three-fifths vote of each House or the	45
requirement is waived for any fiscal year in which a declaration	46
of war is in effect or when a majority of each House determines	47
that the United States is engaged in a military conflict that	48
poses a threat to national security; and be it further	49

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House of Representatives	50
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to the	51
Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives,	52
the President Pro Tempore and the Secretary of the United States	53
Senate, the members of the Ohio Congressional delegation, the	54
Governor of the State of Ohio, and the news media of Ohio.	55