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Reading the bill…
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Current Status
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Sponsor
Tom McClintock
Introduced
May 4, 2026
How far this bill has traveled through Congress
Introduced
Committee
Passed Chamber
Passed Both
President
Enacted
Introduced
Bill filed in chamber
Committee
Reviewed & reported
Passed Chamber
House or Senate vote
Passed Both
House & Senate agree
President
Sent to White House
Enacted
Signed into law
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
This bill proposes to add a new amendment to the US Constitution that would limit the government's ability to increase its debt. The amendment would require that any debt increase be approved by three-fourths of both houses of Congress and have a specific purpose. This could impact how the government finances its activities and makes decisions about borrowing money. Ultimately, it could affect how taxes are collected or spent.
This amendment could impact the government's ability to respond to economic crises or fund important projects, which could affect how Americans access essential services like healthcare and education.
No position data available yet
Source: cosponsors
3 members formally endorsed
Cosponsored this bill
Source: cosponsors
Cosponsor data and vote records sourced from Congress.gov. Reflects formal legislative actions only — not editorial opinion.
Based on analysis of 29 representatives' public statements and voting records
Jeff Merkley is a Democratic senator who has consistently advocated for robust federal spending on infrastructure, environmental projects, wildfire mitigation, and social programs. The scraped content shows him actively securing federal funding for Oregon projects and supporting expansive government investments. A balanced budget amendment that restricts debt increases would fundamentally constrain the federal spending priorities he champions. Democrats, particularly progressive senators like Merkley, have historically opposed such constitutional amendments as they would severely limit the government's ability to invest in social programs, infrastructure, and respond to emergencies. His party affiliation and demonstrated policy preferences strongly suggest opposition to this fiscal constraint measure.
While there is no explicit statement about this specific bill on the scraped website content, Rand Paul's legislative priorities and policy positions strongly suggest support. The website prominently displays the national debt figure ($31.3 trillion) and lists several bills aligned with fiscal conservatism, including the 'Audit the Fed,' 'REINS Act,' and 'Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act.' A balanced budget amendment requiring supermajority approval (3/4 of both chambers) for debt increases aligns perfectly with Paul's consistent libertarian/constitutional conservative stance on limiting government spending and requiring legislative restraint. Paul has historically championed fiscal discipline and constitutional constraints on government power. His party affiliation (Republican) and general ideological positioning also support this assessment, as balanced budget amendments are typically favored by fiscal conservatives.
Senator Murray's recent social media statements strongly criticize Republican deficit hawks and emphasize that Republicans 'blow up the debt on war and tax cuts for billionaires.' She points out that Trump's tax cuts were the single largest contributor to national debt increases. A constitutional balanced budget amendment requiring a 3/4 supermajority would severely constrain government spending flexibility and align with the 'deficit hawk' approach she criticizes. As a senior Appropriations Committee member and Democrat, Murray typically opposes constitutional constraints on spending authority, particularly measures that would limit investment in social programs, healthcare, and infrastructure that Democrats prioritize. The amendment's restrictive nature contradicts her demonstrated policy positions on maintaining government investment capacity.
Bernie Sanders is a progressive senator who has consistently advocated for increased government spending on social programs, infrastructure, healthcare, and worker protections. A balanced budget amendment requiring three-fourths Congressional approval for debt increases would severely constrain the federal government's ability to fund these priorities during economic downturns or crises. Sanders' legislative agenda (workplace safety, education funding, AI worker protections) and his support for expansive social programs are fundamentally incompatible with strict debt limitations. Additionally, Sanders belongs to the Democratic caucus, which has historically opposed balanced budget amendments as economically restrictive. The scraped content shows his focus on expanding government services and protections, not limiting fiscal capacity. While no explicit statement on this specific bill appears in the provided content, his overall policy orientation strongly suggests opposition to constitutional debt constraints.
While the scraped website content does not explicitly mention this specific constitutional amendment bill, Mike Lee's demonstrated policy positions strongly suggest support. As a Republican senator, he consistently advocates for fiscal conservatism and limiting government spending (as evidenced by his work on the Davis-Bacon Act repeal). A balanced budget amendment requiring supermajority approval for debt increases aligns directly with conservative constitutional principles that Lee has championed throughout his career. His focus on reducing government overreach and spending aligns with the bill's purpose of constraining federal debt authority. The only uncertainty is the lack of explicit confirmation on this particular bill, preventing a 'very_strong_support' classification.
Senator Whitehouse is a Democrat with a strong progressive record. The scraped content describes him as a 'fierce advocate for progressive values' focused on strengthening Social Security and Medicare, and addressing climate change. A balanced budget amendment requiring a 3/4 supermajority for debt increases would severely constrain government spending on progressive priorities and social programs. Democrats typically oppose such amendments as they limit fiscal flexibility needed for social investments and emergency spending. While no explicit statement on this specific bill appears in the provided content, his ideological positioning and party affiliation strongly suggest opposition to deficit/debt restriction amendments.
While the scraped website content doesn't contain explicit statements about this specific bill, Elizabeth Warren's well-documented policy positions and party affiliation strongly indicate opposition to a balanced budget amendment. Warren is a progressive Democrat who has consistently advocated for government spending on social programs, infrastructure, and economic stimulus. A constitutional amendment requiring a three-fourths supermajority to increase debt would severely restrict government's fiscal flexibility and ability to fund programs Warren prioritizes. Democrats, particularly progressives like Warren, have historically opposed balanced budget amendments as economically restrictive and counter to Keynesian economics. This aligns with her broader advocacy for robust federal spending on education, healthcare, and social safety nets.
While the scraped content doesn't contain explicit statements about this specific bill, Senator Tuberville's website prominently features 'Economy & Fiscal Responsibility' as a key issue area, suggesting fiscal conservatism. As a Republican senator and self-identified conservative with 'Conservative Legislative Wins' highlighted, he likely aligns with constitutional balanced budget amendment proposals, which are traditionally supported by fiscal conservatives. However, confidence is moderate (not high) because: (1) the website content is mostly structural navigation without detailed policy positions, (2) no voting record on this specific bill is provided, and (3) constitutional amendments require supermajority support and his specific position on this particular formulation is not confirmed.
Brian Schatz is a Democratic U.S. Senator from Hawaii. The scraped content shows he criticizes Republicans for spending concerns ('Instead Of Lowering Costs, Republicans Are Spending $70 Billion On Rogue Agency') while advocating for government spending on disaster relief and federal programs. A balanced budget amendment requiring a 3/4 supermajority to increase debt would severely constrain federal spending capacity and conflicts with typical Democratic positions supporting flexibility in fiscal policy for social programs, infrastructure, and emergency response. Democrats generally oppose constitutional debt ceiling amendments as they restrict government's ability to respond to crises and invest in constituent needs. Schatz's advocacy for recovery resources and federal assistance aligns with rejecting constraints on government borrowing authority.
While the website content does not explicitly mention this specific constitutional amendment bill, Senator Ricketts' stated priority of 'Reining in Big Government' and focus on 'Budget and Economy' issues suggest alignment with fiscal restraint policies. As a Republican senator, he would likely support constitutional measures to limit government spending and debt. However, without explicit statements about this particular bill or voting records on similar amendments, confidence cannot be higher. The lack of direct evidence prevents a 'strong_support' rating.