St. Cloud Times - Balanced budget amendment bill at center of debt debate

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By Larry Bivins

Before the year ends, Congress will vote on whether to try to amend the Constitution to prevent the federal government from spending more than it takes in.

Lawmakers have sporadically debated a balanced budget amendment since the 1930s. A proposal in 1995 failed to move forward by one vote in the Senate. The issue has returned to the front burner in 2011 as the nation struggles to recover from a recession while staring at a $14.3 trillion debt.

Under an agreement in early August to raise the debt limit, both the House and the Senate must vote on a balanced budget amendment by Dec. 31. Passage requires a two-thirds majority in each chamber -- that's 290 members in the House, 67 in the Senate. Then, it must pass the legislatures in 38, or three-fourths of the states.

In concept, there is bipartisan support for requiring the government to balance its books. But the parties are divided over how to achieve that goal.

In the Minnesota delegation, all four House Republicans, including Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Stillwater, are among the 240 co-sponsors of a measure drafted by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, R-Va. His proposed amendment would require the president to submit a balanced budget to Congress every year, require a three-fifths vote in the House and Senate to increase the debt limit, and require a majority roll call vote in each chamber to raise taxes.

"Congresswoman Bachmann believes a balanced budget amendment is an important step to put our nation on the path to fiscal prosperity, rather than our current path of fiscal disaster having accumulated over $14 trillion in federal debt," said Becky Rogness, spokeswoman for Bachmann.

Bachmann, a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination, was unavailable for comment.

The Congressional Budget Office's latest projected deficit for 2011 -- the difference between what the government spends and what it takes in -- is $1.3 trillion, the third largest in the past 65 years.

Alternate version

Goodlatte also is the author of another balanced budget amendment proposal that critics have deemed more restrictive. Along with directing the president to submit a balanced budget annually, the measure would limit spending to 18 percent of the U.S. economic output and require a two-thirds majority of both chambers to raise taxes.

Bachmann also was among the 133 co-sponsors of that proposal, along with fellow Republicans John Kline and Chip Cravaack.

A spokeswoman for Goodlatte said he's pushing the first proposal, which has more co-sponsors, because he believes "it is the strongest balanced budget resolution that will pass the House and Senate."

The Goodlatte proposal that has less support mirrors a measure sponsored by tea party favorite Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. In March, the Senate fell two votes of shy of expressing support for Lee's version of a balanced budget amendment.

Democrats weigh in

Democratic Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar voted against it.

"The Constitution did not create our budget problems, and changing it won't solve them," Franken said. "What we need is an effort to overcome politics and a bipartisan willingness to compromise. There are a lot of unforeseen consequences to altering our most valuable governing document. It should only be done with great care."

Klobuchar said she has been working with a bipartisan group of more than 30 senators to develop a plan to "responsibly reduce our debt in a balanced way."

"While we will consider all tools to reduce the deficit, including a balanced budget amendment, I would have concerns if it balances the budget on the backs of seniors and families or if it prevents us from responding to changing economic conditions," she said in a statement.

Previous attempt

The Republican-controlled House passed a version of a balanced budget proposal earlier this summer when it approved a "cut, cap and balance" bill. But it died in the Senate, where Democrats hold the majority.

Critics say a balanced budget amendment would tie the hands of government during times of war and disasters and undermine Congress' authority over the budget as well as the principle of majority rule.

"A balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution is terrible public policy and lazy legislating," said Rep. Betty McCollum, D-St. Paul. "It eliminates all fiscal flexibility in tough economic times, likely leading to massive job losses and driving the economy into depression."

Uncertainty

Whatever measure comes up for a vote this fall will face an uncertain future. The most recent amendment to the Constitution that was adopted was the 27th, which prohibits members of Congress from giving themselves a pay raise. It was introduced in 1789 and ratified in 1992.

"I don't think we're anywhere near the supermajorities needed, particularly in the House, to get a balanced budget amendment passed," said Sarah Binder, a senior fellow and congressional expert at the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank. "Democrats have pretty much politically decided it's off the table, just as Republicans have pretty much politically staked their party brand on it."

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