Ayotte Renews Call for Balanced Budget Amendment

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), a member of the Senate Budget Committee, today renewed her support for a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. Since arriving in the Senate, Ayotte has supported multiple proposals calling for a Balanced Budget Amendment.

"One way to ensure that Washington ends its spending addiction and saves future generations from being crushed by massive debt is to establish a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution," said Ayotte. "Forty-nine states have some existing requirement to balance their budget, and the federal government should be no different. That's why I am once again co-sponsoring legislation calling for a Balanced Budget Amendment, which I believe is one of the most important budget reforms we can pass to reduce federal spending and put our nation on a path to fiscal sustainability."

The balanced budget legislation Senator Ayotte is co-sponsoring was introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and includes the following key provisions:

Presidential requirement to submit a balanced budget;

Congressional requirement to pass a balanced budget;

Federal spending cap that Congress must limit outlays to no more than 18 percent of GDP, in line with the historical average of revenues over the last 40 years (this year, the federal government is projected to spend more than 20% of GDP);

Prohibits the courts from ordering revenue increases.

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