The legislation to increase the federal debt limit--that Boehner negotiated with President Barack Obama in August--requires both houses of Congress to vote on a balanced budget amendment before the end of the year. However, the legislation does not specify what type of balanced budget amendment must be considered in that vote. Conservative analysts have argued that an amendment to the Constitution that requires Congress to balance the federal budget but does not require Congress to limit federal spending to a set percentage of GDP or to muster supermajorities to raise taxes would be a formula for bigger government and higher taxes.
At Boehner's briefing today, CNSNews.com asked the speaker: There are two versions of a Balanced Budget Amendment, one that caps spending as a percentage of GDP and requires a supermajority to raise taxes, and one that doesnt have the spending cap and the supermajority requirement. Many conservatives oppose the version that does not cap spending and does not require a supermajority. Has the House Republican leadership ruled out supporting the version that does not [cap spending]?
In response, Boehner said the House Republican leadership had not yet decided which version of a balanced budget to bring up for a vote in the House. There are at least half a dozen different versions of a balanced budget amendment to our Constitution," Boehner said. "Many of us believe that a Balanced Budget Amendment is the ultimate enforcement mechanism to control spending here in Washington. As we approach this vote, the [majority] leader and I are going to listen to our members about which version they would want us to vote on, and weve got no decision yet, but were going to work with our members to make that decision.
There are two primary versions of a balanced budget amendment. One version, which conservative critics are calllng a "weak" BBA, merely requires that Congress balance the federal budget each year unless a supermajority votes to waive the requirement and run a deficit. The second is the version envisioned in the Cut, Cap, and Balance legislation that the House passed earlier this year. That version called for capping federal spending at a percentage of GDP--18 percent was the figure cited by its authors--and required a two-thirds majority in both houses to pass a tax increase.
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