Many Americans marvel at what is Congress’s seeming inability to rise above partisan politics to do the work of the people. Whether failing to pass needed legislation to address genuine problems in our government or mustering the will to implement budgets on time, Congress seems to always fall short of the expectations of average Americans. The constant bickering, excessive rhetoric, political obstructionism, and perpetual campaigning has made Americans as weary of Congress as they are of the pandemic that besets us. Congress can and must do better, particularly when it comes to constraining profligate spending, and demanding budgetary discipline and accountability.
The Constitution is clear with respect to the House of Representatives’ duty to pass a budget. Section 7 of Article I makes the point.
“All Bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with Amendments as on other Bills.”
In Section 9 of Article I, accountability for the expenditure of public monies is also clear.
“No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law; and a regular Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures of all public Money shall be published from time to time.”
Moreover, in Article II, Section 3, the President is charged to “take care that the laws be faithfully executed”. That includes appropriations bills passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. The above “Statement and Account of the Receipts and Expenditures” language also has a direct bearing on the President who, in spending appropriated funds, must ensure the accounting of all expenditures to Congress.
The essential idea here is indeed accountability. Government—and its spending of the people’s money—must be accounted for to ensure that it is being spent within the delineated boundaries of the Constitution, specifically, for the “common defense and general welfare” along with the enumerated responsibilities of government. In order to bring order to that process, there must be a cogent way to account for that spending, both that authorized by Congress and that expended lawfully by the government, mainly by the executive branch. That orderly process is found in a budget that is balanced and expends no more than what’s necessary. Moreover, that budget must be formulated on the available revenues we have at our disposal, not funding that is borrowed hand-over-fist or through other processes that inflate the currency to spend ad infinitum. Congress and the President must be required to work within a balanced budget requirement in the Constitution similar to the states. None exists at this writing. But America needs a balanced budget amendment. Here is one concept.
Pursuant to its appropriation of revenues, Congress shall require a biennial budget based in all federal funding for the forthcoming year, the aggregate of which shall not exceed the biennial revenues and the authorized debt of the United States; except, when by a vote of two thirds of both houses of Congress it may exceed revenues and authorized debt in the case of war, or a national emergency when such emergency has been declared by the President and ratified by three fourths of both houses of Congress.
Currently, the U.S. operates on a yearly budget. Many states depend on two-year budgets that bring greater order and predictability in spending. Likewise, the federal government would benefit in moving from an annual to a biennial budget. Under this amendment, when a federal budget is first enacted—as it is with many states—it would cover two full years. In the second year, amendments could be made—as states do now—to account for any necessary changes in spending or revenues.
The above approach also embraces the idea that the budget should account for all spending in the biennium, including revenues and authorized debt. Debt must be included because it is also considered funding and a prudent component of any responsible budget that contemplates long term expenditures. That would include areas like capital construction—public building, infrastructure, and items that require long-term debt bonding—since these represent equity in real property that belongs to the American people. Additionally, this approach envisions an override authority in situations where the nation finds itself at war or where a legitimate national emergency exists. However, it includes two significant high bars to discourage congressional spendthrift mischief-making; a two-thirds vote of both houses of Congress to override the budget and limitations to true emergencies.
Finally, while debt has been a necessary tool for our nation extending back to our Revolution, it has been over-relied upon in recent years and threatens the financial stability of the nation, particularly when the debt devours our entire gross domestic product (GDP) as it does today.
It’s time for some true reform to avert economic collapse.
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