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The House Judiciary Committee had planned – now delayed – to mark up a balanced budget amendment (BBA) following a hearing last month. Most BBAs would require spending and revenue to balance. Ideally, that would happen over the medium term, not each year.
For now, the likelihood that President Trump will give Congress a budget request on time and before the State of the Union is encouraging. Perhaps it’s even a sign that the federal government is turning the corner on dysfunction, just in time for America to celebrate its 250th birthday.
Kurt Couchman testified before the House Budget Committee on designing balanced budget amendments and related statutory budget upgrades in December 2024.
AFP Senior Fellow Kurt Couchman testified to a U.S. House Judiciary subcommittee that a well-designed BBA is part of a set of tools to help Congress budget better. This can reduce costs and increase income for Americans while getting Congress to do a better job for us.
AFP Senior Fellow Kurt Couchman testified on designing a viable balanced budget amendment and related statutes before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government on December 3, 2025.
Senator Jon Husted and Representative Nathaniel Moran introduced a well-crafted proposal for a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. A successful BBA would help Congress control the debt to reduce inflation and interest rate pressures and to expand prosperity, and it would push Congress to fix its outdated and ineffective budget practices.
Senators and representatives deserve a better approach to regular order that lets their unique gifts and talents shine. That’s the path to a high-functioning federal legislature that serves the people well and makes congressional service more fulfilling.
“Oversight of the Congressional Budget Office” (“CBO”) is the subject of today’s House Budget Committee hearing. CBO exists to reduce Congress’ dependence on the executive branch for budget and economic analysis.
