Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should reduce and maintain the Federal unified budget deficit at or below 3 percent of gross domestic product.

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that (1) Congress should adopt a fiscal target to reduce the federal budget deficit to 3% of gross domestic product or less as soon as possible and no later than the end of FY2030; and (2) after the target is achieved, Congress should continue to pursue further deficit reduction with the goal of achieving a balanced federal budget.

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 981 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 981

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
States should reduce and maintain the Federal unified budget deficit at 
             or below 3 percent of gross domestic product.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 7, 2026

 Mr. Huizenga (for himself, Mr. Peters, Mr. Smucker, Mr. Quigley, Mr. 
Arrington, Mr. Case, Mr. Womack, Mr. Panetta, Mrs. Houchin, Ms. Perez, 
   Mr. Moore of Utah, Ms. Houlahan, Mr. Johnson of South Dakota, Mr. 
  Golden of Maine, and Mr. Estes) submitted the following resolution; 
 which was referred to the Committee on the Budget, and in addition to 
    the Committees on Ways and Means, and Rules, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
States should reduce and maintain the Federal unified budget deficit at 
             or below 3 percent of gross domestic product.

Whereas reducing annual deficits to 3 percent of gross domestic product has 
        attracted bipartisan support as a target to stabilize the national debt;
Whereas the budget deficit was $1,800,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2025, or 
        roughly 6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP), even in the absence 
        of major new emergency spending;
Whereas the national debt held by the public now stands at nearly 
        $31,000,000,000,000;
Whereas interest payments on the national debt are now projected to total more 
        than $1,000,000,000,000, the highest level in American history and more 
        than total defense spending;
Whereas the rising deficits and debt represent a threat to national security, 
        economic growth, and future generations;
Whereas rising deficits also threaten to increase interest rates and the cost of 
        living, reduce the government's flexibility to respond to fiscal 
        emergencies, and create risks of a fiscal crisis;
Whereas the Federal budget ran a sub-3 percent deficit-to-GDP in 1989, 1994, 
        1995, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2014, and 2015;
Whereas the Federal Government ran a surplus in 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001;
Whereas deficit reduction is best achieved when aiming toward a manageable, 
        meaningful target; and
Whereas Congress has a bipartisan responsibility to enact fiscal policies that 
        promote long-term economic growth and to safeguard future generations, 
        and to be ready for future emergencies: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) Congress should adopt a fiscal target to reduce the 
        Federal budget deficit to 3 percent of gross domestic product 
        (in this resolution referred to as ``the target'') or less as 
        soon as possible and no later than the end of fiscal year 2030;
            (2) following the achievement of the target, Congress 
        should continue to pursue further deficit reduction with the 
        goal of achieving a balanced Federal budget;
            (3) the President should submit budgets designed to create 
        a path to meet and sustain the target;
            (4) the congressional budget resolution should set 
        allocations consistent with meeting the target on schedule;
            (5) the House Committee on the Budget should, within 180 
        days, recommend enforcement options for consideration, which 
        may include points of order and a backstop mechanism for when 
        the target is not projected to be met;
            (6) the House Committee on Rules should, within 180 days, 
        recommend changes to the House rules to ensure that the target 
        can be met, including ensuring that House rules for budget 
        enforcement are difficult to waive, and that enforcement of the 
        Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010 is difficult to waive;
            (7) the Congressional Budget Office should include 
        statements within its cost estimates for major legislation that 
        demonstrate how the legislation affects consistency toward the 
        target under a current law baseline;
            (8) the Joint Committee on Taxation is encouraged to 
        provide supplemental analysis of whether major legislation 
        advances or impedes progress toward the target; and
            (9) efforts to meet the target should examine changes to 
        address current levels and the growth of discretionary 
        appropriations, direct spending, and revenues and the gap 
        between current revenues and expenditures of the Federal 
        Government that avoid timing shifts, reclassifications, or 
        other budgetary gimmicks.
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