Pass the BBA Supports Cornyn-Hatch Balanced Budget Amendment to U.S. Constitution

WASHINGTON, Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) unveiled their proposed balanced budget amendment (BBA) to the U.S. Constitution at a press conference on Capitol Hill. Pass the BBA National Chairman Ken Blackwell (bio: http://tinyurl.com/48rucvw) was in attendance and thanked the Senators for their commitment to putting America's fiscal house in order.

"The Cornyn-Hatch BBA comes at a critical time. We simply cannot afford to continue this dangerous pattern of reckless, deficit spending any longer. Pass the BBA strongly supports this proposed amendment because it contains the key elements we have been pushing, namely a mandate that total budgetary outlays for any fiscal year not exceed total revenues, a federal spending cap at 20 percent of GDP, a requirement that the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress every fiscal year, a prohibition against tax increases that are not approved by two-thirds of both the House and Senate and they have expressed their commitment to have a vote on their BBA by October 1, 2011, the beginning of the next fiscal year," stated Blackwell.

"Of course, they included a common sense provision that enforcement may be waived if there is a formal declaration of war, if the U.S. is engaged in a military conflict constituting a threat to national security, or if two-thirds of both the House and Senate approve. We know that the special spending interests will grasp at any excuse possible to not support a BBA, and that there are some who pay lip-service to a BBA but conveniently skip over the details like an enforceable spending reduction mechanism. Pass the BBA believes that the Cornyn-Hatch BBA lays down a strong budgetary framework with real teeth for enforcement and we'll begin pushing it aggressively nationwide. Senators who do not support a BBA can expect to hear from the taxpayers back home," concluded Blackwell.

Pass the BBA is working with state legislatures to pass resolutions supporting a BBA, such as the resolution recently introduced in Utah by State Rep. Carl Wimmer (R-Herriman). Other resolutions are in the works in SC, GA, MO, OH, AZ, MT, ME, VA and FL. As resolutions pass at the state level, recalcitrant Members of Congress will be repeated urged (repeatedly if necessary) to follow the will of the voters in their states. Pass the BBA has planned media campaigns in key states to augment their petition gathering and postcard efforts.

Several House Members of Congress have introduced BBA bills, and more are expected to be introduced in the upcoming months. Pass the BBA has supported efforts that balance the budget through spending cuts, require a supermajority vote in each chamber to raise taxes or increase debt, require the President to submit a balanced budget to Congress, and hold a vote by October 1 2011. Pass the BBA's model language was drafted by their Honorary Chairman Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and can be read here: http://www.passthebba.com/amendment/

Pass the BBA has emerged as the leading advocate for a BBA. Pass the BBA is a non-partisan, grassroots movement actively gathering 5,000 to 10,000 voter signatures in all 435 congressional districts demanding fiscal accountability from their leaders. The Hon. Ken Blackwell and former Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner serve as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively.

SOURCE Pass the Balanced Budget Amendment

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