Decode the 28th Amendment

SECTION 1 — The Basic Rule

The federal government should not spend more money than it collects. If there is debt, the budget must actively reduce it. If there is no debt, the government must live within its means. Borrowing is the exception — not the norm.

SECTION 2 — When Borrowing Is Allowed

Deficit spending is allowed only in truly serious situations — such as war, a national emergency, or a clearly defined recession.

Even then, Congress must meet all of the following conditions:

• At least 60% of both the House and Senate must approve it.
• The spending must be directly tied to the emergency.
• The law must set a firm dollar limit and a clear end date.

A “recession” is not left vague; it must be defined ahead of time using standard economic measures.

SECTION 3 — No Games

Congress cannot dodge the rules by using accounting tricks — pushing costs into the future, hiding programs off the books, or shifting expenses to states.

If the government borrows money, that counts as spending unless it is clearly allowed under the emergency rules in Section 2.

SECTION 4 — Accountability With Teeth

If Congress breaks the rules and runs an unauthorized deficit, the Members responsible cannot run for reelection.

That restriction only lifts after the government returns to compliance: either the budget is brought back into balance, or any deficit is properly authorized under Section 2.

SECTION 5 — Independent Verification

An independent, nonpartisan Fiscal Accountability Office checks the books each year. Within 90 days of the fiscal year ending, it must publicly announce:

• Whether the budget followed the rules; and
• Which Members, if any, are now ineligible to run again because of a violation.

This removes budget enforcement from politics and places it in a neutral, transparent, fact‑based review.

SECTION 6 — Enforcement

Courts are allowed to enforce the amendment. Congress can write additional laws to support it, but those laws cannot delay the amendment, weaken it, or create loopholes that undo the basic rule.

SECTION 7 — When It Begins

The new rules do not snap into place overnight. The amendment starts at the beginning of the first full fiscal year after it is ratified. That gives the country time to adjust and plan — without an excuse to ignore the commitment once it takes effect. Once it begins, compliance is mandatory — not optional.