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Utah House circulates resolution urging Congress to pass balanced-budget amendment after heated floor debate
Summary
Representative Wimmer urged passage of HCR3 urging Congress to pass a balanced‑budget amendment by Oct. 1, 2011; debate focused on emergency exceptions and the appropriate timeline, and members voted to circle the resolution 36–33 to allow further drafting.
Representative Wimmer introduced HCR3 on Feb. 9 as a concurrent resolution urging Congress to adopt a balanced‑budget amendment. Wimmer cited federal debt levels and recent conversations with U.S. senators advocating a constitutional amendment, urging the House to send a clear message to Congress.
The resolution prompted extended floor debate about timing and exceptions. Representative Cox opposed the measure as "too vague," arguing it could force difficult choices or unintended cuts at the national level and that voters could instead change Congress directly. Representative Christensen proposed an amendment to the resolution to allow "prudent debt only in event of war or national emergency," prompting further exchanges about what qualifies as war or emergency and how broad an exception should be.
Representative Draxler and others urged stronger action, saying congressional action is a safer path to amending the Constitution than a constitutional convention; Representative Dougal and others warned that the amendment could be abused. The House ultimately approved a substitute motion to circle the resolution — effectively pausing final action and returning the measure to sponsors and amendment authors to refine language — by a narrow 36–33 vote.
Outcome: HCR3 was circled, allowing sponsors to rework the resolution language and consider narrower emergency exceptions before it returns to the floor.
