Paul Ryan opposed the amendment, saying this version wasn’t tough enough. | AP Photo Balanced budget amendment rejected

The House voted 261-165 on Friday to reject a balanced- budget amendment to the Constitution — falling short of the two-thirds majority needed.

The balanced-budget amendment that failed to pass was similar to the version voted on in 1995, which passed the House by 300-132 but fell short by one vote in the Senate. It required a simple majority to raise taxes and a three-fifths vote to raise the nation’s debt limit.


Most Democrats opposed the balanced-budget amendment, but a handful of Republicans joined them, including House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who argued this version wasn’t tough enough.

“I’m concerned that this version will lead to a much bigger government fueled by more taxes,” he told POLITICO. “Spending is the problem, yet this version of the [amendment] makes it more likely taxes will be raised, government will grow and economic freedom will be diminished.”

Many conservative House Republicans had pushed for a tougher balanced-budget amendment that would require a two-thirds majority to raise taxes as well cap spending at 18 percent of GDP.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor acknowledged earlier this week that he would’ve preferred the stricter bill but a majority of House Republicans favored the so-called “clean” version to try to muster up more Democratic votes.

The GOP got 25 Democrats to join them in supporting the balanced-budget amendment, but four Republicans — Ryan, Reps. Justin Amash, David Dreier and Louie Gohmert — voted against it.

Seven Democrats who voted for the balanced-budget amendment in 1995 flipped to a “no” for Friday’s vote: Reps. Rob Andrews, Jim Clyburn, Mike Doyle, Steny Hoyer, Marcy Kaptur, Jim Moran and Frank Pallone.

Under the terms of the August debt-limit agreement, both chambers must vote on a balanced-budget amendment before the end of the year. The amendment doesn’t need to pass and be sent to the states. If the amendment somehow got the two-thirds majority of both the House and Senate, it would need ratification from three-fourths of the states.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said earlier this month that the upper chamber would likely vote on a balanced-budget amendment after Thanksgiving.

Marin Cogan contributed to this report.