A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require a balanced budget.

On Mar 4, 1997, the Senate voted 66–34 on “On the Joint Resolution” (SJRES 1). Result: Joint Resolution Defeated. By party: Republicans 55–0, Democrats 11–34. It was a split vote: the parties took opposite sides, with some members crossing over. 11 members voted against their own party.

During the 105th Congress (1997–1998), Bill Clinton was president, and Republicans held majorities in both the House and Senate.

Result: Joint Resolution Defeated
Yes: 66
No: 34
Date: Mar 4, 1997

By party

Republicans55 yes · 0 no
Democrats11 yes · 34 no

Who broke with their party

Joseph Robinette (Joe) Biden Jr. D-DE voted yes
Daniel Robert (Bob) Graham D-FL voted yes
Joseph Maxwell (Max) Cleland D-GA voted yes
Thomas Richard (Tom) Harkin D-IA voted yes
Carol Moseley Braun D-IL voted yes
John Berlinger Breaux D-LA voted yes
Mary L. Landrieu D-LA voted yes
Max Sieben Baucus D-MT voted yes
Richard H Bryan D-NV voted yes
Charles Spittal Robb D-VA voted yes
Herbert H. Kohl D-WI voted yes

How each senator voted: Yes

Frank Hughes Murkowski R-AK
Theodore Fulton (Ted) Stevens R-AK
Jefferson Beauregard (Jeff) Sessions III R-AL
Richard C. Shelby R-AL
Timothy Hutchinson R-AR
John Sidney Mccain III R-AZ
Jon Llewellyn Kyl R-AZ
A. Wayne Allard R-CO
Ben Nighthorse Campbell R-CO
Joseph Robinette (Joe) Biden Jr. D-DE
William Victor Roth Jr. R-DE
Connie Mack III R-FL
Daniel Robert (Bob) Graham D-FL
Joseph Maxwell (Max) Cleland D-GA
Paul Coverdell R-GA
Charles Ernest Grassley R-IA
Thomas Richard (Tom) Harkin D-IA
Dirk Kempthorne R-ID
Larry Edwin Craig R-ID
Carol Moseley Braun D-IL
Daniel Ray Coats R-IN
Richard Green Lugar R-IN
Charles Patrick (Pat) Roberts R-KS
Sam Dale Brownback R-KS
Addison Mitchell (Mitch) Mcconnell R-KY
John Berlinger Breaux D-LA
Mary L. Landrieu D-LA
Olympia Jean Snowe R-ME
Susan Margaret Collins R-ME
Spencer Abraham R-MI
Rod Grams R-MN
Christopher Samuel (Kit) Bond R-MO
John David Ashcroft R-MO
Chester Trent Lott R-MS
William Thad Cochran R-MS
Conrad Burns R-MT
Max Sieben Baucus D-MT
Duncan McLauchlin (Lauch) Faircloth R-NC
Jesse Helms R-NC
Charles Timothy (Chuck) Hagel R-NE
Judd Alan Gregg R-NH
Robert C. Smith R-NH
Pete Vichi Domenici R-NM
Richard H Bryan D-NV
Alfonse Marcello D'Amato R-NY
Michael Dewine R-OH
Donald Lee Nickles R-OK
James Mountain Inhofe R-OK
Gordon Harold Smith R-OR
Arlen Specter R-PA
Richard John (Rick) Santorum R-PA
John Hubbard Chafee R-RI
James Strom Thurmond R-SC
Fred Dalton Thompson R-TN
William H. Frist R-TN
Kathryn Ann Bailey (Kay) Hutchison R-TX
William Philip (Phil) Gramm R-TX
Orrin Grant Hatch R-UT
Robert Foster (Bob) Bennett R-UT
Charles Spittal Robb D-VA
John William Warner R-VA
James Merrill Jeffords R-VT
Thomas Slade Gorton III (Slade) R-WA
Herbert H. Kohl D-WI
Craig Lyle Thomas R-WY
Michael B. Enzi R-WY

How each senator voted: No

Other votes

From Voteview roll call records.

Cite or embed this page

Capitol Receipts, “A joint resolution proposing an amendment to…: Senate Vote, Mar 4…,” https://www.capitolreceipts.com/vote/105-S-24/a-joint-resolution-proposing-an-amendment-to-the-constitution (accessed 2026-10-13).