Members of the House of Representatives debated an amendment to H.J.Res. 290, known as the Stenholm amendment, which would force the president to submit a balanced federal budget to Congress. Congress would be able to spend more than the government takes in only through a three-fifths majority vote of the House and Senate. The House of Representatives passed the Stenholm amendment in a vote of 279-159, but went on to defeat the resolution in a vote of 280-153. 290 votes in favor are needed to pass an amendment to the Constitution.