Applying to the Congress of the United States to call a convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one or more amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of Congress.

89(R) SJR 54 - Introduced version - Bill Text

89R10021 MLH-F

By: Birdwell

S.J.R. No. 54

A JOINT RESOLUTION

applying to the Congress of the United States to call a convention

under Article V of the United States Constitution for the limited

purpose of proposing one or more amendments to the constitution to

impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the

power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the

terms of office of federal officials and members of Congress.

WHEREAS, The drafters of the United States Constitution

empowered state legislatures to be guardians of liberty against

abuses of power by the federal government; and

WHEREAS, The federal government has abused its power by

creating a crushing national debt through improper and imprudent

spending; and

WHEREAS, The federal government has abused its power by

invading the legitimate role of the states through the manipulative

process of federal mandates that are to a great extent unfunded; and

WHEREAS, The federal government has ceased to abide by a

proper interpretation of the United States Constitution; and

WHEREAS, It is the solemn duty of state legislatures to

protect the liberty of the people and of future generations by

proposing amendments to the United States Constitution that place

clear restraints on federal power; and

WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution

authorizes the several state legislatures to restrict the power of

the federal government through the amendment process; and

WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution provides

that on application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the

several states Congress shall call a convention for the purpose of

proposing amendments to the constitution; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the 89th Texas Legislature apply to Congress

to call a convention under Article V of the United States

Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one or more

amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the

federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the

federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal

officials and members of Congress; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That, unless rescinded by a succeeding

legislature, this application by the 89th Texas Legislature

constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article V

of the United States Constitution until at least two-thirds of the

legislatures of the several states have applied to Congress to call

a convention for the limited purpose of proposing one or more

amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the

federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the

federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal

officials and members of Congress; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official

copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to

the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the

Senate of the Congress of the United States, and to all members of

the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this

resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as an

application to Congress for a convention under Article V of the

United States Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one

or more amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints

on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of

the federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal

officials and members of Congress; and, be it further

RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official

copies of this resolution to the secretaries of state and to the

presiding officers of the legislatures of the several states with

the request that they join this state in applying to Congress for a

convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for

the limited purpose of proposing one or more amendments to the

constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government,

to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and

to limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of

Congress.