By: Birdwell, et al. S.J.R. No. 2
(In the Senate - Filed December 6, 2016; January 25, 2017,
read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
February 21, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 6, Nays 2; February 21, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
SENATE 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 85th 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RESOLVED, That, unless rescinded by a succeeding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 85th 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.
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