By Grusendorf H.J.R. No. 91
74R337 CCK-D
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1-1 reaffirming the provisions of previously-adopted resolutions of the
1-2 Texas Legislature that memorialize the United States Congress
1-3 relative to amending the United States Constitution to mandate
1-4 that, with specific exceptions, federal expenditures not exceed
1-5 federal revenues.
1-6 WHEREAS, The annual federal deficit and cumulative national
1-7 debt have grown to staggering proportions, exceeding $250 billion
1-8 and $4.5 trillion, respectively; and
1-9 WHEREAS, This indebtedness represents an enormous failure by
1-10 national leaders to balance spending with available revenue as is
1-11 required of state leaders in 49 states; and
1-12 WHEREAS, Interest payments on the vast national debt exceeded
1-13 $340 billion for the 1993 federal fiscal year and represent a daily
1-14 national cost of almost $950 million that is paid prior to any
1-15 expenditures on health care, low-income assistance, defense,
1-16 transportation, environmental protection, or other deserving aims
1-17 and purposes; and
1-18 WHEREAS, House Concurrent Resolution No. 31, 65th
1-19 Legislature, Regular Session, adopted in 1977, petitioned the
1-20 United States Congress to propose a constitutional amendment to
1-21 balance the federal budget or, alternatively, to call a
1-22 constitutional convention for the specific and exclusive purpose of
1-23 proposing such an amendment; and
1-24 WHEREAS, House Concurrent Resolution No. 13, adopted in 1978
2-1 by the 65th Legislature, 2nd Called Session, reconfirmed the
2-2 legislature's desire for the adoption of a budget-balancing
2-3 amendment and the establishment of procedures to amortize the
2-4 national debt; and
2-5 WHEREAS, A disappointing 18 years later, the federal deficit
2-6 has grown much larger requiring this state to renew its call and
2-7 once more lend its support for a constitutional requirement to
2-8 align federal spending with federal revenue; now, therefore, be it
2-9 RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas,
2-10 Regular Session, 1995, hereby reaffirm the provisions of
2-11 previously-adopted resolutions of the Texas Legislature and apply
2-12 to the United States Congress to propose and submit to the states
2-13 an amendment to the United States Constitution requiring that, with
2-14 certain exceptions, the congress shall adopt for each fiscal year a
2-15 balanced federal budget; and, be it further
2-16 RESOLVED, That, alternatively, and in reiteration of its
2-17 previously-adopted resolutions, the Texas Legislature reaffirm its
2-18 application to the United States Congress for a convention to be
2-19 called under Article V of the United States Constitution for the
2-20 sole, specific, and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to
2-21 the United States Constitution to require a balanced federal
2-22 budget; and, be it further
2-23 RESOLVED, That the congress, or the delegates to the
2-24 convention, if called, entertain amendment components restricting
2-25 federal debt, tax increases, and the growth of total government
2-26 revenue and spending; and, be it further
2-27 RESOLVED, That, except as otherwise provided in this
3-1 resolution, this application constitute a continuing application in
3-2 accordance with Article V of the United States Constitution until
3-3 at least two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states have
3-4 made application for a convention to propose a federal
3-5 budget-balancing amendment; and, be it further
3-6 RESOLVED, That this application for a constitutional
3-7 convention on the subject of a federal budget-balancing amendment
3-8 be automatically rescinded if:
3-9 (1) the United States Congress adopts, before 90 days
3-10 after the legislatures of two-thirds of the states have made
3-11 application for a convention, an amendment to the United States
3-12 Constitution containing provisions similar in subject matter to the
3-13 request made in this resolution;
3-14 (2) the United States Supreme Court holds that the
3-15 United States Congress cannot call a constitutional convention
3-16 limited solely and exclusively to that subject matter; or
3-17 (3) a convention called pursuant to this resolution
3-18 otherwise transcends that limited subject matter; and, be it
3-19 further
3-20 RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
3-21 copies of this resolution to the vice-president of the United
3-22 States, to the speaker of the United States House of
3-23 Representatives, and to all members of the Texas delegation to the
3-24 congress, with the request that this resolution be officially
3-25 entered in the Congressional Record as an application to the
3-26 Congress of the United States of America for a convention to
3-27 propose a federal constitutional amendment to require a balanced
4-1 federal budget; and, be it further
4-2 RESOLVED, That official copies of this resolution be prepared
4-3 for the presiding officers of the legislatures of the other states
4-4 for their consideration.