By Chisum H.J.R. No. 121
A JOINT RESOLUTION
1-1 rescinding the previous application of the 65th Legislature of the
1-2 State of Texas to the Congress of the United States of America for
1-3 the calling of a constitutional convention for the purpose of
1-4 requiring a balanced federal budget, and rescinding any other
1-5 previous applications of the Legislature of the State of Texas to
1-6 the Congress of the United States of America for the calling of a
1-7 constitutional convention for any purpose, limited or general.
1-8 WHEREAS, Legislature of the State of Texas, acting with the
1-9 best of intentions, has previously made application to the Congress
1-10 of the United States of America for the calling of a constitutional
1-11 convention for the limited purpose of proposing certain amendments
1-12 to the Constitution of the United States of America; and
1-13 WHEREAS, the best legal minds in the nation today are in
1-14 general agreement that a convention, notwithstanding whatever
1-15 limitation might be placed upon it by the call of said convention,
1-16 would have within the scope of its authority the complete
1-17 redrafting of the Constitution of the United States of America; and
1-18 WHEREAS, a complete redrafting of the Constitution of the
1-19 United States of America would create a great danger to the
1-20 well-established rights of our people and to the constitutional
1-21 principles under which we are presently governed; and
1-22 WHEREAS, the Constitution of the United States of America,
1-23 while it has been amended many times in the history of the nation
2-1 and may yet be amended many times, has been extensively interpreted
2-2 and has proven to be a basically sound document which protects the
2-3 rights and freedoms of all Americans; and
2-4 WHEREAS, there is no need for a new constitution, the
2-5 adoption of which would create legal chaos in America and only
2-6 begin the process of another two centuries of litigation over it's
2-7 interpretation by the courts; and
2-8 WHEREAS, such changes as may be needed in the present
2-9 Constitution of the United States may be proposed and enacted by
2-10 the well-established methods of amendment contained therein; now,
2-11 therefore be it
2-12 RESOLVED, that the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas,
2-13 Regular Session, 1995, hereby rescinds the previous application to
2-14 the Congress of the United States made by the 65th Legislature of
2-15 the State of Texas in 1977 (Tex. H.C.R. 31, 65th Leg., (1977) TEX.
2-16 GEN. 20 LAWS 3257) pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the
2-17 United States of America for the calling of a constitutional
2-18 convention for the purpose of requiring a balanced federal budget;
2-19 and, be it further
2-20 RESOLVED, that the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas,
2-21 Regular Session, 1995, hereby rescinds any and all previous
2-22 applications to the Congress of the United States made by the
2-23 Legislature of the State of Texas pursuant to Article V of the
2-24 Constitution of the United States of America for the calling of a
2-25 constitutional convention for any purpose, limited or general; and,
3-1 be it further
3-2 RESOLVED, that the Texas Secretary of State forward official
3-3 copies of this resolution to the president of the United States
3-4 Congress, and to all members of the Texas delegation to the
3-5 congress with the request that it be officially entered in the
3-6 Congressional Record as notice of the withdrawal by the State of
3-7 Texas of the state's previous applications to the United States
3-8 Congress for the calling of a constitutional convention.