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SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
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rescinding every application made at any time by the Legislature of |
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the State of Texas to the United States Congress to call a national |
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convention, pursuant to Article V of the United States |
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Constitution, for proposing any amendment or amendments to that |
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Constitution. |
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WHEREAS, Over the years, the Texas Legislature has approved |
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resolutions officially applying to the Congress of the United |
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States to call a convention, under the terms of Article V of the |
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Constitution of the United States, to offer various amendments to |
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that Constitution; and |
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WHEREAS, With no statutory or constitutional infrastructure |
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currently in place that would address such basic concerns as how |
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such a convention would operate procedurally, who would serve as |
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delegates, how many delegates there would be, and whether or not |
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such a convention could be limited to just one subject, among |
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several other lingering issues, it would be unwise for this country |
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to initiate such a convention; and |
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WHEREAS, While no Article V convention has yet taken place |
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thus far in American history, nevertheless, there is a very real |
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possibility that one, or more than one, could be triggered at some |
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point in the future, the results of which cannot be predicted; and |
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WHEREAS, As recently as the 1980s, our nation came |
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dangerously close to an Article V convention ostensibly for the |
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otherwise laudable goal of adding an amendment to the United States |
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Constitution to require that the budget of the federal government |
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be balanced; and |
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WHEREAS, From 1988 to 2010, lawmakers in 17 states rescinded |
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their applications for an Article V convention for a balanced |
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budget amendment; and |
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WHEREAS, At the present time, given the numerous unanswered |
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questions surrounding an Article V convention, it should be made |
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abundantly clear that the Texas Legislature has absolutely no |
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desire or intention for Congress to call an Article V convention, |
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whether such a convention be for one single, presumably specific |
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proposed amendment, or be it for an amendment or amendments for |
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which no particular description or details have been set forth; and |
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WHEREAS, Regardless of their age, such past resolutions from |
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Texas lawmakers remain alive and valid until such time as they are |
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later formally rescinded; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 83rd Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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Regular Session, 2013, hereby officially rescinds, repeals, |
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revokes, and nullifies any and all prior applications from Texas |
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legislators applying to the United States Congress for the calling |
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of a convention pursuant to Article V of the United States |
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Constitution, regardless of how old such previous applications |
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might be, and irrespective of what subject matters such |
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applications pertained to; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in a manner which would furnish confirmation |
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of delivery and tracking while en route, the Texas Secretary of |
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State shall transmit properly-certified copies of this joint |
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resolution of rescission, pursuant to the Standing Rules of the |
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United States Senate (namely, Rule VII, paragraphs 4, 5, and 6), to |
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the Vice-President of the United States (in his capacity as |
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presiding officer of the United States Senate and addressed to him |
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at the office which he maintains inside the United States Capitol |
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Building); to the Secretary and Parliamentarian of the United |
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States Senate; and to both United States Senators representing |
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Texas; accompanied by a cover letter to each addressee drawing |
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attention to the fact that it is the 83rd Texas Legislature's |
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courteous, yet firm, request that the full and complete verbatim |
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text of this joint resolution be duly published in the United States |
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Senate's portion of the Congressional Record, as an official |
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memorial to the United States Senate, and that this joint |
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resolution be referred to whichever committee or committees of the |
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United States Senate have appropriate jurisdiction in this matter, |
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and be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in a manner which would furnish confirmation |
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of delivery and tracking while en route, the Texas Secretary of |
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State shall likewise transmit properly-certified copies of this |
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joint resolution of rescission, pursuant to the Rules of the United |
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States House of Representatives (namely, Rule XII, clauses 3 and |
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7), to the Speaker, Clerk, and Parliamentarian of the United States |
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House of Representatives; and to all members of the United States |
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House of Representatives who represent districts in Texas; likewise |
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accompanied by a cover letter to each addressee drawing attention |
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to the fact that it is the 83rd Texas Legislature's courteous, yet |
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firm, request that the substance of this joint resolution be |
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accurately summarized in the United States House of |
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Representatives' portion of the Congressional Record, as an |
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official memorial to the United States House of Representatives, |
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and that this joint resolution be referred to whichever committee |
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or committees of the United States House of Representatives have |
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appropriate jurisdiction in this matter. |