| |
| |
|
|
A JOINT RESOLUTION
|
|
|
rescinding the 1899 application of the 26th Texas Legislature to |
|
|
the United States Congress to call an unrestricted national |
|
|
convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for |
|
|
proposing undisclosed amendments to that Constitution. |
|
|
WHEREAS, In adopting Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, the |
|
|
26th Texas Legislature, in the year 1899, applied to the United |
|
|
States Congress to call a convention, under the terms of Article V |
|
|
of the United States Constitution, ". . . for proposing amendments |
|
|
to said Constitution . . ." that would be subject to potential |
|
|
ratification; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, That particular application--unlike subsequent and |
|
|
more detailed applications from Texas lawmakers--did not prescribe |
|
|
any boundaries on the subject matter of amendments to be discussed |
|
|
or ultimately offered for ratification by such a nationwide |
|
|
convention; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, While indeed no Article V amendatory convention has |
|
|
yet taken place thus far in American history, nevertheless, there |
|
|
is a very real possibility that one, or more than one, could be |
|
|
triggered at some point in the future--the precise results of which |
|
|
cannot be predicted or contrived in advance; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, At the present time, the Texas Legislature has |
|
|
absolutely no desire or intention whatsoever for Congress to call |
|
|
an Article V amendatory convention of a general, vague, and |
|
|
unlimited nature; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 remains just as |
|
|
alive and valid today as it was when it was approved by Texas |
|
|
legislators 116 years ago; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
|
|
Regular Session, 2015, hereby officially rescinds, repeals, |
|
|
revokes, and nullifies Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, Acts of |
|
|
the 26th Legislature, Regular Session, 1899, calling for an |
|
|
open-ended, unclear, and indeterminate Article V amendatory |
|
|
convention to propose for ratification unspecified federal |
|
|
constitutional amendments, which application was duly received by |
|
|
Congress, and reprinted word for word in the Congressional Record |
|
|
of December 11, 1899, at page 219, and which application was |
|
|
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary in the United States |
|
|
House of Representatives the very next day (Congressional Record at |
|
|
page 280); and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That, in a manner which would furnish confirmation |
|
|
of delivery and tracking while en route, the Texas secretary of |
|
|
state shall transmit properly certified copies of this joint |
|
|
resolution of rescission--together with copies of Senate |
|
|
Concurrent Resolution No. 4--pursuant to the Standing Rules of the |
|
|
United States Senate (namely, Rule VII, paragraphs 4, 5, and 6), to |
|
|
the vice president of the United States (in his capacity as |
|
|
presiding officer of the United States Senate and addressed to him |
|
|
at the office which he maintains inside the United States Capitol |
|
|
Building); to the secretary and parliamentarian of the United |
|
|
States Senate; and to both United States senators representing |
|
|
Texas; accompanied by a cover letter to each addressee drawing |
|
|
attention to the fact that it is the 84th Texas Legislature's |
|
|
courteous, yet firm, request that the full and complete verbatim |
|
|
text of this joint resolution--as well as the full and complete |
|
|
verbatim text of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4--be duly |
|
|
published in the United States Senate's portion of the |
|
|
Congressional Record as an official memorial to the United States |
|
|
Senate, and that this joint resolution--with Senate Concurrent |
|
|
Resolution No. 4 appended thereto--be referred to whichever |
|
|
committee or committees of the United States Senate that would have |
|
|
appropriate jurisdiction in this matter; and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That, in a manner which would furnish confirmation |
|
|
of delivery and tracking while en route, the Texas secretary of |
|
|
state shall likewise transmit properly certified copies of this |
|
|
joint resolution of rescission--together with copies of Senate |
|
|
Concurrent Resolution No. 4--pursuant to the Rules of the United |
|
|
States House of Representatives (namely, Rule XII, clauses 3 and |
|
|
7), to the speaker, clerk, and parliamentarian of the United States |
|
|
House of Representatives; and to all members of the United States |
|
|
House of Representatives who represent districts in Texas; likewise |
|
|
accompanied by a cover letter to each addressee drawing attention |
|
|
to the fact that it is the 84th Texas Legislature's courteous, yet |
|
|
firm, request that the substance of this joint resolution--as well |
|
|
as that of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4--be accurately |
|
|
summarized in the United States House of Representatives' portion |
|
|
of the Congressional Record as an official memorial to the United |
|
|
States House of Representatives, and that this joint |
|
|
resolution--with Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 appended |
|
|
thereto--be referred to whichever committee or committees of the |
|
|
United States House of Representatives that would have appropriate |
|
|
jurisdiction in this matter. |