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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, Overreaching regulatory policies mandated by the |
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federal government encroach upon liberties guaranteed to United |
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States citizens by the First, Second, Fourth, and Fifth Amendments |
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enumerated in the Bill of Rights; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2013, the U.S. House of Representatives passed |
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with bipartisan support the Regulations From the Executive in Need |
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of Scrutiny (REINS) Act, which requires that congressional approval |
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be obtained prior to the execution of new major regulations; even if |
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enacted, however, that law is vulnerable to repeal or waiver by a |
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future Congress or president; and |
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WHEREAS, States today have little recourse when the |
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government in Washington, D.C., oversteps its authority; the only |
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way to contest a federal regulation is to bring a constitutional |
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challenge in federal court or to seek an amendment to the |
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constitution; and |
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WHEREAS, Passage of a regulation freedom amendment would help |
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restore constitutional balance by providing that whenever |
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one-fourth of the members of either the U.S. House of |
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Representatives or the U.S. Senate transmit to the president of the |
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United States a written declaration of opposition to a proposed |
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federal regulation, the regulation would require a majority vote of |
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approval from both chambers for adoption; and |
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WHEREAS, A regulation freedom amendment would reestablish |
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the separation of powers in the regulatory process and allow the |
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will of the people to be voiced through their democratically |
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elected representatives; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to |
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propose and submit to the states for ratification a regulation |
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freedom amendment to the U.S. Constitution; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official |
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copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to |
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the speaker of the House of Representatives and to the president of |
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the Senate of the United States Congress, and to all members of the |
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Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this resolution |
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be officially entered in the Congressional Record as a memorial to |
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the Congress of the United States of America. |