85R2270 TJB-D
 
  By: Workman H.J.R. No. 44
 
 
 
A JOINT RESOLUTION
  applying to the Congress of the United States to call a convention
  under Article V of the United States Constitution for the limited
  purpose of proposing an amendment to the constitution to impose
  fiscal restraints on the federal government.
         WHEREAS, The drafters of the United States Constitution
  empowered state legislatures to be guardians of liberty against
  abuses of power by the federal government; and
         WHEREAS, The federal government has abused its power by
  creating a crushing national debt through improper and imprudent
  spending; and
         WHEREAS, The federal government has abused its power by
  invading the legitimate role of the states through the manipulative
  process of federal mandates that are to a great extent unfunded; and
         WHEREAS, The federal government has ceased to abide by a
  proper interpretation of the United States Constitution; and
         WHEREAS, In 1977 the 65th Texas Legislature submitted to the
  federal government H.C.R. No. 31 requesting Congress to prepare and
  submit to the several states an amendment to the United States
  Constitution providing for a federal balanced budget, or
  alternatively requesting Congress to call a constitutional
  convention for the purpose of proposing such an amendment; and
         WHEREAS, Congress has not acted to amend the United States
  Constitution to provide for a federal balanced budget or to
  otherwise impose fiscal restraints on the federal government; and
         WHEREAS, It is the solemn duty of state legislatures to
  protect the liberty of the people and of future generations by
  proposing amendments to the United States Constitution that place
  clear restraints on federal power; and
         WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution
  authorizes the several state legislatures to restrict the power of
  the federal government through the amendment process; and
         WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution provides
  that on application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the
  several states Congress shall call a convention for the purpose of
  proposing amendments to the constitution; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 85th Texas Legislature hereby applies to
  Congress to call a convention under Article V of the United States
  Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing an amendment to
  the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
  government; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That, unless rescinded by a succeeding
  legislature, this application by the 85th Texas Legislature
  constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article V
  of the United States Constitution until at least two-thirds of the
  legislatures of the several states have applied to Congress to call
  a convention for the limited purpose of proposing an amendment to
  the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
  government; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
  copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
  the speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, to
  the vice president of the United States in the vice president's
  capacity as the presiding officer of the Senate of the United States
  at the office located in the United States Capitol Building, and to
  all members of the Texas delegation to Congress with the request
  that this resolution be officially entered in the Congressional
  Record as an application to Congress for a convention under Article
  V of the United States Constitution for the limited purpose of
  proposing an amendment to the constitution to impose fiscal
  restraints on the federal government; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
  copies of this resolution to the secretaries of state and to the
  presiding officers of the legislatures of the several states with
  the request that they join this state in applying to Congress for a
  convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for
  the limited purpose of proposing an amendment to the constitution
  to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government.