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