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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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rescinding the 1901 and 1911 applications to the United States |
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Congress to call a national convention under Article V of the United |
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States Constitution for the direct election of U.S. Senators. |
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WHEREAS, In the year 1901, the 27th Texas Legislature adopted |
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House Concurrent Resolution No. 22, applying to the United States |
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Congress, pursuant to Article V of the United States Constitution, |
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to call a convention to propose an amendment to that Constitution |
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which would provide that members of the United States Senate be |
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elected directly by the voters of each state rather than be |
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appointed by the legislatures thereof; and |
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WHEREAS, In the year 1911, the 32nd Texas Legislature adopted |
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House Concurrent Resolution No. 11, doing virtually the same thing; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, In the year 1912, the 62nd United States Congress |
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did approve House Joint Resolution No. 39, proposing to the |
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nation's state legislatures for ratification what we know today as |
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the Federal Constitution's Amendment XVII which--since its |
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ratification more than a century ago in 1913--has indeed provided |
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for election of United States Senators directly by the people; and |
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WHEREAS, The 33rd Texas Legislature, via adoption of its |
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House Joint Resolution No. 5, in 1913, did indeed ratify Amendment |
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XVII; and |
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WHEREAS, Since the purpose for which the 27th and 32nd Texas |
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Legislatures' aforementioned requests have been fulfilled by |
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alternate means--without an Article V Convention ever actually |
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having been triggered on the specific topic of directly electing |
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United States Senators--there remains no need to retain these |
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still-lingering Texas requests that Congress call such a convention |
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on that particular subject; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, By the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas, |
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Regular Session, 2017, that House Concurrent Resolution No. 22 of |
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the 27th Legislature--as well as House Concurrent Resolution No. 11 |
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of the 32nd Legislature--be hereby rescinded, repealed, voided, |
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canceled and nullified; 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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in Suite S-212 of the United States Capitol Building); to the |
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Secretary and Parliamentarian of the United States Senate; and to |
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both United States Senators representing Texas; accompanied by a |
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cover letter to each addressee drawing attention to the fact that it |
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is the 85th Texas Legislature's courteous, yet firm, request that |
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the full and complete verbatim text of this joint resolution be duly |
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published in the United States Senate's portion of the |
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Congressional Record as an official memorial to the United States |
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Senate, and that this joint resolution be referred to whichever |
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committee or committees of the United States Senate that would have |
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appropriate jurisdiction in this matter; 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 85th Legislature's courteous, yet firm, |
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request that the substance of this joint resolution be accurately |
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summarized in the United States House of Representatives' portion |
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of the Congressional Record as an official memorial to the United |
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States House of Representatives, and that this joint resolution be |
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referred to whichever committee or committees of the United States |
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House of Representatives that would have appropriate jurisdiction |
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in this matter. |