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A JOINT RESOLUTION
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applying to Congress for a limited national convention for the |
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exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the United States |
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Constitution to restore balance and integrity to our elections. |
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WHEREAS, The framers of the Constitution of the United States |
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intended that the Congress of the United States should be |
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"dependent on the people alone" (James Madison, Federalist No. 52); |
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and |
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WHEREAS, That dependency has evolved from a dependency on the |
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people alone to a dependency on powerful special interests, through |
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campaigns or third-party groups, that has created a fundamental |
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imbalance in our representative democracy; and |
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WHEREAS, Americans across the political spectrum agree that |
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elections in the United States should be free from the |
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disproportional influence of special interests and fair enough that |
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any citizen can be elected into office; and |
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WHEREAS, The Constitution of the State of Texas states: "All |
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political power is inherent in the people, and all free governments |
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are founded on their authority, and instituted for their benefit" |
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and the people have the right at all times to reform their |
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government "in such manner as they may think expedient" (Section 2, |
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Article I); and |
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WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution requires |
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Congress to call a convention for proposing amendments to that |
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constitution on the application of two-thirds of the legislatures |
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of the several states; and |
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WHEREAS, The 85th Texas Legislature perceives the need for an |
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amendments convention in order to restore balance and integrity to |
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our elections by proposing an amendment to the federal constitution |
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that will permanently protect free and fair elections in America, |
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and desires that said convention be so limited; and |
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WHEREAS, The 85th Texas Legislature intends that this joint |
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resolution be a continuing application considered together with |
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applications calling for a convention on this subject, such as |
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those approved by Vermont legislators (2014 Vermont, Joint |
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Resolution Senate No. 27, 160 Congressional Record S4331, |
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POM-284), by California legislators (2014 California, Assembly |
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Joint Resolution No. 1, 160 Congressional Record S5507, POM-320), |
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by Illinois legislators (2014 Illinois, Senate Joint Resolution |
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No. 42), by New Jersey legislators (2015 New Jersey, Senate |
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Concurrent Resolution No. 132), by Rhode Island legislators (2016 |
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Rhode Island, Senate Resolution No. 2589 and House Resolution |
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No. 7670), and all other passed, pending, and future applications |
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until such time as the legislatures of two-thirds of the several |
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states have applied for a convention for a similar purpose and said |
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convention is convened by Congress; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the State of Texas desires that the delegates |
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to said convention be composed equally of individuals currently |
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elected to state and local office, or be selected by election, in |
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each congressional district in Texas, for the purpose of serving as |
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Texas delegates, though all individuals elected or appointed to |
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federal office now, or in the past, be prohibited from serving as |
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Texas delegates to the convention and intends to retain the ability |
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to restrict or expand the power of its delegates within the limits |
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herein expressed; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the people of the State of Texas speaking |
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through their legislature, and pursuant to Article V of the United |
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States Constitution, hereby apply to the United States Congress to |
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call a convention for the exclusive and limited purpose of |
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proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States |
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that will restore free and fair elections as described herein as |
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soon as two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states have |
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applied for a convention for a similar purpose; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the chief administrative officer of the Texas |
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House of Representatives or Senate transmit copies of this |
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resolution to the president of the United States, to the speaker of |
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the House of Representatives of the United States, to the vice |
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president of the United States in the vice president's capacity as |
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the presiding officer of the Senate of the United States, to the |
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minority leader of the United States House of Representatives, to |
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the president pro tempore of the United States Senate, to all |
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members of the Texas delegation to Congress, with the respectful |
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request that the full and complete text of this resolution be |
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printed in the Congressional Record, and to the presiding officers |
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of each legislative body of each of the several states, requesting |
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the cooperation of the states in issuing an application compelling |
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Congress to call a convention for proposing amendments pursuant to |
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Article V of the United States Constitution. |