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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 one or more amendments to the constitution to |
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impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the |
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power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the |
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terms of office of federal officials and members of Congress. |
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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, 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 apply to Congress |
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to call a convention under Article V of the United States |
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Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one or more |
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amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the |
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federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the |
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federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal |
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officials and members of Congress; 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 one or more |
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amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the |
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federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the |
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federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal |
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officials and members of Congress; 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 the president of the |
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Senate of the Congress of the United States, and to all members of |
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the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this |
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resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as an |
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application to Congress for a convention under Article V of the |
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United States Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one |
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or more amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints |
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on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of |
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the federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal |
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officials and members of Congress; 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 one or more amendments to the |
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constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, |
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to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and |
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to limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of |
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Congress. |