85R788 TJB-F
 
  By: Birdwell, et al. S.J.R. No. 2
 
 
 
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 one or more amendments to the constitution to
  impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, to limit the
  power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and to limit the
  terms of office of federal officials and members of Congress.
         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, 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 apply to Congress
  to call a convention under Article V of the United States
  Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing one or more
  amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the
  federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the
  federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal
  officials and members of Congress; 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         RESOLVED, That, unless rescinded by a succeeding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 one or more
  amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the
  federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of the
  federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal
  officials and members of Congress; 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 and the president of the
  Senate of the Congress of the United States, 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 one
  or more amendments to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints
  on the federal government, to limit the power and jurisdiction of
  the federal government, and to limit the terms of office of federal
  officials and members of Congress; 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 one or more amendments to the
  constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government,
  to limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and
  to limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of
  Congress.