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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 United States Constitution |
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to ensure balance, integrity, and transparency in our national |
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campaign finance system. |
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WHEREAS, The framers of the United States Constitution gave |
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us a republic and intended that the Congress of the United States |
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should be "dependent on the people alone" (James Madison, |
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Federalist No. 52); 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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spending by third-party groups, campaigns, and out-of-state |
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donors, that has created a fundamental imbalance in our |
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representative democracy and eroded the people's trust in |
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government; and |
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WHEREAS, The Texas Constitution states: "All political power |
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is inherent in the people, and all free governments are founded on |
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their authority, and instituted for their benefit" and the people |
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have the right at all times to reform their government "in such |
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manner as they may think expedient" (Section 2, 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 86th Texas Legislature perceives the need for a |
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convention to propose an amendment to the United States |
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Constitution to ensure balance, integrity, and transparency in our |
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national system of campaign finance and desires that said |
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convention be so limited to that purpose; and |
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WHEREAS, The 86th 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 for a similar purpose until |
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such time as the legislatures of at least two-thirds of the several |
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states have applied for a convention and the convention is convened |
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by Congress; and |
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WHEREAS, A national convention would give us an opportunity |
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to come together as a nation to discuss solutions for ensuring the |
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integrity of our elections and renew the American people's trust in |
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government; and |
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WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution clearly |
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states that any amendment, whether proposed by Congress or a |
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convention, must be ratified by three-fourths of the states |
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(presently 38 states), ensuring that only the most reasonable |
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proposals with widespread support become part of our constitution; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Notwithstanding any federal or state law, the State |
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of Texas desires that the delegates to a convention be composed |
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equally of individuals currently elected to state and local office, |
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or be selected by election in each congressional district in Texas, |
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though all individuals elected or appointed to federal office now |
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or in the past be prohibited from serving as Texas delegates to the |
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convention; and the State of Texas intends to retain the ability to |
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enforce the responsibility and conduct of its delegation within the |
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limits herein expressed; now, therefore, be it |
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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 United States Constitution that will |
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permanently protect fair elections as described herein by ensuring |
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balance, integrity, and transparency in our national system of |
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campaign finance as soon as two-thirds of the legislatures of the |
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several states have applied for a convention for a similar purpose; |
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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, the |
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speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, the |
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presiding officer of the Senate of the United States, and 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 on this subject. |