Senate Joint Resolution 8 - Introduced
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
BY COMMITTEE ON STATE
GOVERNMENT
(SUCCESSOR TO SSB
1110)
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
1 A Joint Resolution applying for an Article V convention to
2 propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States
3 that impose fiscal restraints, and limit the power and
4 jurisdiction of the federal government, and requesting
5 Congress to similarly propose such amendments.
6 WHEREAS, the founders of the Constitution of the United
7 States empowered state legislators to be guardians of liberty
8 against future abuses of power by the federal government; and
9 WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing
10 national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and
11 WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate
12 roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal
13 mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent; and
14 WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to live under
15 a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United
16 States; and
17 WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect
18 the liberty of our people, particularly for the generations
19 to come, by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the
20 United States through a convention of the states under Article
21 V of the Constitution for the purpose of restraining these and
22 related abuses of power; NOW THEREFORE,
23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 That the Congress of the United States is hereby petitioned
1 2 to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United
1 3 States, for submission to the states for ratification, to
1 4 impose fiscal restraints on the federal government and limit
1 5 the federal government's power and jurisdiction; and
1 6 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That pursuant to Article V of the
1 7 Constitution of the United States, the General Assembly, as
1 8 the Legislature of the State of Iowa, makes application to
1 9 the Congress of the United States to call a convention for the
1 10 specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to
1 11 the Constitution of the United States, for submission to the
1 12 states for ratification, to impose fiscal restraints on the
1 13 federal government and limit the federal government's power and
1 14 jurisdiction; and
1 15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That pursuant to Article V of
1 16 the Constitution of the United States, the Iowa General
1 17 Assembly, as the Legislature of the State of Iowa, joins in the
1 18 applications of the states of Georgia (SR 736, 2014), Florida
1 19 (SM 476, 2014), Alaska (HJR 22, 2014), Alabama (HJR 112, 2015),
1 20 Tennessee (SJR 67, 2016), Indiana (SJR 14, 2016), Oklahoma (SJR
1 21 4, 2016), and Louisiana (SCR 52, 2016) limited to the purposes
1 22 stated therein, provided, however, that the delegates from
1 23 Iowa to said convention are expressly limited to consideration
1 24 and support of amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the
1 25 federal government and limit the federal government's power and
1 26 jurisdiction; and
1 27 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That it is the express intention of
1 28 the General Assembly that this application shall be aggregated
1 29 with the applications of the above=mentioned states and with
1 30 subsequent applications of other states limited to the purposes
1 31 identified in this application and in those applications of the
1 32 above=mentioned states; and
1 33 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes
1 34 a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the
1 35 Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at
2 1 least two=thirds of the several states have made applications
2 2 for a similar convention under Article V, or the General
2 3 Assembly acts to withdraw this application; and
2 4 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State
2 5 shall transmit certified copies of this Joint Resolution
2 6 to the President and Secretary of the United States
2 7 Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of
2 8 Representatives, the presiding officer in each house of the
2 9 legislature in each of the states in the union, and to the
2 10 members of Iowa's congressional delegation requesting their
2 11 cooperation.
2 12 EXPLANATION
2 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
2 14 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
2 15 This joint resolution provides that pursuant to Article V of
2 16 the United States Constitution, the Iowa General Assembly both
2 17 petitions the United States Congress to propose an amendment
2 18 to the United States Constitution on its own and applies
2 19 to the United States Congress to call a convention for the
2 20 specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to
2 21 the United States Constitution, for submission to the states
2 22 for ratification, to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
2 23 government and limit the federal government's power and
2 24 jurisdiction.
2 25 The joint resolution additionally provides that pursuant to
2 26 Article V of the United States Constitution, the Iowa General
2 27 Assembly joins in the applications of several specified states
2 28 for a convention to impose fiscal restraints, and that the
2 29 delegates from Iowa shall be expressly limited to consideration
2 30 and support of amendments that impose such restraints on the
2 31 federal government and limit the federal government's power and
2 32 jurisdiction.
2 33 Further, the joint resolution provides that it shall serve
2 34 as a continuing application to call a constitutional convention
2 35 until at least two=thirds of the legislatures of the several
3 1 states have made application for a similar convention, or the
3 2 General Assembly acts to withdraw the application.
3 3 Finally, the joint resolution requires the Secretary
3 4 of State to transmit certified copies of the resolution
3 5 to the President and Secretary of the United States
3 6 Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House
3 7 of Representatives, the presiding officer in each house of
3 8 the legislature in each of the states in the union, and the
3 9 members of Iowa's congressional delegation requesting their
3 10 cooperation.
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