Bill Text: OR HJM9 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

Oregon House Joint Memorial 9 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Urging Congress to pass constitutional amendment relating to free speech.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Failed) 2011-06-30 - In committee upon adjournment. [HJM9 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2011-HJM9-Introduced.html



     76th OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2011 Regular Session

NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .

 LC 1148

                     House Joint Memorial 9

Sponsored by Representative BARNHART; Representatives BARKER,
  DEMBROW (Presession filed.)

                             SUMMARY

The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure as
introduced.

  Urges Congress to pass and refer to states constitutional
amendment relating to free speech rights of individuals and
corporations.

                         JOINT MEMORIAL
To the President of the United States and the Senate and the
  House of Representatives of the United States of America, in
  Congress assembled:
  We, your memorialists, the Seventy-sixth Legislative Assembly
of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas the First Amendment to the United States Constitution
was designed to protect the free speech rights of people, not
corporations; and
  Whereas for the past three decades, a divided United States
Supreme Court has transformed the First Amendment into a powerful
tool for corporations seeking to evade and invalidate
democratically-enacted reforms; and
  Whereas this corporate takeover of the First Amendment has
reached its extreme conclusion in the United States Supreme
Court's recent ruling in Citizens United v. FEC; and
  Whereas the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens
United v. FEC overturned long-standing precedent prohibiting
corporations from spending their general treasury funds in our
elections; and
  Whereas the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens
United v. FEC will now unleash a torrent of corporate money in
our political process unmatched by any campaign expenditure
totals in United States history; and
  Whereas the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Citizens
United v. FEC presents a serious and direct threat to our
democracy; and
  Whereas the people of the United States have previously used
the constitutional amendment process to correct those egregiously
wrong decisions of the United States Supreme Court that go to the
heart of our democracy and self-government; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  (1) That we, the members of the Seventy-sixth Legislative
Assembly, respectfully urge the Congress of the United States to
pass and send to the several states for ratification a
constitutional amendment to restore the First Amendment and fair
elections to the people.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to the President of
the United States, to the Senate Majority Leader, to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives and to each member of the Oregon
Congressional Delegation.
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