Bill Text: OR SJM19 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requesting Congress to convene constitutional convention for purpose of repealing 17th amendment to United States Constitution and restoring power to state legislatures to select United States Senators.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2011-06-30 - In committee upon adjournment. [SJM19 Detail]

Download: Oregon-2011-SJM19-Introduced.html

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     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
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 LC 4173

                    Senate Joint Memorial 19

Sponsored by Senator BOQUIST

                             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.

  Requests Congress to convene constitutional convention for
purpose of repealing 17th Amendment to United States Constitution
and restoring power to state legislatures to select United States
Senators.

                         JOINT MEMORIAL
To the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United
  States of America, in Congress assembled, and to the state
  legislatures of the 49 other states:
  We, your memorialists, the Seventy-sixth Legislative Assembly
of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled,
respectfully represent as follows:
  Whereas the national debt of the United States is $14.348
trillion; and
  Whereas the State of Oregon's portion of the national debt is
$30.8 billion; and
  Whereas the portion of the national debt per citizen is
$46,178; and
  Whereas the Federal Reserve has mythically created and
distributed $2.3 trillion under the guise of quantitative easing,
to the financial gain of multinational banks; and
  Whereas the Federal Reserve's quantitative easing program of
mythical money printing is financing 70 percent of the United
States Treasury, borrowing at a rate exceeding $124 billion per
month; and
  Whereas the estimated federal deficit for Fiscal Year 2011 is
$1.277 trillion; and
  Whereas the U6 unemployment rate of the United States is
forecasted at 24,084,742 individuals, or at the rate of 15.7
percent; and
  Whereas the U6 unemployment rate of the State of Oregon is
estimated at 381,600 individuals, or at the rate of 18.8 percent;
and
  Whereas the United States Government and Federal Reserve have
determined core inflation no longer includes food and energy
costs paid by individuals; and
  Whereas the Congress of the United States failed to approve a
funding appropriation for Fiscal Year 2011 before September 30,
2010, as required by law; and

  Whereas the Congress failed to establish a reasonable debt
ceiling that does not endanger the future of the citizens of this
country; and
  Whereas the Congress is overly influenced by campaign
contributions and self-serving interests, to the detriment of the
citizens of this country; and
  Whereas the elected United States Senate failed in its
responsibilities to provide legislative oversight and
appropriations in a manner that protects the citizens of this
country as required by the United States Constitution; and
  Whereas the legislatures of the 50 states must assume
responsibility for the welfare of each state's citizens due to
the failure of multiple Presidents and sessions of Congress under
the control of both major parties; and
  Whereas the original intent of the founding fathers, and the
original provisions of the United States Constitution adopted by
the states on June 21, 1788, granted the power to select United
States Senators to state legislatures; and
  Whereas the original 17th Amendment proposal was a result of
actions taken in the State of Oregon, starting in 1902 with the
development of the initiative and referendum process allowing
citizens to be directly involved with proposing laws or amending
the Oregon Constitution; and
  Whereas the State of Oregon was the first state to popularly
elect United States Senators in 1907, before adoption of the 17th
Amendment on April 8, 1913, in part due to the public perception
of corruption within government; and
  Whereas it is within the rights of the Legislative Assembly to
seek the repeal of the 17th Amendment in order to return the
power of the United States Senate to the collective states; now,
therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  (1) The Congress of the United States is respectfully requested
to exercise its power under Article V of the United States
Constitution to call a Convention for proposing Amendments for
the purpose of repealing the 17th Amendment and thereby restoring
the power granted to state legislatures under section 3, Article
I of the United States Constitution, to choose United States
Senators, in order to return to a republican form of government
and bring fiscal responsibility to Congress before the nation
suffers a complete financial collapse.
  (2) A copy of this memorial shall be sent to the Senate
Majority Leader, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
to each member of the Oregon Congressional Delegation and to each
state legislature of the 49 other states.
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