Bill Text: PA SR169 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

---

Bill Title: A Concurrent Resolution calling for an amendment to the Constitution of the United States giving citizens of the United States a direct vote on Federal borrowing and indebtedness through national referenda.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-09-16 - Referred to INTERGOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS [SR169 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-SR169-Introduced.html

---

PRINTER'S NO. 1531
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 169 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY FOLMER, ALLOWAY AND RAFFERTY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
REFERRED TO INTERGOVERNMENTAL OPERATIONS, SEPTEMBER 16, 2011
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Calling for an amendment to the Constitution of the United
States giving citizens of the United States a direct vote on
Federal borrowing and indebtedness through national
referenda.
WHEREAS, The United States was founded on the principle "no
taxation without representation"; and
WHEREAS, The Declaration of Independence proclaims, "We hold
these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of
Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are
instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed"; and
WHEREAS, Alexander Hamilton, in Federalist Paper #7, noted
that public debt would be a "cause of collision between the
separate States" because there would be "dissimilar views among
the States as to the general principle of discharging the public
debt"; and
WHEREAS, The Ninth Amendment to the Constitution of the
- 1 -
United States guarantees "The enumeration in the Constitution,
of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage
others retained by the people"; and
WHEREAS, The Federal Government, in the 21st century, to
date, has amassed unprecedented and astounding debts that will
burden countless future generations, which will inevitably
result in higher taxes and diminished opportunities for the
pursuit of happiness; and
WHEREAS, The present Federal Government has demonstrated it
is incapable of either controlling these debts or devising ways
to repay these debts; and
WHEREAS, Article V of the Constitution of the United states
provides for additional amendments through "... the Application
of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall
call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which ... shall be
valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution,
when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the
several States, or by Conventions in three fourths
thereof ...."; and
WHEREAS, Both the Constitution of the United States and the
Constitution of Pennsylvania begin with the same three words:
"We the people"; therefore be it
RESOLVED (the House of Representatives concurring), That the
Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in accordance with
Article V of the Constitution of the United States, call for a
convention for proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the
United States to give the citizens of the United States a direct
vote on Federal borrowing and indebtedness through national
referenda; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be transmitted to
- 2 -
the legislatures of the 49 other states of the United States
calling upon them to also make application to call for a
convention to propose this amendment.
- 3 -