House Joint Resolution 15 - Introduced HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 15 BY DE BOEF HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution making application to the Congress of the 1 United States under Article V of the Constitution of the 2 United States, for the calling of a convention for proposing 3 amendments limited to specified subject areas. 4 WHEREAS, Article V of the Constitution of the United States 5 provides for the Congress of the United States to call a 6 convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of 7 the United States upon application of the legislatures of 8 two-thirds of the states; NOW THEREFORE, 9 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 10 TLSB 2391YH (5) 84 jp/rj

H.J.R. 15 Section 1. This resolution constitutes the application by 1 the Iowa General Assembly to the Congress of the United States, 2 under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the 3 United States, to call a convention for proposing amendments to 4 the Constitution of the United States. 5 Sec. 2. This application is for a convention limited to 6 considering and proposing amendments to the Constitution of the 7 United States on the following subjects. 8 1. Improving the fiscal management of the federal 9 government by doing any or all of the following: imposing 10 requirements, with any stated exceptions, that federal 11 expenditures during a fixed time period shall not exceed 12 federal revenues or anticipated revenues during that time 13 period; imposing prohibitions or limits on federal debt; or 14 imposing limits on expenditures, revenue, or taxes. 15 2. Improving the legislative process of the Congress of the 16 United States by doing any or all of the following: requiring 17 that all bills, orders, votes, and resolutions introduced in 18 and passed by the Congress contain only a single subject or 19 by providing a minimum time period before passage for bills, 20 orders, votes, and resolutions to be reviewed by members of 21 Congress and members of the general public. 22 3. Restraining the powers of the federal government by doing 23 any or all of the following: clarifying that the Constitution 24 of the United States does not authorize the Congress of 25 the United States to employ its spending power to regulate 26 activities otherwise outside its enumerated powers; or by 27 prohibiting mandates or requirements on any state, subdivision 28 of any state, or any official of any state, unless the federal 29 government fully funds the cost of compliance. 30 4. Empowering the legislatures of the several states, with 31 stated exceptions, to repeal all or certain parts of the acts 32 of Congress of the United States or administrative regulations. 33 Sec. 3. 34 1. This resolution shall be deemed an application for a 35 -1- LSB 2391YH (5) 84 jp/rj 1/ 3

H.J.R. 15 convention to address each and any of the enumerated subjects. 1 2. That for purposes of determining whether two-thirds 2 of the states have applied for a convention addressing 3 any subject, this resolution is to be aggregated with the 4 applications of any other state legislatures limited to one or 5 more of the enumerated subjects. 6 Sec. 4. 7 1. This resolution provides a continuing application and 8 remains in effect until recision by the Iowa General Assembly. 9 2. This resolution does not constitute a recognition that 10 any particular activity currently undertaken by the federal 11 government is authorized by the Constitution of the United 12 States. 13 Sec. 5. Upon passage of this resolution the Chief Clerk 14 of the House of Representatives shall transmit copies of the 15 resolution to the President and Secretary of the United States 16 Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of 17 Representatives, and the Archivist of the United States, and 18 shall also transmit copies to the members of the United States 19 Senate and House of Representatives from this state and to the 20 presiding officers of each of the legislative chambers of the 21 other states, requesting their cooperation. 22 EXPLANATION 23 This joint resolution makes application to Congress of the 24 United States, as authorized by Article V of the Constitution 25 of the United States, for the calling of a convention for 26 proposing amendments to that constitution. 27 The subject matter enumerated by the resolution for the 28 constitutional convention is limited to the following subjects: 29 improving fiscal management of the federal government, 30 improving the legislative process of the Congress, restraining 31 the powers of the federal government, and empowering state 32 legislatures, with exceptions, to repeal all or parts of the 33 acts of Congress or administrative regulations. 34 Article V of the Constitution of the United States requires 35 -2- LSB 2391YH (5) 84 jp/rj 2/ 3

H.J.R. 15 application by two-thirds of the states in order for Congress 1 to be required to call a convention. The joint resolution 2 specifies that this resolution is to be aggregated with other 3 state applications for a convention that contains one or more 4 of the enumerated subjects. 5 The resolution also provides that the application remains 6 in effect until rescinded by a general assembly and does not 7 constitute recognition that any particular activity currently 8 undertaken by the federal government is authorized by the 9 Constitution of the United States. 10 Upon passage of the resolution, the chief clerk of the 11 house of representatives is required to transmit copies to 12 various congressional and federal officials, members of Iowa’s 13 congressional delegation, and the presiding officers of the 14 legislative chambers of each state. 15 -3- LSB 2391YH (5) 84 jp/rj 3/ 3