SJR 7 (LSB 2202XS (4) 86)

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 7

BY  GUTH, ZAUN, SCHULTZ, CHELGREN, SEGEBART, SINCLAIR, BEHN, and ROZENBOOM

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

A Joint Resolution requesting the calling of a constitutional convention in order to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress.

   WHEREAS, the founders of the Constitution of the United States empowered state legislators to be guardians of liberty against future abuses of power by the federal government; and
   WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and
   WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent; and
   WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to live under a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United States; and
   WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect the liberty of our people, particularly for the generations to come, by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States through a convention of the states under Article V of the Constitution for the purpose of restraining these and related abuses of power; NOW THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   That the General Assembly, as the Legislature of the State of Iowa, hereby applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments to the Constitution that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the federal government’s power and jurisdiction, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for members of Congress; and
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall transmit certified copies of this Joint Resolution to the President and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the presiding officer in each house of the legislature in each of the states in the union, and to the members of Iowa’s congressional delegation requesting their cooperation; and 
   BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at least two-thirds of the several states have made applications on the same subject.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This joint resolution constitutes a petition requesting the United States Congress to call a constitutional convention in order to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit terms of office for its officials and members of Congress.
   The joint resolution provides that it shall serve as a continuing application to call a constitutional convention until at least two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states have made applications on the same subject.
   The joint resolution requires the Secretary of State to transmit certified copies of this resolution to the President and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the presiding officer in each house of the legislature in each of the states in the union, and the members of Iowa’s congressional delegation.