Senate Joint Resolution 8 - Introduced SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 8 BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1110) SENA TE JOINT RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution applying for an Article V convention to 1 propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States 2 that impose fiscal restraints, and limit the power and 3 jurisdiction of the federal government, and requesting 4 Congress to similarly propose such amendments. 5 WHEREAS, the founders of the Constitution of the United 6 States empowered state legislators to be guardians of liberty 7 against future abuses of power by the federal government; and 8 WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing 9 national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and 10 WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate 11 roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal 12 mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent; and 13 WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to live under 14 a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United 15 States; and 16 WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect 17 the liberty of our people, particularly for the generations 18 to come, by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the 19 United States through a convention of the states under Article 20 V of the Constitution for the purpose of restraining these and 21 related abuses of power; NOW THEREFORE, 22 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 23 TLSB 1197SV (2) 87 rn/rj

S.J.R. 8 That the Congress of the United States is hereby petitioned 1 to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United 2 States, for submission to the states for ratification, to 3 impose fiscal restraints on the federal government and limit 4 the federal government’s power and jurisdiction; and 5 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That pursuant to Article V of the 6 Constitution of the United States, the General Assembly, as 7 the Legislature of the State of Iowa, makes application to 8 the Congress of the United States to call a convention for the 9 specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to 10 the Constitution of the United States, for submission to the 11 states for ratification, to impose fiscal restraints on the 12 federal government and limit the federal government’s power and 13 jurisdiction; and 14 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That pursuant to Article V of 15 the Constitution of the United States, the Iowa General 16 Assembly, as the Legislature of the State of Iowa, joins in the 17 applications of the states of Georgia (SR 736, 2014), Florida 18 (SM 476, 2014), Alaska (HJR 22, 2014), Alabama (HJR 112, 2015), 19 Tennessee (SJR 67, 2016), Indiana (SJR 14, 2016), Oklahoma (SJR 20 4, 2016), and Louisiana (SCR 52, 2016) limited to the purposes 21 stated therein, provided, however, that the delegates from 22 Iowa to said convention are expressly limited to consideration 23 and support of amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the 24 federal government and limit the federal government’s power and 25 jurisdiction; and 26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That it is the express intention of 27 the General Assembly that this application shall be aggregated 28 with the applications of the above-mentioned states and with 29 subsequent applications of other states limited to the purposes 30 identified in this application and in those applications of the 31 above-mentioned states; and 32 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes 33 a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the 34 Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at 35 -1- LSB 1197SV (2) 87 rn/rj 1/ 3

S.J.R. 8 least two-thirds of the several states have made applications 1 for a similar convention under Article V, or the General 2 Assembly acts to withdraw this application; and 3 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State 4 shall transmit certified copies of this Joint Resolution 5 to the President and Secretary of the United States 6 Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of 7 Representatives, the presiding officer in each house of the 8 legislature in each of the states in the union, and to the 9 members of Iowa’s congressional delegation requesting their 10 cooperation. 11 EXPLANATION 12 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 13 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 14 This joint resolution provides that pursuant to Article V of 15 the United States Constitution, the Iowa General Assembly both 16 petitions the United States Congress to propose an amendment 17 to the United States Constitution on its own and applies 18 to the United States Congress to call a convention for the 19 specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to 20 the United States Constitution, for submission to the states 21 for ratification, to impose fiscal restraints on the federal 22 government and limit the federal government’s power and 23 jurisdiction. 24 The joint resolution additionally provides that pursuant to 25 Article V of the United States Constitution, the Iowa General 26 Assembly joins in the applications of several specified states 27 for a convention to impose fiscal restraints, and that the 28 delegates from Iowa shall be expressly limited to consideration 29 and support of amendments that impose such restraints on the 30 federal government and limit the federal government’s power and 31 jurisdiction. 32 Further, the joint resolution provides that it shall serve 33 as a continuing application to call a constitutional convention 34 until at least two-thirds of the legislatures of the several 35 -2- LSB 1197SV (2) 87 rn/rj 2/ 3

S.J.R. 8 states have made application for a similar convention, or the 1 General Assembly acts to withdraw the application. 2 Finally, the joint resolution requires the Secretary 3 of State to transmit certified copies of the resolution 4 to the President and Secretary of the United States 5 Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House 6 of Representatives, the presiding officer in each house of 7 the legislature in each of the states in the union, and the 8 members of Iowa’s congressional delegation requesting their 9 cooperation. 10 -3- LSB 1197SV (2) 87 rn/rj 3/ 3