House Joint Resolution 2003 - Introduced HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 2003 BY WILLS , NORDMAN , DUNWELL , STONE , HEIN , KAUFMANN , BUSH , WESTRICH , MOHR , FRY , and LUNDGREN HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION A Joint Resolution calling for an Article V convention in order 1 to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United 2 States that impose fiscal restraints, limit the power and 3 jurisdiction of the federal government, and impose term 4 limits on federal officials and members of Congress. 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 of the United States for the purpose of 21 restraining these and related abuses of power; NOW THEREFORE, 22 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 23 TLSB 5291YH (7) 89 ss/rn

H.J.R. 2003 That the General Assembly, as the legislature of the state 1 of Iowa, hereby applies to the Congress of the United States 2 under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the 3 United States for a convention for the specific and exclusive 4 purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the 5 United States limited to the purposes stated therein, provided, 6 however, that the delegates from Iowa to said convention are 7 expressly limited to consideration and support of amendments 8 that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, 9 amendments that limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal 10 government, and amendments that limit the terms of office of 11 federal officials and members of Congress, and no amendments on 12 any other topic; and 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes 14 a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the 15 Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at 16 least two-thirds of the several states have made applications 17 on the same subject; and 18 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall 19 transmit certified copies of this resolution to the President 20 and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and 21 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the 22 presiding officer of each house of the legislature of each of 23 the several states, and to each member of Iowa’s congressional 24 delegation. 25 EXPLANATION 26 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 27 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 28 This joint resolution constitutes an application requesting 29 the United States Congress to call a constitutional convention 30 in order to propose amendments to the Constitution of the 31 United States to impose fiscal restraints on the federal 32 government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal 33 government, and limit the terms of office for federal officials 34 and for members of Congress. The resolution stipulates that 35 -1- LSB 5291YH (7) 89 ss/rn 1/ 2

H.J.R. 2003 Iowa’s delegates to such a convention are expressly limited 1 to consideration and support of amendments on those topics. 2 The resolution constitutes a continuing application to call a 3 constitutional convention. 4 The resolution requires the Secretary of State to transmit 5 certified copies of this resolution to the President and 6 Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk 7 of the United States House of Representatives, the presiding 8 officer of each house of the legislature of each state, and to 9 the members of Iowa’s congressional delegation. 10 -2- LSB 5291YH (7) 89 ss/rn 2/ 2