House Joint Resolution 11 - Introduced HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 11 BY COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT (SUCCESSOR TO HJR 6) 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 limit the number 4 of terms that a person may serve in Congress or as a federal 5 official. 6 WHEREAS, the founders of the Constitution of the United 7 States empowered state legislators to be guardians of liberty 8 against future abuses of power by the federal government; and 9 WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing 10 national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and 11 WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate 12 roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal 13 mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent; and 14 WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to function under 15 a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United 16 States; and 17 WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect 18 the liberty of our people, particularly for the generations 19 to come, by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the 20 United States through a convention of the states under Article 21 V of the Constitution of the United States for the purpose of 22 restraining these and related abuses of power; NOW THEREFORE, 23 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 24 TLSB 1131HV (1) 91 ss/ns

H.J.R. 11 That the General Assembly, as the legislature of the state of 1 Iowa, hereby applies to the Congress of the United States under 2 the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the United 3 States for a convention for the specific and exclusive purpose 4 of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United 5 States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, 6 limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and 7 limit the terms of office of federal officials and members of 8 Congress, and no amendments on any other topic; and 9 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes 10 a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the 11 Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at 12 least two-thirds of the several states have made applications 13 for a similar convention under Article V, or the General 14 Assembly resolves to withdraw this application; and 15 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall 16 transmit certified copies of this resolution to the President 17 and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and 18 Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, each 19 member of the United States Senate and the United States House 20 of Representatives, and to the presiding officer of each house 21 of the legislature of each of the several states. 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 This joint resolution constitutes an application requesting 26 the United States Congress to call a convention for proposing 27 amendments to the Constitution of the United States to impose 28 fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power 29 and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms 30 of office for federal officials and for members of Congress. 31 The resolution constitutes a continuing application to call a 32 convention for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the 33 United States. 34 The resolution requires the Secretary of State to transmit 35 -1- LSB 1131HV (1) 91 ss/ns 1/ 2

H.J.R. 11 certified copies of this resolution to the President and 1 Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk 2 of the United States House of Representatives, each member 3 of the United States Senate and the United States House of 4 Representatives, and to the presiding officer of each house of 5 the legislature of each state. 6 -2- LSB 1131HV (1) 91 ss/ns 2/ 2