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Senate Joint Resolution 1 - IntroducedA Bill ForA Joint Resolution 1calling for an Article V convention in order
2to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United
3States that impose fiscal restraints, limit the power and
4jurisdiction of the federal government, and impose term
5limits on federal officials and members of Congress.
6WHEREAS, the founders of the Constitution of the United
7States empowered state legislators to be guardians of liberty
8against future abuses of power by the federal government;and
9WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing
10national debt through improper and imprudent spending;and
11WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate
12roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal
13mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent;and
14WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to live under
15a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United
16States;and
17WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect
18the liberty of our people, particularly for the generations
19to come, by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the
20United States through a convention of the states under Article
21V of the Constitution of the United States for the purpose of
22restraining these and related abuses of power;NOW THEREFORE,
23BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1That the General Assembly, as the legislature of the state
2of Iowa, hereby applies to the Congress of the United States
3under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the
4United States for a convention for the specific and exclusive
5purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the
6United States limited to the purposes stated therein, provided,
7however, that the delegates from Iowa to said convention are
8expressly limited to consideration and support of amendments
9that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government,
10amendments that limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal
11government, and amendments that limit the terms of office of
12federal officials and members of Congress, and no amendments on
13any other topic;and
14BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes
15a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the
16Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at
17least two-thirds of the several states have made applications
18on the same subject;and
19BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall
20transmit certified copies of this resolution to the President
21and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and
22Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the
23presiding officer of each house of the legislature of each of
24the several states, and to each member of Iowa’s congressional
25delegation.
26EXPLANATION
27The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
28the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
29This joint resolution constitutes an application requesting
30the United States Congress to call a constitutional convention
31in order to propose amendments to the Constitution of the
32United States to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
33government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal
34government, and limit the terms of office for federal officials
35and for members of Congress. The resolution stipulates that
-1-1Iowa’s delegates to such a convention are expressly limited
2to consideration and support of amendments on those topics.
3The resolution constitutes a continuing application to call a
4constitutional convention.
5The resolution requires the Secretary of State to transmit
6certified copies of this resolution to the President and
7Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk
8of the United States House of Representatives, the presiding
9officer of each house of the legislature of each state, and to
10the members of Iowa’s congressional delegation.
-2-ss/rn
2to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United
3States that impose fiscal restraints, limit the power and
4jurisdiction of the federal government, and impose term
5limits on federal officials and members of Congress.
6WHEREAS, the founders of the Constitution of the United
7States empowered state legislators to be guardians of liberty
8against future abuses of power by the federal government;and
9WHEREAS, the federal government has created a crushing
10national debt through improper and imprudent spending;and
11WHEREAS, the federal government has invaded the legitimate
12roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal
13mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent;and
14WHEREAS, the federal government has ceased to live under
15a proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United
16States;and
17WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect
18the liberty of our people, particularly for the generations
19to come, by proposing amendments to the Constitution of the
20United States through a convention of the states under Article
21V of the Constitution of the United States for the purpose of
22restraining these and related abuses of power;NOW THEREFORE,
23BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1That the General Assembly, as the legislature of the state
2of Iowa, hereby applies to the Congress of the United States
3under the provisions of Article V of the Constitution of the
4United States for a convention for the specific and exclusive
5purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the
6United States limited to the purposes stated therein, provided,
7however, that the delegates from Iowa to said convention are
8expressly limited to consideration and support of amendments
9that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government,
10amendments that limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal
11government, and amendments that limit the terms of office of
12federal officials and members of Congress, and no amendments on
13any other topic;and
14BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes
15a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the
16Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at
17least two-thirds of the several states have made applications
18on the same subject;and
19BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State shall
20transmit certified copies of this resolution to the President
21and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and
22Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, the
23presiding officer of each house of the legislature of each of
24the several states, and to each member of Iowa’s congressional
25delegation.
26EXPLANATION
27The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
28the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
29This joint resolution constitutes an application requesting
30the United States Congress to call a constitutional convention
31in order to propose amendments to the Constitution of the
32United States to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
33government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal
34government, and limit the terms of office for federal officials
35and for members of Congress. The resolution stipulates that
-1-1Iowa’s delegates to such a convention are expressly limited
2to consideration and support of amendments on those topics.
3The resolution constitutes a continuing application to call a
4constitutional convention.
5The resolution requires the Secretary of State to transmit
6certified copies of this resolution to the President and
7Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk
8of the United States House of Representatives, the presiding
9officer of each house of the legislature of each state, and to
10the members of Iowa’s congressional delegation.
-2-ss/rn