84R619 TJB-D
	By: Workman	H.J.R. No. 78

	A JOINT RESOLUTION
	applying to the Congress of the United States to call a convention
	under Article V of the United States Constitution for the limited
	purpose of proposing an amendment to the constitution to impose
	fiscal restraints on the federal government.
	WHEREAS, The drafters of the United States Constitution
	empowered state legislatures to be guardians of liberty against
	abuses of power by the federal government; and
	WHEREAS, The federal government has abused its power by
	creating a crushing national debt through improper and imprudent
	spending; and
	WHEREAS, The federal government has abused its power by
	invading the legitimate role of the states through the manipulative
	process of federal mandates that are to a great extent unfunded; and
	WHEREAS, The federal government has ceased to abide by a
	proper interpretation of the United States Constitution; and
	WHEREAS, In 1977 the 65th Texas Legislature submitted to the
	federal government H.C.R. No. 31 requesting Congress to prepare and
	submit to the several states an amendment to the United States
	Constitution providing for a federal balanced budget, or
	alternatively requesting Congress to call a constitutional
	convention for the purpose of proposing such an amendment; and
	WHEREAS, Congress has not acted to amend the United States
	Constitution to provide for a federal balanced budget or to
	otherwise impose fiscal restraints on the federal government; and
	WHEREAS, It is the solemn duty of state legislatures to
	protect the liberty of the people and of future generations by
	proposing amendments to the United States Constitution that place
	clear restraints on federal power; and
	WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution
	authorizes the several state legislatures to restrict the power of
	the federal government through the amendment process; and
	WHEREAS, Article V of the United States Constitution provides
	that on application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the
	several states Congress shall call a convention for the purpose of
	proposing amendments to the constitution; now, therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the 84th Texas Legislature hereby applies to
	Congress to call a convention under Article V of the United States
	Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing an amendment to
	the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
	government; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That, unless rescinded by a succeeding
	legislature, this application by the 84th Texas Legislature
	constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article V
	of the United States Constitution until at least two-thirds of the
	legislatures of the several states have applied to Congress to call
	a convention for the limited purpose of proposing an amendment to
	the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the federal
	government; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
	copies of this resolution to the president of the United States, to
	the speaker of the House of Representatives and the president of the
	Senate of the Congress of the United States, and to all members of
	the Texas delegation to Congress with the request that this
	resolution be officially entered in the Congressional Record as an
	application to Congress for a convention under Article V of the
	United States Constitution for the limited purpose of proposing an
	amendment to the constitution to impose fiscal restraints on the
	federal government; and, be it further
	RESOLVED, That the Texas secretary of state forward official
	copies of this resolution to the secretaries of state and to the
	presiding officers of the legislatures of the several states with
	the request that they join this state in applying to Congress for a
	convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for
	the limited purpose of proposing an amendment to the constitution
	to impose fiscal restraints on the federal government.