85R2270 TJB-D     By: Workman H.J.R. No. 44       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 85th 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 85th 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 of the United States, to   the vice president of the United States in the vice president's   capacity as the presiding officer of the Senate of the United States   at the office located in the United States Capitol Building, 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.