Bill Details
Status
Latest action
2025-02-24 - Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced Date
2025-02-24
Policy Area
Congress
Committees
View committees (1)
5
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This resolution says Congress should call a constitutional convention to propose an amendment focused on fiscal responsibility, with the goal of helping control federal spending and debt. It also says any amendment proposed at that convention should not be ratified in the usual state legislature process, but instead by a vote of the people through state convention delegates. The resolution includes a short window for Congress to stop the convention call if the House Clerk reports that the needed state applications do not exist. It also directs that the resolution be sent to state legislatures.
- It calls for a convention to propose changes to the Constitution under Article V, which is the part of the Constitution that allows amendments to be proposed.
- The resolution says the convention would not move forward if, within 60 days, the House Clerk reports that there are not valid applications from at least two-thirds of the states.
- Any amendment proposed at the convention would need approval by three-quarters of the states, through state convention delegates who are expected to vote according to the people’s choice.
- A copy of the resolution must be sent to the Administrator of General Services so it can be shared with state legislatures.
Official Summaries
No summaries available
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 15 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 15
Calling an Article V Convention for proposing a Fiscal Responsibility
Amendment to the United States Constitution and stipulating
ratification by a vote of We the People, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 24, 2025
Mr. Arrington submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Calling an Article V Convention for proposing a Fiscal Responsibility
Amendment to the United States Constitution and stipulating
ratification by a vote of We the People, and for other purposes.
Whereas Article V of the Constitution of the United States states that ``The
Congress . . . on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of
the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments''
to the Constitution;
Whereas congressional and State records of plenary applications for amendments
on any subject and applications for the single subject of Inflation-
fighting Fiscal Responsibility Amendments compiled by the Article V
Library counts Nevada's ``continuing'' application, reported February 8,
1979, in the Congressional Record, as the 34th thus achieving the ``two
thirds'' congressional mandate to call the Convention for proposing
amendments; congressional records reported 39 applications by the end of
1979, 40 in 1983, and 42 total applications over time;
Whereas Alexander Hamilton in Federalist 85 stated that ``The Congress `shall
call a Convention'. Nothing in this particular is left to the discretion
of that body'';
Whereas, beginning in 1979, when Congress appears to have failed in its
constitutional duty to count applications and call a ``Convention for
proposing Amendments'', the Nation's debt has increased to more than $36
trillion from $860 billion, while the value of the dollar has declined
by over 80 percent;
Whereas the Constitution was ratified by Convention delegates ``chosen in each
State by the People thereof'', and the 21st Amendment, repealing
Prohibition, was ratified in 1933 by a vote of the people for Yes-
pledged delegates in 38 of 39 State Conventions; and
Whereas the Supreme Court's unanimous opinion in Chiafalo v. Washington stated:
``electors . . . have no ground for reversing the vote of millions of
its citizens. That direction accords with the Constitution--as well as
with the trust of the Nation that here, We the People rule.'': Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That
SECTION 1. CALL FOR ARTICLE V CONVENTION OF STATES.
(a) In General.--
(1) Call for convention; timing.--As provided in Article V
of the Constitution of the United States, and except as
provided in paragraph (2), Congress hereby calls a Convention
for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United
States for a date and place to be determined on calling the
Convention.
(2) Exception.--Paragraph (1) does not apply if, prior to
the expiration of the 60-day period which begins on the date of
the adoption of this concurrent resolution--
(A) the House Clerk provides a written report
stating there have never been unrescinded and
``continuing'' applications for a Convention to propose
amendments from at least two-thirds (34) of the States
on any national issues (plenary) plus the single issue
of fiscal responsibility; and
(B) the House Clerk includes in the report detailed
findings for each State.
(b) Ratification of Amendments by States.--Each proposed amendment
at the Convention for proposing amendments called under this section
shall be ratified by a vote of We the People in three-quarters (38) of
the States via State Convention delegates who shall ``have no ground
for reversing the vote of millions of its citizens'' (Chiafalo v.
Washington).
SEC. 2. TRANSMISSION TO ADMINISTRATOR OF GENERAL SERVICES.
A copy of this concurrent resolution shall be transmitted to the
Administrator of General Services for submission to the legislatures of
the several States.
<all>