Bill Text: IL SJR0022 | 2011-2012 | 97th General Assembly | Introduced

---

Bill Title: Applies to Congress to call a limited constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing to the states for ratification an amendment to the United States Constitution that would prohibit Congress from making laws that do not apply equally to the citizens of the United States and the members of Congress.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2013-01-08 - Session Sine Die [SJR0022 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2011-SJR0022-Introduced.html

---

SJ0022 LRB097 10929 GRL 51487 r
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Congress serves as the legislative branch of the
United States government and is responsible for the passage of
laws that affect the lives of all Americans; and
WHEREAS, Various actions performed or proposed by various
members of Congress, including cuts in programs such as Social
Security and Medicare, stand in stark contrast to the lucrative
benefits and financial security the members of Congress
currently possess, which have a much lower chance of being
reduced or eliminated; and
WHEREAS, The United States Constitution guarantees the
equal protection and application of the laws to each citizen of
our nation; the spirit of the Constitution is violated when
members of Congress enjoy the fruits of Congressional benefits
and salaries while creating hardships for lower-income
Americans through cuts in necessary programs; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CONCURRING HEREIN, that we hereby apply to Congress to call a
limited constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing
to the states for ratification an amendment to the United
States Constitution; and be it further

SJ0022 - 2 - LRB097 10929 GRL 51487 r
RESOLVED, That such an amendment should be worded as
follows, without substantial alteration: "Congress shall make
no law that applies to the citizens of the United States that
does not apply equally to the Senators and/or Representatives,
and Congress shall make no law that applies to the Senators
and/or Representatives that does not apply equally to the
citizens of the United States"; and be it further
RESOLVED, That this application 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 made application for a limited
constitutional convention; and be it further
RESOLVED, That, if two-thirds of the legislatures of the
several states make application to Congress to call a limited
constitutional convention, the State of Illinois requests that
such a convention be called not later than 6 months after
Congress receives the necessary applications from state
legislatures; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the limited convention called by Congress
shall be limited to the topics proposed in this resolution; if
a limited convention were to consider topics beyond the limited
scope of this call for a constitutional convention, delegates,

SJ0022 - 3 - LRB097 10929 GRL 51487 r
representatives, or participants shall be selected by the
citizens of the State of Illinois to participate in the limited
convention and shall be permitted to vote only on proposed
amendments topically contained within the scope of this call
and shall be instructed to vote against any other proposed
amendments; and be it further
RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
presented to the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House
of Representatives, the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of
the United States Senate, the members of the Illinois
congressional delegation, the presiding officers of each
chamber of each state legislature in the United States, and the
news media of the State of Illinois.