Bill Text: TX HJR144 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Rescinding the 1899 application of the 26th Texas Legislature to the United States Congress to call an unrestricted national convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for proposing undisclosed amendments to that Constitution.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-30 - Left pending in committee [HJR144 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HJR144-Introduced.html
| 84R1675 MAW-F | ||
| By: Elkins | H.J.R. No. 144 | |
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| rescinding the 1899 application of the 26th Texas Legislature to | ||
| the United States Congress to call an unrestricted national | ||
| convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for | ||
| proposing undisclosed amendments to that Constitution. | ||
| WHEREAS, In adopting Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, the | ||
| 26th Texas Legislature, in the year 1899, applied to the United | ||
| States Congress to call a convention, under the terms of Article V | ||
| of the United States Constitution, ". . . for proposing amendments | ||
| to said Constitution . . ." that would be subject to potential | ||
| ratification; and | ||
| WHEREAS, That particular application--unlike subsequent and | ||
| more detailed applications from Texas lawmakers--did not prescribe | ||
| any boundaries on the subject matter of amendments to be discussed | ||
| or ultimately offered for ratification by such a nationwide | ||
| convention; and | ||
| WHEREAS, While indeed no Article V amendatory convention has | ||
| yet taken place thus far in American history, nevertheless, there | ||
| is a very real possibility that one, or more than one, could be | ||
| triggered at some point in the future--the precise results of which | ||
| cannot be predicted or contrived in advance; and | ||
| WHEREAS, At the present time, the Texas Legislature has | ||
| absolutely no desire or intention whatsoever for Congress to call | ||
| an Article V amendatory convention of a general, vague, and | ||
| unlimited nature; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 remains just as | ||
| alive and valid today as it was when it was approved by Texas | ||
| legislators 116 years ago; now, therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas, | ||
| Regular Session, 2015, hereby officially rescinds, repeals, | ||
| revokes, and nullifies Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4, Acts of | ||
| the 26th Legislature, Regular Session, 1899, calling for an | ||
| open-ended, unclear, and indeterminate Article V amendatory | ||
| convention to propose for ratification unspecified federal | ||
| constitutional amendments, which application was duly received by | ||
| Congress, and reprinted word for word in the Congressional Record | ||
| of December 11, 1899, at page 219, and which application was | ||
| referred to the Committee on the Judiciary in the United States | ||
| House of Representatives the very next day (Congressional Record at | ||
| page 280); and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That, in a manner which would furnish confirmation | ||
| of delivery and tracking while en route, the Texas secretary of | ||
| state shall transmit properly certified copies of this joint | ||
| resolution of rescission--together with copies of Senate | ||
| Concurrent Resolution No. 4--pursuant to the Standing Rules of the | ||
| United States Senate (namely, Rule VII, paragraphs 4, 5, and 6), to | ||
| the vice president of the United States (in his capacity as | ||
| presiding officer of the United States Senate and addressed to him | ||
| at the office which he maintains inside the United States Capitol | ||
| Building); to the secretary and parliamentarian of the United | ||
| States Senate; and to both United States senators representing | ||
| Texas; accompanied by a cover letter to each addressee drawing | ||
| attention to the fact that it is the 84th Texas Legislature's | ||
| courteous, yet firm, request that the full and complete verbatim | ||
| text of this joint resolution--as well as the full and complete | ||
| verbatim text of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4--be duly | ||
| published in the United States Senate's portion of the | ||
| Congressional Record as an official memorial to the United States | ||
| Senate, and that this joint resolution--with Senate Concurrent | ||
| Resolution No. 4 appended thereto--be referred to whichever | ||
| committee or committees of the United States Senate that would have | ||
| appropriate jurisdiction in this matter; and, be it further | ||
| RESOLVED, That, in a manner which would furnish confirmation | ||
| of delivery and tracking while en route, the Texas secretary of | ||
| state shall likewise transmit properly certified copies of this | ||
| joint resolution of rescission--together with copies of Senate | ||
| Concurrent Resolution No. 4--pursuant to the Rules of the United | ||
| States House of Representatives (namely, Rule XII, clauses 3 and | ||
| 7), to the speaker, clerk, and parliamentarian of the United States | ||
| House of Representatives; and to all members of the United States | ||
| House of Representatives who represent districts in Texas; likewise | ||
| accompanied by a cover letter to each addressee drawing attention | ||
| to the fact that it is the 84th Texas Legislature's courteous, yet | ||
| firm, request that the substance of this joint resolution--as well | ||
| as that of Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4--be accurately | ||
| summarized in the United States House of Representatives' portion | ||
| of the Congressional Record as an official memorial to the United | ||
| States House of Representatives, and that this joint | ||
| resolution--with Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 4 appended | ||
| thereto--be referred to whichever committee or committees of the | ||
| United States House of Representatives that would have appropriate | ||
| jurisdiction in this matter. | ||
