HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION V

September 12, 2017, Introduced by Reps. Chatfield, Noble, Canfield, Johnson, Kahle, Webber, Howell, Iden, Sheppard, Alexander, Kesto, Yaroch, Allor, Kelly, Hoitenga, Cole, Lauwers and Lower and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.

     A joint resolution applying to the Congress of the United

States to call a convention to propose an amendment to the

constitution of the United States to impose fiscal restraints on

the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the

federal government, and limit the terms of office for federal

officials and members of Congress.

ARTICLE

     Whereas, the founders of our constitution empowered state

legislators to be guardians of liberty against future abuses of

power by the federal government, and

     Whereas, the federal government has created a crushing

national debt through improper and imprudent spending, and

     Whereas, the federal government has invaded the legitimate

roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal

mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent, and

     Whereas, the federal government has ceased to live under a

proper interpretation of the constitution of the United States, and

     Whereas, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect the

liberty of our people, particularly for the generations to come, by

proposing amendments to the constitution of the United States

through a convention of the states under Article V for the purpose

of restraining these and related abuses of power,

     Be it therefore resolved by the legislature of the state of

Michigan:

     Section 1. The legislature of the state of Michigan hereby

applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V of the

constitution of the United States, for the calling of a convention

of the states limited to proposing amendments to the constitution

of the United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal

government, limit the powers and jurisdiction of the federal

government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and for

members of Congress.

     Section 2. The secretary of state is hereby directed to

transmit copies of this application to the president and secretary

of the United States senate and to the speaker and clerk of the

United States house of representatives, and copies to the members

of the said senate and house of representatives from this state;

also to transmit copies hereof to the presiding officers of each of

the legislative houses in the several states, requesting their

cooperation.

     Section 3. This application constitutes a continuing

application in accordance with Article V of the constitution of the

United States until the legislatures of at least two-thirds of the

several states have made applications on the same subject.