HOUSTON – Governor Greg Abbott, speaking today at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, announced his support for an Article V Convention to take power from the Federal Government and give it back to the states.

“This is the only way that I know to finally get a balanced budget at the Federal level,” said Senator Paul Bettencourt. “We cannot sit by and do nothing while our children and grandchildren are burdened with a debt from the Federal Government that is unpayable.”

Governor Abbott has proposed a total of nine amendments as part of his “Texas Plan.” They include prohibiting Congress from regulating activity that occurs wholly within one state, requiring Congress to balance its budget, prohibiting administrative agencies from creating federal law, prohibiting administrative agencies from preempting state law, allowing a two-thirds majority of the states to override a U.S. Supreme Court decision, requiring a seven-justice super-majority vote for U.S. Supreme Court decisions that invalidate a democratically enacted law, limiting federal powers to those expressly delegated to it in the Constitution, giving state officials the power to sue in federal court when federal officials overstep their bounds, and allowing a two-thirds majority of the states to override a federal law or regulation.

“The only way we’re going to save this republic is to go about the process of the states regaining control of the federal government,” said Senator Brian Birdwell. “It is the states that created the federal government, and it is the states that must control it if our individual federal representatives cannot.”

Under the United States Constitution in Article V, thirty-four states can pass a bill called an “application” calling for a convention to be held. These “applications” are sent to Congress who will then call a Convention. If Congress does not call a Convention the states can call the convention on their own. Alaska, Alabama, Florida and Georgia have already passed an Article V Convention resolution.
“It’s great to have the Governor’s support for this resolution as we work towards next session,” said Representative Rick Miller. “I plan to refile this resolution in the Texas House in the 85th Legislative Session.”
Since 1789 there have been 27 amendments to the Constitution that have been ratified.