Minnesota Legislature
HF 1566
as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 04/26/2011 09:50am
KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
Current Version - as introduced
1.1A joint resolution
1.2applying to Congress to call a constitutional convention to propose amendments to
1.3the Constitution of the United States to require a balanced federal budget.
1.4WHEREAS, the people of Minnesota as represented by their Legislature find that fiscal
1.5discipline and economic integrity have been core principles of American governance; and
1.6WHEREAS, the American people have historically demanded the same prudent,
1.7responsible, and intellectually honest financial behavior from their elected representatives as
1.8ultimately compels individual behavior; and
1.9WHEREAS, it is the firm conviction of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it is
1.10wrong for government to fund every want and whim of the present generation by robbing future
1.11Americans of their prosperity; and
1.12WHEREAS, mortgaging the birthright of our children and grandchildren is a dangerous
1.13departure from traditional American values which threatens to permanently undermine the
1.14strength and security of our nation; and
1.15WHEREAS, for the nation to pay off the entire federal debt by 2015, Congress would have
1.16to triple the federal income taxes of every American and devote the increase exclusively to
1.17debt payments; and
1.18WHEREAS, our debt is increasingly owed to the governments of foreign nations, not to the
1.19citizens of the United States; therefore, our wealth is transferred to others and will not be available
1.20to supply the means for America's future growth and prosperity; and
2.1WHEREAS, high federal deficits cause increasingly high payments for debt interest in the
2.2future, make future borrowing more costly, reduce investment activity, and thus reduce the size
2.3of the future economy; and
2.4WHEREAS, the people of Minnesota recognized the wisdom of fiscal discipline and
2.5enshrined in their State Constitution the requirement for a balanced budget to place a prudent
2.6limit on the natural tendencies of government; and
2.7WHEREAS, we the Legislature of the State of Minnesota call for the Constitution of
2.8the United States to be amended to require the federal government to operate with fiscal
2.9responsibility, common sense, and within the revenues granted to it by the people; and
2.10WHEREAS, the federal government has for too long relied on revenue increases and
2.11borrowing against our future rather than prudent spending decisions within the limits of current
2.12tax revenues; and
2.13WHEREAS, lasting resolution of this nation's budget deficit can be achieved only by
2.14addressing the spending habits of our federal government, not by increasing the tax burden
2.15under which our citizens already labor; and
2.16WHEREAS, under Article V of the Constitution of the United States, the Congress, on
2.17the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for
2.18proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that shall be valid to all intent and
2.19purposes if ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions
2.20in three fourths thereof, as one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by Congress;
2.21NOW, THEREFORE,
2.22BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it applies to the
2.23Congress of the United States to call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing
2.24amendments to the Constitution of the United States to achieve and maintain a balanced budget by:
2.25(1) requiring that such balanced budget account for all obligations of the federal
2.26government;
2.27(2) allowing flexibility in federal balanced budget requirements by providing exceptions
2.28related to exigencies such as national emergencies or threats to the nation's security;
2.29(3) imposing spending limits on the federal government; and
2.30(4) setting extraordinary vote requirements for new or increased federal taxes and other
2.31revenues.
3.1BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of Minnesota is directed to
3.2prepare copies of this resolution and transmit it to the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States
3.3House of Representatives, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the United
3.4States Secretary of State, and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.
1.2applying to Congress to call a constitutional convention to propose amendments to
1.3the Constitution of the United States to require a balanced federal budget.
1.4WHEREAS, the people of Minnesota as represented by their Legislature find that fiscal
1.5discipline and economic integrity have been core principles of American governance; and
1.6WHEREAS, the American people have historically demanded the same prudent,
1.7responsible, and intellectually honest financial behavior from their elected representatives as
1.8ultimately compels individual behavior; and
1.9WHEREAS, it is the firm conviction of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it is
1.10wrong for government to fund every want and whim of the present generation by robbing future
1.11Americans of their prosperity; and
1.12WHEREAS, mortgaging the birthright of our children and grandchildren is a dangerous
1.13departure from traditional American values which threatens to permanently undermine the
1.14strength and security of our nation; and
1.15WHEREAS, for the nation to pay off the entire federal debt by 2015, Congress would have
1.16to triple the federal income taxes of every American and devote the increase exclusively to
1.17debt payments; and
1.18WHEREAS, our debt is increasingly owed to the governments of foreign nations, not to the
1.19citizens of the United States; therefore, our wealth is transferred to others and will not be available
1.20to supply the means for America's future growth and prosperity; and
2.1WHEREAS, high federal deficits cause increasingly high payments for debt interest in the
2.2future, make future borrowing more costly, reduce investment activity, and thus reduce the size
2.3of the future economy; and
2.4WHEREAS, the people of Minnesota recognized the wisdom of fiscal discipline and
2.5enshrined in their State Constitution the requirement for a balanced budget to place a prudent
2.6limit on the natural tendencies of government; and
2.7WHEREAS, we the Legislature of the State of Minnesota call for the Constitution of
2.8the United States to be amended to require the federal government to operate with fiscal
2.9responsibility, common sense, and within the revenues granted to it by the people; and
2.10WHEREAS, the federal government has for too long relied on revenue increases and
2.11borrowing against our future rather than prudent spending decisions within the limits of current
2.12tax revenues; and
2.13WHEREAS, lasting resolution of this nation's budget deficit can be achieved only by
2.14addressing the spending habits of our federal government, not by increasing the tax burden
2.15under which our citizens already labor; and
2.16WHEREAS, under Article V of the Constitution of the United States, the Congress, on
2.17the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several states, shall call a convention for
2.18proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that shall be valid to all intent and
2.19purposes if ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by conventions
2.20in three fourths thereof, as one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by Congress;
2.21NOW, THEREFORE,
2.22BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota that it applies to the
2.23Congress of the United States to call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing
2.24amendments to the Constitution of the United States to achieve and maintain a balanced budget by:
2.25(1) requiring that such balanced budget account for all obligations of the federal
2.26government;
2.27(2) allowing flexibility in federal balanced budget requirements by providing exceptions
2.28related to exigencies such as national emergencies or threats to the nation's security;
2.29(3) imposing spending limits on the federal government; and
2.30(4) setting extraordinary vote requirements for new or increased federal taxes and other
2.31revenues.
3.1BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of Minnesota is directed to
3.2prepare copies of this resolution and transmit it to the Speaker and the Clerk of the United States
3.3House of Representatives, the President and the Secretary of the United States Senate, the United
3.4States Secretary of State, and Minnesota's Senators and Representatives in Congress.