(Des Moines, IA) The Convention of the States Project held a rally on Monday afternoon at the Iowa State Capitol for the passage of HJR 12 (companion SJR 8), a resolution that calls for an Article V convention to propose amendments to the U.S. Constitution that impose fiscal restraints and limits the power and jurisdiction of the federal government. The resolution also calls on Congress to propose similar amendments.
Mark Meckler, the president of COS Project, and former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) called on the Iowa Senate to hold a floor vote.
The resolution passed in the Iowa House last year by a 58 to 38 vote. The Iowa Senate State Government Committee in March recommended passage in March.
Watch Mark Meckler speak:
Watch former U.S. Senator Tom Coburn speak:
Twelve states: Alaska, Arizona, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Louisana, Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida have passed their petition to Congress. Ten additional states, including Iowa, have passed the Article V resolution in at least one chamber. Another fifteen states have active legislation during the 2018 state legislative session. The Constitution requires two-thirds of state legislatures to call a convention to propose amendments. Any amendments passed by the convention, which would, according to the COS Project, be limited to the scope presented in the state legislatures’ petitions would then need to be ratified by three-fourths of the states.
Convention of the States Action and Iowans for Tax Relief have registered support for the resolution. The Iowa State Building and Construction Trades Council, Child and Family Policy Center, Iowa State Education Association, AFSCME Iowa Council 61, United Professionals, Phyllis Schlafly Eagles of Iowa, Iowa Federation of Labor (AFL-CIO), Iowa Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, Concerned Women for America of Iowa, and the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition have registered opposition to the resolution.
