MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Rules

By: Representative Reeves

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MEMORIALIZING CONGRESS TO ADOPT A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR AN AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION WHICH WOULD REQUIRE THE FEDERAL BUDGET TO BE IN BALANCE EXCEPT UNDER SPECIFIED EMERGENCY CONDITIONS, AND RESCINDING HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 51, 1975 REGULAR SESSION.  

WHEREAS, in 1975, responding to national concern over a public debt which was then approximately $300 billion and the existence of a federal deficit approaching $40 billion, the Mississippi Legislature memorialized the Congress of the United States to call a constitutional convention to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring a balanced federal budget; and

WHEREAS, what was a national concern in 1975 has, in recent years, become a national crisis; and

WHEREAS, this condition of our national fiscal policy threatens the security of our nation; and

WHEREAS, the threat to the financial security of our nation has become so imminent that we can no longer afford the time and expense of a constitutional convention to propose and debate a solution to the crisis that is self-evident; and

WHEREAS, Article V of the Constitution of the United States provides for the proposal of amendments to the Constitution of the United States by two-thirds concurrence of the members of both Houses of Congress:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby memorialize the Congress of the United States to adopt, without delay, a joint resolution providing for an amendment to the Constitution of the United States that requires the federal budget to be in balance except under specified emergency conditions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Congress of the United States is urged to take appropriate and immediate action to continue to bring the federal budget into balance and to cause the reduction of the outstanding national debt in the foreseeable future.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution supersedes all previous resolutions memorializing the Congress of the United States to call a convention to propose an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require a balanced federal budget, including House Concurrent Resolution No. 51, 1975 Regular Session, and that such previous resolutions are hereby rescinded and withdrawn.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the presiding officers of the Senate and the House of Representatives of Congress and the members of the Mississippi Congressional Delegation.