House Concurrent Resolution 16

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR THE APPLICATION FOR AN AMENDMENTS CONVENTION TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES TO BE CALLED FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT THAT PROVIDES THAT AN INCREASE IN THE FEDERAL DEBT REQUIRES APPROVAL FROM A MAJORITY OF THE LEGISLATURES OF THE SEPARATE STATES.

WHEREAS, Article V of the Constitution of the United States provides authority for a convention to be called by the Congress of the United States for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States upon application of two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states--an amendments convention; and

WHEREAS, the Mississippi Legislature favors the proposal and ratification of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States that provides that an increase in the federal debt requires approval from a majority of the legislatures of the separate states:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby respectfully apply for an amendments convention to the Constitution of the United States to be called for the purpose of proposing an amendment that provides that an increase in the federal debt requires approval from a majority of the legislatures of the separate states; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the amendments convention contemplated by this application must be focused entirely upon and exclusively limited to the subject matter of proposing for ratification of an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that an increase in the federal debt requires approval from a majority of the legislatures of the separate states; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this application constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article V of the Constitution of the United States until at least two-thirds of the legislatures of the several states have made application for an equivalently limited amendments convention; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State forward copies of this resolution to the President of the United States Senate, to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, to each member of the Mississippi Congressional Delegation, and to the presiding officers of each house of the several state legislatures, requesting their cooperation in applying for the amendments convention limited to the subject matter contemplated by this application.