[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.J. Res. 84 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 84

  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
  provide a procedure by which the States may propose constitutional 
                              amendments.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 24, 1997

Mr. Bliley (for himself, Mr. Goode, Mr. Kolbe, Mr. Deal of Georgia, Mr. 
   Gillmor, Mr. Spence, and Mr. Cook) introduced the following joint 
    resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

                            JOINT RESOLUTION


 
  Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to 
  provide a procedure by which the States may propose constitutional 
                              amendments.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United 
States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House 
concurring therein), That the following is proposed as an amendment to 
the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 
intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the 
legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years 
after the date of its submission for ratification:

                              ``Article--

    ``Section 1. Two-thirds of the legislatures of the several States 
may propose an amendment to the Constitution by enacting identical 
legislation in each such legislature proposing the amendment. If two-
thirds of the legislatures of the several States enact such 
legislation, the legislature first proposing the amendment shall submit 
the proposed amendment to the Congress.
    ``Section 2. If a proposed amendment is submitted to the Congress 
under this article and, before the date of the second adjournment of 
Congress sine die occurring after the proposed amendment is so 
submitted, two-thirds of each House vote against legislation expressly 
disapproving the proposed amendment, the proposed amendment shall be 
deemed to be submitted to the several States for their consideration.
    ``Section 3. If, as of the date of the second adjournment of 
Congress sine die occurring after a proposed amendment is submitted to 
Congress under this article, the proposed amendment has not been 
submitted to the several States for their consideration under section 
2, and two-thirds of each House have not voted for legislation 
expressly disapproving the proposed amendment, the proposed amendment 
shall be deemed to be submitted to the several States for their 
consideration.
    ``Section 4. A proposed amendment submitted to the several States 
for their consideration under this article shall be valid as part of 
the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of 
the several States.
    ``Section 5. This article shall not be construed as limiting the 
power of the States or the Congress under Article V of this 
Constitution.
    ``Section 6. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article 
by appropriate legislation.''.
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