[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 14]
[Senate]
[Page 20038]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS

  The following petitions and memorials were laid before the Senate and 
were referred or ordered to lie on the table as indicated:

       POM-124. A joint resolution adopted by the Legislature of 
     the State of Alabama applying to the United States Congress, 
     pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United 
     States, to call a convention of the states limited to 
     proposing amendments that impose fiscal restraints on the 
     federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the 
     federal government, and limit the terms of office of federal 
     government officials; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

                       House Joint Resolution 112

       Whereas, the Founders of our Constitution empowered state 
     legislators to be guardians of liberty against future abuses 
     of power by the federal government; and
       Whereas, the federal government has created a crushing 
     national debt through improper and imprudent spending; and
       Whereas, the federal government has invaded the legitimate 
     roles of the states through the manipulative process of 
     federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great 
     extent; and
       Whereas, the federal government has ceased to live under a 
     proper interpretation of the Constitution of the United 
     States; and
       Whereas, it is the solemn duty of the states to protect the 
     liberty of our people, particularly for the generations to 
     come, to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United 
     States through a Convention of the States under Article V to 
     place clear restraints on these and related abuses of power: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Legislature of Alabama, both houses thereof 
     concurring, That the Legislature of the State of Alabama 
     hereby applies to Congress, under the provisions of Article V 
     of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of 
     a convention of the states limited to proposing amendments 
     that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, 
     limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, 
     and limit the terms of office for its officials. This is an 
     application for a Convention of States. By definition, a 
     Convention of States requires the equality of all state 
     parties necessitating a rule of one state, one vote. Congress 
     has no authority to adopt any rule to the contrary; and be it 
     further
       Resolved, This application is adopted with the 
     understanding that the Legislature will, by law or rule, 
     create rules for its appointment of delegates to any 
     Convention of States, including rules that govern the duty of 
     commissioners or delegates to strictly adhere to the limited 
     subject matter of the convention contained in the state's 
     application; and be it further
       Resolved, That the Secretary of State is hereby directed to 
     transmit copies of this application to the President and 
     Secretary of the United States Senate and to the Speaker and 
     Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and to 
     the members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
     United States Congress from this state; and to also transmit 
     copies hereof to the presiding officers of each of the 
     legislative houses in the several states, requesting their 
     cooperation; 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 the Legislatures of at least two-
     thirds of the several states have made applications on the 
     same subject.
                                  ____

       POM-125. A communication from a citizen of the State of 
     Illinois memorializing the State of Illinois's petition to 
     the United States Congress calling for a constitutional 
     convention for the purpose of proposing amendments; to the 
     Committee on the Judiciary.

                          ____________________