HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 57

(By Delegates Ridenour, Kirby, Phillips, Steele, Foster, Kimble, Hillenbrand, Coop-Gonzalez, Adkins, Barnhart, Butler, Crouse, Gearheart, Heckert, Horst, Longanacre, Mallow, Marple, Martin, Mazzocchi, Petitto, Riley, and Vance)

[Introduced January 30, 2024; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary then Rules]

Demanding Congress call a Convention of States to propose amendments to the Constitution of the United States to create fiscal responsibility by and within the federal government.

Whereas, Article V of the Constitution of the United States equally enables the States and Congress to propose Amendments to the Constitution of the United States; and

Whereas, Article. V. of the Constitution of the United States mandates that Congress "…on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution; and

Whereas, Since 1979, Congressional Records show 39 applications by states were submitted to Congress calling for a convention of states to amend the Constitution of the United States either on any subject or specifically for fiscal responsibility; and

Whereas, the national debt has increased from $850 billion in 1979 to almost $34 trillion today, and the dollar has been devalued by more than 76 percent during that period; and

Whereas, as of October 2022, inflation was 7.7 percent, a 40-year high; and

Whereas, fiscal and monetary irresponsibility at the federal level is increasing inflation, reducing economic growth, lowering Americans’ standard of living, jeopardizing Social Security and Medicare, putting national security at serious risk, and threatening the economic stability and security of the several States and the prosperity of Americans for generations to come; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Legislature calls on the Congress of the United States to do their duty under the Constitution and call a convention of states for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States specifically to consider and propose a fiscal responsibility amendment; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the State of West Virginia, together with other states, commence federal court action to force the Congress of the United States to do their duty under the Constitution and call a convention of states for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States; and, be it

Further Resolved, That, the State of West Virginia calls upon all the several States to form a Convention for Proposing Amendments, specifically regarding fiscal responsibility, to the Constitution of the United States to meet at the Capital Building of the State of West Virginia beginning on the 15th of April, 2024 and to submit such amendments as are agreed upon to state conventions of the several States by the 4th of July, 2024 for inclusion on the general election ballot of all the several States; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward copies of this resolution to the President and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives of the State of West Virginia, and to the presiding officers of each of the legislative houses in the several States, requesting their cooperation in this endeavor.