Alabama
“[T]he Alabama Legislature makes application and requests that the Congress of the United States call a constitutional convention, pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the Federal Constitution requiring in the absence of a national emergency that the total of all federal appropriations made by the Congress for any fiscal year may not exceed the total of all estimated federal revenues for that fiscal year.” – Alabama HJR 227 (1976)
Representative Application
For each of the 40 States, one representative application has been highlighted. An explanation is provided as to why this application should be aggregated toward the total calling for a convention for proposing amendments. Additional applications from the State, if any, are also included.
Alabama HJR 227 (1976) is among the seventeen States that articulate the problem of fiscal responsibility with a phrase nearly identical to “the total of all federal appropriations made by the Congress for any fiscal year may not exceed the total of all estimated federal revenues for that fiscal year.” There are some slight variations, the biggest being Wyoming referring to “receipts” rather than “revenue.”
HJR 227 (1976)
PETITIONING THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES TO CONVENE A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION REQUIRING THAT FEDERAL SPENDING NOT EXCEED ESTIMATED FEDERAL REVENUES.
WHEREAS, with each passing year this Nation becomes more deeply in debt as its expenditures grossly and repeatedly exceed available revenues, so that the public debt now exceeds hundreds of billions of dollars; and
WHEREAS, the annual federal budget continually demonstrates an unwillingness or inability of both the legislative and executive branches of the federal government to curtail spending to conform to available revenues; and
WHEREAS, unified budgets do not reflect actual spending because of the exclusion of special outlays which are not included in the budget nor subject to the legal public debt limit; and
WHEREAS, knowledgeable planning, fiscal prudence, and plain good sense require that the budget reflect all federal spending and be in balance; and
WHEREAS, believing that fiscal irresponsibility at the federal level, with the inflation which results from this policy, is the greatest threat which faces our Nation, we firmly believe that constitutional restraint is vital to bring the fiscal discipline needed to restore financial responsibility; and
WHEREAS, there is provision in Article V of the Constitution of the United States for amending the Constitution by the Congress, on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds (2/3) of the several states, calling a convention for proposing amendments which shall be valid to all intents and purposes when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths (3/4) of the several states, or by conventions in three-fourths (3/4) thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; now therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA, BOTH HOUSES THEREOF CONCURRING, That the Legislature of Alabama hereby petitions the Congress of the United States that procedures be instituted in the Congress to add a new Article to the Constitution of the United States, and that the Alabama Legislature requests the Congress to prepare and submit to the several states an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, requiring in the absence of a national emergency that the total of all federal appropriations made by the Congress for any fiscal year may not exceed the total of all estimated federal revenues for that fiscal year.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That, alternatively the Alabama Legislature makes application and requests that the Congress of the United States call a constitutional convention, pursuant to Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the specific and exclusive purpose for proposing an amendment to the Federal Constitution requiring in the absence of a national emergency that the total of all federal appropriations made by the Congress for any fiscal year may not exceed the total of all estimated federal revenues for that fiscal year.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the legislatures of each of the several states comprising the United States are urged to apply to the Congress requesting the enactment of an appropriate amendment to the Federal Constitution; or requiring the Congress to call a constitutional convention for proposing such amendment to the Federal Constitution.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the House is directed to send copies of this Joint Resolution to the Secretary of State and presiding officers of both Houses of the Legislatures of each of the other States in the Union, the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, Washington, D.C., and the Secretary of the United States Senate, Washington, D.C., and to each member of the Alabama Congressional Delegation.
Approved August 18, 1976.
Time: 6:30 P.M.