Iowa
“[T]he Iowa general assembly respectfully makes application to and petitions the congress of the United States to call a convention for the specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require a balanced federal budget and to make certain exceptions with respect thereto.” – Iowa SJR 1 (1979)
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.
Iowa SJR 1 (1979) is among the eight States articulate the problem of fiscal responsibility with a phrase nearly identical to “require a balanced federal budget and to make certain exceptions with respect thereto.” There are some slight variations among this language, most notably North Carolina which replaces “and to make certain exceptions with respect thereto” with “in the absence of a national emergency.”
SJR 1 (1979)
A JOINT RESOLUTION
FOR THE PURPOSE OF REQUESTING APPROPRIATE ACTION BY THE CONGRESS, EITHER ACTING BY CONSENT OF TWO-THIRDS OF BOTH HOUSES OR, ON THE APPLICATION OF THE LEGISLATURES OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE SEVERAL STATES, CALLING A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION TO REQUIRE, WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, THAT THE FEDERAL BUDGET BE BALANCED.
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 one of the greatest threats which faces our nation, we firmly believe that constitutional restraint is necessary to bring the fiscal discipline needed to restore financial responsibility; and
WHEREAS, under Article five (V) of the Constitution of the United States, amendments to the federal Constitution may be proposed by the congress whenever two-thirds of both houses deem it necessary, or on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the several states the congress shall call a constitutional convention for the purpose of proposing amendments which shall be valid to all intents and purposes when ratified by three-fourths of the several states, and we believe such action is vital; NOW THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. The Iowa general assembly proposes to the congress of the United States that procedures be instituted in the congress to propose and submit to the several states before July 1, 1980, an amendment to the Constitution of the United States requiring that the federal budget be balanced in the absence of a national emergency.
Sec. 2. Alternatively, effective July 1, 1980, if the Congress of the United States has not proposed and submitted to the several states an amendment as provided in section one (1) of this resolution, the Iowa general assembly respectfully makes application to and petitions the congress of the United States to call a convention for the specific and exclusive purpose of proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to require a balanced federal budget and to make certain exceptions with respect thereto.
Sec. 3. Effective July 1, 1980, this application by the Iowa general assembly constitutes a continuing application in accordance with Article five (V) of the Constitution of the United States until the legislatures of at least two-thirds of the several states have made similar applications pursuant to Article five (V), but if the congress proposes an amendment to the Constitution identical in subject matter to that contained in this resolution, or if before July 1, 1980, the general assembly repeals this application to call o constitutional convention, then this application and petition for a constitutional convention shall no longer be of any force or effect.
Sec. 4. This application and petition shall be deemed null and void, rescinded, and of no effect in the event that such convention not be limited to such specific and exclusive purpose.
Sec. 5. The Iowa general assembly also proposes that the legislatures of each of the several states comprising the United States 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 an amendment to the federal Constitution if the Congress of the United States has not proposed and submitted to the several states an amendment as provided in section one (1) of this resolution before July 1, 1980.
Sec. 6. The secretary of state of Iowa is directed to send copies of this resolution to the secretary of state and presiding officers of both houses of the legislatures of each of the several states in the union, the speaker and the clerk of the United States house of representatives, the president and the secretary of the United States senate, and each member of the Iowa congressional delegation.
TERRY E. BRANSTAD
President of the Senate
FLOYD H. MILLEN
Speaker of the House