New Mexico
“[T]his body makes application and requests that the congress of the United States call a constitutional convention 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[.]” – New Mexico SJR 1 (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.
New Mexico SJR 1 (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.”
SJR 1 (1976)
A JOINT RESOLUTION
FOR THE PURPOSE OF REQUESTING APFPROPRIATE ACTION BY THE CONGRESS, EITHER ACTING BY CONSENT OF TWO-THIRDS OF BOTH HOUSES OR, UPON THE APPLICATION OF THE LEGISLATURES OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE SEVERAL STATES, CALLING A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION TO PROPOSE AN AMENDMENT TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION T0 REQUIRE WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS, THAT THE TOTAL OF ALL FEDERAL APPROPRIATIONS MAY NOT EXCEED THE TOTAL OF ALL ESTIMATED FEDERAL REVENUES IN ANY FISCAL YEAR.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
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 necessary to bring the fiscal discipline needed to restore financial responsibility; and
WHEREAS, under article 5 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; we believe such action is vital;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that this body proposes to 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 legislature of the state of New Mexico 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; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, alternatively, this body makes application and requests that the congress of the United States call a constitutional convention 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; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this body 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; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent by the secretary of state to the members of New Mexico’s delegation to the congress of the United States; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the secretary of state of this state is directed to send copies of this joint resolution to the secretary of state and presiding officers of both houses of the legislature 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.