Time Range For Action Alert:
February 13, 2024 to February 15, 2024
On Thursday, February 15, 2024, the House Constitutional Laws Subcommittee of the Judiciary Committee will meet to take up H. 3676, a “Convention of States” bill. This would require Congress to call a convention as specified in Article V of the U.S. Constitution once 2/3 of the states submit resolutions, with the specific focus of passing a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This bill, sponsored by the Speaker of the House, is very likely to move forward to the full Judiciary Committee.
The ask
Constituents of members of the House Constitutional Laws Committee, call your representative ASAP. Ask that they reject this bill. A friendly assistant will answer or you can leave a message.
Talking points
- The League of Women Voters of the United States opposes bills calling for a constitutional convention under Article V of the U.S. Constituion without protections that are unlikely, and perhaps impossible, to enact.
- These proposals are a threat to every American's constitutional rights and civil liberties. The League also specifically opposes a federal balanced budget amendment, although we support fiscal responsiblity.
More information
The current resolution is not redundant with that passed in 2022, which was broader in scope and included term limits, and major reductions in federal power and authority. South Carolina is the 16th state to have passed that version. However, the current version that addresses only a balanced budget already has been the subject of resolutions from 28 states and is therefore much closer to forcing Congress to call a convention.
The League supports federal deficit reductions but opposes constitutional balanced budget amendments because it is the business of Congress and the President to balance competing interests to develop and approved provisions for federal revenue and expenditures.
Statements by convention proponents suggest that they are not thinking about ending the big cuts in taxes for corporations and the ultra-wealthy that we have seen in recent years. Instead, they support cuts in social welfare programs and what they regard as a bloated federal bureacracy. This would return us to the era before the New Deal brought a basic level of security to people thrown into proverty by age, economic disasters, or other misfortunes. Agency staff reductions would limit our national ability to respond to things like the COVID pandemic.
Finally, our nation at present is badly divided, and disputes over the scope and procedures of a constituitional convention would tear at our already fragile national fabric. The cure is worse than the disease.
Issues referenced by this action alert:
