Article V: Convention of States

Our forefathers, those brilliant men, who joined together to give us a framework to build our incredible country, were wise enough to plan for the future. They put their lives on the line starting with the Declaration of Independence and the revolution that gave America freedom from England.

They then crafted the most unique blueprint for a government of the people. They assured that there was a procedure for the people to modify the Constitution, Article V. For nearly 240 years, the Constitution has been the guiding light for us and crafted so brilliantly that it has only been amended twenty-seven times.

Article V provides two methods to amend the Constitution. One is for Congress, and more importantly, one for the people. This second is by a Convention of States. We are a Republic that, by design, gives power to the states. Should two-thirds of the state legislatures (currently 34 states) pass the resolution calling for the Convention, it shall be convened for the sole purpose of addressing the specific changes detailed in the resolution.

This method bypasses the federal level of government and assures a government of the people. Each proposed amendment is presented, debated, and voted on at the Convention. Passage of the amendment requires a three-fourths majority or thirty-eight votes.

Click this link for a video explanation of Article V:

A group called the Convention of States Action has been working since 2013 to get the necessary number of state legislatures on board to have Congress call for the Convention. There is no option for Congress. If they receive the requisite number of applications, they must convene the Convention of States and abide by the process.

The Convention of States Action (COS) initiative focuses on three separate amendments. COS is proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its officials and members of Congress.

This process has been tedious but is gaining momentum. There are over two million signatures on the COS petition, and to date, 17 states have passed the resolution marking the halfway mark. Eight states passed the resolution in one chamber of their legislature, and twenty states have the initiative on the legislative agenda for 2022. That makes this year critical in the quest for seventeen more states to reach the number to force Congress to call for the Convention.

Education is key to success. That involves educating the people about the goals and the state legislators, who will consider and vote on the initiative. From personal experience, I contacted each of my state representatives and heard back from a few. One, Lisa Bunker, responded but did not understand the process as she said she could not support the plan because it would open Pandora’s Box. She was naïve to the resolution’s focus and the constraints placed on it by the Constitution. The COS is not a trip down the rabbit hole but an action to add three specific amendments to our Constitution.

I will continue to work and write on this project. It is a National cause but grassroots by design. It is 50 battles to get 34 states to sign onto the plan. Go to the Convention of States Action website to get involved and work on your state to get them included in the thirty-four. Click this link: https://conventionofstates.com/. Stop being a spectator and become part of the solution. Check out and support COS today.