HJ13 would apply to Congress for a “convention of the states” under Article V of the U.S. Constitution for the “sole purpose” of proposing a federal balanced budget amendment (BBA).
The House failed to pass HJ13 on March 1, 2023, by a vote of 29 to 70. We have assigned pluses to the nays because efforts to call an Article V convention should be resisted. The States should act immediately to nullify all unconstitutional federal laws, rather than risk a constitutional convention. Simply following the U.S. Constitution’s limitations on federal power would more than balance the budget, whereas a BBA would have significant loopholes allowing for continued excessive spending. Article V was designed to correct potential errors or defects in the Constitution, not the failure of elected officials to uphold their oath of office.