Contact: Senator Chris Kapenga, (608) 266-9174
Madison – On Wednesday, Senator Chris Kapenga (R-Delafield) circulated for co-sponsorship a resolution that requests that congress call a convention under the authority of Article V of the United States Constitution. The purpose of the convention would be to draft the language for a proposed constitutional amendment requiring the federal government to operate under a balanced budget. The draft language would need to be passed by the convention in order for congress to send the proposed amendment to the states for ratification.
Through this resolution, the Wisconsin State Legislature will use the power granted to it and join with 29 other states who have already called upon congress for a balanced budget amendment.
“Article V of the Constitution gives the states an opportunity to counteract the federal government’s past fiscal irresponsibility that has resulted in nearly 20 trillion dollars in federal debt” said Senator Kapenga.
“With this resolution, the legislature will be utilizing a tool provided by our Founding Fathers to work towards a constitutional amendment that would require the Federal Government to balance their budget just as 49 states are currently required to.”
In addition to the Balanced Budget Resolution, Senator Kapenga will be introducing a Delegate Act and a Rules Resolution. The Delegate Act places certain restrictions on Wisconsin’s Delegates at the convention, while the Rules Resolution asserts that the Wisconsin Legislature prefers to convene a convention for proposing amendment language under a predesignated draft set of rules.
