FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION PROCEDURES United States, Congurs. Senate. BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON SEPARATION OF POWERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON THE JUDICIARY NINETY-THIRD CONGRESS FIRST SESSION ON S. 1272 A BILL TO PROVIDE PROCEDURES FOR CALLING CONSTITU- Rankin, Gene, of Oklahoma, executive director, National Committee for a Karl Weymeyer, of Texas, member of executive committee, National Committee for a Constitutional Amendment To Prohibit Forced Busing. Hon. Milton Earnhart, State senator, State of Arkansas. ADDITIONAL STATEMENT Hathaway, Hon. William A., a U.S. Senator from the State of Maine...--- PROPOSED LEGISLATION S. 1272, a bill to provide procedures for calling constitutional conventions for proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States, on application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the States, pursuant to SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS State of Michigan, Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 172, application to the Congress of the United States to call a constitutional convention pur- 19 1 FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION PROCEDURES THURSDAY, APRIL 12, 1973 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE ON SEPARATION OF POWERS Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met, pursuant to recess, at 9:20 a.m., in room 3302, New Senate Office Building, Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr. (chairman of the subcommittee) presiding. Present: Senator Ervin. Also present: Rufus L. Edmisten, chief counsel and staff director; Telma P. Moore, executive assistant, William E. Pursley, Jr., chief counsel, Revision and Codification of Laws Subcommittee. Senator ERVIN. The subcommittee will come to order. Today the Subcommittee on Separation of Powers will hear from representatives of a citizen group which has particular and immediate interest in S. 1272, a bill to establish procedures for calling a Federal constitutional convention by the States pursuant to article V of the Constitution. On March 19, 1973, Senator Brock and I introduced this bill, which has been referred for consideration to the Separation of Powers Subcommittee. It is exactly like the legislation I offered in the 92d Congress which was passed by the Senate, 84-to-0. This bill provides for a reasonable and orderly process by which an article V constitutional convention can be called and conducted. It is urgently needed to supply answers to the perplexing questions which have been raised concerning this method of amending the Constitution. The citizen group which will present testimony today, the National Committee for a Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Forced Busing, is presently engaged in an effort to call a constitutional convention pursuant to article V. It is my understanding that nine State legislatures to date have adopted resolutions calling for a convention with respect to this subject and that over 20 other State legislatures are considering such a call. This group has, obviously, a special interest in S. 1272. I welcome you to the hearing and appreciate your willingness to give us the benefit of your views on this legislation. I would like to insert in the record at this point a copy of the bill S. 1272, and a copy of the statement I made to the Senate at the time of the introduction of the bill. [S. 1272 follows:] (1) |