Heartland Institute Experts Comment on West Virginia Senate’s Approval of Article V Convention Application

Published February 24, 2016

The West Virginia Senate on Tuesday approved Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 (SCR 10), the state’s application for an Article V convention backed by Convention of States. The application would call for a convention to enact a federal balanced budget amendment, impose term limits on members of Congress, and reduce federal regulations. SCR 10 now goes to the House of Delegates for approval. Convention of States is a project of Citizens for Self Governance, an organization promoting citizen involvement in government.

West Virginia could become the sixth state to fully enact a resolution backed by Convention of States. Similar proposals are being considered in Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Virginia, and Utah. Convention of States has recently earned endorsements from Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas and former Florida governor Jeb Bush. The Heartland Institute’s Center on Constitutional Reform supports using Article V to amend the U.S. Constitution to rein in the power of the national government, but it endorses no single proposal.

The following statements from constitutional reform experts at The Heartland Institute – a free-market think tank – may be used for attribution. For more comments, refer to the contact information below. To book a Heartland guest on your program, please contact Donald Kendal, new media specialist, The Heartland Institute, at [email protected] or 312/377-4000.


“The West Virginia state Senate sent a message to the Washington politicians: Their inaction on the fiscal and regulatory crisis facing our national government must stop now.

“The Convention of States’ proposal has earned broad, bi-partisan support among West Virginians while protecting our most cherished freedoms including the right to bear and keep arms. The House of Delegates can make West Virginia a national leader in constitutional reform by passing the Convention of States proposal.”

Kyle Maichle
Project Manager, Constitutional Reform
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000


“Just as the Constitution assures Americans their right to vote, speak freely, and run for office, so it also assures Americans the ability to control their federal government. A key part of the Constitution empowers the people, acting through their state legislatures, to enact further constitutional restraints on Washington, DC.

“The West Virginia Senate has now shown that it understands the opportunity, and the duty, the Constitution gives us.”

Rob Natelson
Retired Law Professor and Director of the Article V Information Center
The Independence Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000


“The West Virginia state Senate should be commended for taking action to rein in an out-of-control national government. Convention of States finally forces our national government to live up to the same balanced budget requirement in 49 states and imposes term limits on Congress.

“West Virginians of various political persuasions support these amendments because these are the best policy prescriptions for getting our country back on track. The House of Delegates can send a message to the Washington politicians by passing a call for a Convention of States.”

David Guldenschuh
Policy Advisor for Constitutional Reform
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000


The Heartland Institute is a 32-year-old national nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our Web site or call 312/377-4000.