Convention of States Foundation

Article V
Simulated convention

The Founding Fathers were wise, yet imperfect men who framed a great nation with a great Constitution – but it was not a perfect Constitution. They recognized that there would come a day when time or circumstances would require amendments, some of which could only be achieved through the state-led convention process. Having lain dormant since America’s founding, it is time for us to breathe life into this important constitutional safety valve by demonstrating the interstate convention process known so well to the Founders.

In early August 2023, commissioners from across the entire country, representing 49 states, met in Colonial Williamsburg. They worked diligently to craft, discuss, and vote on proposed amendments on three essential topics: term limits, fiscal restraints, and limitations on the scope, power, and jurisdiction of the federal government.

Article V of the U.S. Constitution

A Path Around Congress

Article V of the U.S. Constitution was drafted by the Framers to grant the states, and in turn, the people, the ability to amend the Constitution and limit a potentially oppressive federal government. The Framers designed Article V to provide a method to completely bypass Congress and the Executive branch to allow the states the ultimate power to return our nation to federalism.

Federal Overreach: The Framers’ Warning

Just as the Framers predicted, an unbridled federal government has expanded its power beyond what the states granted it when the Constitution was drafted. Today, we understand that the Washington establishment will never voluntarily relinquish its control, regardless of which party is in power.

States’ Solution: The Article V Convention

Thankfully, the Framers granted us this constitutional provision as the ultimate check and balance for the states to rein in the federal government by calling for a formal meeting (convention) to discuss and propose amendments to limit the federal government’s power. Calling for an Article V Convention is a response to the structural problem of an expansion of the limited and enumerated powers given initially to the federal government by the states.

“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which are to remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.”

James Madison, Federalist No. 313—14, Jan. 26, 1788

What Does this Mean?

The 2023 Simulation offers invaluable insights into the Article V convention process for proposing constitutional amendments, and through its emphasis on the fundamental principles of the Constitution and the vital concept of checks and balances, igniting meaningful discussions that will continue to shape our nation for generations to come.

Three Commissioners per state, a total of 150 representatives, were invited for their crucial participation in this immersive experience. The Simulation is ran according to the convention rules drafted according to historical precedent by the leading Article V scholars in the nation, Professors Robert Natelson and Michael Farris.

Commissioners engage in committee discussions, mirroring the workings of state legislatures, to deliberate on amendment proposals related to these subjects:

  • Fiscal restraints
  • Federal power, scope, and jurisdiction
  • Term limits

 

These proposed amendments undergo a thorough examination and will later be subject to debate and voting by the Convention.

The impact of this Simulation is far-reaching. Educating millions of citizens and raising awareness among legislators creating a renewed interest in the Constitution and the Article V amendment process.

MINUTES FROM CONVENTION

Convention minutes are available for download here. The log serves as a historical record of decisions made, discussions held, and actions taken during these vital gatherings.

OFFICIAL PROPOSALS

Here you’ll find the exact text of the six amendment proposals passed at the 2023 Simulated Article V convention. The proposals were crafted around term limits for federal officials, fiscal restraints, and limits to the federal government’s powers.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Over 100 commissioners from 49 states participated in the Simulated Article V Convention in August 2023 in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Here you’ll find an analysis of the three-day proceedings and the official outcomes.

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