Convention of States Foundation
Article V
Simulated convention
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.