Title: COS 2023 Executive Summary
Original CoS Document (slug): cos-2023-executive-summary
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Attached File: Web-Digital_COSA_ExecutiveSummary_0207_2023EXE.pdf
This document outlines the process for Article V, the COS resolution, types of amendments that could be proposed under the COS resolution's subject areas, endorsers of COS, and more
Created: 2023-05-19 19:43:34
Updated: 2024-05-18 23:00:00
Published: 2023-05-19 00:00:00
Converted: 2025-04-14T20:11:57.419680764
America is spiraling out of control. People who respect neither our institutions or our citizens are in control of the levers
of power in Washington, D.C. They intend widespread destruction to the foundations of our republic. We have been told
that “elections” can fix the problems ailing the nation. Most with our beliefs were disabused of this antiquated notion in
2020. The bottom line is that Washington, D.C., today enjoys almost unchecked power.
This is a systemic problem that requires a systemic solution. This is about more than elections. Elections cannot and will
not solve the problems of a broken system. The only solution big enough to fix our nation’s problems is a Convention of
States (COS) for proposing constitutional amendments to rein in federal tyranny. This is the people’s final “check” on
D.C., exercised through their state legislators–the ingenious plan of the Founders to make state legislators’ ambitions
(for state power) counteract federal officials’ ambitions (for federal power)–for the good of the people.
While there is nothing “wrong” with the Constitution as drafted and ratified, the problems we now face are undeniably
the result of improper constitutional interpretations by the federal courts (i.e. the General Welfare Clause, the
Necessary and Proper Clause, and the Commerce Clause). Conservatives like to say that federal officials “ignore” the
Constitution, but what they actually do is creatively “lawyer” around its limitations via Supreme Court rulings expanding
federal power.
We can and must restore the federal government to its proper, limited place by pushing back on the expansion and
effectively overturning bad Supreme Court precedents that have eviscerated the Founders’ intended limitations on our
federal system.
The Convention of States Resolution seeks to do this by using the tool given to the states in Article V of the
Constitution. It calls for an Article V convention limited to proposing amendments that
impose fiscal restraints on the
federal government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its
officials and for members of Congress.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Convention of States
OFFICIAL ENDORSERS
Gov. Ron DeSantis, FL Governor
Ben Shapiro, The Ben Shapiro Show
Mark Meckler, CEO COS Action
Mark Levin, The Mark Levin Show
Sean Hannity, Hannity
COS Resolution Language
The COS Resolution’s operative language defines the limits of the types of amendments that can be proposed.
The operative language is as follows:
Section 1. The legislature of the State of
hereby applies to Congress, under the provisions of
Article V of the Constitution of the United States, for the calling of a convention of the states limited to
proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States that impose fiscal restraints on the federal
government, limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, and limit the terms of office for its
officials and for members of Congress.
How The Process Works
Article V of the Constitution provides two ways in which amendments may be proposed: Congress may propose
them, or the states can call a “convention for proposing amendments” upon application of 2/3 of the state legislatures
(34 state legislatures). Regardless of which way amendments are proposed, they must always be ratified by 3/4 of the
states (38 states).
The amendments that can be proposed must be germane to the resolution, limited by the language of the resolution
itself, passed by the state legislatures as the subject matter of the convention. Only the proposed amendments that
pass by a simple majority (26 states) shall be put forth for ratification. They are mere suggestions until ratified.
Types of Amendments That Could Be Proposed
• Limiting Supreme Court Justices to nine members of the court
• Preventing the federal government from adding states without the affirmative consent of three quarters of the
existing states
• A limitation on using Executive Orders and federal regulations to enact laws
• A balanced budget amendment, including limitations on taxes and spending
• Imposition of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Single Subject Amendment – One subject per bill in Congress
• A redefinition of the General Welfare Clause back to original intent (the original view was the federal government
could not spend money on any topic within the jurisdiction of the states)
• A redefinition of the Commerce Clause back to original intent (the original view was that Congress was granted a
narrow and exclusive power to regulate shipments across state lines–not all the economic activity of the nation)
• A prohibition of using international treaties and law to govern the domestic law of the United States
• Placing an upper limit on federal taxation
• Requiring the sunset of all existing federal taxes and a super-majority vote to replace them with new, fairer taxes
• Religious freedom amendment, prohibiting the government from further interference with our religious freedoms
• Regulatory curtailment by forcing Congress to vote on regulations instead of deferring law making to regulators.
Former
U.S. Senator Rick Santorum now serves as Senior Advisor to Convention of States. Major endorsers include
(but are not limited to):
Mark Levin, Sean Hannity, Ben Shapiro, Gov. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Mark Meadows, Charlie
Kirk, Pete Hegseth, Lt. Col. Allen West, Dave Rubin, Rep. Chip Roy, David Barton, James O’Keefe, Steve Deace,
David Horowitz, Eric Metaxas, Dr. James Dobson, Rep. Louis Gohmert, Sen. Rand Paul, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Jim
DeMint, Gov. Greg Abbott, The Honorable Jeb Bush, The Honorable Ben Carson,The Honorable Mike Huckabee,
Gov. Sarah Palin, Gov. Bobby Jindal, Sen. Ron Johnson, Kenneth Cuccinelli, Rep. Jeff Duncan, Rep. Ralph Norman,
Sen. Jim Talent, and many more. The late U.S. Senator
Tom Coburn was one of the leading proponents of COS
and also served as a Senior Advisor.
Conservative legal heavyweights serving on the
Convention of States Legal Board
of Reference include:
• Mark Levin
• Prof. Robert P. George
• Prof. Randy Barnett
• Ambassador C. Boyden Gray
• Mat Staver
• Andrew McCarthy
• Dr. John Eastman
• Charles Cooper
• Professor Nelson Lund
• Michael Farris
• Mark Meckler
81.3%
50.2%
63.3%
Public Opinion Polling
Polling conducted across the nation indicates that, on average, 65.7% of voters across party lines support the
Convention of States Resolution. That includes 81.3% of Republicans, 50.2% of Democrats, and 63.3% of
“others.” Polling was conducted by Robert Cahaly of The Trafalgar Group, America’s most trusted and accurate
pollster in the 2016, 2018 and 2020 elections.
View our full list of endorsers at conventionofstates.com
Mark Levin
Sean Hannity
Gov. Ron
DeSantis
Rep. Mark
Meadows
Ben Shapiro
Rick Santorum
Lt. Col. Allen West
Hon. Ben Carson
Hon. Mike Huckabee
COS Founders
Convention of States was founded by
Mark Meckler, Co-Founder of Tea
Party Patriots and President of Citizens for Self-Governance, and
Michael
Farris, Founder of Home School Legal Defense Association, Patrick Henry
College, and the former CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom.
Mark Meckler
Michael Farris
COS Endorsers
PASSED COS
RESOLUTION (19 STATES)
PASSED LEGISLATIVE
CHAMBER (26 STATES)
PASSED COMMITTEE
HEARING (31 STATES)
Updated 2/07/2023
Legislative makeup and Convention of States Legislative Victories
Passed COS
Resolution (19 States)
Passed Legislative
Chamber (26 States)
Passed Committee
Hearing (31 States)
Filed COS Resolution
(49 States)
AK, AL, AR, AZ, FL, GA,
IN, LA, MO, MS, ND,
NE, OK, TN, TX, UT,
WI, WV, SC
AL, AK, AR, AZ, FL, GA,
IA, LA, MS, NE, NH, NC,
ND, NM, TN, VA, SD, IN,
UT, OK, MO, TX, SC, WI,
WV, WY
AL, AK, AZ, AR, FL, GA, IN,
IA, KS, LA, MA, MI, MS, MO
MT, NE, NH, NM, NC, ND,
OK, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX,
UT, VA, WV, WI, WY
AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO ,
DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN,
IA, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD,
ME, MI, MN, MS, MO,
MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ,
NM, NY, NC, ND, OH,
OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD,
TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA,
WI, WV, WY
REPUBLICAN
CONTROLLED LEGISLATURE
DEMOCRAT CONTROLLED
LEGISLATURE
DIVIDED CHAMBER
LEGISLATURE
Convention of States Foundation
5850 San Felipe, Suite 575
Houston, TX 77057
512-487-5525
ConventionofStates.org
Convention of States Action
5850 San Felipe, Suite 580
Houston, TX 77057
512-487-5525
ConventionofStates.com
*Tax deductible 501©3
Please feel free to reach out to me personally…
Mark.Meckler@COSAction.com
Strategy for Passage of the COS Resolution
The strategy for passage of the Resolution is state-specific and is carried out by the 5 Million+ citizen activists
recruited from within 100% of the state legislative districts. Citizen activists put the appropriate pressure on their
state representatives to sponsor or vote in support of the Resolution. To date this strategy has accomplished:
•
49 states filing the COS Resolution in their state legislatures.
•
31 states have passed the COS Resolution through at least one committee hearing.
•
26 states have passed the COS Resolution through one entire floor chamber.
•
19 states have passed the COS Resolution in its entirety.
The nineteen states that have already passed the Convention of States Resolution are: Florida, Georgia, Alaska,
Alabama, Tennessee, Indiana, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arizona, North Dakota, Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, Utah,
Mississippi, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Nebraska and South Carolina.