Title: FAQ
Original CoS Document (slug): faq
Login Required to view? No
Attached File: COS_FAQ.pdf
This document provides answers to many frequently asked questions about the Convention of States process and dispels myths and objections to the grassroots movement
Created: 2017-07-06 07:08:53
Updated: 2021-09-09 23:00:00
Published: 2017-07-17 18:00:00
Converted: 2025-04-14T19:21:52.680776419
Why Do We Want to Call a
Convention of States?
The federal government is spending
this country into the ground, seizing
power from the states, and taking
liberty from the people.
What is a Convention
of States?
A convention of states is a meeting
initiated by the state legislatures
under Article V of the Constitution
for the purpose of proposing
amendments to the
U.S. Constitution.
How Do the State
Legislatures Call a
Convention of States?
Thirty-four state legislatures must
pass a resolution applying for a
convention of states dealing
with the same subject matter.
How Realistic is Calling a
Convention of States?
Over 4.5 million supporters have
called for a Convention of States.
Thirty states have passed our
resolution through at least one
committee, and twenty-three states
have passed the resolution through
one chamber.
Can Congress Block a
Convention of States?
No. Once 34 states apply for a
convention to propose amendments
on the same issue, Article V requires
Congress to name the place and
the time for the convention.
Article V says Congress
“Calls” the Convention.
Does This Mean it Controls
the Convention and
Chooses the Delegates?
No. Once 34 states apply, Congress
has no discretion whether to call a
convention and no control over
the delegates.
How Do States Choose
Their Delegates?
States are free to develop their
own selection processes for
choosing their delegates.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CONVENTION OF STATES ACTION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What Happens at a
Convention of States?
Delegates discuss and
propose amendment proposals
that fi t the topic framed by
the 34 state resolutions that
triggered the convention.
Each state gets one vote.
How are Proposed
Amendments Ratified?
Thirty-eight states must ratify any
proposed amendments sent back to
the states by the convention.
How Do We Know How a
Convention of States
Will Work?
Interstate conventions were
common during the founding era,
and the basic procedures and rules
for such conventions were uniform.
Is a Convention of
States Safe?
Yes. The topic of amendments is
limited by the states’ applications.
All other topics are out of order for
the convention. In addition, the
ratifi cation process ensures no
amendment will be passed that
does not refl ect the desires of
the American people.
If Federal Officials
Ignore the Current
Constitution, Why Would
They Adhere to an
Amended Constitution?
Federal offi cials don’t “ignore” the
Constitution so much as “lawyer”
around it. For instance, they claim
that the power to tax and spend for
the “general welfare” gives
Congress power to tax and
spend for any purpose whatsoever.
Amendments at a Convention
of States today will be written with
these politicians and judges in mind.
There will be no doubt as to their
meaning, and no possibility of
alternate interpretations.
What is the Plan?
1. Our resolution calls for a
convention to propose amendments
on particular subjects–limiting
federal power, mandating fi scal
responsibility, and imposing
term limits—rather than a
particular amendment.
2. The grassroots army is the key
to implementing an Article V
convention. With over 4.5 million
supporters and signed petitions in
100% of legislative districts across
America, our grassroots army is
the largest Article V grassroots
movement in history.
Conventi onofStates.com info@conventi onofstates.com 540-441-7227
Support the only soluti on that is as big as the problem.
Sign the peti ti on at Conventi onofStates.com