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Updated June 22, 2021
Created: 2020-11-11 16:25:17
Updated: 2021-11-11 19:00:00
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Pocket Guide
ARTICLE V CONVENTION OF STATES
The Founders’ Constitutional Plan for
We the People to Secure America’s Future
Pocket Guide
The Founders’ Constitutional Plan for
We the People to Secure America’s Future
CONVENTION OF STATES
A special message from COSA President Mark Meckler
Find out what the Founders had to say about COS
Why Washington won’t let go of power
Endorsements from notable leaders
Find the information you need quickly
Cut through the misinformation - get the facts here
See the text of the Convention of States application
Potential amendments to be debated at the convention
What happened at the historic convention simulation?
The organization and growing grassroots movement
What you can do to get involved
Read and sign the petition to show your support
CONTENTS
04 Article V of the U.S. Constitution
11 Support for a Convention of States
18 Answers to Common Questions
23 Overcoming Objections From the Opposition
29 Convention of States Model Application
30 Amendments to Consider at a Convention of States
32 Convention of States Simulation
34 About Convention of States Action (COSA)
36 Get Involved in Making History
40 Convention of States Petition
01
Who
Decides?
A MESSAGE FROM COSA
PRESIDENT MARK MECKLER
Who Decides?
Who gets to decide what’s best for you and your family?
Should you have the power to decide?
Or should some out-of-touch bureaucrat in Washington,
D.C., have the power to decide?
It’s time we shift the national conversation away from
what government should do to “fix” our problems. It’s time
we decide for ourselves whether the federal government
should be involved at all in matters that affect us personally.
No matter the political issue of the day, the establishment
in Washington loves to deliberate on what they will do.
They want the American people to ponder, “What will
they decide?”
What will Congress decide about health care? Taxes?
Education? Fiscal responsibility?
CONVENTION OF STATES
02
//Mark Meckler, President of Convention of States Action//
Instead of focusing on the better question:
Who should decide?
Should the government decide what to do about your
health care, or should you and your doctor decide? Should
D.C. bureaucrats decide what to do about education, or
should you, your spouse, and your children’s teachers
decide? Should nine Supreme Court Justices decide what
constitutes a marriage, or should you, your community, and
your state decide?
If you’re anything like me, the answer is obvious. It’s the same
answer our Founding Fathers gave when they drafted the
Constitution: we the people should decide, not some far-off,
disconnected government run by out-of-touch elites.
CONVENTION OF STATES
03
The truth is the Washington establishment will never, ever
limit its own power. We just can’t rely on the politicians who
got us into this mess to get us out of it.
We need a solution that will let us go around the
Washington political establishment and rein in the out-of-
control federal government, permanently.
Here at Convention of States Action, we are implementing
the solution with the help of a vast family of grassroots
patriots just like you.
This solution was hidden in plain sight in Article V of the
Constitution, and it’s our best and last chance to take
the power back from the out-of-control politicians in
Washington and safeguard our liberty once and for all.
The booklet you hold in your hands contains our Founding
Fathers’ antidote and cure for what ails our country.
Take it, read it, and use it as you talk with your friends
and family members about this constitutional solution to
restore our great nation.
Yours in the fight,
Mark Meckler
President
Convention of States Action
04
Article V of the Constitution of the United States reads as
follows:
“The Congress, whenever two thirds of both
Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose
Amendments to this Constitution,
or, on the
Application of the Legislatures of two
thirds of the several States, shall call a
Convention for proposing Amendments,
which, in either Case, shall be valid to all
Intents and Purposes, as Part of this
Constitution, when ratified by the
Legislatures of three fourths of the
several States, or by Conventions in three
fourths thereof, as the one or the other
Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the
Congress; Provided that no Amendment
which may be made prior to the Year One
thousand eight hundred and eight shall in
any Manner affect the first and fourth
Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first
Article; and that no State, without its
Consent, shall be deprived of its equal
Suffrage in the Senate.”
Article V of the U.S. Constitution
Article V
OF THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
CONVENTION OF STATES
05
The history of Article V from the 1787 Convention: “On
September 15, as the Convention was reviewing the
revisions made by the Committee of Style, George Mason
expressed opposition to the provisions limiting the power
to propose amendments to Congress. According to the
Convention records, Mason thought that ‘no Amendment
of the proper kind would ever be obtained by the people,
if the Government should become oppressive, as he verily
believed would be the case.’ In response, Gouverneur
Morris and Elbridge Gerry made a motion to amend the
article to reintroduce language requiring that a convention
be called when two-thirds of the States applied for an
amendment.” [30 Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy
Thank God that the Founders were wise enough to give us
the second clause of Article V. Their decision was unanimous.
The Framers had very little debate about this—and they
debated almost everything—because they knew human
nature. They had experienced the heavy hand of a tyrannical
government. They foresaw a time in the future when such a
mechanism would be necessary. Now is that time.
05
//George Mason, Founding Father//
06
The Problem
WHY A CONVENTION
OF STATES?
Washington, D.C., will never voluntarily relinquish its
own power, no matter who is elected. The only rational
conclusion is this: unless some political force outside
of Washington, D.C., intervenes, the
federal government will continue to
bankrupt this nation, embezzle the
legitimate authority of the states,
and destroy the liberty of the
people. Rather than securing
the blessings of liberty
for future generations,
Washington, D.C., is on a
children and grandchildren
to the debts of the past.
federal government. These
abuses are not mere instances
of bad policy. The federal government has been
subjecting us to “soft tyranny” in which the government
does not (yet) shatter all men’s wills but regularly
The Problem
CONVENTION OF STATES
07
“softens, bends, and guides” them. If we do nothing to
halt these abuses, we run the risk of becoming nothing
more than “a flock of timid and industrious animals,
of which the government is the shepherd.” (Alexis de
Tocqueville, Democracy in America, 1840)
3.1 - The Spending and Debt Crisis
America’s national debt numbers in tens of trillions of
dollars, but it only tells a part of the story. Under standard
accounting practices, the federal government actually
owes well over $100 trillion more in vested Social Security
benefits and other programs. The government cannot tax
its way out of debt. Even if the government taxed at 100
//Even if the government taxed //
//at 100 percent and confiscated //
//everything, it wouldn’t cover the //
//mountain of debt that we have //
CONVENTION OF STATES
08
percent and confiscated everything, it wouldn’t cover the
mountain of debt that we have already accumulated!
3.2 - The Regulatory Crisis
The federal bureaucracy has placed a regulatory burden upon
businesses that is complex, conflicted, and crushing. Little
accountability exists when agencies—rather than Congress—
enact the real substance of the law. Current research
shows the annual cost of compliance at about $2 trillion,
roughly equal to all income and corporate taxes combined!
Worse, the growth-killing effects of regulation have shrunk
economic growth by 25 percent, or $4 trillion per year.
3.3 - Congressional Attacks on State Sovereignty
For years, Congress has been using federal grants to
keep the states under its control. Combining these grants
with federal mandates (which are rarely fully funded),
Congress has turned state legislatures into their regional
agencies rather than respecting them as truly independent
republican governments.
A radical social agenda and an invasion of the rights of
the people accompany all of this. While significant efforts
Congress has turned state legislatures into their
regional agencies rather than respecting them as truly
independent republican governments.
CONVENTION OF STATES
09
have been made to combat this social erosion, these trends
defy some of the most important founding principles of
federalism and self-governance.
3.4 - Federal Takeover of the Decision-Making Process
The Founders believed that the structures of a limited
government would provide the greatest protection of
liberty. Not only were there to be checks and balances
between the branches of the federal government, power
was to be delineated between the states and federal
government. The latter was to exercise only those “few and
defined” powers specifically granted in the Constitution,
while the states’ powers were left “broad and undefined.”
Collusion among decision-makers in Washington, D.C., has
replaced these checks and balances. The federal judiciary
supports Congress and the White House in their ever-
escalating attack upon the jurisdiction of the 50 states.
We need to realize that the structure of decision-making
matters. Who decides what the law will be is even more
important than what is decided. The protection of liberty
requires a strict adherence to the principle that the power
of the federal government is limited and enumerated.
Washington, D.C., does not believe this principle, as
evidenced by an unbroken practice of expanding the
boundaries of federal power.
CONVENTION OF STATES
10
The problems are big, but we have a solution as big as
those problems. Article V gives us the tool the Founders
intended for us to use to fix the mess in D.C.
Article V of the Constitution is our best chance – and our
last chance – to take the power back from the out-of-
control politicians and bureaucrats in Washington and
safeguard our liberty once and for all.
And when the Convention of States convenes, Congress
and the Washington bureaucracy will be powerless to stop it.
We need to realize that the
structure of decision-making
matters. Who decides what
the law will be is even
more important than
what is decided.
11
Support
FOR A CONVENTION OF STATES
Support for a Convention of States
“I have wholeheartedly endorsed the Convention of States
Project. I serve on its Legal Board of Reference because they
propose a solution as big as the problem.”
**Gov. Ron\\ DeSantis\\ **“The permanent bureaucracy will never voluntarily give up an
ounce of its power.…I encourage all other state legislatures
to support the Convention of States Project and pass the
resolution today.”
CONVENTION OF STATES
12
“We have to hem in the power of Congress and, in many cases,
the power of the Executive, before it is too late. Can you
imagine the looks on the faces of politicians when they realize
they are now legally barred from controlling your life and they
can’t just live in those offices forever? Calling a Convention
of States is the only way to get the job done. Sign the petition
and get involved. It’s an important cause.”
“There’s a solution in our Constitution. We have the power to call
a Convention of States to restrain the size, the power, the scope,
and the jurisdiction of the federal government. If you’re serious
about saving the nation, this is the best way to do it. Join the
constitutional revolution with Convention of States Project.”
CONVENTION OF STATES
13
“Thank goodness the Founders had the wisdom to provide us
with Article V of the Constitution, which gives us the right and
power to hold an Amending Convention for the purpose of
proposing amendments to restrain the scope and power of the
federal government… Under the system of federalism, I support
the efforts to gather a constitutional Convention of States
consistent with Article V and honoring the 10th Amendment.”
“The leviathan of today’s federal government continues to
grow unabated, pushing the people further away from our
Founder’s vision of self-governance. The Convention of States
Project is the only constitutional pathway for citizens to save
our Republic by restoring it to her citizens. Article V of our
Constitution underscores the duty of active citizenship and I
am proud to stand with millions of volunteers in this effort.”
CONVENTION OF STATES
14
“I encourage every American to visit www.conventionofstates.com
and add your name to a growing list of citizens calling for a return
of federal power back to the states. Let us raise our collective
voices and challenge the entrenched powers in Washington by
finally, and for the first time, calling for a Convention of States.”
“I support the Convention of States Project to restore the
original constitutional limits on federal power by calling a
limited Convention to propose amendments to rein in our out-
of-control federal government.”
CONVENTION OF STATES
15
“Americans are sick and tired of the double-talk coming out of
Washington. So am I. After serving in the House, the Senate,
and as President of the Heritage Foundation, I’ve finally
realized the most important truth of our time: Washington,
D.C., will never fix itself. Article V is the only solution.”
“I support an Article V Convention of the States. It is time
for states to go on the offensive to limit the overreach of
the federal government… I urge you to support all of the
Constitution, and thus the efforts of the Convention of
States to pass their extremely well-thought-out and strategic
legislation in your home state and thus join us in a call to
restore our constitutional republic.”
CONVENTION OF STATES
16
“Only a Convention of States will give us effective solutions
to the abuse of power in Washington, D.C. It is our moral
obligation to protect liberty for ourselves and our posterity.”
“The Founding Fathers gave us a foolproof way to rein in
an over reaching federal government in Article V. If young
conservatives want to take back our country, they will join me
in supporting the Convention of States Project. A Convention
of States is the only constitutional way to limit the power and
jurisdiction of the federal government and anyone who wants
to give power back to the people will support this growing
movement. After all, as we always say at Turning Point, ‘Big
Government Sucks,’ and it’s not going to shrink itself.”
CONVENTION OF STATES
17
OTHER NOTABLE SUPPORTERS
• Sheriff David Clarke
• Lt. Col. Bill Cowan
• Ken Cuccinelli
• Rep. Jeff Duncan
• Sen. Ron Johnson
• Andrew McCarthy
• Gov. Sarah Palin
• Thomas Sowell
• Mat Staver
• Steve Hilton
• Gov. Greg Abbott
• Judge Andrew Napolitano
• James O’Keefe
• Sen. Ben Sasse
• Pete Coors
• Steve Deace
• Rep. Mark Meadows
• David Horowitz
• Lawrence Jones
• Sen. Marco Rubio
• Dr. Ben Carson
• Gov. Mike Huckabee
• Gov. Jeb Bush
• Sen. Jim Talent
• Gov. Bobby Jindal
• Rep. Louie Gohmert
• Morton Blackwell
• Randy E. Barnett
• Charles J. Cooper
• Dr. John C. Eastman
• Robert P. George
• C. Boyden Gray
• Cal Thomas
17
18
Answers
TO COMMON QUESTIONS
6.1 - Why Do We Need to Call a Convention of
States?
Washington, D.C., is broken. The federal government is
spending this country into the ground, seizing power from
the states and taking liberty from the people. It’s time
for we the people to take a stand against tyranny with a
coordinated, nationwide effort to curb the unrestrained and
growing power of the federal government. The Founders
gave us this emergency tool to fix Washington, D.C. We
must use it before it is too late. Even when good people
go to D.C. as elected officials, they lack the power to fix
the structural problems now destroying our country. No
change in personnel can fix a structural problem. Only a
Convention of States has the power to repair the damage
and halt the federal government from eroding the liberties
of the sovereign citizens further.
6.2 - What is a Convention of States?
A Convention of States is a convention called by the state
legislatures for the purpose of proposing amendments to
the Constitution. They are given power to do this under
Article V of the Constitution (see text, page 4). It is
Answers to Common Questions
CONVENTION OF STATES
19
not a constitutional convention. It cannot throw out the
Constitution, because it receives its authority from the
Constitution. A Convention of States can only propose
amendments that fit within the topic of the applications
adopted by the state legislatures. So, for example, a
Convention that is called to limit the power of the federal
government could not propose an amendment to reduce
our rights and expand federal power.
6.3 - How Do the State Legislatures Call a
Convention of States?
Thirty-four state legislatures must pass a resolution in each
chamber of their legislatures (called an “application”) calling
for a Convention of States. The Convention of States
application does not need to be signed by the Governor
to be effective. As soon as both chambers of the state
legislature pass the application, that state becomes one of
the required 34 states calling for a Convention. In order for
the applications to be aggregated (counted together towards
the 34-state threshold), they must all cover the same topic
or set of topics for a Convention. The Convention of States
model application is included on page 29.
6.4 - Can Congress Block a Convention of
States?
No. As long as each of the 34 states applies for a
Convention that deals with the same issue (e.g., limiting
the power and jurisdiction of the federal government),
Congress must call the Convention. Congress’s ministerial
CONVENTION OF STATES
20
duty is to name the place and the time for the Convention.
If it fails to exercise this power reasonably, the states
themselves can and will override congressional inaction.
6.5 - How Do States Choose Their Delegates?
States are free to develop their own selection process for
choosing their delegates – properly called “commissioners.”
Historically, the most common method used was an
election by a joint session of both chambers of the state
legislature. This is true federalism in action. Each state has
the power to choose its own commissioners in its own way.
6.6 - What Happens at a Convention of States?
Each state’s delegation participates in discussing, drafting,
and voting on amendment proposals germane to the
topic(s) stated in the 34 applications that triggered the
Convention. According to historical precedent, each state
Each state has the power to
choose its own commissioners
in its own way.
CONVENTION OF STATES
21
has one vote at the convention. Amendments sent to the
states are merely suggestions, and have no authority until
ratified by the states.
6.7 - How are Proposed Amendments Ratified?
Thirty-eight states must ratify any proposed amendments
before they become part of the Constitution. Each
proposed amendment is ratified separately by the states
even if proposed as a package (like the Bill of Rights).
Ratification may be done by state legislatures or by state
ratification conventions, which represent the people
more directly. Historically, ratification has been by state
legislatures, with the exception of the Twenty-First
Amendment, which was ratified by state conventions.
6.8 - How Do We Know How a Convention of
States Will Work?
Interstate conventions were common during the Founding
era, and the procedures and rules for such conventions
were widely known. Additionally, there have been many
interstate conventions since the Founding era, all operating
on similar rules. We can know how a Convention of
States would operate by studying the historical record.
The recent Convention of States Simulation (held in
Williamsburg, Virginia, in September of 2016) proved that
these well-established procedures would be followed by
any Convention of States held today (see page 32 for a
CONVENTION OF STATES
//Interstate conventions were common during //
//the Founding era, and the procedures and //
//rules for such conventions were widely known.//
6.9 - Is a Convention of States Safe?
Yes. The convention’s authority is limited to that conferred
upon it by the state legislatures. Furthermore, the
ratification process ensures that amendments that do
not reflect the desires of the American people will not be
passed. (Read more detailed responses to specific objections
to a Convention of States on page 23 of this booklet.)
23
Overcoming
Objections
FROM THE OPPOSITION
Objection 1: What happens if a Convention of
States becomes a “runaway convention” and
takes away our hard-won liberties?
Answer: Despite a common myth promoted by some
groups beginning in the 1960s, there is absolutely no
precedent for a “runaway convention.” There have been
at least 38 multi-state conventions in American history
and not a single one has “run away.”
Our Founders were masters of checks and balances, and
they put numerous safeguards in place to ensure that a
Convention would never run away. The most important
of these safeguards is the requirement that 38 states
ratify any proposal coming out of the Convention
before any change is made to the Constitution. It is
politically impossible for any change to be made to our
Constitution that does not enjoy the overwhelming
support of the American people. As respected
Overcoming Objections From the Opposition
CONVENTION OF STATES
24
constitutional scholar Professor Robert Natelson has
pointed out, “There are far more checks on a runaway
convention than on a runaway Congress.”
Objection 2: Didn’t the original Constitutional
Convention run away?
Answer: No, this is another myth that has been spread
to justify judicial activism and other unconstitutional
changes to our system of government. The entire claim
that the Constitutional Convention ran away is based
on the false idea that Congress called the Constitutional
Convention for the sole purpose of amending the Articles
of Confederation. But that’s not true. In fact, under the
Articles of Confederation, Congress had no authority to
call a convention. If you look at the historical records, it was
actually Virginia that called the Constitutional Convention
in October 1786. Virginia called the Convention for
the purpose of “render[ing] the Federal Constitution
[system of government] adequate to the Exigencies of the
Union,” an instruction that certainly included proposing
Our Founders were masters of checks and balances,
and they put numerous safeguards in place to
ensure that a convention would never run away.
CONVENTION OF STATES
a new Constitution. Congress didn’t enter the picture
until months later when, in February 1787, it passed
a resolution recommending that the Convention only
amend the Articles of Confederation. In the end, all but
two of the states attending the Convention (New York
and Massachusetts) ignored Congress’s non-binding
recommendation and gave their delegates instructions
broad enough to allow them to propose a new Constitution.
Objection 3: I like our Constitution the way it
is—short, simple, and fairly easy to understand.
Why should we change it?
Answer: While many Americans now own a “Pocket
Constitution,” the truth is that the Constitution we live by
today—the supreme law of the land governing all American
//The Constitution we live by //
//today—the supreme law of the //
//land governing all American //
//citizens and states—actually fills a //
//book weighing nearly ten pounds //
//and running over 2,700 pages! //
CONVENTION OF STATES
26
citizens and states—actually fills a book weighing nearly ten
pounds and running over 2,700 pages! That’s because for
more than a century, a “runaway constitutional convention”
has been going on in the Supreme Court. The results are
printed by our federal government in The Constitution of
the United States Annotated Edition. Everything from
abortion to same-sex marriage to ObamaCare and more
are now “the law of the land.” An Article V Convention,
which the Framers provided, is the only way to rein in our
activist judiciary, reduce the size of the federal government,
and restore our Constitution back to its original pocket size
and its original intent.
Objection 4: The Constitution isn’t the
problem. The problem is federal officials. How
will amending the Constitution help?
Answer: Most of the problems our country is facing are
the result of constitutional interpretations that capitalize
on ambiguities in the wording of certain phrases (e.g., the
General Welfare Clause being interpreted as unlimited
power to spend). We can restore the federal government
to its proper, limited place only by clarifying the original
meaning of those phrases through constitutional
amendments—effectively overturning the bad Supreme
Court precedents that have eviscerated our federal system.
Unfortunately, due to manipulation and expansion of federal
government power by the Supreme Court, we the people
must use a convention to put the federal government back
into the constitutional box originally created by the Founders.
CONVENTION OF STATES
27
Objection 5: Article V says Congress “calls” the
Convention. Doesn’t this mean Congress will
control the Convention?
Answer: No, Congress’s role is limited to issuing the “call”
which sets the date, time, and location of the meeting once
it receives 34 applications for a Convention on the same
topic. In legal terms, this is referred to as a “ministerial” role.
In this role, Congress is acting in a limited administrative
capacity on behalf of the states. It has no authority beyond
that, including no control over the delegates.
Objection 6: At a time of extreme
gerrymandering and in an environment of
unlimited political spending, wouldn’t a
Convention of States open up the Constitution
and our system of government to being rewritten
by special interest groups and the wealthy?
Congress is acting in a limited administrative
capacity on behalf of the states. It has no authority
beyond that, including no control over the delegates.
CONVENTION OF STATES
28
Answer: No. Over 400 applications for a Convention
of States have been filed, but we have never had one
because there have never been 34 applications seeking
a Convention for the same purpose. This demonstrates
that the purpose or scope specified in the applications
does matter. States can instruct their respective delegates
to entertain a narrower scope than what is within the
aggregated application, but they cannot broaden the topic
beyond that identified in the 34 passed applications.
Objection 7: Why is the opposition to a
Convention of States issuing dire warnings
about its potential for national disaster?
Answer: Nearly all opposition comes from the hard left, as
was revealed in April of 2017. Led by the George Soros-
funded Common Cause, a coalition of radically anti-
constitutional activist groups united in their opposition to
this constitutional solution. The nearly 250 signers include
the AFL-CIO, Planned Parenthood, Greenpeace, La Raza,
the NAACP, and Clinton-founded groups like MoveOn.
org. These nearly 250 groups depend on a corrupt, runaway
federal government to preserve their power, fill their
coffers with taxpayer dollars, and advance their radical
agendas. This kind of organized opposition means one thing:
We are right above the target and they know it. These
organizations share one goal: Keep the disastrous status
quo of our federal government unchanged. A Convention
of States is the only way to stop them.
29
Convention
of States
MODEL APPLICATION
The COS application limits what can be proposed at a
Convention of States.
The subject areas that can be considered at a Convention
of States are strictly limited to those specified in the official
applications submitted by all 34 (or more) states. Section 1
of the application for a Convention of States was carefully
worded to specify such limits. It reads:
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.
Any amendment submitted by the Convention of States
which goes beyond the scope plainly stated in Section 1
cannot be considered for ratification by the states.
Convention of States Model Application
30
Amendments
TO CONSIDER AT A
CONVENTION OF STATES
At an Article V Convention of States, delegates will have the
opportunity to debate and pass amendments that could:
• Limit Supreme Court Justices to nine members.
• Prevent the addition of states without the affirmative
consent of three quarters of the existing states.
• Require members of Congress to live under the same laws
they pass for the rest of us.
• Impose term limits on members of Congress.
• Require a balanced federal budget.
• Impose limits on federal spending and/or taxation.
• Get the federal government out of our healthcare system.
• Get the federal government out of our education system.
• Stop unelected federal bureaucrats from imposing regulations.
Amendments to Consider at a Convention of States
CONVENTION OF STATES
31
• Set term limits for Supreme Court Justices.
• Set term limits for federal bureaucrats, ending the
dominance of the “swamp.”
• Remove the authority of the federal government over
state energy policy.
• Force the federal government to honor its commitment
to return federal lands to the states.
At this Convention, delegates from the states will gather for
the sole purpose of proposing amendments that limit the
power, size, and spending of the federal government, and
impose term limits on its officials and members of Congress.
Delegates from the states will gather for the sole purpose
of proposing amendments that limit the power, size, and
spending of the federal government, and impose term
limits on its officials and members of Congress.
31
32
Convention
of States
SIMULATION
“The events at Williamsburg will be remembered as a turning
point in history. The spirit of liberty and self-governance has
been reignited.”
– Michael Farris, Co-Founder, Convention of States Project
The first ever Convention of States Simulation convened in
Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, Sept. 21-23, 2016. One-
hundred and thirty-seven commissioners representing
every state in the nation gathered together to undertake
this historic endeavor. The Convention operated flawlessly,
according to a set of rules drafted by Article V scholar
Prof. Rob Natelson and approved by the COS Caucus, the
largest state legislator caucus in America.
The Convention passed amendment proposals on the
following six ideas:
1. The public debt shall not be increased except upon a
super majority vote in Congress.
2. Term limits on members of Congress.
Convention of States Simulation
CONVENTION OF STATES
33
3. Limiting federal overreach by restoring the Commerce
Clause to its original meaning.
4. Limiting the power of federal regulations by allowing
for a congressional override.
5. Requiring a super majority of Congress to increase
federal taxes and repealing the 16th Amendment.
6. Giving the states (by a 3/5ths vote) the power to
abrogate any federal law, regulation, or executive order.
If you want to know how an actual Convention of States
will operate, learn more about the simulated convention,
and watch video of the proceedings, go to
//**www.conventionofstates.com/cossim.**//
//Learn more about the Simulated Convention of //
//States by visiting conventionofstates.com/cossim//
34
About
CONVENTION OF STATES
ACTION (COSA)
Convention of States Action is a 501©(4) nonprofit
organization founded for the purpose of stopping the
runaway power of the federal government. We believe
Washington, D.C., is broken and will not fix itself. The
federal government is spending this country into the
ground, seizing power from the states, and taking liberty
from the people.
We have a solution as big as the problem.
COSA’s two-part plan is to urge and empower state
legislators to call a Convention of States.
1. Article V requires that 34 states pass resolutions to
call a Convention of States on the same subject before
the meeting can be called. We are working with state
legislators around the country to call a Convention for
a specific subject: to 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.
About Convention of States Action (COSA)
CONVENTION OF STATES
2. We believe grassroots support is the key to successfully
calling a Convention—and also the key to ensuring that
good amendments get ratified. We are building a political
operation in all 50 states, recruiting at least 100 citizens
in every state legislative district in the nation.
Contact information
COS Action
5850 San Felipe, Suite 580A
Houston, TX 77057
540-441-7227
//We believe grassroots support is the key to //
//successfully calling a Convention—and also the key //
//to ensuring that good amendments get ratified.//
36
Get Involved
IN MAKING HISTORY
We always knew the statist ruling “elite” would one day
attack, but our growing success has forced them to act
faster than we anticipated. And you can be sure, those
attacks are just beginning. Today they are coming from the
radical left, but the assaults will expand to include every
person and organization in Washington, D.C., with a vested
interest in keeping power there. To ensure that we respond
effectively, we’re
focused on increasing
our grassroots army
to many millions of
Americans. You can be
a part of this historic
grassroots movement
by getting involved in
four unique ways.
12.1. Sign & Send
First, photocopy and
sign the Convention of States petition on pages 40-41 of
this booklet and mail it to Convention of States Action,
5850 San Felipe, Suite 580A, Houston, TX 77057 and send
your friends to www.conventionofstates.com to sign the
petition. Right now, we have over 5 million supporters, but
Get Involved in Making History
CONVENTION OF STATES
37
we’re looking to more than double our citizen activist army
by the year’s end. If every supporter sends the petition to
five of their friends, we’ll hit that goal in no time.
12.2. Volunteer
Volunteering is the easiest way to get involved in the fight
in your state. As a volunteer, your primary tasks will be
contacting your state legislators and asking that they support
the Convention of States resolution, spreading the word about
Article V to your friends and family, and attending legislative
meetings at your state capital. You can commit as much or
as little time as your schedule allows — we’re just excited to
welcome you aboard! For more information, visit:
**www.conventionofstates.com/take_action**.
//Volunteering is the easiest way to get //
//involved in the fight in your state. //
CONVENTION OF STATES
38
Our volunteer teams are another great way to become
involved. The Social Media Warriors spread the word online and
the State Follow-Up Team welcomes new volunteers. For more
**www.conventionofstates.com/take_action**.
12.3. Be a Leader
We have leadership positions to fit any skill set. Visit:
**www.conventionofstates.com/take_action** and apply to be a:
• State Director
• District Captain
• Coalition Director (e.g., Veterans, Young Americans)
• State Videographer
• State Communications Coordinator
• Legislative Liaison
• Coalitions Director
• State Media Liaison
• State Tech Assistant/Manager
• State Content Writer
• State Grassroots Coordinator
12.4. Spread the Word
Share this booklet with a friend, family member, or an
elected official. Visit us online for more information at:
instagram.com/conventionofstates
(540) 441-7227 (to request a speaker)
39
Convention
of States
PETITION
Convention of States Petition
Make photocopies of this form for you and others to sign.
Mail signed copies to Convention of States Action, 5850
San Felipe, Suite 580A, Houston, TX 77057. If you prefer
to sign online, click the link on the next page.
Almost everyone knows that our federal government is on a
dangerous course. The unsustainable debt combined with crushing
regulations on states and businesses is a recipe for disaster.
What is less known is that the Founders gave state legislatures
the power to act as a final check on abuses of power by
Washington, DC. Article V of the U.S. Constitution authorizes
the state legislatures to call a Convention for proposing needed
amendments to the Constitution. This process does not require
the consent of the federal government in Washington, DC.
I support the Convention of States Project; a national effort to call
a Convention under Article V of the United States Constitution,
restricted to proposing amendments that will impose fiscal restraints
on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and
impose term limits on its officials and members of Congress.
CONVENTION OF STATES
40
I want our state to be one of the necessary 34 states to pass
a resolution calling for this kind of Article V Convention. You
can find a copy of the model resolution and the Handbook
for Legislators and Citizens (which explains the process and
answers many questions) here:
//**https:%%//%%conventionofstates.**//
I ask that you support the Convention of States Project and
consider becoming a co-sponsor of the resolution. Please
respond to my request by informing the national COS team of
your position, or sending them any questions you may have:
//**info@conventionofstates.com**// or (540) 441-7227.
Thank you so much for your service to the people of our district.
Respectfully,
**CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION**
**WWW.CONVENTIONOFSTATES.COM**