BOISE, ID – The Idaho House of Representatives could vote to call for a never-before-used method of amending the U.S. Constitution.
Supporters argue that a constitutional convention is needed to rein in the rising federal budget deficit and an increasingly powerful federal government. But critics say a convention risks putting the entire U.S. Constitution up for change.
Past attempts at getting the Idaho Legislature to call for a constitutional convention have failed. The Idaho Republican Party has opposed calls for Idaho to apply to a constitutional convention.
This year’s proposal, House Concurrent Resolution 25, calls for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to balance the federal budget.
Rep. John Shirts, a Weiser Republican, argued the goal isn’t to actually force a constitutional convention, but to threaten a convention to pressure Congress to course correct itself. Shirts is cosponsoring the resolution with Rep. Josh Tanner, an Eagle Republican.
“As a state, as a sovereign entity ourselves — if you believe in federalism like I do — we do not have to sit idly by and watch the folks in Congress destroy our country, because that’s what this will do,” Shirts told lawmakers. “We cannot afford to do nothing.”
The Idaho House State Affairs Committee on Tuesday advanced the resolution to the full House. The committee’s two Democrats voted against advancing the resolution, along with two Republicans — Rep. Heather Scott and Rep. Judy Boyle.
Idaho Republican Party Chairwoman Dorothy Moon testified against the resolution, warning that a constitutional convention would be uncontrollable.
“The Republican National Committee and the ID GOP strongly oppose the convening of a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to the Constitution of the United States, for the reason that the risk of loss far exceeds the possibility of gain from such an … uncontrollable proceeding,” Moon told the committee. “Let’s not use threats. Let’s use the election box.”
The U.S. Constitution has never been amended using a convention, a process outlined in the Constitution that requires applications by 34 states. Amendments proposed in a convention must be ratified by 38 states to take effect.
Twenty states have applied for a convention, according to the pro-convention advocacy group Convention of the States. The Hill reports that 28 states have applied for a convention to pass a balanced budget amendment.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a former Republican presidential candidate, visited Idaho this year and last year to push the Gem State to join the call.
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