A New Constitutional Amendment

     There have been a multitude of interesting and provocative proposals to amend the United States Constitution over the past several years.  Here's another --

 

 

Amendment XXVII

1.     It shall be unlawful for any member of Congress, on a roll-call vote in either house of Congress, to cast a vote to prevent or obstruct the United States from completing the basic, non-optional requirements of funding the federal government or authorizing the borrowing required to finance the deficits created by Congress.

2.     Any member of Congress who violates Section 1 shall be deemed to have forfeited the right to serve as a member of Congress and shall be immediately terminated as a member thereof. Such terminations shall not be considered an impeachment and shall be effected solely by operation of this Amendment and shall not require any special or independent act of Congress or the President. There shall be no appeal from operation of this Amendment.

3.     Vacancies thus created in the House of Representatives and the Senate shall be filled pursuant to applicable provisions of the Constitution.* Members of Congress terminated under this Amendment shall not be eligible to run for Congress or to be appointed to any federal office for a period of six years from the date of termination.

4.     The vote of any member of Congress in violation of Section 1 shall be null and void ab initio.

 

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* By Article I, Section 2, for vacancies in the House of Representatives: "When vacancies happen in the Representation form any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies."

By Amendment XXVII for vacancies in the Senate: "When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct."