Why call a Convention of States?
Simple: to bring power back to the states and the people, where it belongs. Unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. shouldn’t be allowed to make sweeping decisions that impact millions of Americans. But right now, they do. So it all boils down to one question: Who do you think should decide what’s best for you and your family? You, or the feds? We’d vote for the American people every single time.
What’s a Convention of States anyway?
Article V of the U.S. Constitution gives states the power to call a Convention of States to propose amendments. It takes 34 states to call the convention and 38 to ratify any amendments that are proposed. Our convention would only allow the states to discuss amendments that, “limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, impose fiscal restraints, and place term limits on federal officials.”
Article V in a nutshell
Looking for a three minute description of how an Article V Convention of States works? Check out this video.
Ready to dig deeper? We’ve done the research. Lots and lots of research. Check out a few of the resources below for answers to our most frequently asked questions.
Our application limits what can be proposed at the convention
Our legislation calls for a Convention of 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."
Click here to check out our model application and see the language being passed by states around the country!
Is it safe? Absolutely.
Article V includes numerous safeguards that protect the U.S. Constitution and ensure that only widely approved amendments are adopted. The strongest safeguard? Any amendment proposed by the Convention goes through the exact same ratification process as amendments proposed by Congress. It must be approved by 38 states. That means if only 13 states vote no, the answer is no. It doesn’t get much safer than that!
So are you making any progress?
You better believe it! Since the Project launched in 2013, we’ve been spreading like wildfire. With over 3 million supporters nationwide, we have petition signers in every single state house district across America. We’re actively working in all fifty states to pass the Convention of States Application! Check out our latest stats below.
- Active Legislation in 2018
- Passed COS Resolution
- Passed in one chamber
Who’s behind this thing?
The American people. We thought you’d never ask! The Convention of States Project is first and foremost a movement of grassroots citizens who are fed up with business as usual in D.C. We’re funded by thousands of everyday patriots who have committed their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to protecting liberty for future generations.
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Mark Meckler
Convention of States Action - PresidentMark is one of the nation’s most effective grassroots activists. After he co-founded and was the national coordinator of the Tea Party Patriots, he founded Citizens for Self-Governance and Convention of States Action to revolutionize American government. These grassroots initiatives expand and directs the ever-growing, bipartisan self-governance movement. Mark appears regularly on wide variety of television outlets, including MSNBC, ABC, NBC, Fox News, CNN, Bloomberg, Fox Business and the BBC. He is the co-author of “Tea Party Patriots: The Second American Revolution,” and writes regularly on Breitbart, the American Spectator, and Patheos. He also is an attorney who specializes in internet privacy law.
Mark and his wife live in Northern California with their two teenage children where they share their love of the outdoors, mountain-biking, soccer and horses.
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Eric O'Keefe
Convention of States Action - Chairman of The BoardEric O'Keefe has a 37 year history as an active strategist, board member, and donor with organizations working to advance individual liberty, promote citizen engagement, and restore constitutional governance. O'Keefe co-founded the Campaign for Primary Accountability, the Health Care Compact Alliance, Citizens for Self-Governance and Convention of States Action.
O'Keefe is also a founding board member of the Center for Competitive Politics and Citizens in Charge Foundation.
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Tom Coburn
Convention of States Action - Senior AdvisorDr. Coburn served in the U. S. Senate from 2005-2015 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1995-2001. Dr. Coburn is a family physician, having delivered more than 4,000 babies during three decades of medical practice in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Prior to his medical career, Dr. Coburn managed and built a large ophthalmics manufacturing company. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University, with a degree in accounting, and of the University of Oklahoma, where he obtained his medical degree.
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Jim DeMint
Convention of States Action - Senior AdvisorJim DeMint served in the U.S. House of Representatives for South Carolina’s Fourth Congressional District from 1999-2005. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004, and served as one of South Carolina’s senators until he resigned in 2012 to become President of the Heritage Foundation. With 18 years of political experience working both inside and outside Congress, DeMint offers a wealth of wisdom and insight to the volunteer grassroots armies that are reaching every state legislature in the country with the Convention of States Project’s message: We CAN take our power back.
DeMint is married to his high school sweetheart, Debbie, and holds a B.S. in Communications from the University of Tennessee as well as a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Clemson University. Prior to his election to Congress, DeMint founded and led the DeMint Group, a Greenville-based marketing research and strategic planning business.
Find leadership in your local area!
Our state leadership teams are comprised of patriots who are committed to the movement and work completely on a volunteer basis. They are truly the backbone of this effort. Fill out the form below to contact your state leaders for more information on what’s happening in your state and how you can help!
Contact my state leader
Make an impact with Convention of States!
Ready to get involved in the fight to bring power home? Click here to visit our Take Action page where you can sign our petition and join our team in a variety of volunteer and leadership positions! Don’t worry. You don’t need any fancy experience to be able to make a huge impact! We’ll equip you with all the training and support you need.
Take Action
But don't just take our word for it...
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"I support the Convention of States Project efforts to call an Article V convention to propose amendments that will limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government."
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"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."
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"(I) support convening a [Convention of States] to pass term limits, a balanced-budget amendment and restraints on the Commerce Clause, which has given the federal government far more regulatory power than the Founders intended."
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"When asked if he endorsed Convention of States, Ben Carson commented, "Very much so... our founders knew that there would probably come a time when you might have to make some adjustments to the Constitution."
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"I don’t see a viable alternative to the convention of states. I’d like to ask you to stand with George Mason and our Founding Fathers"
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"I believe the only meaningful recourse for the ongoing abuses of power in Washington is to use Article V and call for a Convention of States. It will propose amendments that will rein in our runaway federal government. What I've seen from Washington is Congress isn't going to get it done... We must look to the Constitution and Article V, and we return the power to the people."
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"The Article V process...is meant for times like these"
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"I am convinced that the time has come to (call a Convention of States). I see it as an opportunity to renew our Republic from the grassroots...to consider again the great constitutional questions which animated our history and which still have an urgent bearing on the challenges America faces today."
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"I realized that Washington will never willingly return decision-making power back to the American people and the states. Convention of States is the only solution."
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"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."
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"We’ve joined the Convention of States Project to mutually work toward using the Constitution to put the federal government back in its place—working for the people.”
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"I want legislation authorizing Texas to join other states in calling for a Convention of States."
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“I put my trust in the people, not Washington, in the critical effort to restore Constitutional, limited government. The Convention of States Project is a genuine grassroots movement to achieve that goal, and one that I am proud to be a part of."
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“I have whole-heartedly endorsed the Convention of States Project. I serve on its Legal Board of Reference because they propose a solution as big as the problem. And they are promoting state applications for a convention for the purpose of limiting the scope, power and jurisdiction of the federal government. And that’s what needs to be done.”
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"I'm a big supporter of [a Convention of States]. I like what you're doing. I hope you get it accomplished."
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"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."
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"My longtime friend, Michael Farris - who is an excellent constitutional litigator and professor - has joined with Mark Meckler and Citizens for Self-Governance to actually bring [a Convention of States] into reality. I have reviewed their plan and it is both innovative and realistic.
I urge you to join me in supporting the Convention of States Project with Citizens for Self-Governance." -
"There is not enough political will in Washington to fix the real problems facing the country. It's time for the people to take back their country. The plan put forth by Convention of States is a great way to do just that by using the process the founders gave us for reining in the federal government."
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“Luckily, the Founders gave us a mechanism to reform a runaway federal government in Article V of the Constitution. We can - and we must - scale back the monstrosity that our federal government has become. For this reason, I support the Convention of States project efforts to call an Article V convention to propose amendments to restrain the size of the federal government."
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"On a state level I think it's very important that we find candidates and elect them, who would be willing to call for a Convention of States if need be. Because that is the tool the people have to rein in government."
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"[Our nation's] problems are not going to be solved in Washington D.C....We've got to take the power back. I can't think of a better way of doing it [than Convention of States], because Washington is not going to give up power."
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"I absolutely support the Convention of States Project, designed for fulfilling the Constitutional methodologies for protecting our rights. Article V exists so that the people have the final say, not the federal government. Yes, it can happen -- and yes, it should happen. We should begin by completely restructuring the unconstitutional federal executive bureaucracy; only Congress has constitutional legislative authority. Administrative agencies should not be making law. If you believe the people should decide instead of Washington, DC, then you should support the Convention of States Project."
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"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."
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“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.”