Members of Convention of States Maryland recently testified at a hearing in Annapolis, making a strong case in support of House Bill HJ0011 which calls for a Convention of States resolution in Maryland.
They were joined by Rita Dunaway, J.D., National Legislative Strategist for COS Action and 40 enthusiastic COS Maryland supporters.
The Maryland contingent was well-received and offered intelligent, succinct, non-partisan, and thoroughly understandable testimony on why Maryland should become the 16th state to ratify a Convention of States resolution!
House Bill HJ0011, titled “A House Joint Resolution concerning United States Constitution – Amendments Convention – Limitations on Federal Power” currently has 25 delegate co-sponsors in Maryland but needs 72 sponsors before it can be called for a vote. Also key to the bill’s success is winning over members of the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee along with another 47 delegates, mostly Democrats.
While that may seem like a daunting task, COS Maryland State Director Stephen Patten believes that goal is within reach.
“There’s momentum for a Convention of States building in Maryland,” Patten said, “and what we saw at the hearing for HJ0011 is evidence of that.” To date, 17,750 citizens of the Free State have signed the Convention of States petition with over 1,000 just in the last few months.
After meeting with Lead Sponsor Delegate Mark Fisher and his Chief of Staff Garrick Ross in the Southern Maryland Caucus Room, the Maryland team headed for the hearing room to provide testimony.
Delegate Fisher delivered opening remarks about the bill and the need for a Convention of States resolution in Maryland. Even though each COS speaker was limited to only 2 minutes, the team packed some powerful messaging into the time allowed:
Ruth Crane, a self-described “proud Maryland citizen and ardent COS supporter” who hails from Baltimore, was first to speak, underscoring the non-partisan approach of the COS Project. Crane explained that the purpose of an Article V convention is not just to reclaim states’ powers for conservative states, but for all states and all citizens, regardless of political philosophy.
Although a conservative, Crane is also the volunteer treasurer for Sean Gresh, a Democratic Baltimore mayoral candidate. Crane emphasized, “It is time to replace partisan politics with what we truly believe is best for Baltimore. It is time for me to do what is best for my city, and I am here today to implore you to do what is best for our state. Vote for the Convention of States Article V convention.”
Next up was Matt Rehberg, a resident of Anne Arundel County, Navy veteran, and professor at the U.S. Naval Academy. Rehberg focused on the nation’s $23 trillion national debt, noting that neither side of the aisle is willing to take the necessary actions to resolve the issue. However, a Convention of States would introduce an amendment requiring the federal government to maintain a balanced budget.
“If you agree with me, that the federal government, and each branch within, has usurped powers from the states, from you in fact, and have acted in ways beyond the scope as authorized to them by the Constitution, then I urge you to support our Convention of States application, HJ0011...and secure the future of the next generation and beyond,” he said.
Dennis Thomas, COS District Captain from Frederick, a 10-year Navy veteran and small business owner, noted that 82% of Americans favor term limits on Congress.
“Americans do not want an aristocracy of career politicians whose primary goal seems to be their personal enrichment by serving special interests," he said. "Americans want fresh ideas, but with the reelection rate of incumbents at around 90% this is next to impossible.”
Thomas described how a Convention of States resolution would propose an amendment for term limits for Congress and federal officials, as well as justices serving on the Supreme Court where 70% of Americans also favor term limits.
“We need turnover here, as well,” Thomas said. “This has become another form of aristocracy that is frequently politicized when it should be serving justice blindly.”
Robert Betz is proud of his service as a federal employee over the last 36 years but told the attending state legislators, “I am also ashamed to be associated with that same federal government, because it is crushing the life out Maryland with intrusive and oppressive regulations it has no business issuing.”
A Maryland resident since 1984, Betz believes, “The federal government is out of control and must be reined in. We do not need anyone's permission to boot broccoli out of school or manage cancer patients' nausea with marijuana. We Marylanders decide those things for ourselves, not some senator from North Dakota.”
Ce Harrison, COS Maryland Legislative Liaison from Anne Arundel County, has lived in five different counties throughout Maryland. She spoke about the disparity in the way that Maryland disproportionately taxes its low-income and fixed-income residents, many of whom are minorities, because all of the new taxes that are being proposed are sales and personal taxes that are not gauged on income but on use.
She pointed out that there were over 1,000 people protesting those same tax bills in Annapolis on the very day of the testimony and noted that the Convention of States resolution was the very cure for such an issue.
“I believe this is directly related to out-of-control spending at the federal level that is completely destroying the ability in Maryland to correctly tax and serve its residents,” she said.
Ce urged lawmakers to “be the first blue state in the country to declare that the power of the purse strings belongs back in the hands of the states, with state legislators having the appropriate resources they need to take care of their constituents.”
Stephen Patten, COS Maryland State Director, drew attention to the size and scope of the federal government in 2020 versus what the Framers envisioned.
“The federal government has far exceeded its enumerated constitutional powers and overall purpose of preventing the concentration of power to a relative handful of institutions and individuals,” Patten said.
Focusing on the problem of federal overreach, he noted how there is no incentive from either side of the aisle in Congress to limit their power, their terms of office, or their insatiable spending. But, as he noted, there is a remedy.
“Why does our Constitution give the states the power to propose amendments?" Patten asked. "I think George Mason said it best, and I quote: ‘Are we so naïve that we believe that a federal government that becomes a tyranny would propose amendments to restrain its own tyranny?’ The Constitution gives you (state legislators) the power to do what the federal government would not impose upon itself--restraint.”
Rita Dunaway, J.D., National Legislative Director, wrapped up the testimony by describing the process of an Article V convention. She also responded to common objections from legislators, such as the possibility of a runaway convention.
She emphasized that the Convention of States Project is a non-partisan effort designed to shift power away from special interest groups and powerful corporate lobbyists and back to everyday citizens.
“We are deeply troubled by the extent to which our federal government continues to erode the rule of law set forth in our Constitution," Dunaway observed. "We are deeply troubled by the fact that the brilliant system of federalism enshrined in our Constitution is on the brink of extinction, as Washington takes over every area of policymaking.
“We want to see the balance of power corrected," she continued. "We want to see more policy decisions made at the state level, where the people have more access to and input in those decisions. At this point in American history, the Article V convention process is the only way to do that. You as state legislators have a logical, constitutional process available to act as a final check and balance on federal overreach.”
The only opposing arguments to COSAction testimony came from Pastor David C. Whitney from the Institute of the Constitution located in Pasadena, MD. Mr. Whitney spoke for two minutes against HJ0011.
Maryland’s hearing on HJ0011 built on the success of Citizen Action Day in January, where a strong turnout of COS supporters, along with local and national COSAction leaders, met with delegates to lay the foundation for a Convention of States resolution in Maryland.
At that event, Delegate Fisher described a Convention of States as the only way to, "free Marylanders from the crushing weight of federal intervention in our state and the tax burden imposed by federal mandates upon the citizens of Maryland."
An enthusiastic advocate of the Convention of States, Fisher followed up the recent hearing with a picture on his Instagram account, calling it, "A great day with the Convention of States organization!"
