Virginia General Assembly opens session

On Wednesday, January 13, Virginia’s 2021 General Assembly session will be gaveled to order.

With the help of Delegate Ronnie R. Campbell (District 24/Lexington), Convention of States Action is ready! Del. Campbell pre-filed House Joint Resolution 516 (HJ 516) in December.

If it passes, Virginia will join the 15 states that realize only constitutional amendments can rein in D.C. elitists. These amendments can include term limits to limit a federal official's time in office, fiscal restraints to stop Washington’s headlong rush into a debt crisis, and other measures to end federal abuses of power.

Now is the time to contact your state representatives in Richmond. You can find them here.

It does not matter how you contact them—email, letter, or phone call (better all three!). It matters that you just do it!

Ask them to co-sponsor HJ 516.

Here is a two-minute pitch on HJ 516 that was given to about a dozen Northern Virginia legislators on Saturday, January 9.

I am Warren Wheeler, a Lorton resident and a volunteer for the grassroots, non-partisan organization Convention of States Action.

Our 60,000 Virginia voters urge you to vote YES on House Joint Resolution 516.

This will enroll the General Assembly in a growing national movement of state legislatures that are exercising the authority to propose constitutional amendments—authority granted by Article V of the U.S. Constitution.

HJ 516 ensures only three types of amendments can be proposed.

• Those that impose fiscal restraints on the federal government — like a balanced budget amendment.
• Amendments that limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government, which means returning power to state legislators like you, who are far more accessible and accountable than Washington’s career politicians.
• Amendments that term limit federal officials and members of Congress.

The Constitution empowers state legislators to propose constitutional amendments because the Framers knew governments abusing power do not reform themselves.

The federal government abuses power it legitimately holds and has accumulated power it should not possess. Three symptoms of this are:

• An ever-growing $27 trillion national debt which effectively taxes generations not yet born.
• A Congress systemically incapable of basic tasks, like sensible budget bills passed on time. Instead, multi-thousand-page monstrosities are passed because members care about reelection more than the common good.
• Redundant federal programs fuel special interests that then kickback a portion to reelect the career politicians who fund their programs.

Article V empowers you, as state legislators, to clean up the swampy mess that is Washington.

In 15 states your colleagues have risen to the challenge by passing a resolution like HJ 516. We urge you to join them in the 2021 session.

Please do not wait for the inevitable disaster of a future debt crisis. Virginians deserve thoughtfully proactive state legislators.

Vote YES on HJ 516 or introduce a companion resolution in the Senate.

Thank you for your time and attention.

If you have not yet signed our petition, doing so now will ensure your legislators know you support them voting for HJ 516.

There's no better time to let them know!