The following was submitted by Rep. Brandon Newton, South Carolina House of Representatives.
It has hard to believe that this is my fifth year in the South Carolina House of Representatives.
In that time, we have dealt with a wide range of issues, ranging from road funding to nuclear power plants to education. Along the way, I hear from constituents on a wide range of issues.
What might surprise you is that the issue I have received the most emails about is the Convention of States Resolution. I have supported this important national reform issue since the day I first announced I was running for the House five years ago and had the opportunity to vote for in the State House last week.
For those of you who don’t know what this is, I’ll explain. Under Article V of the United States Constitution, the Founding Fathers gave the states a way to amend the United States Constitution without the input of Congress to give states a means to restrain the federal government.
Under Article V, a convention must be held if at least 34 states call for a convention to propose amendments. Once the convention proposes amendments, they must be ratified by 38 state legislatures to be added to the Constitution. While this has never been done before, a nationwide movement of grassroots supporters is trying to call one to adopt a balanced budget amendment to the United States Constitution.
Congress hasn’t passed a balanced budget since the 1990s, our national debt is exploding, and few people in Washington even talk about the idea of fiscal restraint. By contrast, almost every state has requirements to adopt balanced budgets, including South Carolina.
When the pandemic hit, we had reserve funds set aside to cover the shortfalls. Watching spending and setting savings aside for a rainy day is what state governments do. It’s what you and I do with our personal finances. If we can balance our state’s budget in Columbia, why can’t they do that in Washington?
As a legislator, my primary responsibility is to make decisions that will build a better future. As a soon-to-be parent, that’s also my primary responsibility. By supporting the call for a Convention of States to force Washington to live within their means and protect the future of our children and grandchildren, I am living up to those responsibilities.
This isn’t a Republican versus Democrat issue. If anything, it’s a “Washington versus us” issue. When I first promised to vote for this resolution in 2016, President Obama was in office. Every year I co-sponsored this bill, President Trump was in office.
In a recent Judiciary Committee meeting, I voted to send it to the House floor, where I will vote for it again. And I’ll keep voting for it until we see a balanced budget amendment adopted.
If passed by both the House and the Senate, South Carolina would become the 16th state to call for an Article V convention. We still have a long way to go to get to 34 states, but I’m committed to go the distance and so are the many people who are reaching out to me and other legislators in support of this important reform.
If this issue matters to you, then please make your voices heard.
