By an 8-5 vote, the Texas House Committee on State Affairs has approved House Joint Resolution (HJR) 98, the COS resolution to call a limited-purpose Article V convention to reduce the size, scope, and jurisdiction of the federal government.
This is a significant win as HJR 98 is a new application that does not contain an expiration date, unlike the resolution that passed the Texas legislature in 2017 and made Texas the eleventh state in the union to call for an Article V convention.
"We were pleased to see HJR 98 move through committee this morning, and are looking forward to a strong vote on the House floor," said COS Senior Vice President for legislative affairs Rita Peters.
"The people of the Lone Star State love freedom, and that's what COS is all about. Texans don't need to have their affairs micro-managed by a distant federal bureaucracy, they can govern themselves."
The committee vote follows public testimony that was held in Austin on March 26. Among others, Convention of States Action President and Co-founder Mark Meckler and Texas Rep. Cody Vasut -- a strong legislative champion for COS -- provided eloquently powerful arguments in favor of HJR 98.
"I have an abiding confidence in the spirit of America and the ability of its people to govern themselves,” said Vasut, who was last month's guest on COS at Home. “That’s what the Constitution enshrines -- of the people, by the people, for the people.”
In case you missed the hearing, you can watch by clicking on the video below:
"This was a tremendous victory for Convention of States, especially for our grassroots team in Texas," said COS Regional Director Jonathan Viaud.
"They have tirelessly worked to ensure legislators in Texas know that liberty must never expire. While this is only the first step in the process, it is a big first step, and we are excited to keep pushing it forward. All glory belongs to the Lord!"
Congratulations to the entire COS Texas team for their diligent work and perseverance in building and maintaining positive working relationships with members of the Texas legislature.
"This would not have happened without everyone pushing all of the buttons in the right place at the right time," said COS Texas State Director Erika Hatfield. "This is the payoff of showing up at local events to talk with legislators, calling them, texting them, emailing them, and showing up at the Capitol. Every small effort counts."
HJR 98 will now be scheduled for debate and a vote on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives. Stay tuned to the COS blog and socials for the latest updates.
