All text was acquired from the National Article V Patriot Team. Thank you! This is basically a list of the proposals for your viewing convenience. There's no order of importance (unless you believe there is).
1. States' rights to their own land, minerals and fossil fuels.
- The U.S. government owns the mineral rights to a considerable amount of land and minerals. If this proposal was an amendment, these ownership rights would return to the states and its use dictated by the states and its people.
- The proposal seeks to forbid the federal government from owning, regulating, or controlling land or mineral rights except when granted permission by a state's legislature.
2. The federal government must abide by a balanced budget.
- Federal expenditures for each fiscal year shall not exceed average annual revenue collected in the prior three fiscal years, not to exceed eighteen percent of the gross domestic product of the preceding calendar year.
- Details the fiscal rules, requirements and exceptions.
3. Redefine the Commerce Clause to limit it to the Constitution's original intention and definition.
- Commerce among the states shall mean buying, selling or transportation of commercial goods and services across state lines.
- Congress shall not delegate any rule making function related to commerce among the states to any executive official or agency.
4. The countermand or revocation rights of the states.
- Allows a simple majority of the states (26 states) through the State Legislative bodies, to rescind any action of Congress, the President or administrative agencies.
5. Term Limits on the U.S. Congress.
- No person shall be elected to serve in the House of Representatives more than nine full terms, nor elected or appointed to serve in the Senate more than three full terms. This article shall not disqualify any person from completing a term in the Congress, to which that person was elected or appointed prior to ratification.
- No person shall serve in Congress for more than 24 years in total.
- Limitations on terms of office for unelected government bureaucrats. (Details to come.)
6. Limit on the number of Supreme Court Justices.
- The Supreme Court of the United States shall consist of nine justices.
- Six shall constitute a quorum (six is the minimum valid number of justices that must be present to hear and rule on a case).
