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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, May 5, 2017, marks the 25th anniversary of the |
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unconventional ratification of the 27th Amendment to the United |
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States Constitution; and |
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WHEREAS, One of the original 12 amendments submitted, |
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pursuant to Article V, to the state legislatures for ratification |
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by the First U.S. Congress, in 1789, the 27th Amendment was crafted |
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by James Madison of Virginia while he served as a member of the U.S. |
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House of Representatives; by the end of 1791, 10 of the 12 |
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amendments, known collectively as the Bill of Rights, had been |
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approved by the requisite three-fourths of the states; the other |
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two amendments, one of which pertained to congressional |
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compensation, fell by the wayside; and |
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WHEREAS, The congressional compensation measure stipulated |
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that "No law, varying the compensation for the services of the |
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Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election |
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of Representatives shall have intervened"; the amendment would thus |
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prevent federal lawmakers from immediately benefiting from any pay |
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raise they might give themselves, as every representative--and a |
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third of the senators--would have to win reelection before they |
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could realize a gain; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1982, a student at The University of Texas at |
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Austin, Gregory Watson, learned about this unratified |
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still-pending amendment and concluded that it was eminently |
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relevant, Congress having granted itself a substantial pay raise in |
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1978 and a special tax break in 1981; he determined that the |
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amendment remained viable, and he committed himself to the |
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laborious mission of securing its approval; the amendment gradually |
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garnered wide public support, and with his dedicated efforts, it |
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worked its way through a succession of state legislatures for a |
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decade; on May 5, 1992, Alabama became the 38th state to ratify the |
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centuries-old measure, thus securing its incorporation as the 27th |
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Amendment to the U.S. Constitution some 202 years after it was |
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proposed by a Congress that was conducting its business in New York |
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City; and |
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WHEREAS, A quarter century after its ratification, the 27th |
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Amendment remains the most recent amendment to our nation's |
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constitution, and it is indeed fitting that its unusual history and |
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its significance be recognized; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commemorate the 25th anniversary of the ratification of the |
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27th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. |
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Klick |
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Allen |
Gonzales of Williamson |
Ortega |
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Alonzo |
González of El Paso |
Paddie |
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Anderson of Dallas |
Guillen |
Perez |
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Anderson of McLennan |
Gutierrez |
Phelan |
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Biedermann |
Howard |
Reynolds |
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Bonnen of Brazoria |
Isaac |
Rodriguez of Bexar |
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Bonnen of Galveston |
Israel |
Rodriguez of Travis |
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Burkett |
Johnson of Dallas |
Romero, Jr. |
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Burns |
Johnson of Harris |
Rose |
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Cain |
King of Hemphill |
Schofield |
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Canales |
King of Parker |
Schubert |
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Capriglione |
King of Uvalde |
Shaheen |
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Cosper |
Landgraf |
Stephenson |
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Davis of Dallas |
Longoria |
Thompson of Brazoria |
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Davis of Harris |
Lozano |
Thompson of Harris |
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Dean |
Lucio III |
Tinderholt |
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Gervin-Hawkins |
Nevárez |
Zedler |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 137 was adopted by the House on May 5, |
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2017, by a non-record vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 137 was adopted by the Senate on May |
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24, 2017, by the following vote: 31 Yeas, 0 N |
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ays. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |