Sen. Lindsey Graham calls on SC to support amendment to US Constitution

EDITORIAL: Great idea!

1/25/2022

WCBD Charleston

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on Tuesday will ask South Carolinians to support an amendment to the United States Constitution designed to reign in the nation’s spending.

Graham will host a press conference in Columbia urging South Carolina to join the 27 states calling for an Article V convention.

Under Article V of the United States Constitution, Congress must call a Constitutional convention to consider an amendment if a) two thirds of both houses or b) two thirds of the states call for it.

The proposed amendment seeks to “force annual balanced federal budgets,” according to Senator Mike Crapo (R-ID), who is a cosponsor of the amendment.

If ratified, it would:

• Require the President to submit a balanced budget;
• Require Congress to pass a balanced budget;
• Restrict federal spending to 18 percent of the Gross Domestic Product;
• Require two-thirds majority votes in the House and Senate to raise taxes; and
• Require a new three-fifths majority vote in both houses of Congress to raise the debt limit. 

Ratification would require support from 3/4 of the state legislatures.

The last amendment to the Constitution was the 27th — made in 1992 — which pertains to compensation for members of Congress.