Heartland Institute Statement on Congressional Panel Discussion of Article V Convention

Published June 24, 2016

Heartland Institute Statement on Congressional Panel Discussion of
Article V Convention

On Thursday, June 23, 2016, state legislators and policy experts met in Washington, DC with U.S. Rep. Luke Messer (R-Indiana) as part of a congressional panel discussion on the topic of a potential Article V convention. The attendees discussed what a future Article V convention might look like if the threshold of 34 states submitting Article V applications is met. Joining Rep. Messer were the Oklahoma House of Representatives Majority Whip Gary Banz (R-Midwest City), Harvard Law professor Larry Lessig, and Iowa House of Representatives Speaker Linda Upmeyer (R-Clear Lake).

Twenty-eight states have submitted applications to Congress calling for a single-subject convention for a balanced budget amendment. Eight states have submitted applications for a multiple-amendment convention calling for congressional term limits, reductions in federal regulations, and a balanced budget amendment. Four states have submitted a hybrid application for a balanced budget amendment, which includes an interstate-compact agreement outlining the rules and procedures for a convention.

The Heartland Institute does not endorse a particular approach for an Article V convention.

The following statements from experts at The Heartland Institute – a free-market think tank – may be used for attribution. For more comments, refer to the contact information below. To book a Heartland expert as a guest on your program, please contact Donald Kendal, new media specialist, The Heartland Institute, at [email protected] or 312/377-4000.


“Thursday’s meeting in Washington, DC involving Indiana congressman Luke Messer and top policy experts from across the country is another sign of great progress for the Article V movement. The United States is inching closer to embracing historic constitutional reform. Continued cooperation between Congress and state governments will ensure the United States will reform the Constitution while protecting the civil rights of every citizen.”

Kyle Maichle
Project Manager, Constitutional Reform
The Heartland Institute
[email protected]
312/377-4000


The Heartland Institute is a 32-year-old national nonprofit organization headquartered in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Its mission is to discover, develop, and promote free-market solutions to social and economic problems. For more information, visit our website or call 312/377-4000.