Conservative Leaders David Walker and Joseph Belnome Advocate for Congress to Take Actions in Connection with Constitutional Amendments for Fiscal Responsibility and Birthright Citizenship on Constitution Day

ALEXANDRIA, Va. and BELLEVILLE, N.J., July 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- David Walker, Comptroller General of the United States (1998-2008), and Joseph Belnome, candidate for Congress, New Jersey's 11^th District, today proposed that two Constitutional Amendment related actions be brought up for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate on Constitution Day, September 17, 2024. The first is HCR 24 which deals with the Congress' failure to properly discharge its express, enumerated, and non-discretionary responsibilities under Article V of the Constitution in connection with the states' desire to hold a Convention of States to propose a Fiscal Responsibility Amendment. HCR 24 only requires a simple majority vote.

The second is the Belnome Amendment relating to birthright citizenship. Ratification of the Belnome Amendment requires a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate. If that level of support is achieved, the Amendment would be referred to all fifty states for ratification. If three-quarters of the States approve, the Constitution of the United States is Amended.

H.Con.Res.24 

Calling an Article V Convention for proposing a Fiscal Responsibility Amendment to the United States Constitution and stipulating ratification by a vote of We the People, and for other purposes.

HCR 24 outlines how the Congress has failed to properly discharge its responsibilities under Article V of the Constitution to receive, store, and count applications from the states for a Convention of States to propose one or more Constitutional Amendments. It requires the Congress to rectify this wrong and call such a Convention if two-thirds of the states (34) have ever called for one. It also specifies the mode of ratification. The number of states requirement was met in 1979 and for many years thereafter but the Congress failed to act. Since then, federal debt has exploded from less than $1 trillion to almost $35 trillion, and the value of the dollar has declined about 80%. 

An illustrative fiscal responsibility amendment:

Total debt held by the public shall not exceed 120% of gross domestic product (public debt/GDP) as reported by the Treasury Department, absent a formal Declaration of War in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. Effective no later than the end of Fiscal 2040, total debt held by the public shall not exceed 90% of GDP absent a formal declaration of war or due to an unexpected national emergency with a 60% vote by both houses of the Congress and the concurrence of the President. Any such waiver vote must occur for each fiscal year the limit would otherwise be violated. Congress shall enact legislation to operationalize this provision within a year of ratification of this Amendment. This legislative provision must include gradual and continual reductions in annual public debt/GDP levels between the date of enactment and Fiscal 2040. Any member of the Senate or House who is in office in a year that this Amendment is not fully complied with shall not be eligible for re-election. 

Any actual amendment would be determined by the Convention of States. Alternatively, the Congress could propose its own amendment. 

The Belnome Amendment
Amendment XXVIII to the Constitution of the United States

Citizenship

Upon the effective date / ratification date of this Amendment, United States Citizenship is to be bestowed upon any child born to either a father or mother who is a United States Citizen.

Upon the effective date of this amendment, only United States Citizens are to be counted in the Census.

"Natural born citizen," one of the Constitutional eligibility requirements to serve in the office of the President and Vice President, is "memorialized/clarified" as a child born to United States Citizen Parents at birth.

According to David Walker, "The federal government has lost control of the nation's finances. Failure to put our federal finances in order will have serious adverse economic security, national security, international relations, and domestic tranquility consequences over time. A Constitutional amendment is needed to assure fiscal sanity and sustainability over time. At a minimum, the House and Senate should vote on H.C.R. 24 on Constitution Day if they are not prepared to vote on a specific fiscal responsibility amendment."

Joe Belnome adds, "the theme of my campaign is "Restore Integrity". That means supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States and the Rule of Law. I support and will champion the ratification of a fiscal responsibility amendment. The illustrative fiscal responsibility amendment referenced is a Constitutional framework that compels the Executive Branch and the Congress to work together to solve the financial mess that our Constitutional Republic finds itself in today".

According to Joe Belnome "the border of the United States must be secured. Our Republic's immigration policies and statutes need complete overhaul. The Belnome Amendment starts this process. The Belnome Amendment establishes the requirement for a child to be deemed at birth a Citizen of the United States. The Belnome Amendment also "memorializes/clarifies" the "natural born citizen" requirement to be President or Vice President of the United States."

To speak or schedule an interview with Joe Belnome please contact: [email protected], David Walker, please contact [email protected].

SOURCE Belnome for Congress