Congress Ignored States’ Constitutional Right to Call a Fiscal Responsibility Convention for Decades

New Report Confirms States Met the Article V Threshold in 1979 and Again in 2017, Yet Congress Failed to Act

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, September 24, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On Constitution Day, the Federal Fiscal Sustainability Foundation (FFSF) and the National Federalism Commission (NFC) (https://nfcommission.gov/) released a historic analysis proving that Congress has ignored its constitutional duty to call a convention for the purpose of proposing amendments to address America’s mounting fiscal crisis, despite the fact that the threshold number of state applications was reached decades ago. At a press conference with the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Jodey Arrington, the leaders made clear that Congress is derelict in its duty and must act.

The NFC’s audit of congressional and state records confirms that thirty-four or more active state applications for a Fiscal Responsibility Amendment existed as early as 1979, remained valid for twenty-five years, and were again in place as recently as 2017. Article V of the Constitution explicitly requires Congress to “shall call a convention for proposing amendments” once two-thirds of the states have applied.

“The NFC report confirms the FFSF’s prior finding that Congress has failed to discharge this constitutional duty for 46 years,” said David M. Walker, former Comptroller General of the United States and Chairman of the FFSF. “Since 1979, federal debt has ballooned from less than $1 trillion to over $37 trillion, while the dollar has lost almost 80% of its value. This is unacceptable. It is the opposite of stewardship. The time has come to right this past wrong.”

W. Bruce Lee, Executive Director of the NFC, underscored the gravity of the findings. “The historical failure of Congress to properly account for and act on these state resolutions is a slap in the face to the states. Congress ignored its constitutional responsibility. Meanwhile, the American people now carry an effective $109,000 per person federal debt burden. Fiscal management is not a game. If Congress continues to fail in its duty, the states will be forced to pursue legal action to protect their constitutional rights.”

The leaders stressed that fears of a so-called “runaway convention” are unfounded. The overwhelming majority of applications are focused solely on fiscal responsibility, and sixteen states already have laws in place to ensure delegates remain faithful to their respective state’s application.

According to Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX), “The NFC’s audit clearly shows as recently as 2017 the states have met the requirements for Congress to fulfill its constitutional duty to call an Article V convention, and my legislation, H. Con.Res. 15, affirms that fact and calls for the states to move forward with the consideration of a fiscal responsibility amendment. Without a forcing mechanism like a balanced budget amendment, I have little hope Congress—regardless of which party is in power—will make the difficult but necessary decisions to balance the budget and confront our national debt.”


The NFC and FFSF pledged to continue working with Congress, the states, and the public to ensure accountability and to restore fiscal sustainability for future generations.

For a copy of the analysis, or to schedule an interview with a NFC or FFSF spokesperson, please contact Dan Rene at 202-329-8357 or

Dan Rene
Dan Rene Communications
+1 202-329-8357
dan@danrene.com

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