BOISE, Idaho — Every few years a major question in American politics arises: Should there be a special Convention of States to open up the constitution for amendments?
The convention is a national movement, under Article V of the United States Constitution, that gives states the power to call a convention for proposing amendments. according to the Convention of States website, the amendments may "impose fiscal restraints on the federal government, limit its power and jurisdiction, and impose term limits on its officials and members of Congress."
It takes 34 states or two-thirds of both houses in Congress to call the convention and 38 to ratify any amendments that are proposed.
While some critics may call it a "slippery slope," supporters deem the movement necessary.
The effort re-launches in Idaho's Senate Committee at the Statehouse on Wednesday. As of Monday, 19 states had signed in agreement with the idea, 15 additional states are still needed for a convention to occur.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 112 will ask Idaho lawmakers to sign onto the convention idea. Again, the purpose is to propose Constitutional amendments. This call, specifically, is to restrain federal power.
The key ideas within the resolution are seeking to "impose fiscal restraints on the federal government," "limit the power and jurisdiction of the federal government" and "limit the terms of office for members of Congress."
The Idaho resolution said there is a "crushing national debt through improper and imprudent spending" and that "the federal government has invaded the legitimate roles of the states through the manipulative process of federal mandates, most of which are unfunded to a great extent."
KTVB asked Gov. Little at the annual Idaho Press Breakfast about the idea. The governor touched on the calls for a balanced federal budget, as well as if Congress could just fix the issue themselves, which they have the power to do.
“I think we absolutely have to. And it's uncomfortable for them. You know, they're just like any legislative body. The power of the purse is what they control, but they don't have the fiscal discipline to do the right thing,” Little said. “If we get the growth of the annual deficit to zero, we still have $33 trillion in existing.”
“They have to do something. So, anything that sends a signal, I'm all in,” Little added.
Critics of the idea claim that opening the constitution makes it vulnerable to short-sighted changes on social issues; and that there is a possibility that the Convention could go beyond fiscal and federal power issues.
KTVB asked Gov. Little about the concept of social issues being debated for additions onto the U.S. Constitution.
“I worry that the concern about any of those issues would be a poison pill to the budget issue,” Little said. "And there are arguments that you can't control when you get there. The old ‘runaway convention.’ But if every state sends all their delegates with a commitment to have it done on one thing, we can get there."
Efforts like this have failed in years past in Idaho. Wednesday afternoon the idea will be pitched in a Senate committee hearing.
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