FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 23, 2015
eliza.vielma@senate.state.tx.us
AUSTIN — This morning, Senator Brandon Creighton's signature state sovereignty resolution, Senate Concurrent Resolution 1, passed the Senate Committee on State Affairs by a vote of 7-0.
"SCR 1 represents the growing sentiment that the federal government has continued to blatantly overreach its constitutional authority through multiple laws and mandates," said Senator Creighton. "No Child Left Behind, Obamacare, the EPA's Clean Power Plan, and the federal blocking of the Keystone XL's completion are all attempts to erode states' Tenth Amendment rights. Our states need to be allowed to govern themselves and have full authority to decide how our dollars are spent."
"Reaffirming our state's sovereign authority is impactful for the rest of the country," continued Senator Creighton. "Our nation is a union of individual and sovereign states. We cannot stand idly by as the federal government continues to overstep its constitutional bounds. Texans know what's best for Texas."
"I'd like to commend Senator Creighton for his leadership on this issue. By being silent, states are being complicit in the federal government's overreach," added Peggy Venable of Americans for Prosperity.
Senator Creighton has been an outspoken advocate for Tenth Amendment issues during his legislative career and has traveled to other states to encourage their legislatures to do the same. SCR 1 was previously HCR 50 in the House during the 2009, 2011, and 2013 legislative sessions.
Since 2009, nine states have passed similar resolutions: Louisiana, Oklahoma, Idaho, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and South Carolina. Over 40 states have been active on this issue.
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