Oklahoma Senate Passes 10th Amendment Resolution

State Rep. Charles Key today praised the Senate passage of a resolution demanding the federal government cease and desist mandates beyond its authority as designated by the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

“Today, thousands of regular citizens showed up at this state Capitol to say they want the federal government to follow the United States Constitution,” Key, R-Oklahoma City, said. “I believe that this piece of legislation is one of the most important ones we will pass this year and I think that it will give the president and members of the U.S. Congress reason to reconsider much of the legislation they are proposing.”

House Joint Resolution 1003 declares Oklahoma’s sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment in all matters not otherwise enumerated or granted to the federal government under the U.S. Constitution. The resolution also calls on the president and other agents of the federal government to “cease and desist” mandates beyond the scope of “constitutionally delegated powers” and repeal all compulsory federal legislation directing states to comply under threat of civil or criminal sanctions or in order to gain federal funding.

“It is abundantly clear to many U.S. citizens that the federal government has violated the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution and they are voicing their outrage and concern through this legislation,” Key said. “Lawmakers in other states have also been looking into similar resolutions since Oklahoma became the first state file and pass Tenth Amendment Legislation. We now have an opportunity to be the first state to have it signed it into law.”

Key noted that the resolution refers also to a 1992 Supreme Court ruling further stressing that the federal government cannot simply commandeer the regulatory and legislative processes of the states.

“Once the resolution is on the governor’s desk, I hope he will quickly sign House Joint Resolution 1003 into law,” Key said. “I also hope that when it is distributed to President Barack Obama and other elected officials of the federal government that they will recall the oaths to the United States Constitution that they all took and take heed.”

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