Achieving a highly improbable turnaround, Rep. Noble Ellington’s (R-Winnsboro) resolution for an anti-debt amendment to the U.S. Constitution won approval from the Louisiana Senate yesterday.
Despite smooth sailing in the House, the National Debt Relief Amendment came to an abrupt halt this morning. Sen. Karen Peterson (D-New Orleans) came out aggressively against it, and without objection she had it deferred in its Senate committee hearing.
North Dakota Senator Curtis Olafson (R – Edinburg), who flew in to testify as national spokesman, was met with as many welcomes and jokes as he was with questions.
The National Debt Relief Amendment, which would mandate state approval before increases in the federal debt limit, has now passed in North Dakota. At least seven other states have equivalent resolutions either pending or with pledged sponsors, for what would be the first ever state initiated amendment to the U.S. Constitution.