Montana Bill Fails Senate Vote
 

Montana Bill SJ-10 Bill to "Amend" 17th Amendment Postponed by State Senate

By Article V Staff, February 19, 2003

A Montana effort to "amend" the 17th amendment for electing United States senators by legislative vote was indefinitely postponed by the Montana Senate with a 9-40 vote.  Earlier this week the bill had passed in the Judiciary Committee 6-3.

Senator Jerry O'Neill who sponsored the bill, said that no Montana citizens were present, with just out-of-state organizations supporting it, and this was why many legislators were unwilling to vote for it..

Repealing the 17th Amendment would return the United States Senate to the design of the Founding Fathers, there being two Houses of Congress; a House of the People and House of the States.  Under the current system, U.S. Senators haven't any incentive to contact and work with their own state legislators, giving the States no representation in the central government.

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Last modified: 02/22/03