This article can be viewed at hutchnews.com
It is copyrighted, 2008, by Kansas journalist Colleen Ballard Hayes
*****Editor's note*****
5033 as amended was passed by the Kansas House of Representatives on April 4, 2008 and referred to the Senate Federal and State Affairs Committee on April 8, 2008. (see history of bill).
The Senate committee (re)scheduled the bill for discussion and there was a hearing by the Committee on May 1, 2008 by the Kansas Senate Federal and State Affairs committee.
The Senate committee did not vote on the bill, and It was not forwarded to the Kansas Senate for passage. It died in committee. |
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On April 4, the Kansas House approved HCR 5033 by a large majority; however, the amended resolution never arrived at the Senate. When the Legislature reconvenes Wednesday, the Federal & State Affairs Committee will incorporate the House amendments into HCR 5033 so the Senate can vote on the amended resolution.
HCR 5033 declares: "Be it resolved ... That the Kansas Legislature urges the United States Congress, especially the Kansas Congressional delegation, to use all of their efforts, energies and diligence to withdraw the United States from any further participation in the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (and the North American Free Trade Agreement) ..."
It opposes a "highway system," which "would be funded by foreign consortiums and controlled by foreign management, which threatens the sovereignty of the United States" and declares: "This trilateral partnership to develop a North American Union [NAU] has never been presented to Congress as an agreement or treaty, and has had virtually no Congressional oversight."
Colorado, Missouri and Oklahoma - our next-door neighbors, as well as 15 other states - have introduced or passed anti-NAFTA highway and anti-NAU legislation, which address subjects vital to our national security. Six states - Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah and Texas - have also passed strong resolutions.
Prominent Oklahoma Sen. Randy Brogdon said in a speech to Oklahomans for Sovereignty and Free Enterprise (OK-SAFE): "States have almost unlimited power [under our U.S. Constitution]. The 10th Amendment says that anything not specifically spelled out for Congress is left for the states to decide."
"Another troubling piece of legislation in the Oklahoma Legislature that violated the 10th Amendment was promoted as a simple transportation bill. It allowed for Oklahoma to participate in a federal 'pilot' program, which was 'unlimited in scope.' After reading the bill, I realized it was much more than what they were telling us. As a matter of fact, for us to participate in this pilot project, we had to give up our 11th Amendment rights! The 11th Amendment gives protection to the state from being sued in federal court by a foreign nation. So for us to be a part of this project we had to waive our 11th Amendment rights. This benign piece of legislation that started out as a simple re-surface project was, in fact, the first step to help create the NAFTA Superhighway through Oklahoma.
"This bill had the potential to erase our borders, destroy our sovereignty and give unfettered access to Mexican and Canadian truckers on U.S. interstate highways."
Our sovereignty and our citizens' right to determine our own future are under attack, says Brogdon along with thousands of other leaders of stature.
This is a very serious situation, and it is a nonpartisan resolution. A vote for HCR 5033 is an initial step in opposing the dangerous, mindless drift away from the principles of our beloved Constitution which, if continued, will destroy our nation - the last, best hope of the world.
COLLEEN BALLARD HAYES
Overland Park
