BRANDON CREIGHTON

Texas State Senator

District 4
CONTACT: Eliza Vielma
Eliza.Vielma@senate.state.tx.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, March 23, 2015

Senator Creighton's State Sovereignty Resolution Passes Out of Committee

Senate Concurrent Resolution 1 reaffirms Texas' rights under the Tenth Amendment
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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SENATOR BRANDON CREIGHTON represents District 4, which encompasses Chambers, Jefferson and
parts of Montgomery, Harris, and Galveston Counties. He currently serves on the Senate Committee on
Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs, the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice, the Senate Committee
on State Affairs, and as the Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Business and Commerce.