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By a 67-29 vote, the House of Delegates on Thursday defeated a resolution that would have urged Congress to call for a convention of the states to propose amendments to the Constitution.

The resolution, sponsored by Del. L. Scott Lingamfelter, R-Prince William, passed in a close voice vote in the Rules Committee on Friday. Lingamfelter said last week that he was aware it would “take a lot of work” to get it passed on the House floor.

Senate Democratic leader Richard L. Saslaw, D-Fairfax, had already made clear that the resolution would have been a nonstarter in the state Senate.

Lingamfelter said on the House floor that “if there was ever a time for state legislatures to consider a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution, it is now. We, as states, have an opportunity to speak to this issue.”

But Del. Robert G. Marshall, R-Prince William, said on the House floor that he was concerned with the idea of a convention because the Founding Fathers “did not spell out specific rules” for such a gathering.

“This is something very fundamental that may alter the structure of government,” Marshall said. “There is no clear understanding how this would proceed and I urge a no vote on that.”