Jake Lowary

USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee

Two Tennessee lawmakers are hopeful resolutions before the General Assembly would be the first step at forcing Congress to pass a balanced budget.

Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown and Rep. Dennis Powers, R-Jacksboro, have both filed resolutions in their respective chambers that would bring state legislators to Nashville in July to plan for an Article V convention of states to potentially adopt an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that requires Congress pass only balanced budgets.

The two held a joint news conference on Wednesday in Nashville.

To call the planning convention, both houses would have to pass the resolutions. To organize a convention, 34 states would have to adopt similar resolutions. Currently, 28 have passed similar resolutions, Kelsey said.

Both Powers and Kelsey said they introduced the resolutions due to the country's national debt and inability of Congress to reduce that deficit or pass balanced budgets in recent years.

"This is a huge issue and congresses of both parties have failed to act," Kelsey said.

A tentative date has been set for July 11 in Nashville.

The Article V convention could be held as soon as November, Kelsey said.

Reach Jake Lowary at jlowary@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter @JakeLowary.