In my August 10 letter to the editor, I outlined my constitutional amendment for expanding the U.S Senate for the purpose of better representing residents in each current state plus in future states. This outline included adding a third senator elected by popular vote to each of the current 50 states and a fourth senator that would be selected by the legislature of each respective state. That particular senator appointed by the state legislature would have the equivalent of two votes, restoring a power that the state governments had before the 17th amendment was ratified in 1913.
The states would also receive an additional representative in the form of a third chamber of Congress, which would be known as the Tribune Assembly. These representatives known as tribunes would have the power of veto over legislation and other acts passed by Congress including budgets, declarations of war, and appointments. A veto would be accomplished by a two-thirds majority of the Assembly. The other two chambers of Congress would have to come up with a three-fourths majority to override that veto by the Tribune Assembly. A tribune would not have the powers to create or amend legislation. They would only have the ability to veto or to abstain from voting.
This assembly would create an additional check and balance between the states and the federal government. Each current state and future state admitted into the Union would receive one U.S tribune, who would be selected by their state legislature from their ranks or elsewhere and be approved by residents of that state. A tribune would be elected to office for terms of one or two years.
I would urge readers to contact their elected officials in Congress and urge adoption of this measure.
