Article V of the U.S. Constitution defines processes for calling a convention to propose constitutional amendments. A two-thirds majority of legislators in both houses could theoretically do so, but this is politically unlikely. However, if two-thirds of state legislatures (thirty-four out of fifty) applied for such a convention Congress would be required to convene one. The rules under which Congress would recognize an application from two-thirds of the states and appoint a constitutional convention are vague and have never been tested, but many individual state applications have been received over time, and by some counts, as many as 30 of the required 34 states may have already submitted a valid application to discuss a Balanced Budget Amendment.