United States 116th Congress Status: In Committee 75 D cosponsors

HJRES 48 — Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only.

Last action — Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 116th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that the rights protected by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, shall have no rights under the Constitution and are subject to regulation. The amendment requires federal, state, and local government to (1) regulate, limit, or prohibit election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures; and (2) require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. The judiciary is prohibited from construing the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment, and the amendment shall not be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Introduced in House

  2. Introduced in House

  3. Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

  4. Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 74 co-sponsors · 472 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (74)

Not signed on (472)

472 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

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Subjects

civil-rights
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Frequently asked questions

What does HJRES 48 do?
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that the rights protected by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, such as corporations, shall have no rights under the Constitution and are subject to regulation. The amendment requires federal, state, and local government to (1) regulate, limit, or prohibit election contributions and expenditures, including a candidate's own contributions and expenditures; and (2) require that any permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. The judiciary is prohibited from construing the spending of money to influence elections to be speech under the First Amendment, and the amendment shall not be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.
Who sponsors HJRES 48?
HJRES 48 is sponsored by McCollum, Betty (Democratic), Norton, Eleanor Holmes (Democratic), DeFazio, Peter A. (Democratic), Khanna, Ro (Democratic), Ryan, Tim (Democratic), Blumenauer, Earl (Democratic), Takano, Mark (Democratic), Schakowsky, Janice D. (Democratic), Bonamici, Suzanne (Democratic), Gabbard, Tulsi (Democratic), DeSaulnier, Mark (Democratic), Huffman, Jared (Democratic), Lee, Barbara (Democratic), Moulton, Seth (Democratic), Omar, Ilhan (Democratic), Pocan, Mark (Democratic), Tonko, Paul (Democratic), Raskin, Jamie (Democratic), Pingree, Chellie (Democratic), Haaland, Debra A. (Democratic), García, Jesús G. "Chuy" (Democratic), Lynch, Stephen F. (Democratic), Carbajal, Salud O. (Democratic), Smith, Adam (Democratic), Welch, Peter (Democratic), Matsui, Doris O. (Democratic), Clarke, Yvette D. (Democratic), DelBene, Suzan K. (Democratic), Cartwright, Matt (Democratic), Kilmer, Derek (Democratic), Boyle, Brendan F. (Democratic), Barragán, Nanette Diaz (Democratic), Adams, Alma S. (Democratic), Lawson, Al, Jr. (Democratic), Lieu, Ted (Democratic), Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria (Democratic), Higgins, Brian (Democratic), Perlmutter, Ed (Democratic), Heck, Denny (Democratic), Kennedy, Joseph P., III (Democratic), Pressley, Ayanna (Democratic), McGovern, James P. (Democratic), Thompson, Mike (Democratic), Craig, Angie (Democratic), Schrier, Kim (Democratic), Lowenthal, Alan S. (Democratic), Phillips, Dean (Democratic), Davis, Danny K. (Democratic), Lofgren, Zoe (Democratic), Cicilline, David N. (Democratic), Trahan, Lori (Democratic), Kaptur, Marcy (Democratic), Johnson, Henry C. "Hank" (Democratic), Keating, William R. (Democratic), Bera, Ami (Democratic), Clark, Katherine M. (Democratic), Fudge, Marcia L. (Democratic), Cummings, Elijah E. (Democratic), Moore, Gwen (Democratic), Chu, Judy (Democratic), Tlaib, Rashida (Democratic), Grijalva, Raúl M. (Democratic), Engel, Eliot L. (Democratic), Beyer, Donald S. (Democratic), Malinowski, Tom (Democratic), Sánchez, Linda T. (Democratic), Eshoo, Anna G. (Democratic), Neguse, Joe (Democratic), Napolitano, Grace F. (Democratic), Nadler, Jerrold (Democratic), Waters, Maxine (Democratic), Porter, Katie (Democratic), McNerney, Jerry (Democratic), Speier, Jackie (Democratic), and Jayapal, Pramila (Democratic).
What is the current status of HJRES 48?
This bill died with 116th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HJRES 48?
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