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A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.
Summary
The joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment that would allow Congress and the States to regulate and set reasonable limits on money raised and spent by candidates and others to influence elections. The amendment specifically would authorize Congress and the States to distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, and would allow them to prohibit such entities from spending money to influence elections. The amendment includes a provision stating that nothing in it should be interpreted to restrict freedom of the press. The amendment would need to be ratified by three-fourths of the States to become part of the Constitution.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Shaheen, Jeanne [D-NH] (D-NH)
41 cosponsors
- Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI] (D-WI)
- Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO] (D-CO)
- Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] (D-CT)
- Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ] (D-NJ)
- Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE] (D-DE)
- Sen. Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV] (D-NV)
- Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL] (D-IL)
- Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL] (D-IL)
- Sen. Fetterman, John [D-PA] (D-PA)
- Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ] (D-AZ)
- Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] (D-NY)
- Sen. Hassan, Margaret Wood [D-NH] (D-NH)
- Sen. Heinrich, Martin [D-NM] (D-NM)
- Sen. Hickenlooper, John W. [D-CO] (D-CO)
- Sen. Hirono, Mazie K. [D-HI] (D-HI)
- Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA] (D-VA)
- Sen. Kelly, Mark [D-AZ] (D-AZ)
- Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ] (D-NJ)
- Sen. King, Angus S., Jr. [I-ME] (I-ME)
- Sen. Klobuchar, Amy [D-MN] (D-MN)
- Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM] (D-NM)
- Sen. Markey, Edward J. [D-MA] (D-MA)
- Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR] (D-OR)
- Sen. Murray, Patty [D-WA] (D-WA)
- Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA] (D-CA)
- Sen. Peters, Gary C. [D-MI] (D-MI)
- Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI] (D-RI)
- Sen. Rosen, Jacky [D-NV] (D-NV)
- Sen. Sanders, Bernard [I-VT] (I-VT)
- Sen. Schatz, Brian [D-HI] (D-HI)
- Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA] (D-CA)
- Sen. Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] (D-NY)
- Sen. Slotkin, Elissa [D-MI] (D-MI)
- Sen. Smith, Tina [D-MN] (D-MN)
- Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (D-MD)
- Sen. Warner, Mark R. [D-VA] (D-VA)
- Sen. Warnock, Raphael G. [D-GA] (D-GA)
- Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] (D-MA)
- Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT] (D-VT)
- Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] (D-RI)
- Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR] (D-OR)
Actions (2)
- Mar 27, 2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. · senate
- Mar 27, 2025 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
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Text versions (1)
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Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 27, 2025
Mrs. Shaheen (for herself, Mr. Padilla, Mr. Schatz, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Coons, Mr. Warnock, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Smith, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. King, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Heinrich, Mr. Kim, Ms. Cortez Masto, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Welch, Mr. Markey, Mr. Sanders, Mrs. Murray, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Warren, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Gallego, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Reed, Mr. Kaine, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Peters, Mr. Durbin, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Lujan, Mr. Warner, and Mr. Booker) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States:
“Article—
“Section 1. To advance democratic self-government and political equality, and to protect the integrity of government and the electoral process, Congress and the States may regulate and set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections. “Section 2. Congress and the States shall have power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate legislation, and may distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections. “Section 3. Nothing in this article shall be construed to grant Congress or the States the power to abridge the freedom of the press.”. <all>
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