IIA 

Calendar No. 471 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. J. RES. 19 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating 

to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 18, 2013 

Mr. UDALL of New Mexico (for himself, Mr. BENNET, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. 

SCHUMER, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. WHITEHOUSE, Mr. TESTER, Mrs. 

BOXER, Mr. COONS, Mr. KING, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. WYDEN, Mr. 

FRANKEN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. UDALL of Colorado, Mr. JOHNSON of 

South Dakota, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. REED, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. 

HEINRICH, Mr. MERKLEY, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. BEGICH, Mr. CARDIN, 

Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mrs. HAGAN, Ms. MIKULSKI, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. 

MARKEY, Ms. WARREN, Mr. BROWN, Mr. WALSH, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. 

REID, Ms. HIRONO, Mr. CARPER, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. SCHATZ, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. ROCKEFELLER, Ms. STABENOW, Mr. BOOKER, Ms. HEITKAMP, 

Mr. MANCHIN, Mrs. MCCASKILL, Ms. CANTWELL, and Mr. NELSON) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on the Judiciary 

JULY 17, 2014 

Reported by Mr. LEAHY, with an amendment 

[Strike out all after the resolving clause and insert the part printed in italic] 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 

States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections. 


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•SJ 19 RS 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled (two3 thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol4 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con5 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 

6 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 

7 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 

8 States: 

9 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

10 ‘‘SECTION 1. To advance the fundamental principle 

11 of political equality for all, and to protect the integrity 

12 of the legislative and electoral processes, Congress shall 

13 have power to regulate the raising and spending of money 

14 and in-kind equivalents with respect to Federal elections, 

15 including through setting limits on— 

16 ‘‘(1) the amount of contributions to candidates 

17 for nomination for election to, or for election to, 

18 Federal office; and 

19 ‘‘(2) the amount of funds that may be spent by, 

20 in support of, or in opposition to such candidates. 

21 ‘‘SECTION 2. To advance the fundamental principle 

22 of political equality for all, and to protect the integrity 

23 of the legislative and electoral processes, each State shall 

24 have power to regulate the raising and spending of money 


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•SJ 19 RS 

1 and in-kind equivalents with respect to State elections, in2 cluding through setting limits on— 

3 ‘‘(1) the amount of contributions to candidates 

4 for nomination for election to, or for election to, 

5 State office; and 

6 ‘‘(2) the amount of funds that may be spent by, 

7 in support of, or in opposition to such candidates. 

8 ‘‘SECTION 3. Nothing in this article shall be con9 strued to grant Congress the power to abridge the freedom 

10 of the press. 

11 ‘‘SECTION 4. Congress and the States shall have 

12 power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate 

13 legislation.’’. 

14 That the following article is proposed as an amend15 ment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall 

16 be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitu17 tion when ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the 

18 several States: 

19 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

20 ‘‘SECTION 1. To advance democratic self-government 

21 and political equality, and to protect the integrity of gov22 ernment and the electoral process, Congress and the States 

23 may regulate and set reasonable limits on the raising and 

24 spending of money by candidates and others to influence 

25 elections. 


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•SJ 19 RS 

1 ‘‘SECTION 2. Congress and the States shall have power 

2 to implement and enforce this article by appropriate legis3 lation, and may distinguish between natural persons and 

4 corporations or other artificial entities created by law, in5 cluding by prohibiting such entities from spending money 

6 to influence elections. 

7 ‘‘SECTION 3. Nothing in this article shall be construed 

8 to grant Congress or the States the power to abridge the 

9 freedom of the press.’’. 


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Calendar No. 471 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. J. RES. 19 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the 

penditures intended to affect elections. United States relating to contributions and exJULY 17, 2014 

Reported with an amendment 


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