IA 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. J. RES. 31 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating 

to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 24, 2017 

Mr. DEUTCH (for himself, Mrs. BEATTY, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. BRENDAN

F. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mrs. BUSTOS, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Ms. CASTOR

of Florida, Mr. CICILLINE, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mr. CONNOLLY, 

Mr. CONYERS, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DEFAZIO, Ms. 

DELAURO, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of Pennsylvania, Mr. 

ENGEL, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. ESTY, Mr. FOSTER, Ms. 

FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. GARAMENDI, Mr. GENE GREEN of Texas, Mr. 

GRIJALVA, Mr. HASTINGS, Mr. HIMES, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. KEATING, Mr. 

KIHUEN, Ms. KUSTER of New Hampshire, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. LARSEN

of Washington, Mr. LOEBSACK, Ms. LOFGREN, Mrs. LOWEY, Ms. 

MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM of New Mexico, Mr. LYNCH, Mr. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY of New York, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. 

MEEKS, Mr. MOULTON, Mr. NADLER, Mr. NOLAN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 

O’ROURKE, Mr. PASCRELL, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. PINGREE, Mr. QUIGLEY, 

Mr. RASKIN, Miss RICE of New York, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. SERRANO, Ms. SHEA-PORTER, Mr. SIRES, 

Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. SUOZZI, 

Mr. SWALWELL of California, Ms. TITUS, Mr. TONKO, Ms. TSONGAS, Ms. 

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. WELCH, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. WALZ, 

Mr. KENNEDY, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mr. SOTO, and Mr. HUFFMAN) submitted the following joint resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on the Judiciary 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•HJ 31 IH 

States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections. 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled

3 (two-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 within seven years after the date of its submission 

9 for ratification: 

10 ‘‘ARTICLE— 

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

12 and political equality, and to protect the integrity of gov13 ernment and the electoral process, Congress and the 

14 States may regulate and set reasonable limits on the rais15 ing and spending of money by candidates and others to 

16 influence elections. 

17 ‘‘SECTION 2. Congress and the States shall have 

18 power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate 

19 legislation, and may distinguish between natural persons 

20 and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, 

21 including by prohibiting such entities from spending 

22 money to influence elections. 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•HJ 31 IH 

1 ‘‘SECTION 3. Nothing in this article shall be con2 strued to grant Congress or the States the power to 

3 abridge the freedom of the press.’’. 

Æ 


smartinez on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS