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.
Bill: H.J.Res.48 | Sponsor: Rep. Jayapal, Pramila (D-WA)
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary:
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.

117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. J. RES. 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.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 20, 2021

 Ms. Jayapal (for herself, Ms. Barragan, Mr. Blumenauer, Ms. Bonamici, 
   Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania, Ms. Bush, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. 
    Cartwright, Ms. Chu, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Craig, Mr. DeFazio, Ms. 
 DelBene, Ms. Eshoo, Mr. Garcia of Illinois, Mr. Grijalva, Mr. Higgins 
   of New York, Mr. Huffman, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. 
Khanna, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Lee of California, Mr. Lynch, Ms. McCollum, Mr. 
 McGovern, Mr. McNerney, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Nadler, Mrs. Napolitano, Mr. 
Neguse, Ms. Newman, Ms. Norton, Ms. Omar, Mr. Perlmutter, Mr. Phillips, 
  Ms. Pingree, Mr. Pocan, Ms. Pressley, Mr. Raskin, Ms. Sanchez, Ms. 
   Schakowsky, Mr. Smith of Washington, Ms. Speier, Mr. Takano, Mr. 
 Thompson of California, Ms. Tlaib, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Trahan, Mr. Welch, 
 Mr. Danny K. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Espaillat, Ms. Matsui, 
 Mr. Ryan, Ms. Kuster, and Ms. Manning) 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 States 
 providing that the rights extended by the Constitution are the rights 
                        of natural persons only.

    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 he 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. The rights protected by the Constitution of the United 
States are the rights of natural persons only. Artificial entities, 
such as corporations, limited liability companies, and other entities, 
established by the laws of any State, the United States, or any foreign 
state shall have no rights under this Constitution and are subject to 
regulation by the People, through Federal, State, or local law. The 
privileges of artificial entities shall be determined by the People, 
through Federal, State, or local law, and shall not be construed to be 
inherent or inalienable.
    ``Section 2. Federal, State, and local government shall regulate, 
limit, or prohibit contributions and expenditures, including a 
candidate's own contributions and expenditures, to ensure that all 
citizens, regardless of their economic status, have access to the 
political process, and that no person gains, as a result of that 
person's money, substantially more access or ability to influence in 
any way the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot 
measure. Federal, State, and local governments shall require that any 
permissible contributions and expenditures be publicly disclosed. The 
judiciary shall not construe the spending of money to influence 
elections to be speech under the First Amendment.
    ``Section 3. Nothing contained in this amendment shall be construed 
to abridge the freedom of the press.''.
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