Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to the use of foreign law as authority in Federal courts.

Bill: 113-hjres-54
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Culberson, John Abney [R-TX-7]
Introduced: 2013-07-24
Policy area: Law
Subjects: Constitution and constitutional amendments

Federal appellate courts

Federal district courts

International law and treaties

Judicial procedure and administration

Religion

State and local courts

Supreme Court
Latest action: action_date: 2013-09-13
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Summaries:
action_date: 2013-07-24
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Constitutional Amendment - Prohibits U.S. courts, including the Supreme Court, from basing opinions or rulings on international laws, treaties, or religious laws. Makes any action of a court in violation of such prohibition null and void.</p>

tv_txt: IA 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. J. RES. 54 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 24, 2013 Mr. Culberson (for himself, Mr. Bishop of Utah , Mr. Sam Johnson of Texas , Mr. Gowdy , and Mr. Mulvaney ) introduced 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 relating to the use of foreign law as authority in Federal courts.

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 within seven years after the date of its submission for ratification:  — 1. Any legal opinion or ruling issued by any court in the United States, including those rulings and opinions issued by the Supreme Court of the United States, shall be based only on the United States Constitution, or on duly enacted statutes and domestic case law of the United States or any State and shall not be based on international laws, treaties, or religious laws. 2. Any action of a court in violation of section 1 is null and void. .