IA

113TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION

H. J. RES. 34

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States to restore the rights of the American people that were taken away by the Supreme Courts decision in the Citizens United case and related decisions, to protect the integrity of our elections, and to limit the corrosive influence of money in our democratic process.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 12, 2013 Mr. DEUTCH (for himself, Ms. CHU, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. ELLISON, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Mr. MORAN, Ms. NORTON, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Ms. PINGREE of Maine, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. SCHRADER, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. WELCH, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. SARBANES, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. KEATING, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. ENGEL, Ms. FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut, Mr. CONYERS, Mr. LEWIS, Mr. GUTIERREZ, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr. GRAYSON, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, and Ms. JACKSON LEE) 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 to restore the rights of the American people that were taken away by the Supreme Courts decision in the Citizens United case and related decisions, to protect the integrity of our elections, and to limit the corrosive influence of money in our democratic process.
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Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled

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2 1 (two-thirds of each House concurring therein), That the fol2 lowing article is proposed as an amendment to the Con3 stitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all 4 intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when 5 ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several 6 States: 7 8 ARTICLE SECTION 1. Whereas the right to vote in public elec-

9 tions belongs only to natural persons as citizens of the 10 United States, so shall the ability to make contributions 11 and expenditures to influence the outcome of public elec12 tions belong only to natural persons in accordance with 13 this Article. 14 SECTION 2. Nothing in this Constitution shall be

15 construed to restrict the power of Congress and the States 16 to protect the integrity and fairness of the electoral proc17 ess, limit the corrupting influence of private wealth in pub18 lic elections, and guarantee the dependence of elected offi19 cials on the people alone by taking actions which may in20 clude the establishment of systems of public financing for 21 elections, the imposition of requirements to ensure the dis22 closure of contributions and expenditures made to influ23 ence the outcome of a public election by candidates, indijbell on DSK7SPTVN1PROD with BILLS

24 viduals, and associations of individuals, and the imposition

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3 1 of content neutral limitations on all such contributions 2 and expenditures. 3 SECTION 3. Nothing in this Article shall be con-

4 strued to alter the freedom of the press. 5 SECTION 4. Congress and the States shall have the

6 power to enforce this Article through appropriate legisla7 tion..

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