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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.

USA115th CongressHJRES-48| House 
| Updated: 2/8/2017
Richard M. Nolan

Richard M. Nolan

Democratic Representative

Minnesota

Cosponsors (65)
Al Lawson (Democratic)Donald Norcross (Democratic)Tim Ryan (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Barbara Lee (Democratic)Joseph P. Kennedy (Democratic)Raúl M. Grijalva (Democratic)Mark Pocan (Democratic)Karen Bass (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Sheila Jackson Lee (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)Eliot L. Engel (Democratic)Niki Tsongas (Democratic)Katherine M. Clark (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Paul Tonko (Democratic)Michael E. Capuano (Democratic)Danny K. Davis (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Peter A. DeFazio (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)Elizabeth H. Esty (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Walter B. Jones (Republican)André Carson (Democratic)Matt Cartwright (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Keith Ellison (Democratic)John Conyers (Democratic)Timothy J. Walz (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Marcia L. Fudge (Democratic)Alma S. Adams (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Betty McCollum (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Tulsi Gabbard (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Elijah E. Cummings (Democratic)Donald S. Beyer (Democratic)Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Maxine Waters (Democratic)Adam Smith (Democratic)Ron Kind (Democratic)William R. Keating (Democratic)Beto O'Rourke (Democratic)Jose E. Serrano (Democratic)Jared Polis (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic)Ed Perlmutter (Democratic)Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democratic)Gwen Moore (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Judy Chu (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee, Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that: (1) the rights protected by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only; (2) 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 the Constitution and are subject to regulation by the people, through federal, state, or local law; and (3) the privileges of such artificial entities shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable. The amendment requires federal, state, and local government to: (1) 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 the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure; 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.
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Timeline
Jan 30, 2017
Introduced in House
Jan 30, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 8, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
  • January 30, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • January 30, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.


  • February 8, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Constitution and constitutional amendmentsCorporate finance and managementElections, voting, political campaign regulationFirst Amendment rightsPolitical advertising

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.

USA115th CongressHJRES-48| House 
| Updated: 2/8/2017
Constitutional Amendment This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment providing that: (1) the rights protected by the Constitution are the rights of natural persons only; (2) 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 the Constitution and are subject to regulation by the people, through federal, state, or local law; and (3) the privileges of such artificial entities shall not be construed to be inherent or inalienable. The amendment requires federal, state, and local government to: (1) 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 the election of any candidate for public office or any ballot measure; 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.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

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Timeline
Jan 30, 2017
Introduced in House
Jan 30, 2017
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 8, 2017
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
  • January 30, 2017
    Introduced in House


  • January 30, 2017
    Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.


  • February 8, 2017
    Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Richard M. Nolan

Richard M. Nolan

Democratic Representative

Minnesota

Cosponsors (65)
Al Lawson (Democratic)Donald Norcross (Democratic)Tim Ryan (Democratic)Marcy Kaptur (Democratic)Jared Huffman (Democratic)Barbara Lee (Democratic)Joseph P. Kennedy (Democratic)Raúl M. Grijalva (Democratic)Mark Pocan (Democratic)Karen Bass (Democratic)Jackie Speier (Democratic)Sheila Jackson Lee (Democratic)Derek Kilmer (Democratic)Eliot L. Engel (Democratic)Niki Tsongas (Democratic)Katherine M. Clark (Democratic)Suzan K. DelBene (Democratic)Paul Tonko (Democratic)Michael E. Capuano (Democratic)Danny K. Davis (Democratic)Lucille Roybal-Allard (Democratic)Peter A. DeFazio (Democratic)Ted Lieu (Democratic)Ro Khanna (Democratic)Elizabeth H. Esty (Democratic)Alan S. Lowenthal (Democratic)Walter B. Jones (Republican)André Carson (Democratic)Matt Cartwright (Democratic)Stephen F. Lynch (Democratic)Mark DeSaulnier (Democratic)Keith Ellison (Democratic)John Conyers (Democratic)Timothy J. Walz (Democratic)Doris O. Matsui (Democratic)Marcia L. Fudge (Democratic)Alma S. Adams (Democratic)Mark Takano (Democratic)Pramila Jayapal (Democratic)Betty McCollum (Democratic)Eleanor Holmes Norton (Democratic)Denny Heck (Democratic)Tulsi Gabbard (Democratic)Jamie Raskin (Democratic)Elijah E. Cummings (Democratic)Donald S. Beyer (Democratic)Louise McIntosh Slaughter (Democratic)Janice D. Schakowsky (Democratic)James P. McGovern (Democratic)Maxine Waters (Democratic)Adam Smith (Democratic)Ron Kind (Democratic)William R. Keating (Democratic)Beto O'Rourke (Democratic)Jose E. Serrano (Democratic)Jared Polis (Democratic)Peter Welch (Democratic)Earl Blumenauer (Democratic)Seth Moulton (Democratic)Suzanne Bonamici (Democratic)Ed Perlmutter (Democratic)Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democratic)Gwen Moore (Democratic)Chellie Pingree (Democratic)Judy Chu (Democratic)

Judiciary Committee, Constitution and Limited Government Subcommittee

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
Constitution and constitutional amendmentsCorporate finance and managementElections, voting, political campaign regulationFirst Amendment rightsPolitical advertising