Rep. Tom Udall's 2019 - Fails the Test

116th Congress - 1st Session

Senate Joint Resolution 51 

Self Description:
Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.


National Intervention Deep Democracy Tracker:

Permanently Abolishes Corporate Personhood: NO
Guarantees Only-Publicly Financed Elections: NO
Permanently Requires Congress to Regulate Campaign Finance: NO
Permanently Allows Congress to Regulate Campaign Finance: YES

 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 

July 30, 2019
Mr. Udall (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Schumer, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Bennet, Mr. Blumenthal, Mr. Booker, Mr. Brown, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Carper, Mr. Casey, Mr. Coons, Ms. Cortez Masto, Ms. Duckworth, Mr. Durbin, Mrs. Feinstein, Mrs. Gillibrand, Ms. Harris, Ms. Hassan, Mr. Heinrich, Ms. Hirono, Mr. Jones, Mr. Kaine, Mr. King, Ms. Klobuchar, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Markey, Mr. Menendez, Mr. Merkley, Mr. Murphy, Mrs. Murray, Mr. Peters, Mr. Reed, Ms. Rosen, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Schatz, Ms. Smith, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Tester, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Warner, Ms. Warren, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Manchin, and Ms. Sinema) introduced the following joint resolution; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

 

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to contributions and expenditures intended to affect elections.

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 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:

“Article  —
  • “Section 1. To advance democratic self-government and political equality, and to protect the integrity of government and the electoral process, Congress and the States may regulate and set reasonable limits on the raising and spending of money by candidates and others to influence elections.
  • “Section 2. Congress and the States shall have power to implement and enforce this article by appropriate legislation, and may distinguish between natural persons and corporations or other artificial entities created by law, including by prohibiting such entities from spending money to influence elections.
  • “Section 3. Nothing in this article shall be construed to grant Congress or the States the power to abridge the freedom of the press.”.